Erdogan accuses Greece over Turkish minority rights
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Greece is ignoring or deliberately eroding the conditions set by the Treaty of Lausanne.
“Turkey has meticulously followed the implementation of the Lausanne Peace Treaty since its signing. However, in the recent years, the conditions set by the Treaty, especially the rights of the Turkish minority, have been ignored or deliberately eroded by Greece,” Erdogan said in a written statement on Sunday, marking the 99th anniversary of the accord’s signatory.
The Treaty of Lausanne, signed between Turkey of the one part and the British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania and the Serb-Croat-Slovene Kingdom of the other part, on July 24, 1923, forged the borders of modern Turkey. Among other things, the international accord also determined the status of the “internal minorities” of Turkey, including the “external minority” in Greece (Western Thrace).
“It is impossible for us to accept this situation, which is incompatible with good neighborly relations and the principle of loyalty to the Treaty,” Erdogan said.
Turkey is determined to make every effort to establish lasting peace and tranquility in its region and to protect the rights of its beloved nation, he said.
Turkey also accuses Greece of militarizing the Aegean islands off the Turkish coast, in violation of the Treaty of Lausanne.
