Editing Foreign relations of Greece (section)

== Terms ==
=== North Macedonia ===
{{Main|Macedonia naming dispute}}

Greece rejected the use of the term [[Macedonia (terminology)|Macedonia]] or "Republic of Macedonia" to refer to its northern neighbour after its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.<ref name="YPEKS fYROM">{{cite web |url=http://www1.mfa.gr/en/fyrom-name-issue/ |title=FYROM Name Issue |publisher=mfa.gr |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015051902/http://www1.mfa.gr/en/fyrom-name-issue/ |archive-date=15 October 2011 }}</ref> The Greek government opposed the use of the name without any qualification such as 'Republic of Northern Macedonia' to the post-1991 constitutional name of its northern neighbour,<ref name="YPEKS fYROM" /> citing historical and territorial concerns resulting from the ambiguity between the terms Republic of Macedonia, the [[Macedonia (Greece)|Greek region of Macedonia]] and the ancient kingdom of [[Macedon]],<ref name="YPEKS fYROM" /> which falls within Greek Macedonia.

Greece also objected to the use of the terms "Macedonian" to denote [[ethnic Macedonians]] and the [[Macedonian language]],<ref name="YPEKS fYROM" /> as these terms have a different meaning in Greece (inhabitants of the Greek region of Macedonia and the Macedonian [[Modern Greek dialects|dialect of Greek]]). The dispute has escalated to the highest level of international mediation, involving numerous attempts to achieve a resolution, notably by the United Nations.

The provisional reference ''the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia'' (FYROM)<ref name="Interim Accord">{{cite web |url=http://untreaty.un.org/unts/120001_144071/6/3/00004456.pdf |title=GREECE and THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA – Interim Accord (with related letters and translations of the Interim Accord in the languages of the Contracting Parties). Signed at New York on 13 September 1995 |date=13 September 1995 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218110226/http://untreaty.un.org/unts/120001_144071/6/3/00004456.pdf |archive-date=18 December 2008 }}</ref> was used in relations involving states which do not recognise the constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Nevertheless, all the United Nations member-states have agreed to accept any final agreement resulting from negotiations between the two countries. The dispute has not prevented the two countries from enjoying close trade links and investment levels (especially from Greece), but it has generated a great deal of political and academic debate on both sides.

On 13 September 1995 the two countries signed the Interim Accord,<ref name="Interim Accord" /> whereby Greece recognized the Republic of Macedonia under its provisional reference.<ref name="Interim Accord" /> As of August 2011 negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute are ongoing. Under Greek pressure, the [[European Union]] and [[NATO]] agreed that for the Republic of Macedonia to receive an invitation to join these institutions the name dispute must be resolved first.<ref name="NATO summit">{{cite web |url=http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_202.html |title=Bucharest Summit Declaration Issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Bucharest on 3 April 2008 |date=3 April 2008 |publisher=summitbucharest.ro |access-date=27 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003162137/http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_202.html |archive-date=3 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="EU Accession">{{CELEX|32008D0212|text=2008/212/EC: Council Decision of 18 February 2008 on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and repealing Decision 2006/57/EC}}</ref><ref name="EU Accession 2">{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2010/package/conclusions_fyrom_en.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122112633/http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2010/package/conclusions_fyrom_en.pdf |archive-date=2010-11-22 |url-status=live |title=Conclusions on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |publisher=ec.europa.eu |access-date=27 August 2011}}</ref> This resulted in a case at the [[International Court of Justice]] against Greece for violation of the Interim Accord.<ref name="ICJ 1">{{cite web |url=http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/142/14881.pdf |title=The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia institutes proceedings against Greece for a violation of Article 11 of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 |date=17 November 2008 |publisher=icj-cij.org |access-date=27 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216072534/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/142/14881.pdf |archive-date=16 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Court deemed Greece was wrong to block its neighbour's bid to join [[NATO]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16032198|title=ICJ rules Greece 'wrong' to block Macedonia's Nato bid|publisher=BBC News|date=5 December 2011|access-date=20 February 2015}}</ref> No penalties were imposed<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/142/16841.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=20 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111081617/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/142/16841.pdf#view=FitH&pagemode=none&search=%22Macedonia%22 |archive-date=11 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but the result made it politically more difficult for Greece to object to any of its neighbour's future applications to either NATO or the EU.

On 12 June 2018 the [[Prespes agreement]] was signed between the two countries which changed the constitutional name of "Macedonia" to [[Republic of North Macedonia]]. Opposition arose in both countries but in the end the agreement was mutually ratified. The Prespes agreement went into force 12 February 2019. Greece officially endorsed North Macedonia's accession to NATO on 15 February 2019, being the first country in the defense alliance to do so.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-01-25 |title=Macedonia and Greece: Vote settles 27-year name dispute |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47002865 |access-date=2024-03-19}}</ref>

=== Northern Epirus ===
{{Main|Northern Epirus}}
[[File:Albania minorities.png|thumb|A map of the traditional Greek presence in [[Northern Epirus]] (in blue).]]

Northern Epirus is the name used generally by Greeks to refer to the southern part of Albania, home to a Greek minority<ref>Country Studies US: [http://countrystudies.us/albania/49.htm Greeks and Other Minorities]</ref> which after 1989 keeps reducing due to immigration to Greece. The Greek minority was subject to oppression and harassment during [[Enver Hoxha]]'s communist rule and along with the rest of Albanians was hit hardly by the isolation that the regime imposed and from the economic hardship that followed the [[fall of communism]] as well. The treatment of the minority by the Albanian government is strongly linked with the status of Greco-Albanian relations.

The Greek minority is organized under the [[Unity for Human Rights Party]] which is the continuation of the former banned party called "Omonoia" (Unity in Greek) and has since 1997 joined the [[Socialist Party of Albania|Socialist coalition]]. At the [[1996 Albanian parliamentary election|1996 Albanian election]] the Greek minority party received 4.1% of the vote and two seats in parliament. The party leader is Vangjel Dule, while party member Vasilis Bolanos is former mayor of the town of Himara. The party is represented in the ELDR group in the Council of Europe. Strong Greek presence exists in [[Gjirokastër]], [[Korçë]], [[Sarandë]], [[Himara]] and the nearby areas. The former CIA director [[George J. Tenet]], [[Pyrros Dimas]], [[Sotiris Ninis]] and former Greek president [[Kostis Stefanopoulos]] have ancestral links to the Greek minority.

The situation of the [[Greeks in Albania]] is closely tied to the socio-political ties of the two countries. At times differences between Athens and Tirana regarding the rights and position of the minority has led to tense relations. The community, alongside the [[Albanian communities in Greece]] are hailed as a bridge of friendship between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greek PM Mitsotakis Pledges to Steadfastly Support Ethnic Greek Minority of Albania |url=https://www.thenationalherald.com/greece-unhappy-albania-makes-deal-to-buy-war-drones-from-turkey/ |website=The National Herald |date=22 December 2022 |quote="...Mitsotakis, clearly moved, stated that it was a great honour to be the first Greek prime minister to visit Himare... "The Greek ethnic minority of Albania will have in me a steadfast supporter of your just claims. You are the bridge of friendship between Greece and Albania."}}</ref>

=== Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ===
{{See also|Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|Halki seminary}}
[[File:Stgeorgeistanbul3.JPG|thumb|The entrance of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|Patriarchal]] Cathedral of St. George in the Phanar district.]]

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, protected under the [[Treaty of Lausanne (1923)|treaty of Lausanne]] is a point of controversy between Greece and Turkey as the latter refuses to recognize the Ecumenical character of the Patriarchate thus requiring the Patriarch himself to be a Turkish citizen. Moreover, the biggest part of the Patriarchate's property – known as Vakoufia – had been confiscated by Turkish authorities and the [[Halki seminary|Theological school of Halki]], the traditional school out of which the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] draws its clergy, has been closed since 1971. To no avail numerous Greek, European Union and USA officials have criticized Turkey's attitude and even president [[Bill Clinton]] during his visit in Greece asked for the theological school to open. During Greek prime-minister's [[Kostas Karamanlis]] historic visit to Turkey in 2007, [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] promised to reconsider his country's stance on the matter.

=== Black Sea ===
The [[Black Sea]] is a region heavily colonized by Greeks throughout history. It used to have a [[Pontic Greeks|significant presence of Greeks]] up until the [[population exchange between Greece and Turkey]] in 1923. Nowadays there remains Greek presence on the shores of Black Sea mainly in [[Mariupol]] (Ukraine), [[Crimea]], Russia and Georgia despite emigration to Greece during and after the dissolution of [[Soviet Union]]. Today Greeks in the region are estimated to be around 215,000 according to official [[Greek diaspora]] figures. Greece is a founding member of the [[Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation]].