5. International General Assembly of Western Thrace Turks discussed Turkish Minority in Greece

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), participated 5. International General Assembly of Western Thrace Turks with a delegation of 19 people, members of Executive Committee and ABTTF experts, between 15- 17 September 2006 in Istanbul.

Interest in the Assembly organized by Istanbul Western Thrace Solidarity Association was worth mentioning. Prime Minister of Turkish Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech as well.

Western Thrace Turkish Minority members from Greece, Germany, USA and Australia expressed unfair implementations of Greek authorities and told their up to date situation. After analyzing the current situation, new solution oriented policies were determined by the participants.

Erol Kaşıfoğlu, chairman of Istanbul Western Thrace Solidarity Association and Halit Habipoğlu, chairman of ABTTF, made the opening speech. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkish Republic, said that Goverment of Turkish Republic took diplomatic initiatives many times to solve the problems of Western Thrace Turkish Minority with the Greek Government but Greek authorities did not give positive response to those diplomatic initiatives. Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan underlined that Turkish Republic always backed Turkish Minority in Greece and he added that the treaties related with the minorities in both countries could be reviewed in case of the continuity of the problems in Greece.

Halit Habipoğlu, chairman of ABTTF, emphasized in his speech that Western Thrace Turkish Minority members are still subject to economical, political and social discrimination as well as xenophobia and continued “The legal status of Istanbul Greeks were determined by Treaty of Lausanne as of Western Thrace Turkish Minority. When there is a problem related with Istanbul Greeks,that problem is conveyed to world public with great support of Greece. But Western Thrace Turkish Minority, whose population number is more than Istanbul Greeks, can not even use the their basic rights guaranteed by Treaty of Lausanne, to say nothing of new rights other than the existing ones.”

During the Assebly, ABTTF newspapers published in 4 different languages; scientific works, press watch reports were on public parade and got serious attention from the participants

Meanwhile, members of ABTTF Executive Committee and experts made presentations on six different subjects; Local Governments, Political Participation, Law and Human Rights, Education and Culture, Religion and Foundations, International Relations Press and Information and Economics.