Democratic Greece and the West, 1974-1983

This book explores Greece’s tumultuous relationship with the West from 1974 to 1983, shedding 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. It 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 narrower national interests, primarily its security vis-à-vis Turkey. Viewing the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean through the prism of their Cold War strategic priorities, Western governments sometimes found it difficult to meet Greek demands. However, both sides’ complementary objectives and their desire to cooperate led to a working relationship that satisfied their basic requirements. One of the main arguments developed in the book is 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, the author also contends that the story of Greece’s integration into the West signifies an important and often overlooked event in Cold War history as well. Covering a historical period of ten years, perhaps the most crucial decade in Greece’s contemporary history, this book will make a major contribution to the field.