Democratic Greece and the West, 1974-1983 : a difficult relationship

Abstract

This study discusses Greece’s tumultuous relationship with the West from 1974 to 1983, and sheds new light on the country’s evolution from a peripheral country of the Western camp to one safely anchored at the heart of the Western world. Emphasis is placed on the multilateral level (EEC, NATO) while bilateral relations with the major Western powers are discussed thoroughly in as far as they contributed to the consolidation of Athens’ external orientation and internal stability. The study argues that Greece’s need to make a definite choice on the fundamental issue of its external orientation and, at the same time, balance and redefine its relationship with the West entailed a difficult transition involving both its adjustment to major international trends and norms as well as attaining narrow national interests, primarily its defense vis-à-vis Turkey. Viewing the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean through the prism of their Cold War strategic priorities, Western governments were going to find it difficult to meet Greek demands. However, both sides’ complementary objectives and their desire to cooperate would lead to a working relationship that would satisfy their basic requirements. The first part of the study prioritizes Western analysis and attitudes to the Greek democratic transition and the considerable stakes that it involved for Western governments. Short-term and long-term Western interests would be reconciled under the strategic concept of “democratic stability” that would eventually guide Western policies towards Greece. Part II delves into the key moments of Greece’s integration into the West including its accession to the European Community and its reintegration into NATO, and explains how the Greek-Turkish dispute was kept under control. Part III examines the tensions between Athens’ need to pursue a “multidimensional” foreign policy and its position within the West. Last but not least, the extended last chapter concludes the story and provides the first evidence-based synthetic analysis of PASOK’s early relations with the West. It is argued that the year 1983, which marked the emergence of a historical consensus on the external orientation of the country, should be seen as a turning point in Greek history. However, this dissertation also contends that the story of Greece’s integration into the West signifies an important and often overlooked event for Cold War history as well.