Turkey has criticized Greece over the events and statements made on May 19 about claims on Pontus, asking Athens to avoid “distorting history” and instead pursue peaceful bilateral relations, Anadolu reports.

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that May 19, the day in 1919 when the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, arrived in the city of Samsun and launched the Turkish War of Independence against occupying forces, including Greece, is marked by the Turkish people as Atatürk, Youth and Sports Remembrance Day.

The ministry accused Greece of promoting “baseless claims” against Turkey through legislation passed in 1994 regarding claims to Pontus, and said such narratives were unfortunately being taught in schools as well. Greek.

“Greece must stop exploiting history for political concerns,” the statement said.

The ministry said that by reviving baseless claims about Pontus, Athens is trying to “cover up” its defeat at the time, as well as alleged atrocities committed during its military campaign in Anatolia.

Also mentioning “war crimes and atrocities” committed by the military. Greek, the ministry said they were documented in the reports of the Allied Commissions of Inquiry, as well as in Article 59 of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

Turkey also called on Greece to remember historical events such as the Tripolitsa massacre in 1821 and the violence that followed the occupation of Izmir on May 15, 1919.

“We invite Greece that, instead to distort the facts and draw enmity from history, to take a position that will develop our bilateral relations in peace and cooperation”, the ministry’s statement says.

Source: prizrenpost