The World Council of Churches' General Secretary has welcomed a Turkish government decree providing better protection for non-Muslim religious minorities in Turkey.
Pope Benedict XVI has called for the Catholic Church to be given legal recognition in Muslim-majority but politically secular Turkey, which has faced criticism of its treatment of religious minorities as it seeks to become a member of the EU.
The murder of three Christian Bible workers in Turkey has brought condemnations from all sides, including Muslims, and a statement from a European church leader that "witness to God is incompatible with the use of violence."