Blessing in disguise? The Imia crisis and Turkish‐Greek relations

The crisis between Turkey and Greece in 1996 over an uninhabited islet highlighted the fragility of peace and stability in the Aegean and the need for Turkey and Greece to settle their differences. Kostas Simitis, the Greek prime minister, was willing to break with past Greek policies and improve relations with Turkey. Meeting in Madrid under pressure from the United States and the European Union, representatives of the two countries were able to reach a better level of understanding. However, the continuation of the political crisis in Turkey and Ankara's toughness over Cyprus have raised doubts about the future of the new bilateral process.