Today in History – 24 August

Venizelos in İstanbul

Turkish-Greek relations showed considerable improvement following the official visit Greek Prime Minister Venizelos paid to Ankara in 1930. In an interview he gave to Atlantis newspaper of New York in the summer of 1931, Venizelos highlighted this friendship and said, “Today, Turkey and Greece are the two most peace-loving countries in Europe.”

On his way back through Europe in 1931, Venizelos stopped by in İstanbul and paid official visits on August 23rd and 24th. His ship was greeted in Büyükdere on August 23rd by Governor Muhittin Bey (Üstündar) and the Greek ambassador. The same day, the Greek Prime Minister had two meetings, one at Dolmabahçe and the other at the Greek embassy, with İsmet Pasha and Tevfik Rüştü Bey (Aras), respectively. After the meetings, the prime ministers of two countries expressed their gratitude for the increasing ties of friendship between Turkey and Greece, adding that this mutual camaraderie was to the advantage of both nations.

During Venizelos’ stay, the details of İsmet Pasha’s reciprocal visit to Athens were also discussed.