Turkish authorities want to turn the Armenian church in the Turkish part of Cyprus into a centre of Turkology
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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Restoration of the Armenian church in the Turkish part of Cyprus initiated due to a contribution of USD 5 million in frames of the "Project Cooperation for Development of Nations". Notwithstanding it became known that the authorities of the Turkish part of Cyprus have made a decision to grant the church to the Institute of Near East to turn it into a centre of Turkology. This decision caused tensions between the United States and the authorities of the Turkish part of Cyprus.
As reports "Armenpress" citing Turkish Miliyet newspaper the Embassy of the USA to the Republic of Cyprus issued warning regarding the violation of the preliminary agreement of exploitation of the Armenian church for "intercultural purposes". The American side declared that they are against the turning Armenian church into the centre of Turkology and said that if that happens a decree of moratorium of the contribution to the Turkish side of the island will be issued.
The Armenian Diaspora of Cyprus also is engaged in this question and made it the main topic of the visit of the "president" of Cyprus Derviş Eroğlu to New York. The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Cyprus John M. Koenig announced that they are attentively watching the developments and that there is a necessity to develop new program for the exploitation of the Armenian church. After returning to Cyprus Derviş Eroğlu ordered the department of Cypriot-Turkish foundation "to solve the question".