Orthodox leaders in Greece and in Cyprus have condemned a new peace plan sponsored by the United Nations that would end the island's 30-year rigid division in time for its planned entry to the European Union in 2004

Christian Century, Feb 22, 2003

Orthodox leaders in Greece and in Cyprus have condemned a new peace plan sponsored by the United Nations that would end the island's 30-year rigid division in time for its planned entry to the European Union in 2004. "The proposed plan is not based on UN resolutions, as it should be, nor guided by the juridical ideas of the [European Union], which Cyprus has been invited to join," said the governing synod of the (Orthodox) Church of Greece in a statement.

"On the contrary, it creates the possibility of long-term trials and conflicts." The UN plan would reunify Cyprus under a common government, while also giving almost complete autonomy to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, which make up 82 percent and 18 percent of the island's population respectively. Cyprus has been partitioned into predominantly Greek and Turkish sectors since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern third of the island. UN officials have given the parties a deadline of February 28 to agree on a settlement.