United Kingdom - thediplomat.grthediplomat.gr

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’s 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 – numbering 250-300 thousand – 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’s 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).

Λίγα Λόγια για τον Πρέσβη

John Kittmer | Ambassador 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’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic
September – December 2012: Pre-tour training and briefing, FCO
Jan 2011 – August 2012: DEFRA, Deputy Director, Inland Waterways & EU Strategy Support
Sept 2008 – Sept 2010: DEFRA, Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State
Jan 2008 – Aug 2008: DEFRA, Deputy Director, Exotic Animal Diseases
Feb 2006 – May 2007: Cabinet Office, Better Regulation Executive, Deputy Director, EU & International
Dec 2004 – Jan 2006: DEFRA, Team Leader, Animal Welfare Bill
Oct 2003 – Dec 2004: FCO, Conflict Group, Section Head, Peacekeeping & International Policing
Jan 2003 – Oct 2003:FCO, EU Directorate, Section Head, EU Accession Treaty & Bill
Nov 1998 – Dec 2002: UK Permanent Representation to the EU, First Secretary, Employment & Social Policy
May 1997 – Oct 1998: DfEE, EU Division, Team Leader, Social Policy
Dec 1995 – May 1997: DfEE, Private Secretary to the Parliamentary Undersecretary of State
October 1993-November 1995: DfEE, ‘Fast stream’ trainee
John is accompanied on his posting by his civil partner, David Bates.

Embassy in London

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 in London

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