Archbishop does a U-turn

The Cyprus Mail reports that Archbishop Chrysostomos yesterday appeared to be mending fences with the government in view of the new talks due to start in September. After a meeting with President Demetris Christofias, with whom he has had a number of run-ins in the past , the Archbishop said the Church supported new efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.

The Archbishop said he was satisfied with the briefing he received and with the positions expressed by the President regarding the principles for a Cyprus settlement. “We wish the President success, because his successes will be to the benefit of our people and homeland,” he said.

Only three weeks ago, the Church leader incurred the wrath of ruling AKEL after he criticised their handling of the Cyprus problem in a speech he made in Athens. “I know what the people want, but sometimes the people are asleep when the leadership is not vigilant. There is a risk of indifference and everyone has to be on national alert,” he had said.“Because the entire political leadership accepted a federation and so that the people of Cyprus would not be divided, it is with great pain that the Church and Archbishop accepted a federation.”

Yesterday, he said of his meeting with Christofias: “The President stated unequivocally that he will stick with his principles until the end. He will claim the rights of our people and wants a solution that people could easily survive in the land of their forefathers. We agreed on this and I am very satisfied,” he said. "I wish him all the best".

The Archbishop on Wednesday met with House President Marios Garoyian, and again expressed his support for negotiations. He also plans to meet other party leaders, and said he would seek meetings with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council, Britain, France, Russia, China and the US.

Politis adds that the Archbishop was so enthusiastic over the briefing the President had given him that he admitted he had been told things that the President should have kept to himself. The paper's satirical column Kata Varvaron is surprised at his sudden U-turn on the Cyprus problem, a transformation that started two days ago when he said that the Church was in favour of direct talks because the Cyprus problem can't be solved without negotiations. It was too early in the day for him to have had a bit too much to drink, the writer says, so we must assume he meant it. Same when he visited the President at 8am, so the question is, what changed? Did he bewitch him? Did he make the Cyprus problem Mickey Mouse simple so that he finally understood it? Most probably he buttered him up, told him some supposedly confidential stuff, reassured him about the Churches sensitivities (ie taxes) and sent him away delighted. We all have our soft spot. Christofias may have finally found the Archbishop's. So the answer is to invite him every week, tell him a few secrets and urge him to keep his big mouth shut. Of course there's always another possibility. Don't forget the man gave his blessings to Tassos, Kasoulides, the water in the tankers and a series of other catastrophes, so it's quite possible he may have figured out what happens to whover he gives his blessings to! So if ever he comes a-visiting remember - put lots of garlic in the corners and a stone to ward off the evil eye.