Turkish-Greek relations in the post-cold war era: The role of the United States

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the American influence on Turkish-Greek bilateral relations in periods of moderation as well as deterioration in the after-math of the Cold War. The focus of the study consists of problems that have arisen between Greece and Turkey, two countries that hold coasts on either side of the Aegean Sea. The tension points between these countries revolve around the issue of Cyprus, islands on the Aegean and the minority policies. In regards to the issue of Cyprus, Greece's efforts to realize Enosis are presented in addition to American influence on bilateral relations between these countries during their accession period to the NATO. With the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and the resolution of USSR in the beginning of 1990s, a new international order was being formed under new conditions, which redefined national interests and foreign policy directions of most countries including Turkey and Greece. Both Turkey and Greece struggled to adapt to the new international order in the first of half of 1990s; however, both countries successfully changed the policies they established towards each other and entered a period of moderation. Even though the period of moderation officially started in 1997, it did not come into full effect in 1999, until both Turkish and Greek people embraced a positive perspective and were willing to further the dialog. In the period after the Cold War, United States of America became the world's superpower and its influence on Turkish-Greek relations is important for two important reasons. First is that U.S.A. was very much concerned with the threat of a conflict between Turkey and Greece growing and spreading across the Western world. Secondly, U.S.A. wanted to preemptively eliminate the possibility of either Athens or Ankara to diverge from the foreign policy path that accords with American strategic interests in the region.