Greek Cypriots declare 2005 ''EOKA Year''

CYPRUS TURKISH VETERANS ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN TURKMEN : ``HONORING EOKA MEMBERS IS THOUGHT-PROVOKING``

LEFKOSA - Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church, Education & Culture Ministry and some other ultra nationalist organizations in Greek Cyprus declared 2005 as ``EOKA Year``.
Andreas Angelopoulos, Chairman of the Council of the Historical Memory of the EOKA, said that they would organize various events during EOKA year, and give medals of honor to almost 21,000 EOKA members. They will start to dispense the medals bearing the signature of Greek Cypriot leader Tasos Papadopoulos as of April 1st, the day EOKA started its massacre campaigns against Turkish Cypriots.
Vural Turkmen, Cyprus Turkish Veterans Association Chairman, said in a written statement, ``it is thought-provoking that Greek Cypriot administration honors EOKA members who attempted genocide on Turkish Cypriots and massacred them.``
Turkmen said, ``Greek Cypriot initiative to declare 2005 as EOKA year, while Turkish Cypriots, who have taken lessons from the past, exert efforts to reach a lasting peace, should be well assessed.``
``How can we trust and make a lasting peace with the Greek Cypriots promote hatred and enmity? This question should be asked.``
``We call on Greek Cypriot administration that is occupying Cyprus Republic with gun-force, the EU that accepts Greek Cypriot Administration as the so-called representative of whole Cyprus, and those who had put their hopes on a solution that we can administer Cyprus jointly with the Greek Cypriots, to think well about the future and the fact that 2005 was declared as EOKA Year by the Greek Cypriot administration.``