Turkey’s ‘Garden of Religions’

Attending the ceremony were Dutch European Affairs Minister Atzo Nikolai, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, members of the diplomatic community in Ankara as well as religious leaders of Turkey’s Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan said his country has responded to all terms of the Copenhagen Treaty on Human Rights, adding the ball was now in the field of the European Union to grant Turkey a date to start negotiations for accession talks.

He further said religious tolerance was a heritage of the Ottoman Empire and quoted edicts by Mehmet the Conqueror, the sultan who took Istanbul in 1453, ordering respect for non-Muslims.

“Owing to this great historical experience, Turkey is today the guarantor of peace and brotherhood in its region.”

“People will be able to freely practice their religions in this center. This is a very important message,” Nikolai said, quoted by Anatolia news agency.

“The EU will continue to encourage reforms in Turkey,” Nikolai said. “There could be frictions sometimes, but the reforms Turkey has undertaken are encouraging.”

The Dutch minister was in Turkey for consultations with Turkish leaders in the run-up to an EU summit on December 16-17, at which Ankara is expected to be invited to begin membership talks, though under tough conditions.

Belek is a major tourist center on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, which attracts millions of foreign holiday-makers each year.

Marginalizing Islam

While leaders of Turkey’s non-Muslim minorities hailed the inauguration of the “Garden of Religions”, the center caused a stir within the Turkish society and among the ranks of Islamic currents.