According to a news item in today’s Hurriyet Daily News, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Tuesday that “Turkey’s recognized minorities should work to bring their birth rate up so that they can increase their population.”

Hurriyet says that Arinc made the remark during a Ramadan fast-breaking iftar meal with non-Muslim representatives in Ankara.

“Your birth rates are low. There is a number declared by the prime minister, I don’t want to repeat him, but we would appreciate it if your population increases,” he told minority communities, referring to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for Turkish families to have three children each.

Hurriyet also writes that Arinc also talked about the numbers of non-Muslims who had gone abroad due to “painful experiences”.

“If only they returned back so that we could live together again. I believe this will come true in the future,” Arinc said.