This AsiaNews article indicates that the Turkish government has refused the proposed Papal visit

(For the hoped-for November 30 trip, at least. They extended a vague invitation for a visit in 2006)

And Bartholomew I? Publicly he bowed his head, telling journalists: “For us, it would have been a great gesture if the pope would have been able to join us to participate in our celebrations and it seems natural to us that he should be allowed to visit  ‘his little brother’, but now we have lost hope, seeing that Ankara has crushed our invitation. Certainly it is not a nice situation, but we do not want to insist nor do we want to create a crisis with the State. Our leaders have judged that it is better this way and we do not want to be obstinate.”

“But why did Ankara react in this way?” journalist Deger Akal asked himself in an article published today in Vatan. “According to Turkish sources, all the eyes of the world would have been focused on Turkey during the pope’s visit; Turkey fears criticism which could arise and does not want to face upfront heavy observations like those of the Vatican Nuncio in Ankara, Edmond Farhat. “Turkey is a nation which is an enemy of Christians. It defines itself as a secular nation, but this freedom is only on paper.”