Greece–United States relations
Due to the strong political, cultural and religious ties between the two nations, Greece and the United States today enjoy excellent diplomatic relations and consider each other a friendly nation. Both countries are members of several international organizations such
Greece–United States relations
Due to the strong political, cultural and religious ties between the two nations, Greece and the United States today enjoy excellent diplomatic relations and consider each other a friendly nation. Both countries are members of several international organizations such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and NATO, and both are founding members of the United Nations.
The United States and Greece have long-standing historical, political, and cultural ties based on a common western heritage, shared democratic values, and participation as Allies during World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War. The U.S. is the largest foreign investor in Greece; direct U.S. foreign investment in Greece was about $4.5 billion in 2006.
Relations between the two countries can be traced since the arrival of the first Greek immigrants to the United States in 1768. On November 7, 1837, the United States recognized the independence of Greece when the American Minister at London signed a treaty of Commerce and Navigation with the Greek Minister at London. This act marked the first negotiation of the United States with Greece and represented the US's recognition of Greece as in independent country in the early 1800s.1 Within this same year, the first American Consul Gregory A. Perdicaris took up his position in Athens. This mid-19th century treaty established the Greek-U.S. relations in part to help liberate and establish Greece as a separate country from the Ottoman Empire.1 Later during the Greek civil war of 1946-1949, the U.S. proclaimed the Truman Doctrine, promising assistance to governments resisting communist subjugation, and began a period of substantial financial and military aid. The U.S. has provided Greece with more than $11.1 billion in economic and security assistance since 1946. Economic programs were phased out by 1962, but military assistance has continued. In fiscal year 1995, Greece was the fourth-largest recipient of U.S. security assistance, receiving loans totaling $255.15 million in foreign military financing.
In 1953, the first defense cooperation agreement between Greece and the United States was signed, providing for the establishment and operation of American military installations on Greek territory. The current "mutual defense cooperation agreement" provides a continued U.S. military support to Greece and the operation by the U.S. of a major military facility at Souda Bay, Crete.
Since then, the relations between Greece and the United States have always been close, with both countries joining forces during the First World War, the Second World War and the Cold War. To the modern times the alliance between Greece with the United States have further been strengthened through the active role of both countries in NATO.
Mainly the Greek products exports to the United States involve petroleum products, cement, tobacco, fur products, olive oil, marble,clothing articles, steel products, pipes, and refractory products. On the other hand U.S. imports to Greece mostly are industrial and agricultural products and machinery, telecommunications equipment, electrical equipment, computers and electronic equipment,timber, medical and pharmaceutical items, machinery and parts, skins, and wood-pulp.2 Even though the United States impose restrictions on the importation of certain fresh or processed agricultural products there is full freedom of sale of Greek industrial products in the whole U.S. market. Also the EU-United States Agreement signed in May 1993 allows Greek enterprises to access to U.S. public contracts. Trade between the two countries amounted to nearly a billion in 2010.3 Due to the Credit Cruch Crisis since 2008 that has negatively affected Greek economy, thousands of U.S. firms have shifted their productive activities from other Balcan countries and Italy to Greece due to lower costs of production.4 The Greece-US Economic & Commercial Cooperation Committee (ECCC) is also currently working to bilaterally expand trade flow and cooperation, and widen their market in Southeastern Europe, the Black Sea and the Middle East.2
Bilateral Greek-U.S. military relations can be dated back to the early 19th century when Greece was fighting for their independence against the Ottoman Empire. During the Greek Philhellene movement, the two nations found commonality under their values of freedom and democracy. Under the Marshall Plan, US military played a role in helping the country establish their democracy and independence during the late 1800s. Military collaboration stemming from previous wars like WWI and WWII have set the foundation for the two countries as firm allies. Greece and the U.S. have also been allies through the Cold War as well as conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan within this past century.5.6
According to the eight-year U.S.-Greek Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, which was signed in September 1990 and was put into effect between 1990-1998 it regulates defense and intelligence relations between Greece and the United States. During the Gulf War collaboration was strengthened relations between Greece and the United States, as Greece