The Permanent Representatives of the Past

Alexis Kyrou (1949-1954): Alexis Kyrou was the first Permanent Representative of Greece to the U.N. A graduate of the University of Paris, he entered the Foreign Service in 1923. He served, among other posts, in Istanbul, in Limassol, in Berlin and in Belgrade and was a member of the Greek Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference.

Christian Xanthopoulos Palamas (1954-1960): A graduate of the University of Athens, he started his career at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1929. He served, among other posts, in Rome, in Paris and at the Council of Europe and was a member of the Greek Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference. He became Deputy Minister and Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Paul Economou Gouras (1960-1961): A graduate of the University of Athens, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1921. He served, inter alia, in Iran, in Portugal, in Italy, in Turkey, in the United States, in Brazil and in South Africa. During 1963 to 1967 he assumed three times the duties of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Dimitre S. Bitsios (1961-1965 and 1967-1972): Dimitre Bitsios was the only member of the Greek Diplomatic Service who has served twice as Permanent Representative to the U.N. A graduate of the University of Athens, he was admitted to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1939. He served in Cairo and in London and was a member of the Greek Delegation to the Zurich and London Conferences on Cyprus. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1974 to 1977.

Alexis S. Liatis (1965-1967): A graduate of the University of Lyon, he started his diplomatic career in 1920. He was the Secretary General of the Greek Delegation at the San Francisco Conference, which concluded the Charter of the U.N. He served in the Netherlands, in Canada, in Cyprus, in Egypt and as Ambassador to the United States and to Japan.

Constantine Panayotacos (1972-1974): Author of many works on public international law, he assumed diplomatic duties in 1946 and served in Jerusalem, in Marseille, in Tripoli, in Brussels, in Boston and as Ambassador to the United States.

Denis Carayannis (1974-1975): He was appointed to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1947 and served in the General Consulates in Chicago, in New York and in Paris and was the Ambassador of Greece to Albania from 1971 to 1973. He participated in many General Assemblies of the U.N. as a member of the Greek Delegation.

George Papoulias (1975-1978): A Law School graduate, he joined the Greek Diplomatic Service in 1955. He served, inter alia, in New Delhi, in Bonn, at the Permanent Mission to various International Organisations in Geneva, in Paris and as Ambassador to the Turkish Republic. During 1989-1990 he was appointed twice Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Nicolas Katapodis (1978-1981): A graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1951. He served, inter alia, in Alexandria, in Tripoli, at the Permanent Mission to N.A.T.O., in Paris, in Cairo, in Bonn, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the E.E.C. and as Ambassador to China and Mexico.

Michalis Dountas (1982-1987): A graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1958. He served as Consul in Toronto and in the Embassies in Nicosia, in Washington and at the Permanent Mission to N.A.T.O. He was Ambassador to Cyprus and to Norway before assuming the duties of Permanent Representative to the U.N.

Constantine Zepos (1987-1990): A graduate of the Law Schools of Athens and Grenoble, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1958. He served in Nicosia, in London at the Permanent Mission to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the E.E.C. and as Ambassador to Ireland. He is former president of the Hellenic Society of International Law and International Relations.

Antonios Exarchos (1990-1994): A graduate of the Law School of Athens, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1961. He served in Alexandria, in Belgrade, in Toronto, at the Permanent Mission to various International Organisations is Geneva, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the E.E.C., as Ambassador to Iraq and as Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe.

Christos Zacharakis (1994-1999): A graduate of the Law School of Athens, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1964. He served, inter alia, in New York, in Copenhagen, in Istanbul, in Alexandria, as Ambassador to Cyprus and to the United States and as Permanent Representative to N.A.T.O. He was appointed Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and was elected European Parliament Deputy.

Elias Gounaris (1999-2002): A graduate of the Law School of Athens, he entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1966. He served in New York, in Geneva, in Belgrade, in Bonn and as Ambassador in Moscow and in London. Prior to his appointment to the Greek Mission at the U.N. he was Director General for Political Affairs.

Adamantios Vasilakis (2002- 2007): A graduate of the Free University of Brussels, he entered the Ministry in 1972. He served in Tirana and in San Fransisco, as Consul General of Greece. He has also served as Deputy PR in the Permanent Missions of Greece to the EU and the UN. Prior to his appointment as PR of Greece to the UN, he served as Director General of European Affairs.

John Mourikis (2007-2009): A graduate of the Universities of Zurich and Athens, he entered the Ministry in 1976. He served in the Foreign Minister's Cabinet and the NATO Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to his appointment as PR of Greece to the UN, he served as Ambassador of Greece to Syria and Canada.

Anastassis Mitsialis (2009 - 2013): A graduate of the University of  Athens, he entered the Ministry in 1975. Prior to his appointment as Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, he served as Ambassador of  Greece to Italy, Israel and Argentina. Following his tenure as Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN he served as Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Michel Spinellis (2013-2015): A graduate of the Faculty of Law and Economics of the Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki, he entered the Ministry in 1979. Prior to his appointment as Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, he served as Ambassador of Greece to Russia, Israel and to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro, as well as Director General for Administrative, Personnel and Financial Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece. He is currently serving as Deputy Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Catherine Boura (2015 -2017). Ambassador Boura has a PhD in History from King’s College, London. She joined the diplomatic service in 1984 and served in diplomatic posts in Nicosia Cyprus, London U.K., at the Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit of the European Union, Brussels, and as Consul General of Greece in New York. Prior to her appointment as a PR, she was Ambassador of Greece to Lebanon. She finished her diplomatic career as Greece's Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

Maria Theofili (2017-2022). Ambassador Theofili holds a bachelor's degree from the Law School of the University of Athens and has a DEA in European Politics and Administration from Collège d’ Europe n Bruges. She joined the diplomatic service in 1984. Prior to her appointment as a PR she was Ambassador of Greece to France and Monaco. During the same period, she represented the Prime Minister of Greece at the Francophonie Council. She earlier served in diplomatic postings at the Greek Embassies in London and Damascus. She is currently serving as Director-General for International Organizations and Special Envoy for the promotion of the candidature of Greece as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for 2025-2026, in MFA Athens.