“In general, we proceed from the fact that we are talking about the internal affairs of Turkey, which, of course, neither we nor others should interfere with,” RIA Novosti quoted the diplomat as saying.
However, he drew attention to the importance of this object from the point of view of world culture and civilization.
On July 10, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim services there.
According to him, this is a step towards "building a great and strong Turkey."