Challenges The Syriac Community Faces Will Be Eliminated, Turkish President Says

Turkish president Abdullah Gül Wednesday said that Turkey has made great efforts to improve conditions of Turkey’s Syriacs, assuring listeners that all challenges the Syriac community faces will be eliminated.”Turkey has continued its political”…
Turkish president Abdullah Gül Wednesday said that Turkey has made great efforts to improve conditions of Turkey’s Syriacs, assuring listeners that all challenges the Syriac community faces will be eliminated.

“Turkey has continued its political existence as heir to multicultural, multi-faith and multinational empires for many centuries… It is such a heritage that you can come across in seeing different histories, traces of different civilizations wherever you go in Anatolia. It is such a [strong] heritage that multiculturalism has become a natural part of people living in Turkey,” said Gül while addressing the Swedish parliament on the last day of his official visit to Sweden, adding that Turkey considers religious minorities the “richness” of the country.

Recalling that the history of bilateral relations between the two countries dates back to the 17th century, Gül said the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sweden had both struggled against the Czarism that was moving towards the Baltic and Central Asia at the time, adding that moves like this resistance were far ahead of their time in terms of multiculturalism and tolerance.

A trade agreement in 1737 marked the beginning of relations between Swedes and Turks, while an Alliance for Peace, Unity and Friendship was established in 1739.

SHOTLIST

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN March 13, 2013

VAR of Swedish parliament

SOUNDBITE (in Turkish) Turkish president Abdullah Gül:

“Turkey has made great efforts to improve conditions of Turkey’s Syriacs. All challenges the Syriac community faces will be eliminated.”

“Turkey has continued its political existence as heir to multicultural, multi-faith and multinational empires for many centuries… It is such a heritage that you can come across in seeing different histories, traces of different civilizations wherever you go in Anatolia. It is such a [strong] heritage that multiculturalism has become a natural part of people living in Turkey. Turkey considers religious minorities the “richness” of the country.”

“The history of bilateral relations between the two countries dates back to the 17th century. The Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sweden had both struggled against the Czarism that was moving towards the Baltic and Central Asia at the time. Moves like this resistance were far ahead of their time in terms of multiculturalism and tolerance.”

“A trade agreement in 1737 marked the beginning of relations between Swedes and Turks, while an Alliance for Peace, Unity and Friendship was established in 1739.”

DURATION: 03: 17
http://en.haberler.com/challenges-the-syriac-community-faces-will-be-265413/