November 27, 1959
GREECE-TURKEY-NATO: London, 27 – According to an article in The Economist on the role of Greece and Turkey in NATO, the international situation, and Washington in particular, have persuaded Greeks and Turks to work together, although history and local disputes make it difficult to forge the kind of stable relationship necessary for real cooperation. All agree that Greek and Turkish security go hand in hand, but that fact is not reflected by events. The Greek military contingent in Izmir has only just returned there after a long absence due to the Cyprus issue, whose resolution has brought about some improvement in the situation, as there is now collaboration between the Greek and Turkish commands to the south of Bulgaria. Nevertheless, problems such as political suspicion and the lack of standardization in military equipment and materials continue. Even where there is genuine cooperation, the actual result is not very significant. Greeks spend 7 percent of national revenue on defense, the highest percentage in Western Europe after Britain and France. This puts Greece in a stronger position at the forthcoming NATO meeting in Paris.
