Turkey

Published by The National Herald, September 24, 2004

U.S. Asks Turkey to Reopen Halki

By Theodore Kalmoukos
Special to The National Herald

BOSTON.- The U.S. government recently voiced its strong concern to the Turkish government regarding the reopening of the Halki Theological School of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The National Herald has learned that U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman met recently with Turkish Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan and told him that the U.S. government is requesting–by some accounts demanding–the reopening of the Halki Theological School as soon as possible.

Ambassador Edelman reportedly expressed Washington’s disappointment with the delay of the reopening of school and, more specifically, about the recent decision made by the National Security of Turkey to “freeze” the issue, as The National Herald had exclusively revealed in its September 11-12, 2004 issue.

Erdogan had personally assured U.S. President George W. Bush that the Theological School of the Ecumenical Patriarchate would be reopening this Fall during Bush’s visit to Turkey last June for the NATO meeting.

Erdogan had also made assurances to Prime Minister of Greece Costas Karamanlis during his official visit to Athens just a few months ago, but no measures have yet been taken by the Turkish government to reopen the school.

On the contrary, the National Security Committee of Turkey, which is comprised of mostly high-ranking army officials, decided—against Erdogan’s will—to freeze the issue, and withdraw on the Prime Minister’s promises. The Halki Theologcal School was forced to close by the Turkish government in 1971.

Three years ago the Turks prohibited the Ecumenical Patriarchate from using the school’s facilities for even purely social conferences and meetings, such as those on environmental protection.

It is common knowledge that the Ecumenical Patriarchate exists and operates under many restrictions imposed by the Turks.

It is not legally fortified in Turkey and thus the Patriarchate does not have the right to have ownership nor administrative authority over its existing institutions, not even those which are purely religious, such as churches, monasteries and cemeteries.



Volume 6 Number 39 - Tuesday, September 28th, 2004	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY