"Peace At Home, Peace With the World"
27 Old Gloucester St.London WC1 3XX
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"Peace At Home, Peace With the World" 27 Old Gloucester St.London WC1 3XX |
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Use of Trafalgar Square denied to Turkish Cypriot Community
Chris Smith, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, bowed
to Greek threats and refused permission for the Turkish Cypriot community
to hold a rally at the Trafalgar Square on the 18th of July to mark the
25th anniversary of “20th July Turkish Peace Operation in Cyprus”.
Peace and Freedom Day
Each year celebrations are held in the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus on 20th July, which had been declared as “Peace and Freedom Day”.
Turkish Cypriot communities throughout the world follow suit and hold rallies
and organise festivities to commemorate the day on which they gained their
independence and survived ultimate extermination at the hands of Greek
and Greek Cypriot armies determined to achieve ENOSIS (Annexation of Cyprus
to Greece).
Trafalgar Square as venue
With such a celebration in mind the Turkish community in London planned
to organise a rally to be held at Trafalgar Square on 18th July 1999.
Turkish Cypriot Network (TCN), supported by other Turkish groups and associations, submitted an application to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on the 19th of April, exactly three months prior to the planned event which is the earliest permitted date for submission of applications. Their application was followed by two other Turkish organisations but TCN’s application gained priority due to the fact that permission for use of such public venues are said to be granted on a ‘first come first served’ basis.
Greek Application
A month later, while TCN’s proposals for activities to be held on the
day were under review at the ministry department, an application for a
similar event to take place on the same date at the same venue was made
by a Greek organisation. When they were told that their application did
not have priority the Greek organisation resorted to threats.
They declared their intention that, if the square’s use was given to the Turkish community, they would have their members and call upon their community to congregate at the square during Turkish community’s rally thus causing a confrontation.
Authorities yield
The authorities yield to Greek threats and decided to stall TCN’s application
until a decision can be reached at the ministerial level.
In the meantime, conflicting information was given to TCN by a number of officials. While one official suggested an alternative venue, another would give the impression that the square would not be given to either party. However all of them expressed concern regarding the threats of the Greek organisation.
Final decision
After a long period of uncertainty a formal reply was eventually received
in the form of a letter from Chris Smith. The minister in his letter dated
6th July informing TCN that the square is to be made available for the
Greek organisation’s use and that the Turkish community is advised to alter
its plans and use it at a later date.
It has also been learned that the Greek organisation has during the past week been distributing invitations and announcing the event due to take place on the 18th July amongst the Greek community. This is an indication that the Greek organisation received the favourable response from the offices of Chris Smith long before TCN received the rejection.
Disappointed by the unfair treatment they had been subjected to, a TCN
committee member said:
“We are not surprised by Greek efforts to sabotage our celebrations.
What we are surprised about is the way the authorities bowed to Greek threats.”
At the 7th
Convention of the “Turkish States and Communities Friendship, Brotherhood,
and Co-operation”, which took place in Denizli Turkey on 7 July 1999, Rauf
Denktas delivered a speech calling on the Turkish states to extend their
help to the TRNC.
President of the TRNC, said the Turkish Cypriots were “happy and strong, however had some worries.”
Denktas stressed on the importance of this gathering, which brought together people of the same origin and culture that had stayed apart for over a century and said they viewed the future with hope.
“We have worries at the same time. Those who want to remove us from Cyprus continue their propaganda in brother countries. According to them, we are a minority who tries to divide a country. We want this fault to be corrected,” Denktas stated. The TRNC President asked the Turkish states to send representatives to observe what is going on in Cyprus.
“We are not acting to divide a unitary state. We were expelled by armed force from a republic, which was established on the precondition that one nation could not oppress the other one. They wanted to enslave us we didn't allow it. For 36 years, they have been deceiving the world and pretending like it is their own state. They have been presenting us as a minority trying to divide the Greek State and Turkey as the invader. We, as an unseparable part of Turkey, want this fault to be corrected. We did not divide this country; we were expelled from our own country by armed forces. Cyprus is the starting point of Milosevic's deeds.
Makarios used the same methods to expel us. They wanted us to submit, but we didn't yield. We trusted Turkey and we were saved from being enslaved by Turkey's help and support. We want our brothers to understand this. You also had to live under oppression once, but finally reached your independence. Were you also separatists? Is it a crime to fight for freedom?” Denktas said.
The Cyprus Republic, which was established in 1960, will not become a Greek Republic; he stressed and added that the Greeks want to push the Turkish Cypriots out of their own land. “We didn't pull down the flag. We fought as Turks and we won. I want you to understand this,” Denktas said.
The condition of peace in Cyprus is complete equality, Denktas noted and said that the international agreements signed in 1960 were violated by the Greek side on the same day.
The TRNC President went on to say that the Turkish Cypriots have been fighting for freedom for 100 years and the Greeks have been dishing out anti-propaganda to the whole world for 36 years. “The UN decisions do not bind TRNC, Turkey, or the brother countries,” he said.
Denktas reminded of President Demirel's words “Turkey will make it clear to the world that it sides with the TRNC,” and said this was a relief for his country.
It is a significant assurance for the TRNC to know that a strong state like Turkey is behind the Turkish Cypriots, Denktas said and called on the Turkish states to extend their support too. “One day, you may have to struggle when you are right. So do not stay away, and extend your hand for help,” he said.
The NATO campaign against Serbia, which was still continuing when the European elections took place, caused the Greek-Greek Cypriot community to abandon Pauline Green.
Greeks and Greek Cypriots who carried out anti NATO campaigns during the bombing of Serbia decided to withdraw their support for Pauline Green, because of the firm commitment of Britain to the campaign. Many Greeks criticised Pauline Green for not speaking against the campaign and decided to vote for an independent Greek Cypriot candidate called George Hajifanis.
During the election campaign, Hajifanis, ignoring the atrocities that
the Serbs committed against the Kosovars, criticised NATO and Britain of
“indiscriminate bombing” of Serbia.
Considering the very low turnout for the election and the 5000 votes
that Hajifanis received, it would not be wrong to say that almost all the
Greek votes went for Hajifanis.
Sensing that the Greek Cypriots were extremely upset about the NATO campaign and her own stance in the matter, Pauline Green placed an advert in the form of a lengthy letter with the London based Greek Cypriot newspaper PARIKIAKI. There she asked, almost begged the Greek Cypriot community to vote for Labour, which proved to be a futile exercise. The 5000 votes of Hajifanis are proof that the Greek Cypriots abandoned Pauline Green, their long time ally - the ally that had done everything possible to help the Greek Cypriot cause.
In all fairness, it must be pointed out that she advertised in a ‘Turkish’
newspaper as well, but the difference in the styles of advertising were
striking. Suffice it to say that the members of the Turkish Cypriot community
in Britain would need a little more than a family photograph on which to
base their voting decisions.
Pauline Green's letter to the Greek Cypriot
community published in the Paraikiaki.
The family picture published in the 'Turkish'
newspaper TOPLUM POSTASI
The ultra nationalist Greek Cypriot organisation Lobby for Cyprus, which employs Alan Meale MP and Alf Lomas MEP on its advisory panel, posted numerous messages on the Internet promoting the independent Greek Cypriot candidate Hajifanis.
Their message read:
“Vote against the bombing in London tomorrow
European Elections on 10th June 1999
We all know that the bombing of the former Yugoslavia would not have happened without its aggressive promotion by President Clinton and Prime Minister Blair and the support readily given by the British Conservative and Liberal parties. We also know that a vote for the Labour Party in the United Kingdom is a vote that says we support the bombing of the former Yugoslavia.
On 10th June 1999 voters have a choice.
There is an independent candidate running for election as a Euro MP in London. His name is George Hajifanis.
George Hajifanis is firmly against the bombing of the former Yugoslavia and is standing in these Euro Elections because he is disillusioned by the Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties that have not opposed the bombing of the former Yugoslavia.
PEACE IN THE BALKANS - PEACE IN EUROPE
VOTE FOR GEORGE HAJIFANIS”
Recognition for TRNC: Isn’t it time?
The European Union (EU) is trying to make a two-egg omelette with only one egg -- i.e. the Greek-Cypriot administration, which is recognised by the whole world (save Turkey) as the only legitimate government of Cyprus. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), on the other hand, since its formation in 1983, has been recognised only by Turkey.
Such so-called "Muslim brothers" as Pakistan and Bangladesh have also refused to recognise their brethren in Northern Cyprus for fear of reprisals from the U.N. and the United States. Even Erbakan, the deputy Prime Minister during the 1974 intervention and chairman of the Islamist Welfare Party, could not make "believers" out of his Muslim brothers.
It's not clear how something that does not even "exist" officially can enter into negotiations on an equal footing with any other officially recognised party.
How can "nothing" be equal to "everything"? Perhaps both the European Council and U.N. Security Council are hoping to lift a page from David Copperfield's book on magic.
The nominal Greek argument against recognising the TRNC has been that the TRNC is the product of an "invasion." Thus, recognising the TRNC would be tantamount to a legitimisation of "might over right." But isn't it a matter of record that the Greek Cypriots themselves have repeatedly resorted to brute force between the Bloody Christmas of 1963 and the coup of July 15, 1974?
Since no Turkish Cypriots ever voted for any "Republic of Cyprus" governments and since no Turkish Cypriots were ever represented in any way in such governments, it is clear that the "Republic of Cyprus" is not the government of the Turkish Cypriots by any stretch of imagination. It is, in effect, the continuation of the same Greek Cypriot entity that perpetrated so many acts of violence against the Turkish Cypriots before 1974.
So why is it that to "legitimise" the Turkish use of force in 1974, through recognition of the TRNC, is wrong but it's not wrong to legitimise the Greek Cypriot resort to violence in 1963, 1967 and 1974 by recognising the continuation of the same Greek Cypriot entity as the only legitimate "Republic of Cyprus"? Who can explain the wisdom underlying such skewed logic?
Actually, some EU members have already started to see the light -- if ever so tentatively. They put out some trial balloons, which were shot down immediately by the Greek government, which can threaten blackmail against the EU's expansion eastward.
Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini, for example, told this writer in person during an official visit to Washington that there are "two governments" in Cyprus, with borders in between. "And that's a state of fact," he added for emphasis. But, as expected, Dini's timely call for political realism, just like his similar earlier statement about a month ago in Italy, came under instant Greek fire, since it went against the traditional EU stand. Dini, eating his words that were recorded by at least half a dozen journalists in the inner court of the State Department building in Washington, unfortunately announced on Monday that Italy recognises only one government in Cyprus. He described his early statements about "two governments" as a "misunderstanding." He said he explained the situation to Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and both considered the issue "closed". But he opened the proverbial "Pandora's box" and the genie is out of the bottle already. There are apparently a few minds in and around the EU chewing on the long-censured "what if...?" question these days.
Spanish Foreign Minister Abel Matutes, for example, although stating that there is only one government in Cyprus, also stressed that there are "two communities" on the island. One can almost hear Dini's earlier courageous statement about "two governments" echoing in the chamber of Matutes' conscience.
The bi-zonal bi-communal federation formula accepted way back in the late '70s is still valid, in principle. And Secretary of State Albright, after the futile direct talks this past summer between Denktas and Clerides in Troutbeck, New York and Glion, Switzerland, made a statement to journalists on Monday in Nicosia which reflected a U-turn in American policy. Albright announced that the Turkish- and Greek Cypriot leaders would start to discuss "security" -- one of the three core issues that the parties have serious disagreements about.
That's all fine and dandy. But the crux of the matter remains to be addressed: In order to arrive at a federation with a single sovereignty (as Clerides wants) the parties obviously must voluntarily abdicate the sovereignty they currently hold separately in favour of the new federative entity. The Greek Cypriots are in a position to abdicate their own sovereignty because the United Nations recognises them as a sovereign entity.
How, then, can the Turkish Cypriots abdicate the sovereignty that (according to the United Nations) they do not have in the first place? If they were recognised as a sovereign entity, then the TRNC could realistically think about abdicating what it had, in favour of a larger federative entity.
Currently the Turkish Cypriots are in that Twilight Zone of political pressure where they are asked to give up what they haven't got, i.e. their sovereignty as a separate state, all thanks to the United Nations in which the United States plays an undeniably critical role. [....]
The EU created a mess out of the direct talks process by announcing its "Agenda 2000" in the midst of the New York talks, when Greek Cyprus was announced as a candidate for full EU membership while Turkey was not even mentioned. TRNC President Denktas made it clear that he won't return to the table in '98 if the EU kicks off accession talks with Greek Cyprus next January.
Recognition of the TRNC would eliminate all legitimate reasons on the part of the Turkish-Cypriots to approach the negotiations with reservations. [....]
The EU can clean up its mess by giving serious thought to TRNC's recognition, as the long-missing central piece of the Cyprus jigsaw puzzle. The time is now.
By Ugur Akinci / Turkish Daily News
Since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, some 10,000 so- called ‘Russian Greeks’, who were given Greek passports by Greece settled in South Cyprus.
Originally they were welcomed by the Greek Cypriots to the island, Claiming them to be Greek refugees driven out by the Ottoman Turks during the WWI, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration in South Cyprus used them as propaganda material.
Over the years, the so-called ‘Russian Greeks’, who felt more affiliation to Russians than to their hosts, began improving their ties with the Russian community of South Cyprus which number around 60,000.
In the ghettos they created for themselves in different parts of South Cyprus, they started to take part in criminal activities working hand in hand with the Russian Mafia.
The intolerant nature of Greek Cypriots coupled by the fact the ‘Greek Russians’ joined the Russian Mafia in criminal activities ranging from drug trafficking to prostitution, tensions started rising.
Greek Cypriot media reported that Feidias Sarikas, the mayor of the Paphos town, where many of the so -called ‘Russian Greeks’ are settled, asked the Greek Cypriot administration to disperse these people all over the island.
While the Greek Cypriot administration is warning the so-called ‘Russian Greeks’ that they will be expelled from the island if they are involved in criminal activities, some circles are saying that if they are dispersed all over the island it will constitute a racist act.
Greek Cypriot daily Cyprus Mail reported that the Greek Cypriot community
declared these people “unwanted”.
The case of Stavros Marangos, a 32 year old homosexual, started when
he read a report in the Greek Cypriot newspaper Sunday Mail about himself
issued by the military, saying that he was a “sexual freak” and that is
why he was refused entrance to the army.
Up on this insult Marangos who was really upset decided to apply to the European Human Rights Court (EHRC).
The EHRC judged in favour of Marangos and forced the illegal regime to pay him the sum of 2,134 Greek Cypriot pounds as compensation.
In order to put an end to this embarrassment the illegal regime decided to call Marangos back to the army to do his military service but he refused to go.
When Marangos refused to join the army, police was sent to his house to arrest him. Marangos handed a letter to the police to be given to the army, which explained that ‘National Guard’, the Greek Cypriot army was illegal and hence the reason why he would not join.
In his letter Marangos said “According to the 1960 constitution, National Guard is not a legal establishment, because of this I will not join the military”
Marangos based his claim to the article of the 1960 constitution, which says that the military should be comprised of 60% Greek and 40% Turkish Cypriot.
Greek Cypriot media reported that the illegal regime decided not to prosecute because this would raise question about the legality of the National Guard.
KOMOTINI, Greek police and soldiers used violence in two separate incidents against the members of the Western Thrace Turkish minority.
Greek soldiers attacked Turkish villagers in Gokcepinar village in Xanthi,
and it was claimed that a Turkish couple was beaten and exposed to sexual
harassment at the Xanthi Security Directorate.
Officials at the Xanthi Security Directorate confirmed the attack on Turkish villagers while they denied the claim that a Turkish couple was exposed to bad treatment.
The first incident started when three soldiers of the Fourth Army Corps 515th Infantry Unit, who had consumed alcoholic drinks at the cafe of Gokcepinar village, quarrelled with the villagers in the same cafe.
The drunken Greek soldiers left the village but returned back some time later and they were backed by a group of soldiers who were led by a captain, and the soldiers attacked the Turkish villagers with iron clubs.
Some of the villagers and Greek soldiers were injured while the Greek police who arrived in the village to stop the fighting, opened fire in the air.
Sources said the residents of Gokcepinar, who define the attitude of Greek soldiers as ''bullying'', are preparing to complain to the Greek Defence Ministry while the commander of those soldiers apologised to the Turkish villagers on behalf of his soldiers.
The second incident took place in Gazhane district in Xanthi.
The policemen wearing civilian clothes, who were claimed to be in charge of controlling the traffic in the region, wanted to stop a Turkish young man named Ceylan Cemiloglu, 18, who was riding a bike.
When Cemiloglu did not stop, the policemen went to the house of Cemiloglu and started to rough up his mother Zihniye Cemiloglu and his grandmother Rahime Alioglu who was in her bed due to her illness.
His father Yasar Cemiloglu, who came to the house, was also roughed up when he tried to stop the policemen, and he was taken into custody together with his wife at the Xanthi Security Directorate.
The Turkish couple was kept at the Security Directorate till the next morning. Yasar Cemiloglu was beaten by the policemen during that period while the male policemen undressed his wife claiming to carry out a body search.
The Cemiloglu couple who were released the morning wanted to get a medical report from the Xanthi hospital to prove the treatment, but were not allowed to enter the hospital by the officials.
“kill a Turk Dog before breakfast, lunch and dinner”
Justice Euro, a Turkish Cypriot human rights organisation, issued a statement calling on the Turkish community to attend a protest outside the offices of the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) at 50 Ludgate Hill at 12 noon on 12 July 1999.
The statement issued by the organisation said: “The Turkish community in the UK enraged by failure of the police and Crown Prosecution Services to take action against racist Greek newspaper.”
The statement further said “The Turkish community immediately complained
to the police but the police and the CPS failed to prosecute. They have
tried to brush us off with pathetic excuses.”
The statement also said that the organisation was given unacceptable
excuses by the police such as “Cannot find the owner” and “The editor and
printers were acting on the owner’s instructions.”
Our communication with the organisation revealed that, even though the
original answer by the police was unfavourable, there was a case for prosecution.
The final answer received from the police was that “the Crown Prosecution
Service decided in the final analysis that it was not in the public interest
to institute proceedings.”
This situation coincided with the Trafalgar Square incident where Chris
Smith, Culture, Media and Sports Minister, bowed to threats from the Greeks
and gave the use of the square to them for a rally, although the application
from the Turkish Cypriot community for a similar rally planned for the
same date was the first to go in.
Turkish community fails to understand how it can be against public interest to prosecute racist people who incite racial hatred in their newspapers.
Is it because the perpetrator is Greek and hence the reason for not going ahead with the prosecution? The public interest is best served by prosecuting any persons who commit these kind of racist acts and not by allowing them to get away with it.
Our community is simply losing faith in the British democracy and justice, which simply fail to deal with racist attacks directed against us.
Below are some extracts from the letter in question which was published
in the London based Greek newspaper ‘TA NEA’ on 25 April 1996 under the
heading “Turkish provocation or the mutterings of a confused young man?”
“Bastardised Cypriots Lacking A cultural Identity”
“Listen up brothers. Before some mother f..... out there turns around
and tells me that cultural identity is a relative concept, it is not for
the oppressed Greek refugee people of Cyprus. There are those scumbags
among our people who like to suck up to Turkish dogs in the interests of
Greek-Turkish solidarity. What these wankers fail to understand is that
being nice to Turk dogs never works. ....
Neo-Cypriots like Trimikliniotis [the 'Parikiaki' columnist]-he hates Greek nationalists and accuses them of fascism; Z. Stavrinides, lover of all things Turkish and especially Souneyel; Catholic Pope loving Maronites living In Cyprus. Convert to the true Christian Orthodox faith mother f...... or die!.
Those Jehovah mullahs should also convert to the true faith or face instantaneous death. The choice is yours. You have been warned!: AKEL traitors; ... bourgeois women Iiving in Nicosia and Limassol who pounce around with their Chanel handbags, Versacci tailored suits ... Yes bitches. I am sure no further elaboration is required since you know who you are. You are the types who bring up your daughters to have more balls than your weak-minded pathetic sons, because you teach them a brand of feminism that is completely alien to our village roots Hellenic culture! .....
Do all you wankers really believe that the Hellenic world can sit at a table with the dog Turk in order to negotiate over the reunification of Cyprus the return of every single refugee to his ancestral home, and the removal of all Turkish dogs from our holy occupied territories? The answer for all you sad bustards, who want it spelled out, is an emphatic. NO!..
To all those within our community insisting on negotiations despite all the overwhelming evidence against, think again! You are not dealing with stupid Turks living in Stoke Newington and think that this is proof of the fact Greeks and Turks can live together in peace, just because we coexist in racial harmony in the UK. ....
In 1977 former President Makarios agreed that any solution should be based on the federal principle. This effectively condemns occupied Cyprus to remain in the dog's paws. ...
Mark my words all you true blue Hellenic believers: Very soon our yellow bellied leadership will be conceding the equality principle. ...
Go and tell their mothers Mr Trimikliniotis & co. that we should negotiate with the scum Turk in a spirit of brotherly love, treating them as our equals. I am sure they will spit in your eyes, and deservedly so! ...
By now it should be obvious to most readers that Cyprus has two enemies. One is external and the other s internal. The first is the Turk. But the second is less visible because he lives amongst us. The internal enemy are the group of wankers who I posed my earlier question to. They are an insidious bunch of people because they slowly grind down the true Hellenic believers. For the sake of argument, lets give this diverse ragbag of fools a label. Lets call them Neo-Cypriots. Also included in this category are ALL the political parties of Cyprus. A small place like Cyprus should not have so many political parties. They only serve to stratify our population and to keep the Greeks of Cyprus divided. The politicians are also in it for what they can get, ensuring the most lucrative positions in society for themselves and their cockless offspring. ...
Neo-Cypriots, we have had enough of your treacherous and selfish ways. It is time for all of you to f… off and to stop betraying us to the Turk Dog. We have had enough of 'rouspheti' and your jobs for the boys' mentality. ...
The Neo-Cypriots are slowly destroying the beauty of our culture. They are replacing it with a vulgar commercialism that stresses the consumption of goods and services that nobody needs.
So we have Hadjimike who bastardises our music and tries to con the Hellenic world that his music represents a Cypriot musical genre. I have only one thing to say to such a wanker: F... off you pseudo-nigger to 'Mavroanathema' Jamaica and take your hip- hop reggae shit too. If you want to play serious Greek music, go and learn some sweet `tsiftetelli' tunes.
We also have those 'gafethaaaki' drinking bourgeois bitches who insist on buying their 'gaourosporon' infested offspring 'Nike' trainers and 'Nintendo' Gameboys. The bitches should stop prostituting our culture and get back into the kitchen. Begin learning how to look after your families properly. Cook a bit of traditional Greek wholesome food. And bring up your sons to want to kill a Turk Dog before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Here is a final rallying cry for the True Blue Hellenic believers: Any Greek traitors who have dealings with the Turk Dog should have to endure IRA style punishment beatings. This involves taking a hammer and bashing it very hard on their kneecaps. Other less generous souls would have proposed instantaneous death. Dealings with Turks involves the following activities: buying products from the occupied territories; Greeks involved in drugs-trading from the occupied territories; visitors to the occupied territories: and, sucking up to the Turkish dog in a spirit of brotherly solidarity. All the above are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN!
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX BROTHERS & SISTERS... CHRISTOS ANESTI... LIKE CHRIST, OCCUPIED CYPRUS HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED. AND LIKE CHRIST IT SHALL BE RESURRECTED... ALL SINNERS IN THE FORM OF AKEL SCUM, NEO-CYPRIOTS & BOURGEOIS BITCHES SHALL BE ELIMINATED. CYPRUS IS GREEK & IT SHALL BE OURS AGAIN!!!”
The recent visit by the Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, to Iran ended with the announcement that Greece, Armenia and Iran were to sign a defence pact. With this new venture, Greece, which showed her true face to the whole world by its enemy like behaviour against NATO during the KOSOVO conflict, proved once again that she is not a reliable ally to the West.
When the decision was announced on 28 June 1999, the American institute STRATFOR published a long report on 1 July 1999 analysing the situation and its implication. The summary of the report, which was named ‘Greece Announces pending Defence Pact with Iran and Armenia’ said:
“Greece and Iran have announced that they intend to sign a tripartite military co-operation agreement, along with Armenia, as early as July 12. Such an agreement would seriously undermine NATO unity and strategy in the Balkans and the Caucasus, exacerbate tensions between Greece and Turkey, isolate Azerbaijan and Georgia and, by extension, Central Asia, and provide Russia with a tremendous lever against NATO. As all involved intended, it is not something NATO can ignore.”
But in the face of strong American criticism, Greece had to announce that it has no plans to start defence co-operation with Iran. U.S. State Department spokesman James Foley said: “We are pleased to have been informed through our embassy in Athens that this report is erroneous and that Greece has no intention of signing any defence agreement or establishing a defence relationship with Iran.”
However, before the American criticism, the official Iranian news agency IRNA said that visiting Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos told a Tehran news conference the two countries would “promote defence co-operation” by signing a letter of understanding.
Also the Iranian state television reported that Iranian President Mohammad Khatami also spoke about military co-operation with Greece, where he said “Defence co-operation between Iran and Greece is not against the interests of any state, and our efforts are aimed towards achieving security and stability in the two countries, the region and the world.”
The details that came out after the meeting in Iran showed that if the
USA did not criticise Greece, she was ready to sign a defence agreement
with a country the West considers to be a terrorist country. This would
increase the influence of Russia and undermine the NATO strategy in the
region. This is not the first time Greece has done this and it will not
be the last. She acts the spoilt child of the West.