Greece`s defense& security policy after cold war

ABSTRACT Greece has been spending 6 percent of its GNP on defense since 1974. The Greek defense expenditures are, in relative terms, the highest between the EU and the NATO members. This study makes an analysis of Greek defense and security policy after the Cold War and to point out the continuity in Greek defense and security policy from the establishment of Greek state until today.Ever since Greece won its freedom from the Turks in the 1 820s-no, ever since the Turks took Istanbul on that "Black Tuesday" 29 May in 1453-the Greeks have had a Megali Idea, a Great Idea. Greece has followed an imperialist and expansionist policy since the 19th century. No matter whether you call it "Pan Hellenism" or "Megali Idea (big ideal, big thought)", Greece has tried to realize this ideal several times since 1821. After the first chapter (introduction), in second and third chapter, while narrating Modern Greek history it's also tried to state that Megali Idea constitutes the basis of Greece's defense and security policy. Greece's security concerns in the Cold War era, is also examined in the third chapter. The Turkish Peace Operation in Cyprus in 1974 and the ensuing Greek-Turkish confrontation caused Athens to reconsider its traditional defense posture. At the root of this change in policy lay NATO's inaction during the Cyprus crisis and perception, deeply held among Greek civilian and military elites that such inaction would leave the country dangerously exposed to a "Threat From the East" in case of renewed conflict with Turkey. This realization led to a significant restructuring of Greek defense and foreign policy options. Greece turned her face to Europe after 1974. The Europeanization in Greece and Greek security concerns in post-cold war era and Greek foreign policy towards her neighbors [especially Greek-Turkish relations] are held in chapter four. Greece is the only member state of the European Union and NATO in the Balkan region. Until the breakdown of the communist bloc, Greece was acting within the limits as well as the political and economic constrains of cold war imperatives. The axis of the post-Cold War uncertainties framed the new threat perceptions and security interests of Athens. Greece's new roles in the security of Europe and Greece's initiatives in defense and security issues in the 21st century as the only EU and NATO member state in the Balkans is examined in fifth chapter. Consequently, some presumptions about the basic issues related with Greek defense and security policy -like Cyprus and Aegean conflict- are took place in chapter six. The results that obtained from this study are summarized in the seventh chapter. xm