EU Commission cite Imbros and Tenedos as test for Turkey

[Tsontos]

The European Commission has called on Turkey to "give an exhibition of respect of European values" in relation to Imbros and Tenedos:

6th June, 2008

A. Draft resolution

1. The Parliamentary Assembly warmly welcomes the recent improvement in the relations between Turkey and Greece which have stimulated a strong increase in economic and cultural exchanges between the two states.

2. These improved relations have made it possible for the former heads of the Greek and Turkish Assembly delegations, Elsa Papademetriou and Murat Mercan, to undertake, in 2005, a historic visit to the islands of Gökçeada (Imbros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos), whose population has suffered too long also from the consequences of different crises in relations between the two states.

3. The 2005 visit was followed by the joint presentation of the motion which is at the origin of the present resolution. The small size of the islands and of their population makes it possible to extricate them from the wider context of bilateral Greco-Turkish minority issues, which will be the subject of another report of the Assembly.

4. The Assembly finds that positive action by the Turkish authorities to preserve the bicultural character of the two small Turkish islands will not only be a tangible sign of Turkey’s respect for the rights of her own citizens, but could also serve as a model for cooperation between Turkey and Greece in the sole interest of the people concerned.

5. A positive attitude towards the ethnic Greek islanders and their descendants would also be an excellent example of Turkey’s willingness to overcome outdated nationalist attitudes and to embrace European values of good neighbourliness.

6. The Assembly regrets that as a consequence of various measures taken by the authorities at that time (closure of all Greek community schools on the islands, large-scale expropriations, various forms of harassment), but also for economic reasons, the vast majority of the original (ethnic Greek) inhabitants of the islands have emigrated, leaving only about 250 mostly elderly members of this community on Gökçeada (Imbros) and 25 on Bozcaada (Tenedos). At the same time, many thousands of exiled islanders and their offspring have demonstrated their desire to maintain close links with their homeland by returning regularly to their ancestral home for traditional feasts, family reunions and holidays and a number of them are seriously considering resettling there either as retirees or as entrepreneurs. Members of the diaspora associations play an important role in assisting the permanent residents in coping with the objective difficulties they face.

7. Positive measures are now urgently needed in order to stem or at least partly reverse the departure of the ethnic Greek population from the islands so that their bicultural character can be sustainably preserved.

8. The Assembly welcomes the fact that the Turkish authorities have recently made a number of positive gestures, including:

8.1. the reconstruction of the bell tower of the Greek community church of Bozcaada (Tenedos), following the visit of the Turkish Prime Minister and his dedicated will;

8.2. the recent refurbishment of the Agios Nikolaos church in Kaleköy (Kastro) on Gökçeada (Imbros);

8.3. the imminent (already approved and funded) restoration of the island’s former cathedral church, Agia Marina, in the same town;

8.4. the much-noted reassuring and helpful attitude of both local sub-prefects (“Kaymakams”) towards the ethnic Greek population.

http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?lin.../EDOC11629.htm


It talks about hundreds of families being ready to return to Imbros. What do you guys think? Right now we barely have a minority in Turkey because of all the expulsions.

[gmellos]

FINALLY!

Turkish people for the most part are COOL it is their Government that is crap!

Force their Government to allow the people they forced out (which is in violation of the treaty we signed back 1920s!) to come back!