page_title: Foreign relations of Greece
section_title: Asia
hierarchical_section_title: Foreign relations of Greece / Bilateral relations / Asia
caption_attribution_description: English: Humoristic cartoon from Puck on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and Persia
context_page_description: As one of the oldest Euro-Atlantic member states in the region of Southeast Europe, Greece enjoys a prominent geopolitical role as a middle power, due to its political and geographical proximity to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Its main allies are the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the other NATO countries, and the European Union.
  Greece also maintains strong diplomatic relations with Cyprus, Armenia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Lebanon, Romania, Russia and Israel, while at the same time focuses at improving further the good relations with the Arab World, Caucasus, China, India and Japan. As member of both the EU and the Union for the Mediterranean, Greece is a key player in the eastern Mediterranean region and has encouraged the collaboration between neighbors, as well as promoting the Energy Triangle, for gas exports to Europe. Greece also has the largest economy in the Balkans, where it is an important regional investor.
  Prominent issues in Hellenic foreign policy include the claims in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean by Turkey and the Turkish occupation of Cyprus.
context_section_description: Greece has a special interest in Middle East and North Africa because of its geographic position and its economic and historic ties to the area. The country cooperated with allied forces during the 1990–1991 Gulf War. Since 1994, Greece has signed defense cooperation agreements with Israel and Egypt and in recent years, Greek leaders have made numerous trips to the region in order to strengthen bilateral ties and encourage the Middle East Peace Process. In July 1997, December 1997, and July 1998 Greece hosted meetings of Israeli and Palestinian politicians to contribute to the peace process. Greece also maintains diplomatic relations with the General Palestinian Delegation while enjoying cordial relations with Syria.
caption: Cartoon on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and the then-ruling Qajar dynasty of Persia in 1902
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