About This Web Site

This web site has become largely superfluous. What seemed like a long nineteen months turned out to be a very short time for the dramatic changes that took place in Greek-Turkish relations. The goals of THUS, our goals, are on the way to rapid realization, thanks to some clever cyberpublicity, the hard work of many individuals, the confluence of unanticipated political events and, yes, God. Those who helped make THUS a reality (and, therefore, contributed to its goals in an important way) are credited in the pages of this web site and the Forum, but I want to single out Leylim Erenel, the beautiful Turkish princess at Georgetown University, whom I have known via telephone and email but never met. It is only because of Leylim's intelligent vision, commitment, apparently unlimited energy, seemingly supernatural diplomatic abilities and selfless love that THUS became a force and a catalyst and, although no opportunity arose for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, Leylim will always be the Nobel laureate in my mind and in my heart. The serendipitous and synergistic political events and acts of God, Apo's capture, the ensuing resignation of George Pangalos and his replacement with Papandreou, the catastrophic Ismit earthquake etc. are well known. I think that God heard our prayers, with the loving help of Turkey's -- and the world's -- highest Christian authority, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, who gave THUS His generous and unconditional endorsement and support, because Leylim asked. I humbly and wholeheartedly thank all of you who took the time and made the effort to help THUS; those who freely offered your work, time, ideas and thoughts to me and to Leylim. Your are the kernel of lasting peace and the bond of a union between our two peoples. Photius Coutsoukis20-January-2000



The purpose of this web site is to support THUS, a soon to be formed NGO, whose mission is to defuse tension, increase understanding and facilitate closer, friendlier relations between the Greek and Turkish governments.

Assuming that there is considerable, reciprocal good will between large numbers of Greeks and Turks, THUS will harness it, spread it and turn it into a force that the Greek and Turkish governments will find it difficult to ignore.

Moreover, THUS will engage the governments in a number of ways, so as to compel them to jointly communicate and take action in a number of ways.

Additionally, it will entice the governments to enact programs that will, in turn, include large numbers of their citizens in activities that build trust and mutual understanding.

My hope is that these concurrent bottom-up and top-down efforts will produce results that would be much more than the sum of their parts.

This web site is just beginning to hatch. I intend it to be very rich in content and breath of material, but, for the time being, a number of its pages are links to sites of those who have already produced much useful content, and for which I am grateful. I also used pages from my existing site at theodora.com.

My first big task is to find willing partners, who are concerned enough and altruistic enough to devote some of their energies to achieving THUS goals. The alternative could be too costly for too many people.

Photius Coutsoukis

21 July 1998