Even if it's not clear how a political party can be both Panhellenic and socialist and even if its rise may mean that leftist parties are growing stronger in Europe, this is not what Turks care about. The main question in Turkey is whether Greece, under PASOK rule, will veto Turkey's European Union process or not. This question is followed by another: What will Greece do about Cyprus? However, it would be erroneous to expect Greece to make headway in its Cyprus policy, as this country's general stance doesn't change from one party to another on this particular subject. Nevertheless, as the weight of the Cyprus issue increases in the Turkey-EU relations equation, the risk of deterioration in Turkish-Greek relations also increases. In other words, what is essential for Turkey is what balances the next Greek government will seek to preserve within the Turkey-EU-Cyprus triangle.The worst-case scenario is a lack of progress in the Cyprus problem and the beginning of a Kosovo-like process. If that happens, Turkey-EU relations, which already are not brilliant, will be torpedoed -- but most Turkish citizens will accept that fact without much regret. But that will constitute a political loss for Greece, and Turkish-Greek problems will be transported to the Aegean Sea. Besides, if a socialist party accedes to power in Athens, both countries will get the opportunity to be more critical of each other's human rights and minority rights issues. In brief, this scenario will contribute to the image that there is a serious animosity between Turkey and Greece.
Yet, except for Cyprus, people don't give the impression that they want bilateral relations to sour. Just like Turkey, Greece is also in a process of facing its history. Individuals in both nations question the tales they have been told, and they question whether the antagonism emanating from those tales is real or virtual.
A Greek newspaper has distributed the documentary “Mustafa” to its readers free of charge. Even this is enough to show how curious people are about their common history. One of my Greek colleagues, Professor Ioannis Mazis, has spent many years translating Atatürk's Nutuk (Great Speech) into Greek and has recently published it in two volumes. When I asked him why he wants to publish this book, he told me that Greek people have much to learn from this. He insisted that an alternative interpretation of history was very useful to demonstrate that the main source of the problem is not the people but the conflicting interests between states and that Greece and Turkey are often manipulated by third countries. He also wants everyone to remember that peace and compromise are possible, pointing out the example set by Atatürk and Eleftherios Venizelos. He also believes that Greek people are interested in learning Atatürk's general thoughts.
There are many like him on both shores of the Aegean, because people are tired of tension and endless conflict. For example, they no longer want to see dogfights over their heads.
Political parties can still come to power by manipulating the people's nationalistic sentiments, but it seems that they will no longer be able to hold on to power for a long time if they keep doing this.
