[MGSA-L] Turning a new page of Greek-Turkish détente

[Christos D. Katsetos]

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Hürriyet -- 10 March, 2004
http://www.hurriyetim.com.tr/haber/0,,sid~381@nvid~381606,00.asp

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Anadolu Agency -- 9 March, 2004
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=18261

Karaman Deputy Akgun Says They Will Turn House Of Ancestors Of
Caramanlis In Karaman Into Museum

KARAMAN -- Mevlut Akgun, a deputy of the Justice and Development Party
(AK Party) from central Karaman province, said on Tuesday that they
would restore and turn the house of ancestors of Costas Caramanlis, the
leader of New Democracy Party, in central Karaman province into a
museum.

Akgun said in a press conference that Caramanlis, the leader of New
Democracy Party who has Karaman origin, had become the Greek Prime
Minister in the recent parliamentary elections.

Mevlut Akgun expressed pleasure that one of their "fellow countryman"
had come to power in Greece after the parliamentary elections.

"Mr. Caramanlis attended the congress of AK Party and stressed the
importance he attached to Turkish-Greek friendship," Akgun said.

Akgun expressed belief that Caramanlis, who has Karaman origin, would
further improve Turkish-Greek relations as the Prime Minister of
neighbor country Greece.

"Caramanlis is from Karaman. He is our fellow countryman. As Karaman, we
will also contribute to friendship and peace between two countries,"
Akgun said.

Akgun stated that ancestors of Caramanlis were Greek origin people who
lived in Karaman in the past.

Historian Ismail Hakki Konyali explained in his book named _History of
Karaman_ with documents that this group migrated from Karaman after the
Lausanne Treaty, Akgun pointed out.

Akgun said that they wanted to declare Karaman and Athens as sister
cities if candidate mayors from AK Party were to win the local elections
in order to stress the importance they attached to Turkish-Greek
friendship.

"As you know, as AK Party government, we attach great importance to
European Union (EU) membership. Turkey has never been so close to EU as
today. Everybody says this. Support to be extended by Greece to our
membership process is very important. As people of Karaman, we also want
to contribute to this support. We want to declare Karaman as sister city
of Athens. Also, we will expropriate house of ancestors of Caramanlis in
Karaman, restore it and turn it into a museum," Akgun added.

New Democracy Party leader Costas Caramanlis won the parliamentary
elections held in Greece on Sunday and became the new prime minister of
Greece.

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More on "Karamanlides and Karamanlidika":
https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/mgsa-l/2002-December/000996.html

C.D.K.