Ambassador Kaskarelis, who joined the Greek Foreign Service in 1974, has had a long diplomatic career, bringing to Washington 16 consecutive years of international experience in key international organizations and a unique knowledge on European affairs, transatlantic relations and global issues.

Prior to his current post as Greece’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ambassador Kaskarelis served for the past six years in Brussels as Greece’s Permanent Representative to the European Union (2004-2009), where he actively participated in the decision-shaping of all major developments involving the EU (among others, Lisbon Treaty, EU financial perspectives, enlargement, transatlantic relations, relations with Russia and Turkey). Previously, he was Permanent Representative to NATO (2000-2004) during the 9/11 events, the stabilization of the Western Balkans region, the Afghanistan operations and the Iraq war, while also serving as head negotiator for the Confidence Building Measures between Greece and Turkey. Before that, he served in New York as Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1994-2000), having the coordination and an overview of all U.N. issues at a critical juncture for the Organization. His other posts included Ankara and Nicosia, giving him first-hand experience in the relating issues, as well as West Berlin, where he witnessed the fall of the Wall and the subsequent events that changed the face of Europe.

Born in Athens, Greece, on November 26, 1948, Vassilis Kaskarelis holds an Economics and Political Science Degree from the University of Thessaloniki and a Degree in Law from the University of Athens. 

Among other distinctions, Ambassador Kaskarelis is the recipient of the Grand-Cross of the Order of the Phoenix and Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix, bestowed upon him by the President of the Hellenic Republic, as well the Knight of the Order of Merit bestowed upon him by the President of the French Republic.

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