Re: Turkish paper sees Greek policy change on Thracian Turks

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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 18:07:22 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Re: Turkish paper sees Greek policy change on Thracian Turks

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Necmi Hasanoglu <[email protected]>

Re: Turkish paper sees Greek policy change on Thracian Turks


PAPANDREOU SAYS HE HAS BEEN DISTORTED
 
Macedonian News Agency 24/01/2000
 
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou denied the "Turkish Daily
News" report according to which, in the meeting he had with Turkish
newspaper directors he had stated that the Greek government has
decided to recognize the Muslim minority in Thrace, north-eastern
Greece, as a Turkish minority.

Mr. Papandreou responding to a question by a reporter on that issue
this morning, stated that his statements were totally distorted. He
said that the Muslim minority will maintain this name, adding that
Greece as a member of the Council of Europe has the obligation to
recognize the right of the individuals to self-identification.
 
Mr. Papandreou also stated that the rights of the minorities are
respected in accordance with the Treaty of Lausanne.
 
Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis characterized the
report published on the English-speaking Turkish newspaper "Turkish
Daily News" as a complete distortion and misinterpretation of the
statements made by foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou.
 
According to the newspaper, Mr. Papandreou during the meeting he had
with Turkish newspapers directors allegedly stated that the Greek
government has decided to recognize the Turkish identity of the
Muslims in Thrace in order to be able to live without discriminations
like the rest of the Greek citizens.
 
Mr. Beglitis speaking to MPA pointed out that Mr. Papandreou during
the briefing of the Turkish newspaper directors referred to the
obligations the countries have toward the minorities based on
international agreements which are binding for all states, while at
the same time he referred to the moves already made by Greece for the
improvement of the situation of the Muslim minority in Thrace,
north-eastern Greece.

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