Introduction
Foreign refers to the external environment of the state. Policy is a course of action that a state or an organization intends to do. Foreign policy is concerned with instruments applied in interacting with other states. They include the guideline and strategies meant to achieve the interests of a state externally.
Policies made should be goal oriented; they aim for something positive especially in matters of national security. Instruments applied can be diplomatic, economic, cultural or military. Diplomatic instruments consist of recognition and withdrawal of recognition, recalling of ambassadors, establishing diplomatic offices, applying travel bans, state visits and invitation of state visits.
Economic instruments pertain to foreign aid, slapping of economic sanctions, trade agreements and trade boycotts. The state can as well apply military instruments such as engaging in war, forming military alliances and offering military assistance.
Psycho-cultural instruments relate to mass media (print and broadcast), academic scholarships such as Fulbright, cultural visit exchange and establishment of cultural centers. Foreign policy instruments determine the privilege a country gets from other powerful states. This paper examines the instruments in relation to the foreign policy of United States and Greece.
Economic Cooperation
In February 1950, the government of the United States signed a protocol at Athens Greece. The agreement was meant to strengthen foreign relations between the two states. The convention had clear objectives that aimed at achieving greatness for the two states. Greece was not to be taxed heavily; it was to enjoy preferential treatment.
Small businesses were not being taxed hence encouraging competition between Greek and American companies in the United States. The two states enjoy mutual relations as far as trade is concerned. Greece is strategically positioned in that most of oil from Middle East passes through it.
The oil reaches Europe and the United States from Caspian Basin through Greece. The establishment of regional energy project called ITGI (Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy) strengthened economic relations between Greece and other states-United states included. The Greek port of Alexandroupolis located along the coastline of Aegean is strategic to the United States because it serves as a route for oil movement from Middle East to other parts of Europe (Dimitrios 35).
The United States co-opts Greece and Turkey in accomplishing its economic interests in Middle East. Greece cooperated with the United States in 1990-91 Persian Gulf War. Economic interests in the war drove them both. Before 1990, Greece was a major beneficiary of the United States foreign Aid.
It received funding in infrastructure development such as expansion of ports for import/exports development, hydroelectric power complexes for electricity generation and social amenities. The two partners have slapped economic sanctions to non-compliant states occasionally.
Diplomatic Relations
The United States have been proposing strong relations among states especially those around Middle East. Greece has been holding peace talks and has gone ahead to sign defense cooperation with Arabic states on behalf of the United States. Greece becomes strategic in relation to American fight against terrorism.
The interests of Americans in Palestinian-Israeli conflict are well catered for by Greece in recent years. The Greek leaders have been hosting meetings between Israel and Palestine. Greece of late has changed its stand in the longest conflict between Palestine and Israel. The improved relations between Israel and Greece are because of diplomatic cooperation between United States and Greece.
Israeli leader Moshe Katsav in 2006 for the first time visited Greece leading to exchange of state visits between the leaders. The Greek government is always in solidarity with the United States in times of need.
It ends up recalling high commissioners and ambassadors to slot in compliance from uncooperative states. The two partners in the international system enforce policies in solidarity with each other. The United States withdraws recognition for leaders perceived to be interfering with Greek interests.
The two states relate well because of the large Greek population in the United States. The Greek population in the United States influences the government to make sound foreign policies to Greece. The American government has established diplomatic offices in places perceived to be with Greek population such as South Africa.
The United States delegation on various occasions has been invited to Greece. The leaders review agreements made and projects jointly funded by the two governments. The Greek government assisted the United States in mediating the conflicts between Russia and Georgia.
Greece collaborates with the United States in cooling down the temperatures in Middle East that causes migration. It further offers humanitarian assistance to the Muslim States. It also assisted the United States in bring integration among Balkans and pressuring Turkey in accession to European Union.
Military Instruments
The U.S and Greece began cooperating a long time ago with the initial pact being signed in 1953. The major operation today is centered on the navy. The U.S. runs a military base at deep-water port. In addition, the country operates the Sounda bay airfield to support Greece.
The Greek government in return receives a huge military assistance in terms of both resources and technology. The United States government offers modern military skills to Greek soldiers and security personnel (Paterson Clifford and Maddock 378).
The Greek government upholds the tenets of capitalism and United States ideas of democracy by intervening militarily to restore democracy in unstable states such as Kosovo. The government of Greece is a great supporter of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In 2003, NATO was in charge of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), majority of the peace keepers were Greek. The Greeks contributed a lot of money to Afghanistan development and humanitarian aid. Through Greek participation in NATO, the Balkans has had relief in socio-political and economic organizations. Greece led the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) in Bosnia, which brought normalcy and democracy among Balkans.
Greece is full of zip for NATO’S ocean shield counter-piracy operation that serves to offer security to World Food Program bonded and mercantile yachts off the coast of Somalia. Greece has been leading a European Union’s Atalanta counter-piracy mission.
The United States’ naval backup at Sounda Bay on Crete islands facilitates maneuvers and logistical support to European Command (EUCOM), Central command (CENTCOM). The NATO forces participate in military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Balkan states and the Middle East, all of which are facilitated by Greece (Economides 472).
Cultural and Psychological Relations
The voice of America is one of the major foreign media in Greece. It is in charge of dispensing American values to the people of Greece. People change their perceptions about the Americans and their culture. Both states have cultural centers in ether America or Greece.
The centers educate citizens on the importance of cooperation in the international system. The United States with its Fulbright scholarship program has been able to influence the relations between the two states. Scholars from Greece get opportunities in the United States. Courses in Greek are offered in various American institutions.
Conclusion
Greece is very strategic to the United States hence the government should always maintain good relations with Greece. Most of oil from Middle East passes from the coastline of Greece. The United states government needs to ensure that Greece is secure, political events should be monitored carefully in Greece to maintain peace.
Terrorists should not be allowed to take over the state since it will complicate world peace. The government of America should therefore continue providing opportunities and technical support to Greeks. Greece is very vital as far as Middle East is concerned. Military operations in the region depend on Sounda bay military base.
The rest of states around the region are hostile to the government of the United States. The war in Iraq could not have materialized without the assistance of Greece. The fight against anti-democracy in Bosnia and Yugoslavia relied heavily on Greece.
Greeks provided enough conventional forces that countered dictatorial rule in Bosnia. It also played a critical role I uniting the trouble causing community of Balkan. The United Sates would not achieve its interests in the Middle East without the support of Greece. As the situation stands, there is a thaw in relations between Greece and United States. This has led to détente relations between Greece and Canada.
Cited
Dimitrios, Lucas. Greece’s Shifting Position on Turkish Accession to the EU: before and after Helsinki. Saarbrucken: VDM Verlag. 1999.
Economides, Spyros. The Europeanisation of Greek Foreign Policy. West European Politics, 28.2 2005: 471–491.
Paterson, Thomas, Clifford, Gary and Maddock Shane. American foreign relations: A history, to 1920, Volume 1. Florence, KY: Cengage learning. 2009.