Kosovo: Greek and Turkish Perspectives (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
May 27, 1999 |
| Report Number |
RS20149 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Carol Migdalovitz, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Western governments have cited a danger of the Kosovo conflict spreading to NATO allies
Greece
and Turkey as justification for military intervention in Kosovo. These two eastern Mediterranean
neighbors have difficult bilateral relations. Their overarching goals for Kosovo are similar, but their
views of NATO's military campaign differ. Greece opposes NATO's approach for reasons based
on
history, culture, competing foreign policy goals, and public opinion. Its sympathies lie with the
Serbs. Turkey supports NATO out of alliance loyalty and because of its shared history, culture, and
attendant sympathies with the Kosovar Albanians. Turkey is participating in the military operation;
Greece is not. Greece and Turkey both reject the notion that a war between them might arise from
the current conflict. Greece is concerned about the refugee crisis destabilizing the region. It also is
concerned about the implications that its position on Kosovo might have on relations with the United
States and Europe, while Turkey does not accept that the crisis might have implications for its
southeast and Kurds. See CRS Issue Brief IB98041, Kosovo and U.S. Policy , and CRS Issue Brief IB10027 Kosovo: U.S. and Allied Military Operations . This report will be updated if
developments
warrant.
