The Treaty of Lausanne "clearly defines the nature of the minority in Thrace as religious," the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry replied on Saturday to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan statements. The ministry also noted that it fully respects and protects the religious beliefs and cultural uniqueness of the Muslim Minority in Thrace, while guaranteeing all their rights as Greek and European citizens, in a spirit of recognizing their equal rights and equal treatment before the law.

The ministry added that the Turkish FM's statements on the Cyprus issue do not contribute to achieving progress on the issue, and brought to attention the fact that the framework of UN Security Council Resolutions on the Cyprus issue are binding.