A COMMENTARY FROM THE OF GREEK-ARMENIAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION AND MANY OTHER BODIES
Strong Condemnation of Turkish Aggressiveness
Introduction
On the occasion of the forty-eighth anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus, The Greek-Armenian Friendship Association, released a harsh “indictment” of the continued occupation of the northern region of the Republic of Cyprus by the Turkish invading forces.
As is well known, the Turkish occupying forces are methodically and systematically attempting to cause the diminishing of the population of the Republic of Cyprus, through abduction, looting and destruction of Cypriot property, the disappearance of religious and cultural treasures as well as the transformation of the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus into a global center for drug trafficking and illegal gambling.
The following text published by the Greek-Armenian Friendship Association, is endorsed by many bodies including the Greek-Canadian Congress, the Committee «Reverence for 1821», The ARDIN Movement, The Federation of Cypriot Organizations of Greece, The Organization for the Dissemination of the Greek Language, The World Confederation of Macedonian Unions, The Pan Pontian Federation of Greece, The Panhellenic Union of Assyrians, International Hellenic Association, is as follows:
On the occasion of the forty-eighth anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus the Greek-Armenian Friendship Association declares the following:
1. It condemns the continued occupation of the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey, but also the tolerance shown by the international community towards Ankara, whose armed forces remain as an invading and occupying force, thus violating the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly.
2. It further condemns the unceasing and increasing Turkish aggressiveness, particularly against Greece, with threats against its islands and its territorial integrity, with violations of its airspace and unauthorized overflights by both military and drone aircraft so that the xplosive situation that has been created by Ankara will lead it holds responsibility for will lead to a possible armed conflict from which people from neither nation will benefit.
3. It reminds all that this year marks one hundred years since the Destruction and Genocide of the Christian peoples of the East – Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians.
The annihilation of entire peoples and cultures in the Asia Minor region is an incalculable crime against humanity, which poisons Turkish society and has made it a factor in creating tensions and crises in the region (Artsakh, Syria, Cyprus, the Aegean), with unparalleled insults and threats, with unprecedented extreme and aggressiveness nationalist discourse, with oppression of the few remaining Christians in the country and by use of its methodology of annihilating not only the Kurds, but also in general all those who resist the dominant ideology of regression and decay.
The path that the Turkish Government must follow is the path of truth. It must stare at reality in the eye, to accept the crimes it has committed against humanity and to apologize by its actions. This is the path that will bring about redemption from the agony that defiles it, that will turn Turkey into an agent of peace and stability.
4. It calls on the Greek Government to do what is necessary to put a stop to the unprecedented Turkish aggressiveness by the following means:
- Continuing the pressure on the European Union to impose meaningful and effective sanctions against Ankara
- Exercising its legal right to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles.
- Proceeding to decisively counter Turkish provocations with its constant violations of Greek national sovereignty.
- Seriously considering confronting Turkey’s continuous violations of the Treaty of Lausanne (Imbros, Tenedos, Constantinople), in cooperation with the parties to the Treaty.
- Cooperating with the Republic of Cyprus for the coordination of actions and the further strengthening of its defense.
_________________________________________________________________________
Above text, dated July 18, 2022, is signed by Antonis Pavlidis, the President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Greek-Armenian Friendship Association and its General Secretary, Serko Agabatian. It is endorsed by all the organizations mentioned in the introduction.
_________________________________________________________________________
Translated by the Prof. Ellene Phufas