The World: A Gap in NATO's Southern Flank

Whatever the outcome of the fighting on Cyprus, the real beneficiary of the Cypriot crisis will undoubtedly be the Soviet Union—at the expense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The first weeks after the overthrow of Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios were bad enough for NATO, as it watched the deterioration of relations between two of its members, Greece and Turkey. But the alliance received a shock with Greece's withdrawal last week of its military forces from NATO'S integrated command. Greece's departure left a hole in NATO's southeast defenses against the Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact.

Almost immediately, many of the 240 Greek liaison officers...

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