19.05.2025 19:11
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to Greece's statements regarding 'Pontus.' In a statement made by the ministry, it was said, "We condemn the baseless 'Pontus' claims made by Greek authorities on the pretext of the anniversary, which are filled with delusions and have no connection to historical facts."
The Turkish government reacted very strongly to the statement made by the Greek government regarding the 'Pontus' claims. In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the aforementioned statements were condemned.
"WE COMPLETELY REJECT"
In the statement, it was said, "We condemn the baseless 'Pontus' claims made by Greek authorities under the pretext of the anniversary, which have no connection to historical facts. We completely reject these statements that aim to tarnish our War of Independence, which was initiated under the leadership of our Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on May 19, 1919."
HISTORICAL FACTS REMINDED
The ministry's statement also noted, "While it is a historical fact that the Greek army committed numerous atrocities in the Anatolian lands it occupied with the support of the imperialist powers of the time, today, the unfounded efforts of Greek politics to reinterpret the past have no validity.
The Greek atrocities in Anatolia have been recorded in the reports of the Allied States Investigation Commission, as well as in Article 59 of the Treaty of Lausanne, and Greece has been condemned to pay compensation for violating the laws of war," it was stated.
"THIS TURKISH INITIATIVE MUST BE ENDED"
The statement concluded: "The Pontus activities that emerged as an extension of Greece's 'Megali Idea' ambitions over our lands in the late 19th century have been thwarted forever by the determined struggle of our Nation. We invite the Greek authorities to abandon their policy of exploiting these historical events, which resulted in the exchange of Turkish and Greek populations, for populist purposes, and to remember the crimes of atrocities committed against Turks and other ethnic groups, starting from the 1821 Tripolitsa massacre.
Such initiatives, which aim to damage the relations that have been progressing positively between Turkey and Greece in recent years by inciting hostility from history, must come to an end."