ABTTF President: “In the media of our country, there is a deliberate attempt to distort the issue, claiming that the relevant resolution reflects a distorted image of the situation of our community. Similar to the way our country raises the issues and rights of the Greek minority in Albania before the European Union, of which it is a member, our motherland also protects us in the international arena and raises our issues before the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’’.
At the 50th Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon on 29-30 August 2024, a resolution was adopted on the situation of the Turkish community in Western Thrace and the Turkish community in Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese Islands.
According to the news portal Liberal.gr(www.liberal.gr/amyna-diplomatia/thema-toyrkikis-meionotitas-sti-thraki-proothei-i-toyrkia-kai-stin-islamiki), in the resolution adopted at the meeting attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Greece was called upon to take the necessary measures to protect the fundamental rights, freedoms and identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace arising from bilateral and international agreements.
The resolution directly referred to the issues of the Turkish community in Western Thrace and called on Greece to recognise the muftis elected by the Turkish community in Xanthi and Komotini as official muftis, to execute the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) concerning the non-governmental organisations of the Turkish community and to take necessary and urgent measures in consultation with the Turkish community to solve its educational issues. The resolution also requested the OIC Secretary General to resume dialogue and cooperation with the Greek government with a view to improving the welfare of Muslims in Greece, particularly the Turkish community in Western Thrace and the Turkish community in Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese Islands.
“It is a pleasing development that the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, with the support of our motherland Türkiye, called on Greece to fully respect the rights and freedoms of the Turkish community. This decision shows that our issues are heard in the international arena and that we are not alone. In the media of our country, there is a deliberate attempt to distort the issue, and it is claimed that the decision reflects a distorted image about the situation of our community. Similar to the way our country raises the issues and rights of the Greek minority in Albania before the European Union, of which it is a member, our motherland also protects us in the international arena and raises our issues before the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
*Image: www.anadoluimages.com
