Pope Benedict arrives in Turkey

Istanbul (Turkey): Turkish security teams took up positions around Ankara and Istanbul as Pope Benedict XVI arrived for his first visit to a Muslim country.

Small protests broke out in both cities, but authorities say security measures for the pope – who angered Muslims worldwide with comments in September on Islam and violence – would be tighter than they were for the visit of President Bush.

Benedict arrived at the Ankara airport on Tuesday just before noon to meet briefly with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan waited until the day before Benedict's arrival to announce that he would make time to meet the pope.

On Tuesday shortly before leaving for the airport, Erdogan said he hoped Turks would be courteous and "show hospitality" to the pontiff.

News reports say some 3,000 police officers have been assigned to guard the pope. Snipers will watch from hillsides and tall buildings, and armored vehicles and riot police will be stationed near the areas he is scheduled to visit.

Police also were mobilizing and staking out spots in Istanbul, where Benedict will spend most of his four-day stay.

"We have taken all the necessary measures and observations of the route the pope (will travel) and the places the pope will visit," Istanbul police spokesman Ismail Caliskan said.

A test of tolerance

The visit to Turkey will be a test of whether this pope can soften some of the Christian-Muslim tensions that boiled over after the pontiff quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of Islam's prophet Mohammed as "evil and inhuman."

The pontiff's presence will also be a test of the Turkish public's willingness to tolerate criticism of Islam and their ability to coordinate a massive and potentially problematic visit.

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On Monday a group of around 100 pro-Islamic demonstrators displayed what they said were a million signatures for a petition demanding that the Haghia Sophia, now a museum in Istanbul, be declared a mosque and opened to worship for Muslims.

The Haghia Sophia was built in the 6th century as a Christian church, but was converted to a mosque in 1453 when Islamic armies conquered the city – then a Christian metropolis called Constantinople.

In a speech on Sunday, Benedict said he was coming to Turkey as a friend of the Turks and asked his followers to pray for him. That same day, more than 25,000 Turks showed up to an anti-Vatican protest in Istanbul, asking the pope to stay at home.

Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said the visit was an opportunity for improved relations between the Christian and Muslim worlds.

"We would want this visit to be a cornerstone for (relations) between the two worlds," the government spokesman, Cicek, said after a Cabinet meeting Monday.

"Turkey is a country that is recognized worldwide for its tolerance and its hospitality. This is an opportunity for (Turkey) to display these qualities," he said.

Cicek said the protests were not directed toward the papacy, but toward the pope's comments on Islam.

"Some sector of the population are disturbed by the visit. Their disturbance is not because the pope is the pope, but because of the remarks he made," he said.

A brief statement from President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's office characterized planned talks with the pontiff as "opportunities for developing mutual understanding and cooperation," on bilateral relations between Turkey and the Vatican.

After spending Tuesday night in Ankara, Benedict will visit Ephesus and Istanbul, where he will meet with Bartholomew I, the Istanbul-based leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians.