Sunday, August 7, 2022
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
NEWSLETTER
ՀԱՅ
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
ՀԱՅ
No Result
View All Result

Turkish President Joins in Criticism of Patriarch Bartholomew

by Asbarez Staff
December 22, 2009
in International, News, Top Stories
13
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ANKARA (Today’s Zaman)–President Abdullah Gul on Monday joined the government’s harsh criticism against Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, whose remarks, in which he likened his treatment by the government in Turkey to crucifixion, have angered Ankara.

Speaking in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” for a story broadcast in the United States on Sunday night, Patriarch Bartholomew said Turkey’s Greek Orthodox community does not enjoy complete freedom as Turkish citizens and are treated as “second-class citizens.”

Asked whether he would consider going to Greece, he said he would stay in Turkey. “This is the continuation of Jerusalem and for us an equally holy and sacred land. We prefer to stay here, even crucified sometimes,” said Bartholomew. Asked if he feels crucified, he replied, “Yes, I do,” according to excerpts published by CBS on Friday.

Ankara’s response was swift, as Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday told reporters: “We consider the crucifixion metaphor an extremely unfortunate metaphor. In our history, there have never been crucifixions, and there never will be. I couldn’t really reconcile this metaphor with his mature personality.” President Abdullah Gul, speaking at a press conference on Monday ahead of his departure from Ankara for an official visit to Kuwait, was reminded of the controversial remarks by Bartholomew.

“The foreign minister spoke of the issue extremely well. There is nothing further to say on the issue,” Gul responded briefly.

Ankara’s criticism towards Bartholomew had already garnered a response from Athens on Sunday when Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gregory Delavekouras issued a statement saying that among Turkey’s obligations for joining the European Union is “that respect for freedom of religion and for the rights of minorities takes precedence.”

“It is the duty of all, and mainly those who are responsible for the situation of the ecumenical patriarch and the Greek minority, to pay attention,” Delavekouras said.

Bartholomew’s remarks sparked further criticism from both the government and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Sunday.

In Izmir, speaking at a conference organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc called the patriarch’s criticism “unacceptable,” while reiterating that Turkey doesn’t consider the patriarchate to be ecumenical in line with the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, which governs the status of the Greek Orthodox Church in Turkey.

Arinc recalled a rare meeting during which Bartholomew and leaders of the small Armenian, Jewish, Syriac Orthodox and Syriac Catholic communities had lunch with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and senior ministers, including Arinc, on Buyukada, an island near mainland Istanbul.

At the meeting held in August, Erdogan promised democratic reforms, highlighting the issue of minority rights, a key stumbling block in Turkey’s EU membership bid. Arinc said all religious leaders attending the August meeting, including Bartholomew, then stated that they enjoyed their religious rights during the AK Party government and thanked them for that. “If a speech like this is delivered four months later, then it is an unfortunate speech,” Arinc said.

The CBS interview was recorded in May, months before the Buyukada gathering.

In Ankara, CHP Deputy Chairman Onur Oymen released a statement in which he criticized both the patriarch and Davutoğlu. Calling Bartholomew’s remarks “inappropriate,” Oymen suggested that Davutoglu’s response to those remarks was “too weak.”

Tags: EuropeTurkey
Asbarez Staff

Asbarez Staff

Next Post

Hastert Funded by Taxpayers as he Lobbies for Turkey

Comments 13

  1. rony says:
    13 years ago

    The irony is that  the US officials  never forget a chance where they  don’t speak of Turkish Democracy

    Reply
  2. Alex Postallian says:
    13 years ago

    The Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew a rightous,religous,and a man of extreme integrity, is 100% correct I wonder how long the turkophobes and paid STOOGIES will finally realize the turks are incorrigible liars and hated by most of Europe.Look at their track record of maniacal cruelity to the Greeks,Armenians, Kurds and all other minorities. Who in their right mind would be associated with them….

    Reply
  3. hrair says:
    13 years ago

    Davutoglu, Gul, Erdogan and the turkish people  should open up their archives in order to prove that crucifixions did occur during the ethinc cleansing of non turks in Asia Minor between 1894 to 1923. If my grandfather was alive he would have written a book about how  his own mother and sister were crucified before his eyes. But then again according to Arma Jane Karaer he “would have been alive because a turkish family had taken him in and taken care of them until Christian missionaries intervened .” I’m sure somewhere in the turkish archives are the reels of the movie Auction of Souls. I better be careful the Foreign service officers at the US embassy in turkey might read my comments and show proof that the genocide never occured.

    Reply
  4. hrair says:
    13 years ago

    Patriarch Bartholomew should have taken offense at the thought of being asked to move to Greece. Constantinople/Istanbul has thousands of martyred remains of Christians who have given up their lives and it’s a holier city than any turk that claims it. He should have responded by advising the occupiers of the city to move to the central asian steppes.

    Reply
  5. Arshag Kavafian says:
    13 years ago

    During the 19th century it was the Great Britain which protected the dying Ottoman Empire and kept it alive until 1918. Now, they are the corrupt politicians of US Congress and the presidents who came after Reagan. I, personally, do not blame the Turks but do blame all of those who yell and shout and cry for human rights, but still kiss the asses of Turks…

    Reply
  6. Aram says:
    13 years ago

    Yes we (Armenians) are more than  frustrated, but ,do we have to be hateful too?
    Please do not respond hatefully.

    Reply
  7. Susan says:
    13 years ago

    What courage as we approach the Celebration of Jesus being born into the human world.  That courage is such a gift.  I only wish the Armenian Clergy would be as brave.

    Reply
  8. Samvel Jeshmaridian, PhD says:
    13 years ago

    The Armenia Catholicos should be very cautious. He has prayed for my health, I am going to pray for his wisdom and success for the benefit of the whole Armenian people.

    Reply
  9. Sarkiss Rshdouno says:
    13 years ago

    I don’t know why we r like saying “turkey” is a neighbor country!!! Just take a look and see what the heck is “still” going on with the non-turks people….
    And what a big shame on turkey, when they stood against israel during “Gaza’s” massacres on 2008/2009 and on the same time, still treat with the minorities as “second/third” class citizens….

    Reply
  10. most pessimist optimist says:
    13 years ago

    arshag kavafian said it all…
    if you want to blame someone, don’t blame the turks, but those who maintain their positions of power, (all for money of course, much like a pimp/whore, and a customer)
    and if you don’t know who they are by know, then may be i should pray for you to gain wisdom as samvel is going to pray for the armenian catholicos.

    Reply
  11. Aram says:
    13 years ago

    Shad mi ader sirel ga…………….

    Reply
  12. Ozan Kemal Çullu says:
    13 years ago

    Patriarch is correct about some words.I agree.Christians are second class citizens for the rulers of  Turkey.Turkey is belong to turks.This is their mind.Also you can be kurdish,bosnian,bulgarian,checen,iranian,armenian(Hemshins) etc if you are muslim you can be Turk.Other wise you are non-muslim and you are second class.This is the problem.
    Turks need to see that people is people if you they are good people.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Russia Again Blames Azerbaijan for Ceasefire Violation

In Response to Lavrov, Yerevan Says it Voiced Concerns about Russian Peacekeepers in 2021

2 days ago
U.S. Wants to Assist Armenia in Reforms

Blinken Discusses Karabakh with Pashinyan, Aliyev

2 days ago

Connect with us

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

Accessibility

Accessibility modes

Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.

Online Dictionary

    Readable Experience

    Content Scaling
    Default
    Text Magnifier
    Readable Font
    Dyslexia Friendly
    Highlight Titles
    Highlight Links
    Font Sizing
    Default
    Line Height
    Default
    Letter Spacing
    Default
    Left Aligned
    Center Aligned
    Right Aligned

    Visually Pleasing Experience

    Dark Contrast
    Light Contrast
    Monochrome
    High Contrast
    High Saturation
    Low Saturation
    Adjust Text Colors
    Adjust Title Colors
    Adjust Background Colors

    Easy Orientation

    Mute Sounds
    Hide Images
    Virtual Keyboard
    Reading Guide
    Stop Animations
    Reading Mask
    Highlight Hover
    Highlight Focus
    Big Dark Cursor
    Big Light Cursor
    Navigation Keys

    Asbarez.com Accessibility Statement

    Accessibility Statement

    • www.asbarez.com
    • August 7, 2022

    Compliance status

    We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

    To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

    This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

    Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

    If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

    Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

    Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

    1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

      These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

    2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.

      Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Disability profiles supported in our website

    • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
    • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
    • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
    • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
    • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
    • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

    1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
    2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
    3. Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
    4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
    5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
    6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
    7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

    Browser and assistive technology compatibility

    We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

    Notes, comments, and feedback

    Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to