Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Greek Troops Back in Turkey
by The Associated Press
Posted: Wednesday, October 11, 2000 09:24 pm CST

IZMIR, Turkey (AP) - More than 75 years after they left Turkey as a defeated army, Greek troops returned Wednesday - to join NATO exercises in Turkish territory for the first time.

About 30 Greek soldiers wearing camouflage makeup jumped off the Spanish and Italian helicopters ferrying them from ships in the Bay of Doganbey, rushing behind trees with M-16 assault rifles in hand. The rest of the 127-member company was expected later in the day for the NATO Destined Glory exercises.

The historic landing of the Greek assault platoon shows that tension between Turkey and Greece over long-running territorial conflicts has diminished.

``Greek-Turkish friendship has once again begun,'' said Maj. Dimitrios Dotas, a spokesman for the Greek military.

The landing site is only 25 miles southwest of the Aegean port city of Izmir, which Greek troops occupied in 1919 as part of a disastrous campaign to seize Asia Minor from the Ottoman Empire.

The Turkish forces recaptured Smyrna - modern day Izmir - in August 1922 as remnants of the battered Greek army rushed for their waiting ships. More than a million Greeks left when Turkish forces ousted Greek armies.

``It is something strange for me, seeing Greek and Turkish troops together,'' said Lt. Juan Rivera, a member of the Spanish special forces team that directed helicopters to the landing site. ``It is good for NATO.''

The Greek and Turkish soldiers will conduct training and mock war games in the NATO exercises together with troops from the United States, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy. Some 21,000 troops, 70 ships and 170 aircraft are taking part in the maneuvers, which extend through Oct. 25.

Although partners in NATO for decades, Turkey and Greece had antagonistic relations until major earthquakes in both countries last year led to outpourings of mutual aid and sympathy. That gave a boost to political efforts at rapprochement.

Earlier this year, Greece lifted its objections to Turkey's candidacy for the European Union and the two countries signed a number of low-level accords to improve ties. Last week, six Greek F-16 warplanes touched down at a Turkish base for the first time in at least three decades.

But observers say Turkey and Greece must resolve continuing disputes over Aegean sea and airspace territory and the divided island of Cyprus for real progress to take place. The nations have nearly gone to war three times in the past 26 years.

The traditional rivals have yet to decide how to address their thorniest disputes. Turkey opposes Greece's wish to take Aegean territorial issues to an international court.

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