Greece's Diagnosis from 21 Years Ago

Those who closely follow Turkish-Greek relations in terms of our country's rights and interests could not extract a success story from Erdoğan's visit to Athens on Thursday—unlike the government and its media. For example, retired Rear Admiral Türker Ertürk said, "We have surrendered, we have no bargaining power... Unfortunately, the side that made concessions was Turkey."

Was the outcome of Thursday predictable from Wednesday? Let's put Erdoğan's recent actions and rhetoric on the table, along with his previous visits.

Mitsotakis reiterated his claim that the only dispute between them and Turkey is the determination of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone boundaries in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. In other words, he glossed over the island occupations and militarization that led to Erdoğan's outburst two years ago, "We may come suddenly one night." Regarding Cyprus, he stated that they recognize no solution other than UN Security Council resolutions, saying in diplomatic language, "We are against a two-state solution and the recognition of the TRNC." On top of that, he had the audacity to ask for negotiations to continue from where they left off.

Erdoğan's approach is well-known; he said, "We must be calculating what kind of opportunities we can obtain in the Eastern Mediterranean... Let's focus on the full side of the glass... Let's end the dogfights over the Aegean, let's close this page now."

THE MESSAGE OF "100 YEARS AFTER LAUSANNE"

Before this, Erdoğan went to Athens in December 2017 and became the first President to visit Greece 86 years after Celal Bayar. Since he emphasized this during his visit on Thursday, let's first look at his rhetoric from 6 years ago.

He commanded, "Lausanne should be updated." When the Greek leaders of the time objected, he made the statement, "We have no eyes on anyone's territory," and noted the following:

"Don't we change even constitutions in parliaments if necessary? We do. Therefore, agreements can certainly be updated if deemed necessary."

Asking, "Forget about constitutional amendments; since a new constitution is on their agenda, I wonder if they will also embark on the business of 'updating Lausanne' afterwards?" let's return to Thursday.

This time, it was not Erdoğan but Mitsotakis who spoke of Lausanne, saying, "100 years after the Treaty of Lausanne, we signed a 'Declaration of Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness' here today." Hürriyet made this statement a headline. What kind of message was it to compare our state's title deed, Lausanne, which has international binding force, with a declaration that has no legal binding force?!

Let's continue.

During the visit 6 years ago, Erdoğan brought up the extradition of the 8 coup-plotting soldiers and 2 SAT commandos who had fled to Greece, saying, "Our Minister of Justice will be keeping a close watch on this issue; he will proceed to request extradition by sending the necessary documents and information."

Although there has been no development in the intervening period, Erdoğan did not mention this issue at all during his last visit!..

LIST OF PROBLEMS OF OUR KINSMEN

Again 6 years ago, Erdoğan not only talked about the problems of our kinsmen in Western Thrace with his counterparts, but also met with them at the Celal Bayar High School in Xanthi. When this meeting caused discomfort on the Greek side, he said, "It is impossible to reconcile the inability to even tolerate such a meeting with democracy or being democratic," and explained what Greece has not done for our kinsmen in return for what they have done for Greeks and other minorities.

What happened on Thursday? Did he not have time, or did he not want to anger Greece; he went to neither Xanthi nor Komotini. Instead, within the scope of his visit to our Embassy in Athens, he settled for receiving the family of Dr. Sadık Ahmet and the members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board.

As for the problems of our kinsmen; at the joint press conference, he only said that he had "expressed our expectations regarding the improvements required by international law in the situation of the Western Thrace Turkish minority."

Mitsotakis also limited himself to stating that the minorities in both countries are bridges, saying, "The equality and prosperity that each country provides to its minorities brings mutual respect and understanding." After the "Declaration of Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness" was signed, he said, "Allow me to comment on the problems of the minorities," and used the expression "our Muslim citizens" for our kinsmen, emphasizing that the minority status in Lausanne was determined as "Muslim."

In other words, like previous Greek leaders, he declared that he does not recognize the "Turkish identity."

It is easy to say; 6 years have passed, and not only has there been no improvement in the most basic human rights of our kinsmen, but things have gone even further backwards. Those interested should please read the section titled "Turkish Presence in Greece" on our Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. The problems of our kinsmen are listed in a text that is exactly 6 pages long.

In contrast, let's give a single example and underline the development (!) that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople—which is a Turkish institution according to Lausanne—has recorded during this process. While Greece does not recognize the identity and elected muftis of our kinsmen and applies pressure on them, the Patriarchate has clearly become Greece's "5th column" within us. Again, according to Lausanne, the title "Ecumenical," which means leadership of 300 million Orthodox Christians in the world, was accepted by Ankara for Patriarch Bartholomew, who should only be the religious leader of the Greeks in Istanbul, Bozcaada, and Gökçeada, and Bartholomew has come to be treated as a "co-president" in our country in the eyes of the world.

THE "ATTILA" DIAGNOSIS FROM 21 YEARS AGO

Do you remember the 2002 elections when the AKP came to power? One of the first people to call to congratulate Erdoğan, who could not sit in the Prime Minister's chair due to his political ban, was the then Prime Minister of Greece, Kostas Simitis. When Erdoğan's visit to Athens came to the agenda on this occasion, the AKP side reported that Simitis had invited him. The Greek side, however, said, "Erdoğan said he wanted to start his European tour from Athens, and we conveyed that this could be arranged."

At that time, Greece was busy strengthening the capacity of its Apache attack helicopters "to be able to bring the islands and islets in the Aegean under a defense umbrella."

Ultimately, Erdoğan started his European tour from Athens. In the joint press conference, what Simitis defended on the issues of Cyprus, the Aegean, and the continental shelf was no different from what Mitsotakis is voicing today. Erdoğan, as he does now, said, "We see Greece not as our historical rival, but as our closest neighbor and strategic partner of our future."

And after that meeting, the then Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou made this diagnosis: "A meeting of historical importance... For the first time in years, we did not meet with Attila..."

The meaning of this was that Turkey was no longer a "hawk"!..

By some coincidence; after the visit on Thursday, the Greek newspaper To Vima also wrote that those who participated in the meetings said, "We met a different Erdoğan."

In this case, who wouldn't grin from ear to ear like Mitsotakis?! Who wouldn't be pleased like the US?!

Even though "halva" was served as dessert to Erdoğan at the working lunch, let's not lose heart. You never know, before the local elections, especially to win Izmir, Erdoğan might say again, "I may come suddenly one night"; and thus we might forget the nightmare of December 7!..