Greek Foreign Ministry sources have issued a response to the escalating rhetoric recently adopted by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. On the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry reignited the debate surrounding those historical events by publishing photographs and documents from its archives. In its post, it claimed that “the documents and photographs we published from our ministry’s archives once again bring to light the atrocities committed by the Greek army in Anatolia between 1919 and 1922.”
Read: Erdogan’s new provocation: Labels the Smyrna Catastrophe a “liberation”
In response, Greek Foreign Ministry sources stated: “The instrumentalization of similarly one-sided and selective interpretations of the historical context on our part is clearly rejected. We will not follow the Turkish side into an ever-escalating war of words, especially during a particularly critical period for regional peace and stability. Greece remains committed to international law, the principle of good neighborly relations, and the recognition of historical truth.”
Foreign Ministry sources: “We do not forget the systematic and deliberate massacres and the ‘scorched earth’ tactics that were used”
This marks the second time Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has accused the Greek army of “massacres,” “scorched earth” tactics, and widespread destruction in Asia Minor during the period 1919–1922. On September 9th, marking 104 years since the Asia Minor Catastrophe, Turkey issued a statement declaring that “on this day, which marks a critical stage of the Turkish War of Independence, we do not forget the systematic and deliberate massacres carried out against the civilian population, the ‘scorched earth’ tactics employed, and the destruction caused by the Greek army during its attempted occupation of Western Anatolia between 1919 and 1922.”
Turkish provocations have continued in the Aegean as well, with 10 violations and 10 airspace infringements recorded on the same day, two of which escalated into engagements with Greek fighter jets.
