Abroad

Athens Greece in the Balkans

Anxiety over the future of Yugoslavia following the disappearance of Marshal Tito is felt keenly in Greece. Greece has for years had its hands full with Turkey and the Cyprus problem, and the disposition of its armed forces has been made with Cyprus uppermost in mind. As a result, Greece’s northern frontiers are weakly defended, lacking the cover of the integrated NATO umbrella. Relations with the Soviet Union had been stable until the recent announcement that Moscow will cut back on its promise to supply two million tons of crude oil a year to Greece because of curtailed output at home. Greece will be able to make up the deficit from Iraq, Libya, and Saudi Arabia this year, but the uncertainty of Russian deliveries thereafter casts a shadow on the Greek economy. Greek authorities have a counterweight in that the supply of Russian oil was linked to an agreement signed last September under which Soviet ships, including auxiliaries of the Soviet fleet in the Mediterranean, have access to repair and maintenance facilities on the Aegean island of Syros. The agreement, however, provides that each repair job must be approved separately by the Greek government, which gives Athens the opportunity to dilute the usefulness of the arrangement.

Athens Greece in the Balkans

Anxiety over the future of Yugoslavia following the disappearance of Marshal Tito is felt keenly in Greece. Greece has for years had its hands full with Turkey and the Cyprus problem, and the disposition of its armed forces has been made with Cyprus uppermost in mind. As a result, Greece’s northern frontiers are weakly defended, lacking the cover of the integrated NATO umbrella. Relations with the Soviet Union had been stable until the recent announcement that Moscow will cut back on its promise to supply two million tons of crude oil a year to Greece because of curtailed output at home. Greece will be able to make up the deficit from Iraq, Libya, and Saudi Arabia this year, but the uncertainty of Russian deliveries thereafter casts a shadow on the Greek economy. Greek authorities have a counterweight in that the supply of Russian oil was linked to an agreement signed last September under which Soviet ships, including auxiliaries of the Soviet fleet in the Mediterranean, have access to repair and maintenance facilities on the Aegean island of Syros. The agreement, however, provides that each repair job must be approved separately by the Greek government, which gives Athens the opportunity to dilute the usefulness of the arrangement.