Pompeo promotes religious freedom during Turkey visit

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Istanbul to meet religious leaders. Pompeo's stop in Turkey is focused on promoting religious freedom and fighting religious persecution, which is a key priority for the U.S. administration.

Istanbul: Protesters shouted anti-America chants as US Secretary Mike Pompeo met with religious leaders in Istanbul.

The demonstrators chanted the slogans and hurled one banner which read "USA: murderer of millions of Muslims" during Tuesday's protest in the Turkish city.

Read:|Palestine slams Pompeo's decision to visit Israeli settlement

Pompeo was meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I and the apostolic nuncio to Turkey Archbishop Paul Russell at the Patriarchal Church of St. George when the demonstration was being held.

US officials have said that Pompeo's stop in Turkey is focused on promoting religious freedom and fighting religious persecution, a key priority for Trump administration.

Pompeo's schedule to the nation, which is part of a 10-day Europe and Middle East tour, does not include meetings with government officials.

Senior State Department officials had said the lack of official meetings in Turkey was due to scheduling issues during the brief stop.

They said meetings had been sought but Turkish officials were unable to come to Istanbul from the capital of Ankara during the time Pompeo will be there.

Read:|Pompeo lays wreath for terror victims in France

The officials noted that Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart plan to see each other in early December at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

AP