Hands off the Hagia Sophia, US tells Turks

US Secretary of State urges the Turkish President not to convert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

A Turk prays in the Hagia Sophia last week. Picture: AFP

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to convert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque and says Istanbul’s celebrated former cathedral should remain open to all.

Mr Erdogan, whose roots are in political Islam, has mused about turning the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque, angering neighbouring Greece.

Mr Pompeo’s statement came on the eve of an expected Turkish court decision on Thursday on whether the Hagia Sophia was rightfully turned into a ­museum.

“We urge the government of Turkey to continue to maintain the Hagia Sophia as a museum, as an exemplar of its commitment to respect the faith traditions and diverse history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and to ensure it remains accessible to all,” he said.

“The United States views a change in the status of the Hagia Sophia as diminishing the legacy of this remarkable building and its unsurpassed ability — so rare in the modern world — to serve humanity as a much-needed bridge between those of differing faith traditions and cultures.”

Turkey said it was “stupefied” by the remarks.

“Everyone is free to express their opinion,” a foreign ministry spokesman said. “At the same time, no one has the right to speak about our sovereign rights in the form of a warning.”

AFP