The positions of the Church of Greece
(
08.05.2004
)
1. In order to appease any concern of the Patriarchate, the Church of Greece has stated officially that It does not seek the reversal of the ecclesiastic regime of the New Lands. (See the relevant decision of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy under item no. [7a] above.) On the contrary, the Church of Greece asks that the regime which has been in effect for 75 years remain and be respected in the exact form in which it has been in effect.
2. The Church of Greece is obliged to observe the laws of the Greek state and indeed the Statutory Charter. Any deviation from it constitutes a breach of the law, leading to invalidation subsequent to appeals to the Supreme Administrative Court of the State.
3. The Church of Greece has made concessions to the Patriarch, but without breaking the law. Thus, beside the decision referred to under no (B.)1 above, It stated that It respects and observes the Act of 1928 as this latter applies to this day, and also accepted that the Patriarch’s name be commemorated in the Divine Liturgy by the Metropolitans of the New Lands, not as the Statutory Charter (article 28) provides but as the Patriarch insisted. Finally, It accepted that the Catalogue be sent to the Patriarchate, so that it be made easier for the Patriarch to suggest names of candidates for inclusion in it. 
4. The Church of Greece does not consent to transgress against the agreements concluded as early as 1929 and observed to this day. In accordance with these, the Patriarch may not (a) enroll on his own in the Catalogue whomever he wishes without the mediation of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece, (b) approve transfers from one Metropolis to another.
5. Eventual acceptance of these new claims of the Patriarch would not constitute only a breach of law or a transgression against the agreements, but would essentially undermine the Autocephalous nature of the Church of Greece. The Church of Greece has stood and still stands by the Patriarchate, assigning today about 150 of Its clergymen for the manning of an equal number of parish priests in the Greek Diaspora, and systematically supporting every canonical proposal of the Patriarchate. But this does not mean that the Church of Greece will be laid bare of the self-government which It enjoys by virtue of Its being Autocephalous.
6. The Greek government will protect the rule of law in the country.
7. The Church of Greece has made every effort and has done everything in Its power to settle the issue by common assent. The Patriarchate returns to Its original position, despite Its agreement upon a text of common acceptance. This is how we have been led to a deadlock.
From the official web site of the Orthodox Church of Greece:
http://www.ecclesia.gr/english/news/n_xores/positions.html
