Türkiye warns Greece of ‘Asia Minor Catastrophe’ campaign

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has reacted against the Greek campaign “Asia Minor Catastrophe,” calling on Athens to avoid “distorting” the history.

“We observe that Greek authorities are trying to conceal the defeat of the Greek invasion army after its adventurous military campaign in Anatolia a century ago by covering up the barbaric crimes it committed against humanity, misleading its own public opinion through distortion of the historical facts, and the international community with lies, by means of unrealistic, irrational statements and activities regarding the so-called ‘Asia Minor Catastrophe,’” the ministry said in a statement.

Ankara reminded that pursuant to the provision in Article 59 of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, which stipulates that “Greece recognizes her obligation to make reparation for the damage caused in Anatolia by the acts of the Greek army or administration which were contrary to the laws of war,” Greece acknowledged that it committed crimes against humanity and paid reparations for the massacres and destructions it perpetrated against the civilian population in Anatolia.

“The whole world witnesses that Greece, not having learned any lesson from history, continues to commit crimes against humanity with its ruthless actions, by leaving helpless immigrants to death, without distinguishing between women and children,” the statement said.

Türkiye will continue to remind Greece, which “tries to distort historical events with lies, of the black stains” of its history and of today, and to tell the realities to the international community, Ankara said, warning Greece once again to show common sense and stop “inciting hatred through falsification of facts.”