Greece OKs plan to rejoin military wing of NATO

October 20, 1980

Greece has accepted a proposal to rejoin the military wing of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Greece pulled out of NATO's military wing in August 1974 to protest Turkey's invasion of Cyprus. Since then, Greece and Turkey have disagreed over who should wield operational control in the Aegean. Details of the plan have not been disclosed, but will require unanimous approval of the 14 other NATO members. Greek sources say the NATO supreme commander, Gen. Bernard Rogers, has persuaded Turkey's military rulers to lift their veto on Greece's return to the military wing. The sources believe the plan provides for the issue of operational control in the Aegean to be settled after Greece's return.