Turkey Objects to Commemorations of Asia Minor Catastrophe

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has reacted strongly to Greek references to the Asia Minor Catastrophe, criticising statements and commemorations held in Athens marking the events of 1922.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the commemorations, the Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected Greek references to the “occupation” and “violent campaign” in Anatolia as “unfounded”.

Ankara also called on the Greek authorities to demonstrate “seriousness” and “common sense”, while presenting its own account of the events surrounding the Greek military campaign and the subsequent destruction and displacement in Asia Minor.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also invoked Article 59 of the Treaty of Lausanne, claiming that Greece had accepted responsibility for “massacres and destruction” against civilians in Anatolia.

The statement comes as Greece marks the 102nd anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe, which led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Greeks from Asia Minor and the wider population exchange between Greece and Turkey.

The issue remains highly sensitive in Greek-Turkish relations, with competing historical interpretations continuing to shape political discourse in both countries.

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