The tension between Turks and Greeks have always been remarkable due to long history of wars. The elderly population from both sides continues to pass on their judgments to next generations. Even though there is hope for talks between Turkish and Greek youth for the sake of economical relations, it seems like the hatred still exist within traditional towns of this two nations of the Mediterranean.
In late August, Vandals have desecrated a Muslim cemetery at Komotini in northeastern Greece where an ethnic Turk minority still lives. Around 10 gravestones were smashed overnight Friday to Saturday, the source said, asking not to be named. Around 30 members of the local Turkish community subsequently demonstrated in central Komotini.
Greek government spokesman George Petalotis blamed the vandalism on “marginal groups trying to sow hatred.” “Their acts must be condemned and are against our national interests,” he said in a statement.
The desecration came after unknown assailants on Thursday threw a firebomb at the Turkish consulate in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, without causing damage or casualties. Spokesman Petalotis condemned that attack as a “criminal act” which Athens “condemns absolutely and categorically”.
The fate of the Turkish minority living in Thrace, near the Turkish border, remains a bone of contention between Athens and Ankara, despite efforts to improve their status in the 1990s. Regional rivals for centuries despite being members of NATO for the past five decades, Greece and Turkey markedly improved relations in 1999 after destructive earthquakes struck both countries within weeks of each other.
Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan visited Greece in May for talks with his counterpart George Papandreou, who had headed the rapprochement effort as foreign minister a decade ago. The two leaders signed some two dozen accords and set up a high-level cooperation council providing for regular meetings between leaders and cabinet ministers to resolve differences.
The vandalism against Turkish immigrants in Europe is not only limited to Greek nationalists, but to almost every European country where Turkish people are highly populated. The cultural differences and the fear of Islam from Christian societies of Europe, leaves Turkish immigrants behind the European standards of living. However, Greece and Turkey is a unique case that includes a multitude of problems such as Cyprus and the Aegean sea. Hence, Greek-Turkish dialog would be a great place to start to normalize the relations between Turks and local European nations both to set example, and to provide new generations a nonviolent environment through cultural understanding.
