US vs. Turkey: Don't make glass

The US has rejected Turkey's government's decision to turn the Eastern Orthodox cathedral into an object of Muslim cult.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeii has issued a public statement that the Department has e-mailed to the media all over the world.

Michael R. Pompeii, Secretary of State:

Turkey's government has administered Hagia Sophia as a museum officially recognised by U NESTO as part of Istanbul's World Heritage Historical Areas in a remarkable way for nearly a century.

We ask the Government of Turkey to continue to preserve Hagia Sophia as a museum, as an example of her commitment to respect the traditions of faith and the varied history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and to ensure that it remains accessible to all.

This extraordinaryity is a testament to religious expression and artistic and technical genius, reflected in its rich and 1,500-year-old complex history.

Moreover, the site's status as a museum has allowed people around the world to enter and reflect on this wonderful achievement.

The United States sees a change in Hagia Sophia's status as reducing the legacy of this remarkable building and its uniqueness so rare in the modern world to serve humanity as a very necessary bridge between those of different traditions and cultures of faith.

We seek to continue working with Turkey's Government on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including the preservation of religious and cultural sites