Turks are just freeloaders, archbishop says

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet Photo

Turkish Cypriots would be freeloading off hardworking Greek Cypriots today if the 2004 Annan plan had been accepted, thereby creating a federation on Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos has said, according to daily Hürriyet.

"If I had said ‘yes’ to the federation and it had been accepted, Greek Cypriots would work and Turkish Cypriots would exploit our richness," the cleric reportedly told Greek daily Politis. "Turks are undutiful, no federation [can be carried] out with them."

The archbishop also said Greek Cypriots would eventually leave the island to be replaced by Turks if a union were accepted on the island.