‘Turkish minorities’ in western Thrace are a priority, says Turkish FM
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in his speech at the Turkish National Assembly on Monday spoke of “Turkish minorities” in western Thrace and in the Dodecanese being a priority to the Turkish government.
“The condition of the Turkish minority of western Thrace and our expatriates living in the Dodecanese is an issue we prioritize. We are closely monitoring the issue of rights protection concerning education, religious freedoms and institution management, as required by the Treaty of Lausanne and international agreements,” stressed the Turkish FM.
Concerning the Cyrpus issue, Fidan said that negotiations must take place “between two states, and not between two communities.”
“We will continue to delicately protect our rights in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean. We want to promote relations with our neighbor, Greece, through an honest and constructive dialogue that is based on a positive agenda,” he added.
