NEIGHBORING ALLIES

April 22, 1999
		Following a report on the relationship between NATO members Turkey and Greece, Jim Lehrer talks with Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

Nato at 50 coverage Strikes in Yugoslavia Coverage April 21, 1999: European journalists. April 8, 1999: How other countries are covering the events in Yugoslavia. April 1, 1999: Yugoslavia's UN Ambassador March 24, 1999: Comparing military capabilities. Feb. 25, 1999: Conversation on Turkey Complete NewsHour coverage of Europe.   Turkish Embassy in the U.S. Greek Embassy in the U.S. NATO US State Department Serbian Ministry of Information	PHIL PONCE: Modern Greece emerged in 1830 after 400 years of domination by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Since then, tensions have continued between Greece and its historic rival across the Aegean.
	An uneasy relationship.
	Turkey's a predominantly Muslim country of about 64 million people, roughly the size of Texas. Since Yugoslavia broke up, Turkey has often voiced support for fellow Muslims caught up in the civil wars, especially in Bosnia. Greece is about the size of Alabama. Its 11 ½ million people are overwhelming Christian Orthodox. Greece has often spoken up for its fellow Orthodox Serbs. The conflict over Kosovo has Serbia at war with the NATO alliance, and has spread closer to NATO members, Greece and Turkey. Tensions in this part of the world were part of the Cold War, and eventually led the West to create NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In the late 1940's, President Harry Truman used military and economic aid to head off a communist insurgency in Greece, and threatened Soviet incursions in Turkey. Both joined NATO in 1952, three years after it was formed. But being fellow members of NATO did not stop the tensions between them, especially over the Island of Cyprus. The two countries nearly went to war there in 1964, did clash in 1974, and have yet to resolve the future of the partitioned island. And there have been disputes, skirmishes, and occasional shows of force over conflicting territorial claims in the Aegean Sea. This antagonism was caused not just by geography and history, but by developments in modern Europe. The European Union let Greece join as a full member 20 years ago, but EU concerns, especially over human rights, have kept Turkey from moving up to full membership. Not fully embraced by Europe, Turkey also sees itself surrounded by potential adversaries: Syria, Iraq, and Iran. It has been moving to a military alliance with Israel. Greece and Turkey have tried to improve relations in recent years, but they were at odds again two months ago. Turkey learned the number one man on its most wanted list-- minority Kurdish Leader Abdullah Ocalan -- had been given sanctuary at the Greek embassy in Kenya before being captured by Turkish commandos. In the latest Balkan war, Turkey has offered to take in 20,000 Kosovar refugees, and Greece is letting NATO use its airspace and facilities while pushing for a diplomatic solution.

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