ABSTRACT
The current chapter follows developments in Greek–Turkish affairs during the last decade of the Cold War and focuses on the second Aegean crisis. In March 1987, war clouds gathered over the Aegean Sea, where they hung for three long days. The immediate reason was territorial sovereignty disputes, but the root cause was the security dilemma between the two deadlocked allies. As distrust breeds misunderstandings, Athens and Ankara went onto a war footing, again sending shock waves to Washington. During the period up to the crisis, Greece was aggrieved and distrustful of the United States, while Turkey maintained a warm relationship with the U.S. government. Before the tipping point was reached, Washington demonstrated vigilance and managed to avert the further escalation of the crisis. NATO’s Secretary General Lord Carrington assumed the front role in mediating the second Aegean crisis, but the U.S. Ambassadors in Greece and Turkey were instrumental in clearing any misunderstanding. The two nominal allies would stumble along together to the finish line of the Cold War.
