Τhe conversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque is another provocation to the civilised world and the international bodies that represent it, President, Nicos Anastasiades, has said on Twitter.
“The Turkish move constitutes a historic distortion and a desecration of a world heritage monument which has a special value for Christians all over the world,” he added.
Furthermore, the Presidency of the Republic issued a statement condemning the conversion of the Hagia Sophia cathedral into a mosque, noting that it will report the new Turkish provocation in all international fora.
“For centuries Hagia Sophia has been a symbol of Christianity where East meets the West, as well as an integral part of the civilization of the whole world,” the Presidency said.
The decision to convert it to a mosque “constitutes a provocation against the world’s cultural heritage and a violation of every rule of the international law, the values and principles of the UN and UNESCO and a violation of the international treaties for the preservation of such monuments.”
(CNA)
