Yabancı basın Papa ziyaretini nasıl gördü?

Turkish police monitored the highway leading to Ankara from the airport, where Turkish and Vatican flags waved in a light breeze. Snipers climbed atop buildings and hilltops. In wooded areas along the route, soldiers in camouflage fatigues set up observation points and sniffer dogs passed along bridges.

Dozens of members of Memur-Sen, a conservative union of civil servants demonstrated outside the religious affairs ministry, at least 25 miles from the airport, saying Benedict was not welcome

Mustafa Kir, chairman of the local branch of the union, addressed the crowd as police watched.

"This pope is not coming with good intentions, this guest does not deserve respect," Kir said. "He came here by swearing at our prophet and book."

Benedict's journey is extraordinarily sensitive, a closely watched pilgrimage full of symbolism that could offer hope of religious reconciliation, or deepen what many say is a growing divide between the Christian and Islamic worlds.

The outcome depends partly on the words and gestures of Benedict, who triggered an outcry in September when he quoted a 14th century Christian emperor who characterized the Prophet Muhammad's teachings as "evil and inhuman."

The Vatican said the speech was an attempt to highlight the incompatibility of faith and violence, and Benedict later expressed regret for the violent Muslim backlash.

The original goal of the pope's trip to Turkey was to meet Bartholomew I, leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians. The two major branches of Christianity represented by Bartholomew and Benedict split in 1054 over differences in opinion on the power of the papacy, and the two spiritual heads will meet in an attempt to breach the divide and reunite the churches.

Benedict leaves Ankara on Wednesday for Ephesus, where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last years, and will then travel to Istanbul, a former Christian metropolis known as Constantinople until Ottoman Turks conquered it in 1453.

Pope Benedict begins Turkey visit- (Papa Benedict Türkiye ziyaretine başladı)

(CNN) -- Snipers and police security teams took up positions around Ankara airport, Turkey, as Pope Benedict XVI arrived for his first visit to a Muslim country.

Authorities said 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.

As the pope arrived, dozens of Turks demonstrated outside the religious affairs ministry, at least 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the airport, The Associated Press reported. Some 25,000 Turks had gathered in Istanbul on Sunday for a protest against the pope, denouncing his visit to Turkey and saying he was not welcome.

Benedict arrived at the airport at 1:00 p.m. local time to be greeted by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan welcomed the pope, who wore traditional white robes, at the foot of the plane. The two men shook hands and walked on a red carpet to the heavily guarded airport terminal for a private discussion.

"I want to express happiness to see you and your delegation in our country," Erdogan told the pope. He described the pope's visit as "very meaningful."

The Turkish PM had waited until the day before Benedict's arrival to announce that he would make time to meet the pope before leaving for a NATO summit in Latvia.

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

CNN's Alessio Vinci, who travelled with the pope on the plane from Rome, said the pontiff had told reporters his message was one of reconciliation.

The German-born pontiff said that his visit aimed at "dialogue, brotherhood, a commitment for understanding between cultures, between religions, for reconciliation."

He could not expect to get results in just four days, the pope said, but his visit was a symbolic one.

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. (Gallery of security preparations)

Elaborate security precautions included a decoy motorcade, reports said.

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 told AP. Patriarch meeting

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.

The visit by the leader of 1.1 billion Roman Catholics was originally intended to be a pre-eminently Christian event but it has taken on wider political ramifications in Western-Islamic relations, Catholic-Muslim relations and Turkey's own aspirations to be part of Europe.

The visit to Turkey is seen as a test as to whether the pope can ease Christian-Muslim tensions that simmered after he 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.

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.

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. Pope Benedict XVI heading to Turkey- ( Papa 16. Benedict Türkiye görüşmelerine başladı)

Benedict set off for his four-day trip to Turkey at around 9:20 a.m. on an Alitalia flight from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport. The flight to Ankara is expected to take about three hours.

It is a "trip of dialogue, brotherhood and reconciliation at this difficult moment in history," the pontiff told reporters aboard the Alitalia Airbus 321.

"This is not a political trip but a pastoral one, and is aimed at dialogue and a joint commitment to peace," he said, adding that he was referring to dialogue "between cultures, between Christianity and Islam, a dialogue with our Christian brothers, especially with the Orthodox Church of Constantinople."

The pontiff said the Turkish people are "hospitable, open and desire peace."

"Turkey has always been a bridge between cultures and a place of meetings and dialogue," the pontiff said.

Turkey's leader to meet Benedict- (Türk liderler Papa'yla buluştu)

Change in plans amid protests of today's papal visit

THE BOSTON GLOBE -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to meet Pope Benedict XVI in Turkey today, a change of plans that appears to signal openness to a visit that has angered many Turks.

Small protests broke out in the cities of Ankara and Istanbul yesterday, but authorities said security measures for the pope -- who angered Muslims worldwide with comments in September on Islam and violence -- will be tighter than they were for President Bush's visit in 2004.

Benedict, on his first papal visit to a predominantly Muslim country, was to arrive at the Ankara airport today around noon, then meet briefly with Erdogan. The prime minister had not indicated until yesterday that he would make time to see the pope .

News reports say some 3,000 police officers have been assigned to guard the pope upon his arrival in the dusty, sprawling capital, Ankara. 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 staking out Istanbul, where Benedict will spend most of his four day visit.

"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.

The most sensitive part of Benedict's visit may be his walk through the Haghia Sophia, an Istanbul museum built as a Christian church in the 6th century and converted into a mosque in 1453 when Islamic armies conquered the city, then Constantinople.

Yesterday, a group of around 100 demonstrators displayed what they said were a million signatures for a petition demanding that the Haghia Sophia be declared a mosque and opened to worship for Muslims.

In a speech 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 protested in Istanbul, asking the pope to stay home.

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

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

Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said the visit was an opportunity for improved ties between the Christian and Muslim communities. "We would want this visit to be a cornerstone for [relations] between the two worlds," Cicek said after a Cabinet meeting yesterday

Pope Benedict XVI Arrives In Turkey- (Papa 16. Benedict Türkiye'ye ulaştı)

CBS News-- Prime Minister Urges Turks To Show Hospitality On Pope's First Visit To Muslim Nation. Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Turkey on Tuesday on his first visit to a Muslim country, where he will seek to ease anger over his perceived criticism of Islam and mend a split with the world's Orthodox Christians.

The pope's airplane landed in the Turkish capital of Ankara, amid a massive security operation designed to thwart any attempts to disrupt the pontiff's four-day trip at a time of heightened tension between the West and Islam.

Turkey's prime minister said Tuesday that he hoped the visit to Turkey by the leader of the world's Roman Catholics will promote peace.

"We hope that this visit will help advance the alliance of civilizations and global peace," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told lawmakers of his Islamic-rooted party in parliament on Tuesday, shortly before the pope's arrival.

Erdogan urged Turks to be courteous, warning against provocations by "marginal" circles.

"No doubt, as the nation and the country, we will show our traditional hospitality to Pope Benedict XVI," Erdogan said.

Many Muslims are angry over a speech by Benedict in September that linked Islam and violence, and 25,000 people demonstrated against his visit in Istanbul on Sunday. Security forces have deployed in the thousands to protect the pope.

The prime minister, who is to travel to Latvia Tuesday for the NATO summit, originally said he wouldn't be able to meet the pope. But Monday, he changed his plans to make time Tuesday to meet Benedict at the airport, shaking hands with the pontiff as he arrived in Ankara.

The schedule change was a clear sign of openness to the visit, which has been contested by some Turks angered by a speech Benedict gave in September in which he quoted a medieval text that linked Islam to violence. Tens of thousands of Turks marched in Istanbul on Sunday to protest the visit, calling Benedict an enemy of Islam.

When the government originally announced that Erdogan would be out of the country, Italian media described it as a snub during Benedict's first visit as a pope to a predominantly Muslim country. The Vatican rejected that, saying it was aware of the scheduling conflict.

Erdogan's spokesman, Akif Beki, confirmed the meeting. News reports in Turkey said the meeting would last 20 minutes, but Beki said he didn't know the duration.

The Church's policy on relations with other religions was stated in a message to a conference in Bali, Indonesia, that the Vatican released Monday.

The message from Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the office for inter-religious dialogue, said missionary work must be accompanied by a "commitment to sincere and authentic dialogue between cultures and between religions, marked by respect, reciprocity, openness and charity."

No one expects a quiet visit for Benedict.

CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey says Turkey is believed to be home to several radical Islamic militant cells ? including groups linked to al-Qaeda ? and these groups are not likely to sit back and watch quietly as the pope visits.

There have already been protests, the largest of which was Sunday's, when an estimated 25,000 Turks denounced Benedict as an enemy of Islam.

The rally in Istanbul took place in the same city where the pope plans to meet the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

On Wednesday, about 40 members of a Turkish nationalist party occupied Istanbul's famous Haghia Sophia ? a former Byzantine church and mosque ? and chanted slogans against the pope.

Banners unfurled in Istanbul earlier this week depicted Bartholomew and Benedict as a two-headed snake.

"He's coming to advance the ambitions of the Christian world. I don't want him to come," said Sadik Kar, a 43-year-old computer salesman, after prayers at an Istanbul mosque.

Ali Bardakoglu, who heads religious affairs in Turkey, urged a "civilized" response to the papal visit. "Even if we don't agree with them, we always host our guests in a civilized manner," he said.

In Turkey, Benedict is a target from two directions.

Muslim anger is still easily stoked from Benedict's comments, in which he quoted a 14th century Christian emperor who characterized Muhammad's teachings as "evil and inhuman." The Vatican said the speech was an attempt to highlight the incompatibility of faith and violence, and Benedict later expressed regret for the violent Muslim backlash.

Many in Turkey also perceive Benedict as a symbol of resistance to Turkey's EU ambitions because of his support for reinforcing Europe's shared Christian bonds. The EU's overtures have cooled considerably over questions about how to reconcile Turkey's dual natures: a strongly secular government and Western-looking intelligentsia, but also widespread poverty and deep conservatism that is opening doors for more radical views.

"We see the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Turkey as important," said Bulent Arinc, the head of Turkey's parliament. "It may be possible to correct some mistakes by coming together. You don't shake hands with a closed fist."

But it's unclear how far the Vatican is willing to go.

Benedict is not inclined to the "grand gestures" of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, and prefers a more methodical approach in tune with his background as a scholar and theologian, said John Voll, associate director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

"The pope is trying to build a real foundation ? that's theologically supported ? for a meaningful dialogue between Muslims and Christians on issues such as faith and reason," Voll said. "Don't expect any big apology. From the Vatican's point of view, they have dealt with it. They are moving beyond that."

The Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit Catholic priest and author of "Inside The Vatican", says Benedict's trip to Turkey is non-political and meant to carry a message of unity and tolerance between the religions.

"This is a not a pope who wants a crusade against Muslims. This is a pope who wants reconciliation between the Christians and Muslims," Reese told CBS News Up To The Minute.

Yet that doesn't mean Benedict's trip is without possible fallout among Muslims.

He's expected to draw attention to the treatment of Christian minorities in the Islamic world, including the vestige of the once-thriving Greek Orthodox community in Turkey. Earlier this month, an EU progress report on Turkey's membership bid urged more steps to boost rights of non-Muslim religious groups.

Benedict's visit also will revive memories of an Italian priest, the Rev. Andrea Santoro, who was killed by a teenage gunman in his church on Turkey's Black Sea coast in February. The slaying came amid widespread protests over cartoons depicting Muhammad that were first published by a Danish newspaper.

The Vatican on Friday said Benedict is considering a brief stop at Istanbul's Blue Mosque. During a visit to Syria in 2001, John Paul became the first pope to visit a mosque.

"There's much potential with this trip and much is at stake," said Diaa Rashwan, political researcher for Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt.

"It could be an ideal opportunity to build fresh ties with Muslims since Turkey is considered as a kind of bridge between the West and Islam," he said. "But it's a very delicate time now. If the pope appears to disrespect Islam again, then it could be a step backward."