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Pope backs Turkey's bid for E.U. membership

No more feeling of bitterness, says Erdogan

— PHOTO: AP

FOSTERING TIES: Turkish President Ahmet Sezer and Pope Benedict in Ankara on Tuesday.

ANKARA (Turkey): Pope Benedict XVI began his landmark visit to Turkey on Tuesday with a message of dialogue and ``brotherhood'' between Christians and Muslims in an attempt to ease anger over his perceived criticism of Islam.

Two months after the Pope touched off fury across the Islamic world with his remarks on Islam, Turkish Prime Minister — in a last-minute change of plans — was on hand at the airport in Turkey's capital to greet the pontiff.

``All feel the same responsibility in this difficult moment in history, let's work together,'' the Pope said during his flight from Rome to Ankara, where more than 3,000 police and sharpshooters joined a security effort that surpassed even the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush two years ago.

The Pope used the first moments of his four-day trip to mend fences with Islamic leaders.

He said for the first time that he supported Turkey's bid to join the European Union, which he had strongly opposed as ``a grave error'' when still a Cardinal.

Mr. Erdogan, accused for weeks of snubbing the Pope for refusing until the last minute to meet him, personally greeted the pontiff as he stepped off the plane.

After a chat with the Pope, Mr. Erdogan said he had laid to rest any hard feelings he may have harboured.

``I asked the Pope for his support on our road to the European Union. He told me, `We want Turkey to be part of the E.U.' It is an honourable commendation,'' Mr. Erdogan said.

The original goal of the Pope's trip to Turkey was to meet Patriarch Bartholomew I, leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians. The two major branches of Christianity split in 1054 A.D. The Pope will visit Ephesus, where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last years.

Islamists' demand

On Monday, a group of Islamist demonstrators demanded that the Haghia Sophia be declared a mosque and opened to worship for Muslims. Hagia Sophia was originally built by the Byzantine Emperor Constantius in 360 A.D. as a church. In 537 A.D., Emperor Justinian rebuilt the church as a grand cathedral. It was converted to a mosque in 1453 A.D. after Islamic armies conquered the city — then a Christian metropolis called Constantinople, now called Istanbul.

Agencies

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