%0 Journal Article
%T From Ankara to Bled Marshal Tito¡¯s visit to Greece (june 1954) and the formation of the Balkan alliance
%A Sfetas Spyridon
%J Balcanica
%D 2011
%I Institute for Balkan Studies, SASA, Belgrade, Serbia
%R 10.2298/balc1142133s
%X Tito¡¯s visit to Greece contributed to the Balkan Pact¡¯s transformation into a military alliance. Despite the establishment of Soviet-Yugoslav diplomatic relations in 1953, the Soviet Union made no political move towards normalizing bilateral relations. For security reasons Tito visited Athens (June 1954) to promote Yugoslavia¡¯s military cooperation with Greece and Turkey without ruling out Yugoslavia¡¯s accession to NATO. But the Soviet leadership, fearing Yugoslavia¡¯s involvement in western defense mechanisms, sent the message to Belgrade that it was ready to recognize Stalin¡¯s blunders towards Yugoslavia. Thus, Tito applied a policy of equidistance between East and West and refused to link up the Balkan Alliance with NATO.
%K Yugoslavia
%K Greece
%K Balkan Pact
%K NATO
%K Turkey
%K Soviet Union
%K Tito¡¯ visit to Athens
%K Bulgarian attitude
%U http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-7653/2011/0350-76531142133S.pdf