Syrian Orthodox Patriarch visits Turkish Premier

H. H. Ignatius Zakka I Iwas in talks with Prime Minister of
Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on
the Mar Gabriel Monastery Land Dispute.
Photo-http://new.alepposuryoye.com

Aleppo - His Holiness Ignatius Zakka, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch concluded his official visit to the Turkish government in Ankara on 31 March 2011.

During his three-day visit, His Holiness met with the Prime Minister of Turkey Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 30 March . Accompanied the Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church of the Metropolitan Mor Gregorios Hanna Ibrahim of Aleppo, Mor Philoxenos Mattias Nayis, Secretary of the Patriarch of Syria, Mor Philoxenos Yusuf Cetin of Istanbul and Ankara and Mor Timotheos Samuel Aktas of Tur Abdin, together with the Diocesan Council Presidents of the two dioceses in Turkey, and the chairman of the foundation of the monastery Mor Gabriel monastery Kuryakus Ergün and attorneys Rudi Sümer.

They had gone to discuss the disputes over the land belonging to Mor Gabriel Monastery in Tur Abdin. The monastery’s bishop, Mor Timotheos Samuel Aktas was among the delegation, which also included the presidents of the diocesan councils of Tur Abdin and Istanbul and the lawyers acting for Mor Gabriel monastery. Representing the Turkish Forestry Commission, which is in dispute with the monastery, was the Turkish Secretary for the Environment.
The Prime Minister said that he had been following the case and would do his utmost to find a proper outcome to settle the dispute after the court had issued its verdict, when he would be happy to meet again with the Patriarch.


Apostolic visit to Turkish Republic started