I was much amused when I saw the this report. It now appears that the Archbishop now not only speaks for his GC flock but also knows what TC's want as well. Politics and religion are a potent mix and no good usually comes from mixing the two. If this were a muslim religious leader making these comments there would no doubt be a storm of protest.
I propose that religion be kept out politics and the Archibishop mconcern himself with spiritual matters and keep his nose out of the Cyprus problem . Do people agree?
Greek Cypriot archbishop calls Ankara 'enemy'
By Cihan News Agency
Monday, January 08, 2007
zaman.com
Greek Cypriot Archbishop Chrisostomos II made controversial remarks about the status of Cyprus prior to a meeting of Turkish and Greek Cypriot religious leaders, which was later cancelled.
The archbishop said that the Greek Cypriots' enemy was Ankara and not their neighbors. He stressed that a unitary state was to be demanded and that Turkey insisted on a separated island with two states.
He also said that even Turkish Cypriots did not want a two-state regime. All the powers, according to Chrisostomos, were aware of the fact that the island cannot be separated but all were hesitant to defer the matter to Turkey.
In his statement for the local Mahi daily, the archbishop explained some of the demands he was planning to communicate to Ahmet Yonluer, head of the Turkish Cypriot Religious Affairs Department.
"We are sincere and will, of course, demand our churches and graveyards and the permission for their restoration and maintenance," said Chrisostomos.
He also said the struggle for survival in the period from 1955 to 1959 brought the Greek Cypriots together and they sacrificed everything, even their lives.
The archbishop remembered the times when they hid National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) members and were arrested and beaten by the English as honorable and said he missed that period.