[T5qYkHWQ]

Dear Antonios,

I visited Constantinople and the Halki Theological School last summer. The school feels like a ghost institution, with empty classrooms and darkened corridors. A priest addressed the group I was in, telling us a little about the history of the school and the legal catch-22 in which the Turkish government placed the institution in 1971. Its a real shame that this school, which is located on a beautiful small island in the "Prinkiponisa", is not host to Orthodox students and teachers from around the world.

The Greek community in Constantinople seemed run-down and demoralised. I had the sense that the Turkish government was, while not actively persecuting, simply letting the community down in so many ways that its identity and existence as a distinct ethnic group will eventually no longer be viable. I noticed the Constantinopolitan Greeks who spoke to us had Turkish accents and sometimes a limited vocabulary in Greek, a sure sign of the state of Greek education in the country that aspires to be a member of the EC. I also notice in the article you quoted that the Turkish government spokesman was asking for "time" to allow the Halki school to be opened. The EC may or may not be aware of this, but "time" here in Cyprus is known to be a Turkish strategy for letting circumstances turn to their favour again, and can therefore continue indefinitely.

Sorry I can't say something more cheerful about this.

In Christ
Byron