Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-17
Turk-Greek Relations

I admire the objectivity with
which your columnist Constan-
tine Brown treats Turkish
Greek relations in regard to
Cyprus, and was quite aston
ished by the expressions used
by John A. Tzounis. Greek En-
basSy information officer, in his
letter to The Star on July 9.
Mr.. Tzounis accuses Turkey
of formulating threats of war
enc angering international
peace and security" and says
that "at no time did Greece
rely on violence for the solu-
ton of her international prob
lens" I would like to remind
him that many Turks still
wildly remember the march of
Greek armies to the gates Of
Ankara. burning Turkish viii
lagos behind them, and killing
Turkish women and children
as recent as the early 1920's.
We. the children of that gen.
Grafton, would not like to imag-
inc something like that hap
pening again. 1t is natural
that Turkey would take every
measure to prevent the posi-
bility Of recurrence of the same
event, however remote it may
seem.
I suppose Mr.. Tzounis does
not consider as threats to in
ternational peace and security
the demands made by Greece
on an island which is only 43
miles from Turkey. of very
great strategic importance to
her, and over 600 miles from
the Greek mainland; an island
which belonged to Turkey
from 1871 to 1923, and never
belonged to Greece; on which
there is Turkish population
Of over 100000 whose security
and future must be guaranteed
by Turkey: and most impor-
tant of all. an island dominat-
ing the southern approaches
to the Turkish mainland. The
western shore Of Turkey is al
ready blocked by islands be-
longing to Greece. The north
ern and eastern frontiers bor-
der the Soviet Union. With
Cyprus. Greece would complete
the enlightenment of the Turk
ish shoreline. Mr.. Tzounis must
expect Turkish statesmen to
fold their arms and watch con-
tentedly while an island of
such strategic and vital impor-
lance is given to a country
which recently had territorial
ambitions on Turkey proper.
which entertains high Soviet
officials. and in which there is
present threat of commu-
nism" voiced by the Greek
Prime Minister in spite of Mr..
Tzounis' denials.
Mr.. Tzounis neglects recent
history when he says that
Greece is the only country in
the world to have met and de-
cisively defeated communism
on the battlefield. The many
young and vigorous Turkish
soldiers who fought commu-
nism side by side, and died,
with the soldiers Of the United
States and other free nations
in Korea should not be forgot
ten so easily. If Turks have
not had to fight Communists
in Turkey proper, it is because
we never permitted them to
gain a foothold there in the
first place.
I suggest he consult his his
tory books again TO find out
about the Is or more wars
Turkey fought with Russia TO
prevent her from moving into
the Mediterranean.
AS to self-determination for
the Greek Cypriots. which Mr..
Tzounis calls "the enjoyment
Of their most fundamental
rights" history shows that a
mere majority Of population is
not always recognized as the
sole determining factor in the
delineation of national boun-
diaries. History, geography,
economies. and strategy also
come into play as fundamental