A map of divided Cyprus.Embassy of Greece inNicosia, Cyprus
As the island of Cyprus was heading towards independence from the United Kingdom the Greek (82%) and Turkish (18%) communities became embroiled in bitter inter-communal fighting, partly sponsored by the two "motherlands".EOKA-B and theTurkish Resistance Organization (TMT) were responsible for many atrocities which resulted in cementing tensions and led to total isolation of the communities with Turkish Cypriots withdrawn intoenclaves.
In 1974, the US-backed Greek junta –took power during November 1973 by overthrowing the previous junta – partly in a move to draw attention away from internal turmoil and partly unsatisfied with Makarios' policy in Cyprus, on 15 July attempted a coup to replace him with Nikos Sampson and declare union with Greece. Seven days later, Turkey launched an invasion of Cyprus allegedly to reinstate the constitution but which resulted in blooded conflict, partition of the island and mass ethnic cleansing. The overwhelming Turkish land, naval and air superiority against island's weak defenses led to the bringing of 37% of the land under Turkish control.
170,000 Greek Cypriots were evicted from their homes in the north with 50,000 Turks following the opposite path concluding the de facto division of Cyprus. In 1983 Turkish Cypriots proclaimed independence unilaterally with only Turkey recognizing them. As of today the north is under an embargo as a measure against the illegal partition of the island.
Ever since both countries along with the two communities of the island are engages into avicious cycle of negotiations which led to little. In 2004 theAnnan Plan for Cyprus was put to vote but whilst it was accepted by the north, it was rejected by the Greek-Cypriots as it meant in their eyes, endorsing a confederal state with a weak central government and considerable local autonomy. The Republic of Cyprus is a constitutional democracy which has reached great levels of prosperity, with a booming economy and good infrastructures, part of the United Nations,European Union and several others organizations by whom it is recognized as the sole legitimate government of the whole island.
Greece calls for the removal of Turkish troops from Cyprus and the restoration of a unified state. The Republic of Cyprus is receiving strong support from Greece in international forums with the latter maintaining a military contingent on the island, and Greek officers filling key positions in theCypriot National Guard.
Other issues dividing Greece and Turkey involve the delimitation of thecontinental shelf in the Aegean Sea, territorial waters and airspace. In March 1987 a dispute concerningoil drilling rights, almost led to war between the countries with Greece advocating the dispute to be decided by theInternational Court of Justice. In early 1988, the Turkish and Greek Prime Ministers met atDavos, Switzerland, and later inBrussels. They agreed on various measures to reduce bilateral tensions and to encourage cooperation.
Tensions over the Aegean Sea surfaced again in November 1994, when Greece claimed under theLaw of the Sea Treaty, which Turkey has not signed, that it reserved the right to declare an expansion of itscontinental shelf from 6 to 12nautical miles (11–22 km; 7–14 mi) around its Aegean islands. Turkey which has itself expanded its continental shelf in theBlack Sea shore, stated that it would consider any such action a cause for war. New technical-level bilateral discussions began in 1994 but soon fizzled-out.
In January 1996, Greece and Turkey came close to an armed confrontation over the question of which country had sovereignty over anislet in the Aegean. In July 1997, on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Madrid, Greek and Turkish leaders reached agreement on six principles to govern their bilateral relations. Within a few months, however, the two countries were again at odds over Aegean airspace and sovereignty issues. Tensions remained high for months, although various confidence-building measures were discussed to reduce the risk of military accidents or conflict in the Aegean, under the auspices of the NATO Secretary General.
Greece has come out in support of Turkey's bid forEuropean Union membership,[2] and supports its full integration to the union when conditions for its acceptance are met. On 6 May 2004, Turkish Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan became the first Turkish leader to visit Greece in fifty years.[3] On 24 January 2008, Greece's premierCostas Karamanlis visited Turkey a full 48 years after the last Greek premier and uncle of hisConstantine Karamanlis had visited the neighboring country.
On Monday 23 December 2011, in an interview on Turkish newspaperBirGün discussing secret budgets, former Turkish Prime MinisterMesut Yılmaz admitted that Turkish secret agents intentionally started forest fires in Greece between 1995 and 1997 during the Prime Ministership ofTansu Çiller as part of state-sponsored sabotage, resulting in huge damage caused by major forest fires on theislands of the easternAegean and inMacedonia. Mesut Yılmaz's admission sparked political outrage in Greece on Monday, causing Greece's Foreign Ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras to say that the claims were "serious and must be investigated," adding that Athens was awaiting a briefing from Ankara. ConservativeNew Democracy's shadow foreign minister Panos Panayiotopoulos said the revelations "cast heavy shadows overGreek–Turkish relations" and called on Turkey recompense Greece for losses incurred.[4][5]
Following an official complaint from Greece on 24 December seeking clarification over comments by former Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz relating to forest fires in Greece in the mid-1990s, the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers,Stavros Dimas andAhmet Davutoğlu, spoke on Wednesday 28 December. Dimas stressed how important it was that Ankara investigate the claims that in the past Turkey's intelligence services paid arsonists to set fire to forests in Greece. In addition to Greek Foreign Ministry meetings with Turkish officials, Greece's Supreme Court prosecutor Yiannis Tentes launched an emergency inquiry on 27 December, ordering the investigations into the mid-1990s wildfires blamed on arson to be reopened with regard to the initial claims reportedly made by Yılmaz.[6]
Former head ofGreek intelligence serviceLeonidas Vasilikopoulos said they had received information from their agents in Turkey that Turkish agents or others were involved in the forest fires on Greek islands.[7] After making the comments in Turkish daily newspaperBirGün, Yilmaz said that his words had been distorted and that he was referring to Greek agents causing fires in Turkey.[8] However, on Thursday 29, Turkish dailyMilliyet published an article referring to a secret report that seemed to support claims made in the interview by Mesut Yılmaz that secret agents had caused forest fires in Greece in the 1990s. According toMilliyet, an associate of Yılmaz's, Kutlu Savas, compiled a 12-page report that detailed the actions of Turkish agents in Greece. It described how theNational Intelligence Organization of Turkey (MIT) had formed two teams: one which carried out bombings at tourist sites onCrete and other parts of Greece and another which was responsible for starting the wildfires. An attack on an army camp inLamia, central Greece, is also mentioned.[9]
Greece is represented in Botswana through its embassy inPretoria, South Africa, and Botswana is represented in Greece through its Permanent Representation to the United Nation Office inGeneva, Switzerland.[184]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 June 1966 when Ambassador of Democratic Republic of Congo to Greece M. Joseph Kahamba, presented his credentials to King Constantin.[86]
Both countries share relations since the years BC with the creation ofAlexandria byAlexander the Great. Egypt has had a sizable Greek community which is mostly centered around Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city and the seat of the Greek OrthodoxPatriarchate of Alexandria. In the modern era, both countries enjoy very good and warm diplomatic relations since 1833 and especially after the Greek War of Independence, and both countries have signed several defense cooperation agreements, with the heads of states visiting each other in a regular basis.
Egypt is represented in Greece by its embassy in Athens and general consulate in Thessalonica.
Greece is represented in Egypt by its embassy in Cairo and general consulate in Alexandria.
Sizable communities of Greeks live in Egypt (Alexandria) and Egyptians in Greece (Patras, Athens).
Greece and Egypt signed bilateral agreements for trade, tourism and defense cooperations.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 December 1966 when accredited first ambassador of Greece to Kenya with residence in Nairobi Mr. George C. Papadopoulos.[90]
Nigeria has an embassy in Athens.[195] Greece established a diplomatic mission in Nigeria in 1970, and today has an embassy inAbuja and a consulate inLagos. Trade between the two countries is imbalanced, with imports from Greece to Nigeria exceeding exports. Greek-owned tankers have an important role in shipping Nigerian oil and natural gas, its main exports. Recently a Greek tanker was involved a dispute over crude oil smuggling.[196] Greek-controlled companies have invested US$5 billion in the Nigerian economy. There is a small Greek business community in Lagos.[197]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 September 1941 when has been appointed first Greek Minister to South Africa Mr. Theologus Nicoloudis.[44]
The presence of a largeGreek Diaspora in South Africa led to the establishment of diplomatic relations as far back as the early 20th century.
Greece has an embassy inPretoria, a general consulate in Johannesburg and 2 consulates in Cape Town and Durban.[200]
South Africa has an embassy in Athens and a consulate-general in Thessaloniki.[201]
Relations are cordial, and got stronger sinceWorld War II.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 January 1956 when has been accredited Chargé d'Affaires of Legation of the Greece to Sudan Mr. P. Calogeras.[59]
Greece and Sudan have long enjoyed a very cordial and friendly relationship spanning decades. The two countries enjoy strong and productive relations in the areas of diplomacy, economic reciprocity, and also there are large concentrations of Sudanese (both students and immigrants) in Greece, and numerous Greek nationals who have resided in Sudan since the early 20th century. The two countries are on very good terms with each other, notwithstanding Sudan's close ties with Greece's historical rival, Turkey. Greece has an embassy inKhartoum, whilst Sudan is represented in Greece through the parallel accreditation of its embassy in Athens. The Hellenic country also deeply supports peaceful stability in Sudan's western region,Darfur.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 October 1920 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Greece to Argentina (resident in Brazil) Mr. Stamati Ghiouzes Pezas.[205]
Both countries are represented by an embassy in the other one's capital. At least 30,000 persons of Greek descent live in Argentina with about 5,000 with Greek passports. The majority of Greeks live in Buenos Aires.[206]
Greece is represented in Dominica via parallel accreditation of its embassy inCaracas. Dominica has appointed an ambassador accredited to Greece, based inRoseau, Dominica.[211]
Greece–Nicaragua relations are foreign relations between Greece and Nicaragua. Greece is represented in Nicaragua through its embassy in Mexico City. Nicaragua is represented in Greece through its embassy in Rome.[216]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 June 1868[218]
The United States and Greece have long-standing historical, political, and cultural ties based on the shared democratic values, history of Greek immigration to the States and participation as Allies duringWorld War II, theKorean War, and theCold War. Previously, the US helped the reconstruction of post-war Greece through theMarshall Plan and various other aids culminating at about $11.1 billion in economic and security assistance since 1946. The current mutual defense cooperation agreement (MDCA) provides for continued U.S. military assistance to Greece and the operation by the U.S. of a military facility atSouda Bay,Crete.
About three million Americans are of Greek ancestry.[219]Greek-Americans are an established, well-organized community in the U.S. (several notable politicians, including former Vice-presidentSpiro Agnew, and SenatorsOlympia Snowe andPaul Sarbanes are of Greek ancestry), and they help cultivate close political and cultural ties with Greece. Greece has the seventh-largest population of U.S.Social Security beneficiaries in the world.
Greece has a special interest in Middle East and North Africa because of its geographic position and its economic and historic ties to the area. The country cooperated with allied forces during the 1990–1991Gulf War. Since 1994, Greece has signed defense cooperation agreements with Israel and Egypt and in recent years, Greek leaders have made numerous trips to the region to strengthen bilateral ties and encourage the Middle East Peace Process. In July 1997, December 1997, and July 1998 Greece hosted meetings of Israeli and Palestinian politicians to contribute to the peace process. Greece also maintains diplomatic relations with theGeneral Palestinian Delegation while enjoying cordial relations with Syria.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 January 1992[155]
Greece was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia's independence on 21 September 1991 and one of those that have officially recognized theArmenian genocide. Since the independence of Armenia the two countries have been partners within the framework of international organizations (United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, BSEC), whilst Greece firmly supports the community programs aimed at further developing relations between the EU and Armenia.
Continuous visits of the highest level have shown that both countries want to continue to improve the levels of friendship and cooperation (Visit by the President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian to Greece in 1996, visit by the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos in 1999, visit by the President of ArmeniaRobert Kocharyan to Greece in 2000 and 2005 and visit by Greek presidentKarolos Papoulias to Armenia in June 2007).
Greece is, after Russia, the major military partner of Armenia. Armenian officers are trained in Greek military academies, and various technical assistance is supplied by Greece. Since 2003, an Armenian platoon has been deployed in Kosovo as part ofKFOR, where they operate as a part of the Greek battalion of KFOR.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 April 1992[221]
Azerbaijan-Greece relations today are friendly. Each state maintains a full embassy, Azerbaijan inAthens and Greece inBaku. Recently in February 2009, Azerbaijani PresidentIlham Aliyev visited Greece to boost bilateral relations.[222] The leader met with Greek PresidentKarolos Papoulias, as well as the Greek Prime MinisterCostas Karamanlis.[222] At the meeting between the officials, the two nations agreed that they must work more closely to get Azeri gas into Greece to help ease recent security issues.[223][224]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 November 1902 when has been appointed first Persian Ambassador to Greece.[26][27]
Cartoon on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and the then-rulingQajar dynasty of Persia in 1902
Relations between the two people date back from the antiquity and beforePersian invasion of Greece. There is also the report of Strabo of an Athenian delegation to Persia in 432 BC.[236] The relations have evolved from sworn rivalry during theGreco-Persian wars to strong cordiality.Alexander the Great defeated the Persian empire and the country was put under Greek rule for approx. 70 years until they were defeated byParthians (another group of Iranian people) and pushed backed from Persia to their homeland.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 November 1947 when has been accredited Chargé d'Affaires of Greece to Iraq (resident in Beirut) Mr. Nadji Vassiliou.[49]
Relations of the Greek and Iraqi peoples are deeply rooted in history, both have developed cultures that have influenced the course of humanity. They date as far back as whenAlexander the Great ruledMesopotamia (which name is of Greek origin, meaning "land between rivers") and eventually died inBabylon, Iraq. Greece firmly and consistently supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. Greece traditionally maintained good and friendly relations with Iraq due to strong historical and cultural bonds, dating back to ancient times.[238]
Greece has an embassy inBaghdad, and Iraq is represented by her embassy in Athens.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 June 1899.[240]
There has been a Greek embassy in Tokyo since 1960
The Japanese Embassy in Athens opened in 1960, when it was decided to upgrade the Japanese Consulate which had opened in 1956 and has also an honorary consulate inThessaloniki.
Since then the two countries have enjoyed excellent relations in all fields, and cooperate closely.[241]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1992.[243] Greece is represented in Kyrgyzstan through its embassy inAlmaty (Kazakhstan). Kyrgyzstan is represented in Greece through a non-resident ambassador based inBishkek (in the Foreign Ministry). Kyrgyz consular representation in Greece is made by the Kazakh consulate in Athens.
On 1 November 2004, Kyrgyz PresidentAskar Akayev made an official visit to Greece.[244][245] A Foreign Ministry delegation from Greece visited Dushanbe for talks, and had meetings with Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Zarifi and First Deputy Foreign Minister Youldashev in 2008. Foreign MinisterDora Bakoyannis met with Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Zarifi during the 1st EU-Central Asia Forum on security issues in Paris in September 2008.[243]
There are between 650 and 700 people of Greek descent living in Kyrgyzstan.[246] However, the data of the General Secretariat For Greeks Abroad give an even lower number (50 people).[247]
In 2004 Greece and Kyrgyzstan signed a bilateral agreement for air transports, tourism and diplomacy during Kyrgyz presidentAskar Akayev's visit to Greece.[248][249]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 June 1947, when first Minister of Greece to Lebanon with residence in Cairo M. Georges Triantaphyllidis presented his credentials[47]
The relation between both people dates back to earlyantiquity, with the early trading activities between theancient Greeks and thePhoenicians. In modern times, Greek-Lebanese bilateral relations are very good at all levels. Both countries are members of theUnion for the Mediterranean and theFrancophonie.
Greece exports specialised machinery,non-ferrous metals, tobacco, metal goods,medical products, minerals and fruit, and imports industrial equipment,oil, footwear, paper,rubber, vehicles and telecommunications equipment from Malaysia.
In modern times, Pakistan's first embassy in Athens was opened in 1975. Greece established an embassy inIslamabad in 1987. There are around 32,500 Pakistani people living and working in Greece. However, Islamabad has stated it will not accept Greek sovereignty over Cyprus and it should withdraw its bulk of armed forces from the southern part of the island to restore the independence of the Cypriots, which it continues to have diplomatic relations with Nicosia.
Diplomatic relations were founded with the PLO in 1981.
Palestine has a representative office in Athens and Greece's consulate general in Jerusalem is accredited to Palestine.
In December 2015, the Hellenic parliament voted unanimously in the presence of President Mahmoud Abbas to recommend to the government the full recognition of the state of Palestine on 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Greece has an embassy inManila and an honorary consulate general.
There are around 40,000 Filipinos living and working in Greece, making them one of the largest foreign communities in Greece.[citation needed] (seeFilipinos in Greece).
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 October 1966.[260]
The Greek embassy inBangkok, Thailand, is also accredited to Singapore.
Singapore's embassy in Berlin, Germany, is also accredited to Greece. Singapore has an honorary consulate in Athens.
In consular affairs Greek interests are represented by the French Embassy in Singapore. There is also a special Port Consular Office in Singapore, which looks after the interests of Greek shipping companies, as well as an honorary consulate.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 June 1947 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and minister Plenipotentiary of Greece to Syria with residence in Cairo Mr. Georges Triandafyllides.[48]
On 8 May 2020, the Greek Foreign Ministry Nikos Dendias announced a restoration of relations between Greece and Syria and assigned former ambassador to Syria and Russia, Tasia Athanassiou, as a Special Envoy of Greece's Foreign Ministry for Syria.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 August 1833 when has been appointed first Ambassador of Greece to Turkey Konstantinos Zografos.He presented his credentials on 30 July 1834.[271]
After more than a century of strained relations and intermittent fighting, Greece and Turkey agreed under theTreaty of Lausanne (1923) to apopulation exchange as an attempt to reduce tensions between the two countries in the future. A significant 300,000 strong Greek community inIstanbul and a 100,000 Turk one inWestern Thrace were excluded from the transfer, with each one supposed to be working as counter-weights to any anti-minority policy that either Turkey or Greece may sought to apply in the future, however that counter-weight came to an end before the Cyprus dispute because of the Varlik Vergisi and Istanbul pogrom.
In 1942 a wealth tax called theVarlık Vergisi was imposed on non-Muslims including Greeks, this resulted in financial ruin for many Greeks and another exodus of Greeks from Anatolia once World War II had come to an end. Again in 1955 an anti-GreekIstanbul pogrom was initiated by Turkish mobs against the Greek community of Istanbul, which led to the final gradual extinction of the Greek community in Anatolia. These two events were a major factor when theCyprus problem surfaced as Greece and Turkey nearly came to a full-out war after Turkey's invasion of Cyprus. Similar disputes occurred for the islands ofImbros andTenedos. Up to late 1990s strained relations almost led toan open war in 1974, 1987 and 1996. Since theearthquake diplomacy in 1999 relations have once again begun improving.
Greece and Albania – even though diplomatic relations were restoredin 1971[273][274] – normalized relations only in 1987 as until then both countries were officially – in a cease-fire – but nevertheless under the state of war since Albania and Italy had declared war on Greece on 28 October 1940. During rule of dictatorEnver Hoxha relations were strained because of the part that Albania played duringWorld War II against Greece and also because of the material help that they provided to Greek communists during theGreek civil war. In addition there was controversy about the treatment of the Greek minority in southern Albania, the historic region ofNorthern Epirus and theCham issue.
Following the collapse of communism in Albania, relations between the two countries improved with periods of destabilisation due to accusations of mistreatments of minorities in each country. Illegal immigration from Albania and complaints of the Greek minority in Albania regarding treatment by state authorities led to issues at the socio-political level. Greece, which didn't experience high levels of immigration at the time, faced increased criminality by illegal immigrants and ethnic Albanians faced police brutality. According to official Greek data, 450,000 Albanians, including Greeks from Albania, migrated to Greece. The number almost doubles if illegal migrants are included.[275] Despite shared cultural relations as two neighbours, the influx of immigrants to Greece, and Albanian immigration for the first time since the end of the isolationist communist regime led to some tensions.
Today, relations between the two countries are very close and are regarded as excellent, and, at the Albanian Government's request, about 250Greek military personnel are stationed in Albania to assist with the training and restructuring theAlbanian Armed Forces. Albania's economy is overdependent to the money immigrants from Greece sent back home, while Greece is the second larger trading partner, with more than US$400 million worth of investments. Moreover, Greek products account for 21% of Albania's imports, with Greece absorbing 12% of its neighboring country's exports.[276] At the same time, low cost labor from Albania propelled the growth of the Greek economy, especially in the construction and agriculture sectors. Albania is home to an approximate 200,000 Greek community.[277] while between 400,000 and 600,000 Albanians live and work in Greece, the vast majority of them post-1991 economic migrants. There are also 189,000 Albanian nations in Greece recognised as part of the Greek minority of Albania. Albanians in Greece form the largest ethnic and foreign community, and many are now naturalised Greek citizens. Albanians have also generally integrated well and some have assimilated completely in Greek society.[278] As a result of interaction, integration and subsequent mass migration to Greece by other ethnic groups, the position of Albanians in the country has improved.[279]
Albania is home to a considerable Greek community, both migrants and indigenous minority – number varies from 300 to 500,000 with 650,000 in total including North Epirus Greeks in Greece, USA and Australia.[280]
Greece is home to just under a million Albanians (some sources say 600,000, whilst other Greek organisations claim 900,000 with illegal migrants and overstayers).
In addition to the Albanian immigrants, there are theArvanites, a population group that today self-identifies as Greek who have traditionally spoken an Albanian dialect (Arvanitika).[281][282] Arvanitika is today an endangered language, as its speakers have been shifting to the use of Greek and most younger members of the community no longer speak it.
Greece is Albania's most important European Union ally and partner.[283]
Relations since the election victory ofEdi Rama in 2013 have seen massive improvement and warming of relations between the two nations.[284]
There are many cultural, political, historical and biological similarities and shared kinship between the Albanian and Greek peoples.[286][287]
Greek is the second most spoken language in Albania, with a considerable size having knowledge of it.[288]
Albanian is the most common foreign/migrant language in Greece, although most Greeks do not have clear knowledge of it.[289]
Many organisations both political and societal exist in Albania and Greece promoting relations between the two nations.[290]
Albania is home to the largest number of Greek diaspora political and cultural organisations; there are 5 political parties and over a dozen organisations.[291]
As of 2014 both nations have described their relations as 'excellent' and Albania considered Greece one of its 'strongest and most important allies', both NATO nations have close relations nowadays.[292]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 August 1834 when Anton Prokesch von Osten had been appointed as the first Ambassador of Austria to Greece.[293]
Both countries have had diplomatic relations since the 19th century, after Greece's independence. Greece has an embassy inVienna and an honorary consulate in Salzburg. Austria has an embassy in Athens and six honorary consulates (in Heraklion, Hermoupolis, Korfu, Patras, Rhodes and Thessaloniki). Both countries are full members of theEuropean Union. There is also a Greek community living in Austria.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 November 1838 when has been accredited Chargé d'Affaires of Belgium to Greece M. Benjamin Mary.[16]
Since the Second World War, relations between Greece and Bulgaria have been flourishing, and as the Greek PresidentKonstantinos Tsatsos said during the Bulgarian leaderTodor Zhivkov's visit to Athens in April 1976,"the old controversies have been forgotten and the hatchet buried forever".[298] Greece became a firm supporter of Bulgaria's European Union membership and was the fifth EU member state and the first old member state to ratify the Accession Treaty.[299] Since Bulgaria joinedNATO in May 2004, Greek-Bulgarian relations have been developing on all fronts, and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes relations between Greece and Bulgaria as "excellent".[299]
Greece and Cyprus enjoy a special relationship. Relations are excellent, due to the shared national, historical and cultural heritage of both countries and common interests.
Cyprus has an embassy in Athens and a consulate-general inThessaloniki.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 May 1920.[302]
Diplomatic relations between Greece and formerCzechoslovakia were established in 1920 – after Czechoslovakia's foundation. * The Czech Republic and Greece established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1993.
Each country has an embassy in the other one capital.[303][304]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 November 1918 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Greece to Denmark Mr. S. A. Argyropoulo.[305]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 February 1833 when Michael Soutzos has been appointed as the first Ambassador of Greece in France.[306]
Greece and France enjoy a special relationship. Relations are excellent, due to the shared cultural and historical bonds between the two countries and common interests.[307]
The two countries share membership of theEuropean Union andNATO and maintain embassy-level relations since 1833 (only three years after the Greek independence).[308][309][310][311]
They were allies during bothWorld Wars,Korean War and have never been adversaries of each other.
The Holy See immediately set up its Apostolic Nunciature to Greece in Athens in 1980.
The Greek ambassador to the Holy See resided at first in Paris, where he was concurrently accredited to France; but in 1988 a separate Greek embassy to the Holy See, situated in Rome, was set up.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 June 1861 when has been appointed first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Italy to Greece Terenzio Mamiani della Rovere.[18]
Greece and Italy have a special relationship. Relations are excellent, due to the shared cultural and historical heritage of both countries and common interests in the region.[313]
There are around 180,000 Greek Orthodox or people of Greek descent living in Italy, of which the majority lives in southern Italy and Sicily.
An approximation of 200,000 Roman Catholic Italians or people of Italian descent are living in Greece with the majority of them in the Ionian Islands, western Greece and the capital Athens.[citation needed]
Greece recognized the State of Latvia on 23 May 1922, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored on 2 September 1991. Greece has never officially recognized the annexation of the Baltic states by theUSSR.
The Latvian embassy in Athens was established in 1998. Latvia also has two honorary consuls in Greece (one in Athens and one inThessaloniki).
The Greek embassy inRiga was opened in January 2005.
Both countries are members of the European Union and NATO.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 April 1966.[315]
The two countries share membership of theEuropean Union.
Since 2004, Greece has an embassy inValletta and accredited its first ambassador to Malta. Before that date the Greek embassy in Rome was accredited for Malta.[316]
Greece imposed a trade embargo on North Macedonia between 1994 and 1995.
Formal relations between the two countries began when Greece recognized the then Republic of Macedonia as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on 13 September 1995.[320]
Greece is represented in the Republic of North Macedonia through its embassy inSkopje and its consulate general inBitola.[321]
The Republic of North Macedonia is represented in Greece through its embassy inAthens and its consulate general inThessaloniki.[322]
The two countries were involved in a naming dispute (seeabove until thePrespa Agreement was signed in 2018 and ratified by both countries in 2019).
Greece fully supports North Macedonia's candidacy for membership in the EU.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 June 1837 when Greek Ambassador in Madrid Andreas Metaxas is also appointed Ambassador in Portugal.[327]
Diplomatic relations were established on 9 January 1880 at the legation level[328] and were raised to embassy-level on 1 January 1939. There has been a Greek presence in Romania for at least 27 centuries.
Both countries are full members of theCouncil of Europe, of the European Union and NATO.
Despite historical sentiments of cultural and religious affinity between the two peoples, the countries′ official relationship has largely been adverse. Russia and Greece share stance on theKosovo Declaration of Independence. Relations deteriorated drastically in the summer of 2018.[329]
In July 2023, The face of devastating wildfires, a former Greek defense minister urged the government to seek help fromRussia, specifically requesting assistance from the Russian Be-200 amphibious aircraft, which has proven effective in extinguishing flames during previous Greek fire seasons. Thousands of tourists, including 10,000 Britons, were evacuated from Greece and its islands, while Rhodes and Corfu experienced large-scale evacuations due to the fires.[330]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 January 1879.[331]
The two nations are traditionally, historically, religiously and culturally close and their friendly relations are confirmed by a regular political dialogue. Greece is supporting quick implementation of theStabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Serbia and easing visa regime EU towards Serbia. Greece is among the states that have not recognized the Kosovo UnilateralDeclaration of Independence. Greece recognizes Kosovo as a part of Serbia.Greece is one of the most important economic investors in Serbia, mainly in financial, telecommunication, energy and construction sector. Greece will participate in financing construction of theCorridor 10 highway in Serbia with 100 mil. EUR in total which is a part of its Hellenic Plan for the Economic Reconstruction of the Balkans.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 January 1833 when Carl Peter von Heidenstam (until then Consul General) has been appointed as Chargé d'Affaires of the Kingdom of Sweden and Norway in Greece.[11]
The first contact between the two countries can be traced back to the 11th century.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 October 1917 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Greece to Switzerland Mr. Ap. Alexandris.[29]
Greece has an embassy inBern and a consulate-general inGeneva.
The United Kingdom is accredited to Greece through its embassy in Athens, and vice consulates in Corfu, Crete, Rhodes, Thessaloniki, andZakynthos.[342]
The UK governedIonian Islands from 1815 to 1864, when they were transferred to Greece.
Relations between the two states are close: both country were allies during bothWorld Wars, there are a large Greek community in Australia (dating back from the 1950s and 1960s). Both countries have an embassy in the each other's capital. Greece also has consulates general in Sydney,Melbourne andAdelaide, as well as a consulate inPerth, honorary consulates general inBrisbane andDarwin, and honorary consulates inNewcastle andHobart.
In 1999, Greece opened an embassy inWellington; however, it has since closed and Greece is accredited to New Zealand from its embassy inCanberra, Australia. There is a Greek Honorary Consulate inAuckland.
As part of an effort to redeploy resources in Europe, New Zealand closed its embassy in Athens in 1991, since when it has been represented in Greece through its embassy inRome, Italy which is accredited accordingly. It does still retain an honorary consulate general in Athens.
On the level of political cooperation, the two countries have a like-minded approach to international crises and current issues of international interest. There is particularly close cooperation in offering mutual support within international organizations, such as the Human Rights Commission, the Universal Postal Union, etc. New Zealand also supported Greece's candidacy for a seat on the UN Security Council.
The prevailing climate in political relations between Greece and New Zealand was demonstrated in 2002 by the visit of the President of the Hellenic Republic to Wellington, which confirmed the excellent state of relations between the two countries.
Greece rejected the use of the termMacedonia or "Republic of Macedonia" to refer to its northern neighbour after its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.[355] The Greek government opposed the use of the name without any qualification such as 'Republic of Northern Macedonia' to the post-1991 constitutional name of its northern neighbour,[355] citing historical and territorial concerns resulting from the ambiguity between the terms Republic of Macedonia, theGreek region of Macedonia and the ancient kingdom ofMacedon,[355] which falls within Greek Macedonia.
Greece also objected to the use of the terms "Macedonian" to denoteethnic Macedonians and theMacedonian language,[355] as these terms have a different meaning in Greece (inhabitants of the Greek region of Macedonia and the Macedoniandialect of Greek). The dispute has escalated to the highest level of international mediation, involving numerous attempts to achieve a resolution, notably by the United Nations.
The provisional referencethe former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)[320] was used in relations involving states which do not recognise the constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Nevertheless, all the United Nations member-states have agreed to accept any final agreement resulting from negotiations between the two countries. The dispute has not prevented the two countries from enjoying close trade links and investment levels (especially from Greece), but it has generated a great deal of political and academic debate on both sides.
On 13 September 1995 the two countries signed the Interim Accord,[320] whereby Greece recognized the Republic of Macedonia under its provisional reference.[320] As of August 2011 negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute are ongoing. Under Greek pressure, theEuropean Union andNATO agreed that for the Republic of Macedonia to receive an invitation to join these institutions the name dispute must be resolved first.[356][357][358] This resulted in a case at theInternational Court of Justice against Greece for violation of the Interim Accord.[359] The Court deemed Greece was wrong to block its neighbour's bid to joinNATO.[360] No penalties were imposed[361] but the result made it politically more difficult for Greece to object to any of its neighbour's future applications to either NATO or the EU.
On 12 June 2018 thePrespes agreement was signed between the two countries which changed the constitutional name of "Macedonia" toRepublic of North Macedonia. Opposition arose in both countries but in the end the agreement was mutually ratified. The Prespes agreement went into force 12 February 2019. Greece officially endorsed North Macedonia's accession to NATO on 15 February 2019, being the first country in the defense alliance to do so.[362]
Northern Epirus is the name used generally by Greeks to refer to the southern part of Albania, home to a Greek minority[363] which after 1989 keeps reducing due to immigration to Greece. The Greek minority was subject to oppression and harassment duringEnver Hoxha's communist rule and along with the rest of Albanians was hit hardly by the isolation that the regime imposed and from the economic hardship that followed thefall of communism as well. The treatment of the minority by the Albanian government is strongly linked with the status of Greco-Albanian relations.
The Greek minority is organized under theUnity for Human Rights Party which is the continuation of the former banned party called "Omonoia" (Unity in Greek) and has since 1997 joined theSocialist coalition. At the1996 Albanian election the Greek minority party received 4.1% of the vote and two seats in parliament. The party leader is Vangjel Dule, while party member Vasilis Bolanos is former mayor of the town of Himara. The party is represented in the ELDR group in the Council of Europe. Strong Greek presence exists inGjirokastër,Korçë,Sarandë,Himara and the nearby areas. The former CIA directorGeorge J. Tenet,Pyrros Dimas,Sotiris Ninis and former Greek presidentKostis Stefanopoulos have ancestral links to the Greek minority.
The situation of theGreeks in Albania is closely tied to the socio-political ties of the two countries. At times differences between Athens and Tirana regarding the rights and position of the minority has led to tense relations. The community, alongside theAlbanian communities in Greece are hailed as a bridge of friendship between the two countries.[364]
The entrance of thePatriarchal Cathedral of St. George in the Phanar district.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, protected under thetreaty of Lausanne is a point of controversy between Greece and Turkey as the latter refuses to recognize the Ecumenical character of the Patriarchate thus requiring the Patriarch himself to be a Turkish citizen. Moreover, the biggest part of the Patriarchate's property – known as Vakoufia – had been confiscated by Turkish authorities and theTheological school of Halki, the traditional school out of which theEastern Orthodox Church draws its clergy, has been closed since 1971. To no avail numerous Greek, European Union and USA officials have criticized Turkey's attitude and even presidentBill Clinton during his visit in Greece asked for the theological school to open. During Greek prime-minister'sKostas Karamanlis historic visit to Turkey in 2007,Recep Tayyip Erdoğan promised to reconsider his country's stance on the matter.
Greece is a major participant in most large-scale international bodies, with the geographic significance of the region proving advantageous for diplomatic, trade and political crossroads.
In 1967, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands brought theGreek Case against theGreek junta regime for human rights violations. As a result, Greece left theCouncil of Europe in 1969, returning in 1976. It was the only country to have left the Council of Europe up until 2022 when Russia also left.[365][366][367]
^abAmerican Monthly Review of Reviews, Volume 26. Review of Reviews. 1902. p. 669.
^abPersia and Greece. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1931) View title info Sat 22 November 1902. 22 November 1902. p. 7. Retrieved13 October 2023.{{cite book}}:|newspaper= ignored (help)
^abBarry Turner, Brian Hunter (Librarian), Frederick Martin, Isaac Parker Anderson Renwick, John Paxton, Mortimer Epstein, Sigfrid Henry Steinberg, Sir John Scott Keltie (1943).The Statesman's Year-book. St. Martin's Press. p. 436.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^abBritish Documents on Foreign Affairs: Reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print. From 1946 through 1950. Near and Middle-East 1947. Eastern Affairs, January 1947 – December 1947. University Publications of America, 2001. p. 367.
^abBritish Documents on Foreign Affairs—reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print From 1945 through 1950. Near and Middle East · Volume 7. University Publications of America. 1999. p. 80.
^Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts · Issues 31-35. United States. Foreign Broadcast Information Service1. 1960. p. 12.
^Yitzhak Oron (1960).Middle East Record Volume 1, 1960 Volume 1. Published for The Israel Oriental Society, The Reuven Shiloah Research Center by George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Limited. p. 229.
^Bulletin de Madagascar, Volume 185 (in French). 1961.26 septembre 1961 - Remise de lettres de créance par M. l'Ambassadeur de Grèce , Vassili D. Lappas...
^S. H. Steinberg (1961).The Statesman's Year-Book: Greece: Diplomatic Representatives. p. 1083.
^Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts, Issues 1–2. United States. Central Intelligence Agency. 1965.
^Libro amarillo de la República de Venezuela presentado al Congreso Nacional en sus sesiones ordinarias de ... por el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores (in Spanish). Venezuela. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. 1967. p. CXXIV.Habiendo concedido el Rey Constantino de los Helenos el 3 de febrero de 1966 su beneplacito para el nombramiento del General de Division Antonio Briceno Linares, Embajador en Italia, como embajador Extraordinario y plenipotentiario de Venezuela en grecia, el senor Presidente de la Republica dispuso su designacion como tal, el 23 de aquel mismo mes.
^Maghreb, Issues 13-24 (in French). La Foundation nationale des sciences politiques, Centre d'études des relations internationales, Section Afrique du nord et la Direction de la documentation. 1966. p. 26.
^Bulletin de l'Afrique noire Issues 510–513 (in French). La Documentation africaine. 1968.M. J. CINKANGALA , ambassadeur du Congo- Brazzaville en Grèce , a présenté ses lettres de créance le 13 mai 1968 .
^Problèmes africains et du tiers monde Issues 605–631 (in French). L'Association des anciens étudiants de l'Institut universitaire des territoires d'outre-mer. 1971. p. 15.
^Diplomatic Missions, Consular Missions, Trade and International Organizations. Tanzania. Protocol Division. 1976. p. 1.Greece H.E. MR. Michael Mouzas 29.11.71 (Resident in Nairobi)
^Bulletin de l'Afrique noire – Issues 698–717 (in French). Ediafric. 1972.
^D.G. Lavroff (1973).L'Afrique dans le monde (in French). Editions A. Pedone. p. 617.1 février. – Etablissement de relations diplomatiques entre le Rwanda et la Gréce au niveau de l'ambassade
^Africa Research Bulletin. Blackwell. 1973. p. 2871.
^Summary of World Broadcasts: Non-Arab Africa, Issues 4335–4411. British Broadcasting Corporation. Monitoring Service. 1973. p. 4.
^"Ireland".Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved5 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Jeune Afrique – Issues 769–776; Issues 778–781 (in French). Presse africaine associée. 1975. p. 10.
^Afrique d'expression franc̜aise et Madagascar Volumes 540-551 (in French). Société nouvelle des Editions France Outremer S.A. 1975. p. 96.DAHOMEY ... Grèce : Ambassadeur ( résidant à Lagos ) : M. Panagotis Rellas
^The Europa year book : a world survey. 1977. Vol. 1. Europa Publications Limited. 1977. p. 775.
^The Europa year book 1977 : a world survey. 2, Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australasia. London : Europa Publications. 1977. p. 1887.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
^Wichmann, Anna (15 January 2025)."Haiti: The First Country to Recognize Greece's Independence".Greek Reporter. Retrieved19 October 2025.On January 15, 1822, Haiti located over 9,000 km (5,592 miles) away from Greece, was the first country in the world to recognize Greek independence from the Ottomans.
^"Zimbabwe". Archived fromthe original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved14 April 2009.Greece has an Embassy in Harare, whereas Zimbabwe does not have an Embassy and is not able to afford one. Zimbabwe does not have an Honorary Consulate in Greece either.
^Almanach de Gotha. Gotha, Germany : Justus Perthes. 1923. p. 728. Retrieved4 November 2023.
^"Greece and Gulf War II'"(PDF). lse.ac.uk.Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved23 August 2008.Author:George Tzogopoulos, PhD researcher on U.S. foreignpolicy and the media, Loughborough University.
^ab"Tajikistan". Greece. Archived fromthe original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved21 May 2009.Greece and Tajikistan established diplomatic relations in 1992. The stabilization of the country following the civil war and its increasing presence as part of the international community are expected to offer an opportunity for substantially developing its bilateral relations with Greece.
^"Kyrgyz president in Greece".BBC. 1 November 2004. Archived fromthe original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved22 May 2009.Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev left for Greece on an official visit on 31 October
^"Greece, Kyrgyzstan sign bilateral accords".ANA. 2004. Retrieved22 May 2009.Greece and Kyrgyzstan on Monday signed three bilateral accords in the sectors of air transports, tourism and diplomacy, during a meeting between President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos and his Kyrgyz counterpart Askare Askayev, who is in Athens on a state visit.
^"Kyrgyzstan, Greece sign cooperation accords".BBC. 1 November 2004. Retrieved22 May 2009.Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev met Greek President Konstandinos Stefanopoulos in a narrow circle in Athens as part of an official visit to Greece on 1 November 2004. There was an exchange of views on a wide range of issues of cooperation...
^"Diplomatic Relations".Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Brazil. Archived fromthe original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved4 November 2023.
^Wertz, Daniel; Oh, JJ; Kim, Insung (August 2016).Issue Brief: DPRK Diplomatic Relations(PDF). The National Committee on North Korea. p. 8. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 28 December 2016. Retrieved4 February 2018.
^Record of the Arab World: Yearbook of Arab and Israeli Politics, Volume 1. Research and Publishing House., 1973. p. 252.
^"Greece Liberated: Ottoman Empire".Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs Service of Diplomatic & Historical Archives. Retrieved6 November 2023.
^Gogonas, Nikos. "Language shift in second generation Albanian immigrants in Greece." Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 30, no. 2 (2009): 95–110.
^Adamczyk, Artur. "Albanian immigrants in Greece: From unwanted to tolerated?." J. Liberty & Int'l Aff. 2 (2016): 49.
^abHellenic Republic (9 December 2020)."General Information".Greece in the UK.Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved28 January 2025.
^"Greek PM Mitsotakis Pledges to Steadfastly Support Ethnic Greek Minority of Albania".The National Herald. 22 December 2022....Mitsotakis, clearly moved, stated that it was a great honour to be the first Greek prime minister to visit Himare... "The Greek ethnic minority of Albania will have in me a steadfast supporter of your just claims. You are the bridge of friendship between Greece and Albania.
^Bates, Ed (2010). "The 'Greek' Case, 1967–1969".The Evolution of the European Convention on Human Rights: From Its Inception to the Creation of a Permanent Court of Human Rights. Oxford University Press. pp. 264–270.ISBN978-0-19-920799-2.
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