Türkiye rejects Greek remarks on ‘Pontic’ claims as 'delusional'

ISTANBUL

Türkiye on Monday condemned statements by Greek authorities on the so-called anniversary of 'unfounded Pontic allegations.'

“We condemn the delusional statements, which are completely incompatible with historical facts, made by Greek authorities on the pretext of the anniversary of unfounded "Pontic" allegations,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry rejected “such imaginary allegations,” which it said aimed to “defame our War of Independence” launched under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, on May 19, 1919.

Ankara accused Greece of attempting to "read history in reverse," calling the allegations "null and void.”

The ministry said it is a "historical reality" that the Greek army committed "countless atrocities in Anatolia," which it occupied with the support of imperialist powers of the time.

“Greek atrocities in Anatolia, which were referred to in the reports of the Allied Commission of Inquiry, were also put on record in Article 59 of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, with Greece being obliged to pay compensation for its acts that violated the laws of war,” the ministry added.

The statement underlined “The Pontic activities,” which emerged in the late 19th century as an extension of “Greece’s Megali Idea ambitions” were condemned to “eternal failure through our Nation’s resolute struggle.”

The ministry urged Greek authorities to "abandon their policy of exploiting for populist goals those historical events which led to the Turkish-Greek population exchange" and called on them to remember the "brutal crimes committed against Turks and other ethnic groups, beginning with the Tripolitsa massacre of 1821."

“Such initiatives that draw hostility from history and aim to harm the relations between our countries, which have been advancing with a positive momentum in recent years, should now be brought to an end,” the ministry said.