President Barack Obama welcomed Haris Lalacos, new Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the United States, at the White House, marking the formal beginning of his mission.
Ambassador Lalacos presented his credentials to Obama and conveyed the best wishes of both the President and Prime Minister of the Greece and assured him that that Greece greatly values the privileged relationship and strategic partnership with the United States and emphasized the role of the vibrant and enterprising Greek-American community.
President Obama warmly welcomed the new Ambassador to Washington and mentioned that he looks forward to working together in order to advance the common agenda and deepen the strong friendship of the two countries. He also praised the dynamic presence of Greek Americans and the contributions that they have made to the American nation.
The President also emphasized to Greece’s stance in the recent migration crisis, with the Greek people demonstrating extraordinary compassion, hospitality and cooperation and expressed his belief that Greece’s resilience and perseverance will see the country back to a path of economic prosperity.
Lalacos, a veteran diplomat, returns to Washington DC after a successful run at numerous posts including embassies and consulates in Egypt, Ankara, Skopje, Sydney and numerous positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens.
From August 2000 until August 2004, he served as Counselor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Greece in Washington.
