Turkey 'bridge' between faiths
28/11/2006 16:55  - (SA)  

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Ankara - Pope Benedict XVI said on Tuesday that Turkey was a "bridge" between religions and he appealed for solidarity between cultures in his first remarks after arriving in the predominantly Muslim nation.

"I really wanted to come to Turkey because Turkey has become a bridge ... between the religions," Benedict told Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who greeted him at the airport.

The pope spoke in Italian and an interpreter translated his comments into Turkish.

"It is a democratic, Islamic country and a bridge," the pope said. "I wanted to come to Turkey since becoming pope because I love this culture."

"I want to reiterate the solidarity between the cultures," Benedict said. "This is our duty."

Benedict began a four-day visit to Turkey, where he will seek to ease anger over his perceived criticism of Islam and mend a split with the world's Orthodox Christians.

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