From: irakliot@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Leo J. Irakliotis)
Subject: Turkey vs Greece
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 06:58:35 GMT
Reply-To: irakliot@lance.colostate.edu
Organization: Engineering Network Services, Colorado State University

To the netter who asked what Greece has to fear of Turkey, here's
an interesting collection. (apologies from the rest of the users
since this is not in direct relevance with the scope of this group.)

"The Aegean Sea belongs to us. This is something that must be understood        
by all. We do not intend to innovate in matters of foreign policy. If the       
honour and interests of the Turkish nation are threatened, we shall knock       
the enemy's block off!".                                                        
		(Premier Sadi Irmak, 18.1.75).                                                
"If the Greeks are not careful ... there will be no Southern
Cyprus, no Western Thrace, no Aegean and no continental shelf..."
         TERCUMAN, 4/26/1981.

Turgut Ozal, Prime Minister:
"The status that now exists between Greece and Turkey is
unsatisfactory.  Had the Turks known where the Lausanne Treaty
would lead to, they would never have signed it ...............
Journalists should use the term 'Aegean islands', not 'Greek
islands".
(Financial Times, December 6 1983).

Vahit Halefoglu, former Foreign Minister:
"Those who are trying to find a solution in Cyprus should know,
if their intensions are sincere, that for Turkey the problems
in the Aegean are no less important.
We should not agree to any negotiation over Cyprus if our claims
in the Aegean are not satisfied first".
(Statements in Parliament, May 21 1986).

B. Ulusu, former Prime Minister:
(Beating his fist on the desk)
"If Greece does not accept the reality and continues to squeeze
Turkey in the Aegean, sooner or later we shall be forced to break
through the screen of islands which suffocates Turkey and is used
as the jumping-off point for an attack on south-east Asia Minor.
Turkey has made enough concessions to Greece".
(Speech in Parliament, May 24, 1986).

" Half the Aegean is ours. Let the whole world know that it is so...
We know how to crash the heads of our enemies when the prestige,
and interest of the Turkish nation are attacked."
	(Prime Minister Irmak speaking to the Innya 
         Municipal Council, 13 Jan 1975).

"The group of islands situated near the Turkish coast, including the   
Dodecanese, must belong to Turkey. Among these we cite Samothrace,              
Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos, Rhodes and all others, small or large within a       
distance of 50 km". 
       (Vice-Premier Mr.Turkes, in "Devlet", 30 Mar 1976).

     "The Aegean Sea belongs to us. This is something that must be understood
by all. We do not intend to innovate in matters of foreign policy. If the 
honour and interests of the Turkish nation are threatened, we shall knock
the enemy's block off!".
		(Premier Sadi Irmak, 18.1.75).                                                
Turgut Ozal, Prime Minister(Now President):
"If a conflict breaks out, Greece will be at a disadvantage.
What must be accepted is this: Turkey is a country with a
population of 52 million.  It is developing day by day.  Greece
is a country of 8 or 9 million.  And its islands are widely
scattered."
(Interview to Milliyet, May 24, 1986).

"Western Thrace is Turkish and will remain Turkish .... Western
Thrace should obtain its independence .... When the time comes
our Western Thracian compatriots will consider either autonomy
or independence"
          Diary published by the "European Association of
          Turks of Western Thrace", January 1981

"We intend to keep this district (W. Thrace) in Turkish hands
and to include her as a single territorial entity at an
appropriate time and opportinity within the borders of the mother
country."
          A pamphlet of 32 pages entitled "The Lausanne Treaty
          and the Question of Western Thrace." August 1981.



"Our aim is to keep Western Thrace in Turkish hands as a single
geographical entity and the at the appropriate time and opportunity
to have her unite with the mother country.  We cannot accept the
expropriation of this Turkish district.  Our Western Thracian
brothers should struggle in order to obtain independence and
autonomy for Western Thrace."
          Pamphlet, distributed in October 1983 in Western Thrace
          by the Turkish Association "Solidarity of Turks of
          Western Thrace."

"Some day, the people of Western Thrace will live in their own
sovereign state."
          Statement by a Former Turkish Minister of Defense
          and Foreign Affairs, Hasan Isik, DAILY NEWS, 9/5/84.

"Whoever sends his children to the new high schools, which do not
offer the appropriate religious education, will be turning his
children into infidels .... We the Turks of Western Thrace, live
under the shadow and the protection of Turkey's 50 million people.."
          Speech by the Mufti of Komotini at Kotili, 4/25/84.


"Behind the minority there is the mother country .. And for you
the days that God promised will come, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps
even earlier than tomorrow."
          Message of the Mufti of Xanthi on the occasion of a
          Moslem religious celebration, 12/1/84.

"The declaration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for
us means that one more star has been added to the Islamic flag."
         Message of the Mufti of Xanthi on the occasion of a Moslem
         religious celebration, 12/16-17/83.


"If the Greeks do not come to their senses, the Turkish Republic
in Western Thrace will be born .... The fate of Cyprus is obvious.
Now in Cyprus there are two independent States.  Those who
presently do not recognize the Turkish Republic of Cyprus, in the
future will surely be obliged to recognize it ... The mistakes
made by Greeks in Cyprus are being repeated in Western Thrace.
If Greeks continue in the same fashion, they will soon be
responsible for the formation of an independent Turkish State
in Western Thrace."
         Press cutting from a Turkish newspaper that was distributed
         to the Moslems of Western Thrace by the son of the Mufti
         of Xanthi Agha Mehmet, 11/14/83.


"We are Turks and we must struggle for union with Turkey even if this
means spilling our blood."
         Moslem theologian, on the occasion of a Moslem festival
         in W. Thrace, 10/31/1983.


"Call for the liberation of the native land (W. Thrace from the
enemies who destroy it."
         Turkish language cassete circulated in Western Thrace
         in March 1981.

"Song of revenge" (publication of a song demanding an outlet
through Evros river, so that the Turkish armies may cross over
to W. Thrace).
         Journal of Research of the Turkish World, No. 7, 1980.

"If the Greeks are not careful ... there will be no Southern
Cyprus, no Western Thrace, no Aegean and no continental shelf..."

"Firstly the Turkish Republic of Western Thrace must be formed.
Even the international projection of such a republic would cause
great anxiety in Greece."
         Turkish journal YENI BATI TRAKYA (New Western Thrace),
         No. 13, 1984.


-- 
Leo J Irakliotis                 irakliot@eva.lance.colostate.edu
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