Cyprus Archbishop appeals to Moslem religious leaders

The primate of the church of Cyprus Archbishop Chrysostomos II has appealed to Moslem religious leaders to exercise their influence on Turkey in an effort to help protect religious holy sites in Turkish occupied Cyprus, pillaged for the past three decades.

Speaking on his return from Brussels, having attended a meeting of the three monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), the Archbishop said his appeals were met with a positive response on the part of European Union high ranking officials, including the presidents of the Commission and the European Parliament as well as the current European Council president the German Chancellor.

He said his call was addressed to the Europeans and the religious leaders, in particular the Moslem leaders. He explained that the cultural and religious heritage of Turkish occupied Cyprus is now on sale illegally in European and US markets, and stressed that items and religious relics must return to their lawful owners.

The Archbishop also asked the intervention of the leaders towards Ankara to allow Greek Cypriot Christians to go to the occupied areas in order to restore and maintain religious sites, abandoned or destroyed since the 1974 Turkish invasion.