Perceptions of the US involvement by Athens and Ankara in the Greek-Turkish Dispute (1954-1999)

Greek-Turkish relations became strained a few years after the starting of the Cold War despite that both countries have become parts of the same alliance, NATO, and belonged to the western camp against the Soviet Union. The eruption of the Cypms conflict was the main reason for worsening the relations between the two states. In the decade of 1970s additional problems in the Aegean deteriorated relations further, and both states have almost come to the brink of a war several times. The United States as the most powerful ally has always needed to be involved in order to keep NATO’s cohesion and preserve stability in the southeastern flank of the Alliance. I l l The aim of this study is to analyze the American involvement towards the GreekTurkish dispute which includes the Cyprus problem and the Aegean issues from 1954 until 1999 emphasizing in the most serious Cyprus crises (1963-64, 1967, 1974, 1997) and the Aegean crises (1976, 1987, 1996). Further, this study will attempt to analyze the Greek and the Turkish perceptions of the American involvement, and to evaluate to what extent the United States presence has affected the course of the long-standing GreekTurkish dispute.