Greece

Nuclear-weapon endorser

Has not yet joined the TPNW

Summary

Greece has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

 

National position

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.

Greece has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the treaty and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.

Alexis Tsipras, the then-prime minister of Greece, discusses the treaty with disarmament campaigners in June 2018. Photo: Greek MFA

 

Political developments

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 treaty”.

 

Treaty negotiations

Greece did not participate in the negotiation of the treaty 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.

Nuclear-weapon endorser

Has not yet joined the TPNW

[HIGHLIGHTS]

Summary

Greece has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

 

National position

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.

Greece has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the treaty and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”.

Alexis Tsipras, the then-prime minister of Greece, discusses the treaty with disarmament campaigners in June 2018. Photo: Greek MFA

 

Political developments

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 treaty”.

 

Treaty negotiations

Greece did not participate in the negotiation of the treaty 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.

[PARTNERS]

Greek Medical Association for the Protection of the Environment and Against Nuclear and Biochemical Threat

website

[LOCALSUPPORT]

No events yet

Find a local ICAN partner to get active Become an ICAN Partner Organization ›

  • Greek Medical Association for the Protection of the Environment and Against Nuclear and Biochemical Threat

    website