Greece’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday dismissed Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s claims that the rights of a “Turkish minority” in northern Greece are being violated, calling them unfounded and contrary to international law.
“The Treaty of Lausanne clearly defines the minority in Thrace as religious,” the ministry said in a statement, stressing that Greece “fully respects and protects the religious beliefs and cultural identity” of the Muslim minority in Thrace, while guaranteeing equal rights as Greek and EU citizens.
Fidan made the remarks during a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, where he claimed that the “Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace and the Turkish population of the Dodecanese” face serious rights violations.
The Greek ministry also criticized Fidan’s comments on Cyprus, saying they “do not contribute to efforts to build trust or make progress” and reiterating that the framework set by binding UN Security Council resolutions must be respected.