The Lausanne treaty minorities in Greece and Turkey and the Cyprus question : 1954-9

Part of : Balkan studies : biannual publication of the Institute for Balkan Studies ; Vol.32, No.1, 1991, pages 145-161

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145-161
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The Christian minority in Turkey and the Muslim minority in Greecebecame part of the Cyprus dispute between Athens and Ankara. In 1955,government - organised riots took place in Turkey against the Christiansof Istanbul. In the following years, this minority faced strong pressures bythe Turkish state, whenever Greek-Turkish relations deteriorated. From 1956onwards, the Turks started claiming that the Muslims of Greece were beingoppressed. This Turkish argument was used to strengthen Ankara’s claim for the partition of Cyprus. Yet both the British and the Americans disclaimedthis Turkish line with regard to the Muslim minority of Gieece. Afterthe 1959 Cyprus agreements, Turkey and Greece agreed to re-examine theissues of the minorities, but this process collapsed in the mid-1960’s, when thesecond Cyprus crisis errupted and when Turkey expelled the Christian minorityfrom Istanbul.
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