Greece is not part of Western civilization, but it was the home of Classical civilization which was was an important source of Western civilization. In their opposition to the Turks, Greece historically have considered themselves spearcarriers of Christianity. Unlike Serbs, Romanians, ou Bulgarians, their history has been intimately entwined with that of the West. Yet Greece is also an anomaly, the Orthodox outsider in Western organizations. It has never been an easy member of either EU or NATO and has difficulty adapting itself to the principles and mores of both. ( ... ) Its behavior as president of the EU´s Council in 1994 exasperated other members, and Western European officials privately label its membership a mistake. (...) With respect to the conflits in former Yugoslavia, Greece separated itself from the policies pursued by the principal Western powers, actively supported the Serbs, and blatantly violated the U.N. sanctions levied against them. (...) Overall Greek foreign policies have assumed a heavily Orthodox orientation. Greece will undoubtedly remain a formal member of NATO and the European Union. As the process of cultural reconfiguration intensifies, however those memberships also undoubtedly will become more tenous, less meaningful, and more difficult for the parties involved. The Cold War antagonism of the Soviet Union is evolving into the post- Cold War ally of Russia.
*The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order" (1996)
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