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Greece
Nuclear-weapon endorser
Has not yet joined the TPNW
Status
Greece has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
National position
Greece has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the TPNW and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.
Greece supports the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, as indicated by its endorsement of various alliance statements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), of which it is a member.
In August 2022, Greece claimed that the TPNW “does not make the necessary provisions for an incremental withdrawal of nuclear weapons, nor does it provide a verifiable mechanism that would oversee such an undertaking”.
The Greek minister of foreign affairs, Nikolaos Dendias, elaborated on Greece’s opposition to the TPNW in October 2022, noting that its membership of NATO “gives rise to allied obligations, which our country takes into account in formulating its positions in this regard”.
Dendias’ comments were in response to parliamentary questions submitted by the MeRA25 political party, whose secretary-general, Yanis Varoufakis, has expressed support for Greece’s accession to the TPNW and has pledged to promote this goal.
In March 2022, as part of the universal periodic review conducted by the UN Human Rights Council, Greece declined to accept a recommendation to join the TPNW.
The former Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos was among the signatories to an open letter in September 2020 calling on current leaders to “show courage and boldness – and join the [TPNW]”.
Alexis Tsipras, the then-prime minister of Greece, discusses the TPNW with disarmament campaigners in 2018. Photo: Greek MFA
TPNW negotiations
Greece did not participate in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and thus did not vote on its adoption. On the opening day of the negotiating conference, it joined the United States and several other states in protesting the treaty-making process.
In 2016, Greece voted against the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.
In a document sent to NATO members ahead of the vote, the United States “strongly encourage[d]” members, including Greece, to vote against the resolution, “not to merely abstain”. In addition, it said that, if the treaty negotiations do commence, allies and partners should “refrain from joining them”.
Nuclear weapons formerly in Greece
During the cold war, Greece hosted US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a NATO nuclear-sharing agreement. The United States removed the last of these weapons in 2001, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Further information
Nuclear-weapon endorser
Has not yet joined the TPNW
[HIGHLIGHTS]
Status
Greece has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
National position
Greece has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the TPNW and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.
Greece supports the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, as indicated by its endorsement of various alliance statements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), of which it is a member.
In August 2022, Greece claimed that the TPNW “does not make the necessary provisions for an incremental withdrawal of nuclear weapons, nor does it provide a verifiable mechanism that would oversee such an undertaking”.
The Greek minister of foreign affairs, Nikolaos Dendias, elaborated on Greece’s opposition to the TPNW in October 2022, noting that its membership of NATO “gives rise to allied obligations, which our country takes into account in formulating its positions in this regard”.
Dendias’ comments were in response to parliamentary questions submitted by the MeRA25 political party, whose secretary-general, Yanis Varoufakis, has expressed support for Greece’s accession to the TPNW and has pledged to promote this goal.
In March 2022, as part of the universal periodic review conducted by the UN Human Rights Council, Greece declined to accept a recommendation to join the TPNW.
The former Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos was among the signatories to an open letter in September 2020 calling on current leaders to “show courage and boldness – and join the [TPNW]”.
Alexis Tsipras, the then-prime minister of Greece, discusses the TPNW with disarmament campaigners in 2018. Photo: Greek MFA
TPNW negotiations
Greece did not participate in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and thus did not vote on its adoption. On the opening day of the negotiating conference, it joined the United States and several other states in protesting the treaty-making process.
In 2016, Greece voted against the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.
In a document sent to NATO members ahead of the vote, the United States “strongly encourage[d]” members, including Greece, to vote against the resolution, “not to merely abstain”. In addition, it said that, if the treaty negotiations do commence, allies and partners should “refrain from joining them”.
Nuclear weapons formerly in Greece
During the cold war, Greece hosted US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a NATO nuclear-sharing agreement. The United States removed the last of these weapons in 2001, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Further information
[PARTNERS]
Greek Medical Association for the Protection of the Environment and Against Nuclear and Biochemical Threat
World Without Wars and Violence
Naturefriends Greece
[LOCALSUPPORT]
ICAN Cities Appeal
These are the cities and towns in this country speaking out in support of the TPNW:
Aghios Dimitrios
Aghios Efstratios
Ampelokipi - Menemeni
Ancient Olympia
Aridaia
Argostoli
Deskati
Delphi
Doksato
Egialia
Erymanthos
Ichalia
Ilida
Ilioupoli
Gavdos
Gortinia
Karpensi
Kasos
Kifissia
Kilkis
Kimolos
Kordelio - Evosmos
Megara
Moschato-Tavros
Nea Propontida
Nea Zichni
Nikolaos Skoufas
Orestiada
Pyrgos
Rethymno
Sfakia
Thermou
Tilos
Sikinos
Veria
Voreia Kerkyra
Vyronas
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ICAN Cities Appeal
These are the cities and towns in this country speaking out in support of the TPNW:
Aghios Dimitrios
Aghios Efstratios
Ampelokipi - Menemeni
Ancient Olympia
Aridaia
Argostoli
Deskati
Delphi
Doksato
Egialia
Erymanthos
Ichalia
Ilida
Ilioupoli
Gavdos
Gortinia
Karpensi
Kasos
Kifissia
Kilkis
Kimolos
Kordelio - Evosmos
Megara
Moschato-Tavros
Nea Propontida
Nea Zichni
Nikolaos Skoufas
Orestiada
Pyrgos
Rethymno
Sfakia
Thermou
Tilos
Sikinos
Veria
Voreia Kerkyra
Vyronas