WikiLeaks document reveals U.S. appealed to Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
FILE NEWS -MARCH 17, 2011
One of the WikiLeaks-published documents says that U.S. diplomats working in Turkey provided information about activities and influence of Fethullah Gulen, religious leader of the Turkish authorities. Former U.S. Ambassador in Ankara James Jeffrey said President Abdullah Gul was a follower of Gulen, while Premier Erdogan stayed away from him.
“The American diplomats said that U.S. demanded assistance of spiritual leaders of Turkish ethnic minorities for granting Fethullah Gulen U.S. residence. Spiritual leaders of Armenian, Greek and Jewish communities of Istanbul were instructed to write a letter of recommendation for Gulen, but Geek and Armenian patriarchs refused to do it. Only Vatican’s representative in Turkey clearly expressed his support for Gulen,” reads the article published in Turkish Taraf daily.
As a result of long negotiations Taraf newspaper got permission from Julian Assange to publish 11,000 WikiLeaks secret cables.
