Greece–Nicaragua relations

Greece–Nicaragua relations

Greece
Nicaragua

Greece–Nicaragua relations are foreign relations between Greece and Nicaragua. Diplomatic relations were officially established on 2 July 1965.[1] Greece is represented in Nicaragua through its embassy in Mexico City.[1] Nicaragua is represented in Greece through its embassy in Rome.[1]

Assistance

Greece has been a major sponsor of humanitarian aid to Nicaragua, providing significant economic, food and development aid to Nicaragua.[1]

Military

In 1898 Nicaragua asked to buy the three largest ironclads in the Greek fleet, but Greece declined the offer.[2]

During the government of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement from 1981 led by Andreas Papandreou, Greek foreign relations turned from Westernization to a more anti-American stance.[3] This included supporting and being well-disposed toward the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.[3] Papandreou repeatedly described the United States action against the Sandinista as engaging in terrorism.[4] In 1985 the Greek government secretly donated 5000 G-3 rifles to Nicaragua to support the Sandinista resistance.[5][6]

Diplomacy

By 1966 there were no trade relations between the countries, but diplomatic relations had been established through the United Nations.[7] Pierre Calongeras had recently been appointed as the Greek ambassador to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and a study was conducted on potential goods for trade with Nicaragua.[7] He also attempted to strengthen cultural ties between the countries through visits of Greek theater groups and Greek films.[7]

In 2006 the Greek ambassador to Nicaragua was Alexander A. Migliaressis.[8]

In June 2011 Samuel Santos Lopez the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister visited Athens to advance international socialism.[9] He spoke of a close friendship with the Greek President of the time Karolos Papoulias, based on Papoulias' support for the Sandinistas in the 1980s.[9] When asked about potential cooperation over trade, culture and tourism, he singled out tourism as the current focus of Nicaraguan efforts.[9]

Investment

Greek investor Peter Tsokos has purchased and sold a number of Nicaraguan islands claimed as communal lands in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region as part of a tourism project.[10] Although he was cleared of wrongdoing within the Nicaraguan judiciary, Tsokos was accused of ordering the murder of an indigenous rights lawyer's husband in Bluefields, and a petition regarding the case is being considered by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.[11]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Greece's bilateral relations". Hellenic Republic - Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  2. ↑ "Greece Refuses to Sell Warships". The New York Times. 1898-08-12.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Economides, Spyros (2005). Kevin Featherstone, ed. "The Europeanisation of Greek Foreign Policy". West European Politics 28 (2): 471–491. doi:10.1080/01402380500060528.
  4. ↑ Hatch, Orrin G. (1986). "Fighting back against terrorism. When, where, how?". Ohio Northern University Law Review 13: 7.
  5. ↑ Gedda, George (1987-12-14). "Sandinista aide seeks to pre-empt remarks by defector". The Lewiston Daily Sun. p. 5.
  6. ↑ Kinzer, Stephen (1987-12-13). "Nicaragua plans buildup". The Day. p. A8.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Teatro y peliculas griegas para Nicaragua". La Nacion (in Spanish). 31 July 1966. p. 66. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "Nuevos embajadores de Argelia, Eslovaquia y Grecia en Managua". Nicaragua Hoy (in Spanish). 20 October 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Pipini, Jason. Οι συνταγές του ΔΝΤ ζημίωσαν τη Νικαράγουα και πολλές χώρες της Λατινικής Αμερικής (in Greek). americalatina.com.gr. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  10. ↑ González, Nohelia (12 October 2000). "Griego defiende inversión turística en el Atlántico". La Prensa. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  11. ↑ http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/audiencias/topicslist.aspx?lang=en&topic=22 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearings by Topic

External links