Theoharis (Haris) Lalakos became ambassador of Greece to the United States on June 27, 2016, having previously served as ambassador and head of the Liaison Office of the Hellenic Republic in Macedonia since January 2013.

Ambassador Lalakos also previously served as minister-counselor, deputy head of mission and later chargé d’affaires of the Greek Embassy in Turkey (2010-13); head of the CFSP / ESDP Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2009-10); and deputy head of the diplomatic cabinet of the minister of foreign affairs (2007-09). Other postings include consul general of Greece in Alexandria, Egypt (2004-07), and political affairs counselor at the Embassy of Greece in Washington, D.C., where his main duties included EU-U.S. relations, Cyprus, Turkey, NATO and the Balkans (2000-04).

From 1998 to 2000, he directed the cabinet of Dr. P. Roumeliotis, the European Union coordinator for the Royaumont Process for Stability and Good Neighborliness in South East Europe and, subsequently, was chairman of the Working Table on Democratization and Human Rights of the Stability Pact for South East Europe. In addition, he served as first secretary and later counselor for political and economic affairs at the Greek Embassy in Turkey (1994-98), as well as consul at the Greek Consulate General in Sydney, Australia (1990-94).

Ambassador Lalakos was also a conscript in the Hellenic Navy from 1983 to 1985, after which he the joined the Hellenic Foreign Service. Born in Athens on May 2, 1957, he earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in history from Amherst College in Massachusetts and a master’s in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Besides Greek, he speaks English and French and is conversant in Spanish and Italian. Ambassador Lalakos is married to Anna Michalopoulou and they have two children, Errikos and Myrto.

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