Armenian-Greek relations
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Greco-Armenian relations have always been strong both emotionally and historically due to religious roots and co-existence during the Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire.
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[edit] Names
In the Greek language, Armenia called Αρμενία (Armenia) and the Armenians are called Αρμένιοι (Armenii). In the Armenian language, Greece is called Հունաստան (Hounastan) and the Greeks are called հույներ (Houyner).
[edit] Historical
Both being ancient civilizations, Armenians and Greeks have co-existed for centuries. There are ancient notes by Greek historians suggesting of the roots of Armenians. Greek historians themselves were one of the first to call them Armenians.
According to a hypothesis proposed by linguists during the 20th century, the Armenian and Greek languages share a common ancestor. This has led to the proposal of a Graeco-Armenian language, post-dating the Proto-Indo-European language. Herodotus suggests that the Armenians are descendants of the Phrygians. Plato had early noticed the similarities between the Greek and the Phrygian languages. In addition Strabo has written that the ancestral homeland of the Armenians or of their ruling class, prior to their immigration in Asia Minor, was a valley in Thessaly, after which they are named. A chain of ancient references that show the close relation between the two peoples.
After the destruction of the Seleucid Empire, a Hellenistic Greek successor state of Alexander the Great's short-lived empire, a Hellenistic Armenian state was founded in 190 BC.
The Armenian language is said to be influenced from Ancient Greek, but both languages developed differently over time.
The Armenian alphabet (created in 301), being written from left to right and not from right to left like other scripts of the Middle East, has a certain Greek flavour.
During the Byzantine Empire's era, Armenians and Greeks co-existed in relative peace thanks to their religious ties. Armenians constituted an integral part of the Empire in its early centuries, with some of the Byzantine Emperors being of Armenian origin.
However, because of the differences that existed between Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic Christianity, Byzantine emperors often tried to conquer the Armenian Bagratid Kingdom and impose Greek Orthodoxy. They achieved this in 1045 after many attempts. This weakened both Byzantines and Armenians alike, and in consequence, they weren't able to keep the Turks away from Armenia who left it undefended (1064) and from the rest of Anatolia (1071 onwards)
Regardless, these two nations also co-existed under Seljuk and later Ottoman empire.
[edit] Today
[edit] Political Relations
Greece was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia's independence on September 21, 1991. Both countries have an embassy in their respective capitals. Also, Greece is one of the countries that have officially recognised the Armenian Genocide.
Since the declaration of independence in Armenia the two countries have been partners within the framework of international organisations (United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, BSEC), whilst Greece firmly supports the community programmes aimed at further developing relations between the EU and Armenia.
Continuous visits of the highest level have shown that both countries want to continue to improve the levels of friendship and cooperation (Visit by the President of Armenia Mr. Ter-Petrossian to Greece in 1996, visit by the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Stephanopoulos in 1999, visit by the President of Armenia Mr. Kocharian to Greece in 2000 and 2005).
[edit] Treaties
Both countries have signed bilateral treaties which include:
- Economic, Industrial and Technological Cooperation Agreement (in force since 1/12/1994)
- Agreement on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments (in force since 28/4/1995)
- Cooperation Agreement in the military sector (June 1996)
- Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation on Income (in force since 13/5/1999)
[edit] Diasporas
Estimates on the size of the Greek community in Armenia range from 1,800 to 5,000 [1]. The declining number of Greeks in Armenia in recent years is mainly due to mass migration to Greece from former Soviet Union and because of Armenia's economic situation as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh War. It was further exacerbated by the Leninakan Earthquake which in December 1988 struck northwestern Armenia, the area where most of the Greeks used to lived. The largest Greek communities are in Yerevan and Alaverdi, followed by Vanadzor, Gyumri, Stepanovan and Noyemberian.
The Armenian community in Greece is much larger, numbering about 35,000 [2]. The number was even higher but migration to North America has caused an evident reduction.
