In the fall of 1994, Greece prepared for a period of difficult relations with Balkan neighbors far weaker than itself. In the turbulence of the post-Cold War Balkans, only Greece displayed homogeneity, stable democratic institutions, and the multidimensional support of the EU. However, it was unclear whether these attributes would prove sufficient to place Greece in a dynamic and leading role. The festering disputes with Turkey had made Greece defensive and vulnerable at a moment when general Balkan instability created precisely the type of regional vacuum that Turkey might fill by citing its solidarity with the Muslims of southeastern Europe.

Throughout the 1980s, Greece's relations with neighboring Balkan countries had generally continued on the friendly and mutually beneficial course that the Karamanlis government had initiated in the postjunta years. Greece desired stability in an area that had long suffered from conflicting territorial claims and political turmoil. Greece also hoped to win its neighbors' support for its position on Cyprus.

Data as of December 1994

NOTE: The information regarding Greece on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Greece The Balkans information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Greece The Balkans should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.