Signing of the Yugoslav-Greek protocol in October 1928

Diplomatic rapprochement between Kingdoms of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Greece that materialized in the signing of the 1928 Protocol, undoubtedly contributed to the endeavors to establish the new order in the Balkans that was represented by aspirations of the Balkan countries to establish mutual international cooperation coupled with their tendencies to avoid the Great Powers' influence. The obvious change in the diplomatic communication between the Kingdoms of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Greece was realized after the solution of the conflicting issues had been reached, which separated the two countries throughout the prehistory of their diplomatic relations. Despite the remarkable influence that the Great Powers had on them, the diplomatic initiatives of the official representatives of the two countries (Eleftherios Venizelos and Alexandar Karadordevic, King of Yugoslavia), played the crucial role in Greco-Yugoslav diplomatic shift, but also in establishing the new course in international cooperation. A moderate change in the Greek attitude to the Great Powers had as its direct consequence the toning down of differences between Belgrade and Athens. The Treaty between Greece and Italy, as well as diplomacy of Greek Prime Minister, decisively influenced the positive outcome of negotiations with the Kingdom of SCS, contributing in that way to the already mentioned restoration of the Greek diplomatic influence in the Southeastern Europe, as well as to that country's exit from the diplomatic isolation, in which it had remained after the expedition to Izmir and the catastrophe in Asia Minor in 1922. Despite the fact that the rapprochement between Greece and Yugoslavia represented a single step in the process of implementation of initiatives for the new peace policy in the Balkans, its importance in the change of the established balance between French and Italian systems of treaties, was very important. Resolution of relations between the Kingdom of SCS and Greece, as well as the signing of the treaty between Greece and Italy, represented a significant factor, as well as the basis for the restoration of the Greek negotiating influence in the Balkans. The signing of the Protocol of 1928 represented the beginning of the golden age, that lasted for the last four years of the Elefherios Venizelos's Government.