'Pope's Iraq visit to contribute to stability, peace'

ROME

Turkey's ambassador to the Vatican said on Friday that Pope Francis' visit to Iraq would help make the region more stable, a development that pleases Turkey.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Ambassador Lutfullah Goktas said the Pope's visit came in a difficult period, adding: "Pope Francis had accepted the invitation by Iraq despite all the difficulties, which shows how much importance was attached to this visit. This visit is happening thanks to the Pope's determination and persistence."

"The Pope is traveling abroad for the first time as the coronavirus pandemic still continues. It's the first-ever visit to Iraq by a Pope," he stressed.

He added that thanks to the Pope's visit, Iraq is in the headlines in a positive light after many years.

"Since the Pope is the spiritual leader of the Catholic world, there's a heavy religious dimension of the visit," said Goktas.

Highlighting that Pope Francis would meet top Shia cleric Ayatollah al-Sistani, Goktas said the meeting would be crucial.

"Al-Sistani is an important Shia scholar whose influence goes beyond the borders of Iraq," he said. "He's a person who values Iraq's stability and he's above politics. The meeting of the Pope and al-Sistani in Najaf are of historic importance in terms of developing ties between Islam and the Catholic world in general, and Shias and Catholics in particular."

Goktas also added that Pope Francis' visit is also meant to be a show of solidarity with Christians in Iraq.

"There are ancient Christian communities in Iraq, especially the Chaldeans and Assyrians, whose roots go back a long way. In 2003, Christians made up 6% of Iraq's population. Their number was around 1.5 million," he said, adding that terror and instability in the region had uprooted many Christians, with only around 200,000-300,000 still living in the country.

"The Iraqi administration has made efforts to return the seized properties [of Christians] to compensate the damage in some way. The Vatican appreciates these efforts," he said.

Stressing that Turkey favors stability in the region, Goktas said "any development that will contribute to the peace and stability of the region would please us," referring to the Pope's visit.

"The authority vacuum in the country fosters the strengthening of terrorist groups. Neither sectarianism nor bigotry brings peace to anyone. The Pope's visit to Iraq will help bring these facts to mind once more," he said.

Goktas said Muslims, Christians, and different religious groups such as Ezidis have lived side-by-side in peace in the Middle East for centuries until the deterioration of stability in the region.

"Sectarianism, bigotry, and terrorism have landed a heavy blow to social peace. Turkey, in these difficult times, has opened its arms to anyone who has been uprooted from their homes without any religious or ethnic discrimination," he added.

"Iraq is now, so to speak, trying to heal wounds and achieve social peace again. The Pope's visit can make a contribute positively to this process [...] Any development that contributes to the peace and stability of the region pleases us."

* Writing by Iclal Turan in Ankara.