In the presence of Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, leader of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, launched a furious broadside on Friday against Turkey, whose troops have occupied northern Cyprus since 1974, accusing Ankara of an “obscure plan” to take over the entire island. The archbishop was speaking shortly after Benedict arrived to start a three-day visit to this Mediterranean island, which has been overshadowed by the killing on Thursday of a leading Roman Catholic bishop in Turkey who was supposed to have participated in the ceremonies surrounding the pope’s stay in Cyprus. Later Friday, at an ecumenical service with Benedict at an Orthodox church in Paphos, Archbishop Chrysostomos used strong language reflecting the enduring passions provoked by the island’s continued division, 36 years after a Turkish invasion. The archbishop called for the pope’s “active cooperation” in resolving Cyprus’s problems. Referring to Turkey, the archbishop said, “Under the eyes of a supposedly civilized humanity, it continues to carry out its obscure plan which include the annexation of the lands now under military occupation and then conquest of the whole of Cyprus.” He accused Turkey of carrying out a “plan of national destruction. It has turned the Orthodox Christians of Cyprus out of their ancestral homes, where they had lived for centuries” while populating northern Cyprus with “hundreds of thousands of colonists from Anatolia, radically altering the demographic character of the population of Cyprus.” The archbishop appealed to the pope to protect Christian monuments and Cyprus’s cultural heritage, saying Christian art works in the north of the island had been “destroyed or sold by traffickers in antiquities.” “They wish to make everything Greek and Christian disappear from occupied Cyprus,” he said.
II. PAJAMASMEDIA - It’s Not About the Flotilla: Turkey Changed Sides Years Ago
The foolish think the breakdown is due to the recent Gaza flotilla; the naïve, who pass for the sophisticated experts, attribute the collapse to the December 2008-January 2009 Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Such conclusions are totally misleading. The relationship breakdown was already clear — and in private every Israeli expert dealing seriously with Turkey said so — well over two years ago: the cause was the election in Turkey of an Islamist government. Turkey’s AK Party government has not permitted a single new military contract with Israel since it took office. The special relationship was over then. Turkey needed Israel as an ally when a secular government in Ankara regarded Iran, Syria, and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq as its main threats. Once there was a government which regarded Iran and Syria as its closest allies, Israel became a perceived enemy. When the Turkish armed forces were an important part of the regime, they saw Israel as a good source for military equipment and an ally against Islamists and radical Arab regimes. But once the army was to be suppressed, its wishes were a matter of no concern. Depriving it of foreign allies was a goal of the AK Party government. When Turkey thought it needed Israel as a way to maintain good relations with the United States, the alliance was valuable. But once it was clear that U.S. policy would accept the AK — and was none too fond of Israel — that reason for the alliance also dissolved. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced: It’s Israel that is the principal threat to regional peace. Earlier this year, the situation became even more absurd as Turkey moved ever closer to becoming the third state to join the Iran-Syria bloc. Syria’s state-controlled newspaper and Iranian President Ahmadinejad openly referred to Turkey’s membership in their alliance, and no one in Washington even noticed what was happening. Even when, in May, Turkish policy stabbed the United States in the back by helping Iran launch a sanctions-avoidance plan, the Obama administration barely stirred. A few weeks ago, the Turkish prime minister said that Iran isn’t developing nuclear weapons, that he regards President Ahmadinejad as a friend, and that even if Iran were building nuclear bombs it has a right to do so. And still no one in Washington noticed. The current Turkish government hates Israel because it is an Islamist regime. Note who its friends are: It cares nothing for the Lebanese people; it only backs Hezbollah. It never has a kind word for the Palestinian Authority or Fatah; the Turkish government’s friend is Hamas. Many oppositionist Turks see this as close to a conspiracy, and one can hardly blame them for doing so. A radical Islamist group close to the government organized this whole affair, which while nominally independent, enjoyed the Turkish government’s patronage. What has now happened is the regime’s manipulation of the two powerful symbols in Turkey that motivate people: nationalism and Islam. This is an anti-nationalist government, dismantling the traditional traditions of the Ataturkist republic. But it has managed to wrap iself in the Turkish flag. The way it has been presented is that Israel has attacked Turkey and its honor. Any hint that the demonstrators had attacked the soldiers, held extremist views, and refused to send in the aid through Israel or Egypt was omitted. A national hysteria has been whipped up. In huge demonstrations, Palestinian flags were waved and slogans chanted: “Stop military collaboration with the Israeli army,” “Kill all the Israelis,” “Allah akbar,” “Death to the Jews,” and “Attack Israel.” Even the opposition parties shouted their outrage. The government had three demands: all Turks be released immediately (something Israel had already announced would happen, but the regime pretended this only came about due to its tough stance), there be an international investigation, and Israel pay compensation. Turkey’s top leaders spoke of Israel as committing “piracy” and “terrorism,” the latter term one never applies to Hamas or Hezbollah. The question now becomes: how much can Turkey sabotage U.S. interests before U.S.-Turkish relations go the same way? The defection of Turkey to the other side would be the biggest strategic shift in the Middle East since the Iranian revolution three decades ago.
Pretending that this isn’t happening will not change it.
III. REUTERS - Israel will stop boat from reaching Gaza
Israel will stop another boat carrying aid and activists from penetrating its blockade and reaching the Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Friday. Israel, facing an international outcry over its naval operation on Monday in which nine Turkish activists were killed on a ship bound for Gaza, has vowed to prevent the Rachel Corrie from reaching the Gaza coast. "We will stop the ship, and also any other ship that will try to harm Israeli sovereignty. There is no chance the Rachel Corrie will reach the coast of Gaza," Lieberman said on Israel's Channel 1 television. The Irish-owned vessel is a converted merchant ship bought by pro-Palestinian activists and named after an American woman killed in the Gaza Strip in 2003. In Dublin, Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said in a statement: "Those on board the Rachel Corrie have indicated that they are ready to accept inspection of their cargo at sea, prior to docking in Gaza." Lieberman added that Israeli officials had been in touch with the Irish Foreign Ministry and said: "We clarified ... to the Irish and to others, no ship will arrive in Gaza without a security check, without checking the cargo, without knowing for certain (what is on board)."
IV. ANA - Greek Foreign ministry on FYRoM issue
"Greece wants a solution to the problem with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) and has taken specific steps for imthe provement of bilateral relations," foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras underlined on Friday in response to a question concerning the name dispute. Delavekouras stated, however, that a recent address by fYRoM Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski had caused "concern" in Athens, as it indicated that Greece's desire was not matched by Skopje. "Such rhetoric confirms that the name issue is used as a vehicle for nationalism and, at the same time, proves that there is an immediate need for a mutually acceptable solution," he said, adding: "On our part, the effort will continue … However, reaching a solution will be impossible if Greece is treated as the 'enemy'," the foreign ministry spokesman stressed. Responding to a question on the European prospects of the neighboring country, Delavekouras pointed out that "our position is that a solution should be found on the name issue. We cannot talk about fYRoM's European prospect if no solution is found."
Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanović has said that there will “certainly be new negotiations about the status of Kosovo”. “I don’t doubt that we’ll arrive at technical negotiations, and I’m convinced that we’ll also arrive at those main talks about the status,” Ivanović said. Such negotiations are necessary and they are always better than conflict, he added, and warned of the danger of high tension and conflict in case there were no talks. According to the state secretary, it is very important that both sides realize the need for the talks and a reasonable solution. “The world slowly realizes how bad the solution for Kosovo is, bad for stability in the Balkans. That’s why the position that new talks and finding of a sustainable solution are necessary is increasingly maturing. And it will be sustainable only if supported by Serbia,” he emphasized. “The first and basic thing is to get the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which I’m convinced will be on our side,” Ivanović stated and added that the ruling “would improve our negotiating position”. The UN's top court is currently deliberating the case of the legality of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral independence declaration under international law. The proclamation was made over two years ago, and has been recognized by 22 out of 27 EU countries and the United States, but has been rejected as an illegal act of secession by Belgrade. The UDI remains unrecognized by Russia and China as well, and Kosovo has not been able to apply for UN memberhsip. Now, Ivanović says, “it is time that (ethnic) Albanians start thinking about the way out of the situation”. “They can go no further, and we can ignore the fact that about 70 countries have recognized Kosovo,” the state secretary was quoted as saying. Pointing out that “there are too many bad politicians on all sides”, Ivanović stresses that “bad politicians in Priština today have a thesis that their economic situation is bad because Serbia is not recognizing them, which is utter nonsense”. Their economic progress depends on political stability, “and there will be none if Serbia keeps opposing and they keep trying to impose”, said Ivanović.
Two people were killed and more than a dozen, including police and local officials, have been injured in a bomb blast in the South Russian republic of Ingushetia. Violence has once again flared in Russia's southern republics. Russian news agencies reported on Friday that the explosion took place in a shop near a military monument in the village of Sagopshi at about 2.30 pm Moscow time. The blast killed a policeman and wounded 16 others, including the head of the village administration and two of his deputies. Some reports said two people were killed and gave the number of wounded as 10. The shop was completely destroyed and, at the time of the report, rescuers were sifting through the rubble in search of other victims. Ingushetia is a republic in the Northern Caucasus region in southern Russia and neighbors Chechnya. Terrorist attacks in the region are often perpetrated by radical Islamists. In a separate incident, a gunman opened fire on worshippers outside a mosque in Dagestan, killing one.
VII. OCA - Metropolitan Jonah expresses support for Orthodox Christian Fellowship campus, national initiatives
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, met with Father Mark Leondis, Chair of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship Board of Directors and OCF Interim Executive Director, at the Chancery here Thursday, June 3, 2010. Also present for the meeting was Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, who represents the Orthodox Church in America on the OCF Board. OCF was established by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas over four decades ago as a pan-Orthodox outreach to college and university students. Today, as an agency of the recently established North American Episcopal Assembly, it embraces over 200 local campus groups and sponsors a variety of regional and national ministries for young adults, including the popular alternative to the secular Spring break -- "Real Break." Father Mark shared with Metropolitan Jonah recent changes in OCF's administration, based in central Indiana, with the recent resignation of the fellowship's Executive Director. Metropolitan Jonah, who on many occasions has emphasized the importance of campus ministry for the upbuilding and growth of the Church, expressed his hope to see the development of a chaplaincy program for college students and recent graduates in the areas of leadership, counseling, and pastoral formation, calling OCF "a training ground for future Church leaders." The possibility of developing a college chaplains' network was also discussed. The OCA has been involved in OCF since its inception; many of its clergy and lay leaders today got their "start" in the OCF, especially in the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s. Related Resources: For more information on OCF and its numerous ministries, visit www.ocf.net. For more information on the OCA Department of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries, visit http://yya.oca.org. To read/subscribe to the OCA's young adult blog, "Wonder," visit www.ocawonder.com. For information on the OCA's Young Adult Youth Rally, slated to be held in conjunction with the Parish Ministries Conference on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, OH [in suburban Cleveland] June 27-30, 2010, visit http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event.