{"id":862,"date":"2015-09-14T14:40:43","date_gmt":"2015-09-14T14:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thediplomat.gr\/?page_id=862"},"modified":"2015-10-26T14:13:54","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T12:13:54","slug":"united-kingdom","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thediplomat.gr\/el\/united-kingdom\/","title":{"rendered":"United Kingdom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Diplomatic relations between Greece and the UK go back to the very founding of the Greek state and date to 1834. Greece currently maintains an Embassy in London as well as six Honorary Consulates (Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gibraltar, Glasgow, Leeds) throughout the UK. The UK maintains an Embassy (with a consular section) in Athens, as well as several consular missions throughout Greece. Political Relations Relations between the two countries have a major historical dimension, from the Greek struggle for independence to the two World Wars and recent Greek history. Today, the two countries collaborate closely within the framework of the European Union an NATO and across the range of their bilateral relations, with frequent exchanges of high-level visits, as well as consultations on the Ministerial level. However, the issue of the return of the Parthenon Marbles, which are in the British Museum, remains pending, despite the shift in British public opinion in favour of Greece\u2019s positions and the ongoing efforts of the Greek side. Cultural Relations and Greek Community There are between 40 and 45 thousand Greeks residing permanently in the UK, and the Greek Orthodox Church has a strong presence in the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. The British cultural presence in Greece is promoted mainly through the British Council. There is a significant Greek presence of Greek students in tertiary education in the UK. A large Cypriot community \u2013 numbering 250-300 thousand \u2013 rallies round the National Federation of Cypriots in Great Britain and the Association of Greek Orthodox Communities of Great Britain. There are some 20 Greek cultural, philanthropic and professional organizations. There are seven chairs of Greek and Byzantine studies at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, East Anglia, Royal Holloway, Birmingham, King\u2019s College and the London School of Economics, and two Greek Studies Centres, at the universities of Bristol and Reading. The Greek shipping presence remains significant in the economic life of the United Kingdom. Despite the trend towards moving shipping offices to Piraeus in recent years, there are currently some 75 to 80 Greek shipping offices in London (in the past there were over 150). \u039b\u03af\u03b3\u03b1 \u039b\u03cc\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03a0\u03c1\u03ad\u03c3\u03b2\u03b7 John Kittmer |\u00a0Ambassador of the United Kingdom John was appointed British Ambassador to Greece in January 2013. He has a broad range of experience across government having worked previously in the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Cabinet Office, the Department for Education & Employment (DfEE), as well as the Foreign Office (FCO). Jan 2013 - present: Her Majesty\u2019s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic September \u2013 December 2012: Pre-tour training and briefing, FCO Jan 2011 \u2013 August 2012: DEFRA, Deputy Director, Inland Waterways & EU Strategy Support Sept 2008 \u2013 Sept 2010: DEFRA, Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State Jan 2008 \u2013 Aug 2008: DEFRA, Deputy Director, Exotic Animal Diseases Feb 2006 \u2013 May 2007: Cabinet Office, Better Regulation Executive, Deputy Director, EU & International Dec 2004 \u2013 Jan 2006: DEFRA, Team Leader, Animal Welfare Bill Oct 2003 \u2013 Dec 2004: FCO, Conflict Group, Section Head, Peacekeeping & International Policing Jan 2003 \u2013 Oct 2003:FCO, EU Directorate, Section Head, EU Accession Treaty & Bill Nov 1998 \u2013 Dec 2002: UK Permanent Representation to the EU, First Secretary, Employment & Social Policy May 1997 \u2013 Oct 1998: DfEE, EU Division, Team Leader, Social Policy Dec 1995 \u2013 May 1997: DfEE, Private Secretary to the Parliamentary Undersecretary of State October 1993-November 1995: DfEE, \u2018Fast stream\u2019 trainee John is accompanied on his posting by his civil partner, David Bates. Embassy in London\u00a0 Address : 1A Holland Park, London W11 3TP Tel. : (004420) 72293850 Fax : 72297221 E-mail : gremb.lon@mfa.gr Web Site : www.mfa.gr\/uk Head of Mission : Konstantinos Bikas Consular Section\u00a0in London\u00a0 Address : 1a Holland Park, London W11 3TP Tel. : (0044) 2073135600 2073135609 Fax : (0044 (0) 207 313 8990 Emergency Tel: 0044 7795961519 E-mail : grgencon.lon@mfa.gr Web Site : www.mfa.gr\/uk Head of the Consular Section: Sotirios Demestichas Commercial Section in London Address : 1a Holland Park, London W11 3TP Tel. : (004420) 77278860 Fax : 77279934 E-mail : ecocom.london@mfa.gr Head : Antonios Katepodi Honorary Consulate in Belfast Address : Hurst House, 15-19 Corporation Square, Belfast BT1 3AJ, Northern Ireland Tel. : (02890) 242242 Fax : (02890) 235776 E-mail : info@mfewings.com Honorary Consul : John Francis Ewings Honorary Consulate in Birmingham Address : Apartment 7 Elmhurst, 5A Norfolk road, Edgbaston B15 3PR, Birmingham, United Kingdom Tel. : (0044121) 4543369 E-mail : hagleycourt@aol.com Honorary Consul : Christoforos Philippidis Honorary Consulate in Edinburgh Address : 12 Queens Crescent EH9 2 AZ, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Tel. : - Fax : (0044131) 6205496 E-mail : melpo@blueyonder.co.uk Honorary Consul : Melpomeni Papaioannou-Plevri Honorary Consulate in Gibraltar Address : Suite 23 Portland House, Glacis Road, Gibraltar Tel: (00350) 20076651 Fax : (00350) 20042599 E-mail : joey.imossi@fiduciarygroup.com Honorary Consul: Joseph John Imossi Honorary Consulate in Glasgow Address : 1 Kirklee Quadrant, Glasgow G12 OTR, United Kingdom Tel. : (0044141) 3340360 Fax : (0044141) 3340360 Honorary Consul : Irini-Maria Kavoura Honorary Consulate in Leeds Address : 8 Street Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS8 2ET, United Kingdom Tel. : (0044113) 2262672 Honorary Consul : Antonios Naslas Embassy of the United Kingdom in Greece 1 Ploutarhou Street 106 75 Athens Tel +30 2107236211 Fax:+30 2107272734 Visa: 08:00-13:00 e-mail: information.athens@fco.gov.uk http:\/\/ukingreece.fco.gov.uk\/ Consulate of the United Kingdom in Greece Ploutarchou 1 str. 106 75 Athens Tel.: 210.72.72.600 Fax: 210.72.72.720 Latest News \", \"US English Female\");\n }\n };\n <\/script>\n
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