News / 28 Sep 2010
Go to newsEvros Appeal by Synaspismos and ÖDP: For the mutual and balanced reduction of arms of Greece and Turkey
The Synaspismos delegation was made up of Panos Trigazis, head of the Foreign Policy dpt., Mustafa Mustafa, former MP, Takis Haritos and Kostas Pantazidis, secretaries of the SYN prefectural organizations, as well as Youth cadres. The large ÖDP delegation included Prof. Hairi Kozanoglou, former party President.
A message by Lothar Bisky, President of the European Left party, was read to the participants of the events that followed on both sides of the border.
The full text of the Evros appeal is as follows:
“From the river Evros (Meriç Nehri), the border between Greece and Turkey, the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) and Synaspismos (Coalition of the Left of Movements and Ecology) launch an appeal for the mutual and balanced reduction of arms and military budgets of the two countries.
Carrying on the campaign for this proposal, which we have formulated and claimed over some years, we are holding joint events in Edirne and Alexandroupoli-Komotini on 24 and 25 of September 2010.
We state once again that peace is the only choice for the peoples of Greece and Turkey. The problems in Greek–Turkish relations need and can be solved peacefully, through dialogue and in accordance with international law.
We strongly oppose militarism and chauvinism and the cultivation of nationalist hatred between our peoples.
Today, when the whole world is experiencing the painful consequences of an unprecedented capitalist crisis, the struggles for peace and disarmament – nuclear and conventional – assume greater significance. The mutual and balanced reduction of arms and military budgets of Greece and Turkey will constitute an important step towards real peace, mutual trust and good neighbourly relations between the two countries.
The exorbitant military expenditure and the expensive arms constitute a heavy burden on the economies of Greece and Turkey.
We cannot reconcile ourselves with this reality which deteriorates the social and developmental problems of the two countries. The adoption of our proposal will release huge resources for their economic, social and ecological development. At the same time, it will be a heavy blow to the militarist forces and a victory for democracy and the culture of peace.
We call on the governments of the two countries to move beyond words to action and to set, as a priority, to the greek–turkish dialogue the issue of arms expenditure reduction. But, in order to achieve this goal we need to strengthen and broaden the “citizens diplomacy” .
We take this opportunity to send a common message of solidarity to the Cypriot people , declaring our full support to the efforts for a just and viable solution through inter-communal dialogue within the framework of the United Nations and on the basis of its resolutions. The peoples of the island – Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – can build a bicommunal-bizonal federation for an independent and demilitarized Cyprus, free of foreign bases.
Peace is an urgent duty for our wider region . The Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East need urgently denuclearization and demilitarization processes. They need to be rid of wars and imperialist interventions. In this direction we support the creation of a nuclear free Middle East. First of all the Palestinian issue must be solved, in accordance with UN resolutions, with the creation of an independent Palestinian State in the ’67 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Alexandroupolis – Edirne
24 September 2010
Alexis Tsipras Alper Taş
President of SYNASPISMOS President of ÖDP
