The mayor of Constantinople (Istanbul) Ekrem İmamoğlu expressed his sorrow that the issue of Hagia Sophia is being used as a political tool for the sake of domestic politics in Turkey, while speaking at Delphi Economic Forum on Thursday.

On his part Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis underlined that the two cities both host world heritage monuments, such as Hagia Sophia, which must be protected.

also read 

US State Department to Turkey: Respect the Hagia Sophia

Egypt Islamic body causes uproar by declaring Ottomans’ Istanbul seizure “occupation”

The Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglou, and the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, agreed, during their conversation at the 5th Economic Forum of Delphi, to cooperate and meet in the near future, either in Constantinople or in Athens. The two mayors spoke about the diplomacy of cities that often have the power to bridge gaps and differences.

Imamoglu said that issues like that of Hagia Sophia should be handled with special sensitivity, taking its history and religion into account, while adding that Turkey and the entire world now face much bigger and more serious challenges.

On migration, both mayors agreed that it is an international problem that should be addressed at both a local and international level.