Greece has reacted angrily to a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who said members of a Muslim minority in northern Greece were Turks and that they did not enjoy full civil rights.
Çavuşo .lu’s statement was made during a private visit to the northern Greek region of Thrace, a day before his official meetings in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
“We want the Turks in Thrace to enjoy the same rights we provide to the Greek Orthodox Church and the Greek minority,” Cavusoglu said.
A century after the two countries waged a war that displaced more than a million people on both sides of the border, Turkey says the Muslim community of about 120,000 in the region is a Turkish minority, a position rejected by Athens, which calls them Greek Muslims.
“Turkey’s ongoing attempts to distort reality, as well as its allegations of lack of protection of the rights of these citizens or discrimination, are unfounded and completely rejected,” said Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexandros Papaioannou. press release.
Both countries – members of the NATO alliance – are at loggerheads over issues ranging from maritime territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean to Cyprus status and the migrant issue.
Last year, Turkey and Greece were close to an armed conflict when their naval vessels were close to each other during a dispute over gas exploration.
Tensions have eased in recent months as officials resumed talks on their differences after a five-year hiatus.