Turkish, Greek Cypriots to renovate monastery in Karpaz

Turkish and Greek Cypriots have agreed to launch a joint renovation project for a Greek Orthodox monastery in Cyprus, a senior Turkish Cypriot official said Wednesday. "We have received a positive answer from the Greek Cypriot side to authorize the Cultural Heritage Technical Committee of Turkish and Greek Cypriot members for the renovation of Apostolos Andreas Monastery. I believe steps will be taken soon on the issue," said Kudret Ozersay, special representative to Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroglu. Ozersay said a renovation project by a group of scholars with the University of Patras in Greece had received greenlight from a Turkish Cypriot board of monument preservation, and he called for international financial support for the project to begin. The 12th century monastery is located at the north-eastern most point of Cyprus in the Karpaz Peninsula. The monastery is an important site to Orthodox Christians.