Statement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on some events organised in Greece
Regarding some events and statements made in Greece, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: "The Pontus allegations made by the far-right groups in Greece with populist discourses in 1994, 75 years after 19 May 1919, which we regard as the beginning of our War of Independence, are groundless."
In a written statement on the issue, the Ministry stated that "Pontus" is just a definition from antiquity.
At the end of the 19th century, it was pointed out that the Pontic activities were an extension of Greece's "Greater Greece (Megali Idea)" plan, and it was emphasised that the issue was essentially the exploitation of a historical process that resulted in the exchange of Turkish and Greek people by subjecting it to baseless allegations.
"The Pontus allegations put forward by the far-right groups in Greece with populist discourses in 1994, 75 years after 19 May 1919, which we regard as the beginning of our War of Independence, are baseless," the statement said.
In the statement, it was stated that the allegations in question aim to damage Turkish-Greek relations and to put the prudent segments of Greek politics in a difficult situation:
"Our bilateral relations with Greece have recently gained a positive momentum. We expect the Greek government to take a clear stance against the efforts of some irresponsible politicians to prevent future generations from living in peace and tranquility."
