The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a strongly worded statement condemning Greece for what it described as “exploiting history for political motives,” in response to commemorations and statements in Greece marking the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus.
Ankara’s statement refers to “allegations against our country that lack any legal foundation” and “distortion,” while urging Greek authorities to stop using historical events for political purposes and “acknowledge the savage crimes committed against Turks and other ethnic groups.”
The statement contends that Greek legislation established in 1994 on the Pontus issue promotes unfounded claims, alleging that such narratives are taught in Greek schools through education directives.
Referencing the Greco-Turkish War, Ankara notes that Greece, having failed in its 1919 campaign to realize the “Great Idea,” “seeks to cover up both its defeat and the grave atrocities it committed by bringing up the baseless ‘Pontus’ allegations against our country.” It adds that the “war crimes and atrocities perpetrated by the Greek army” were documented in Allied reports and the Treaty of Lausanne.
The statement concludes by urging “Greece to adopt an approach that will foster the development of our bilateral relations on the basis of peace and cooperation, rather than using history to incite animosity.”
