The newly appointed ambassadors to Greece, from Canada, Slovakia and Slovenia on Monday presented their credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
For Slovenia, Tamara Weingerl Požar; Slovakia, Marcela Hanusova; and Canada, Anna-Karine Asselin.
Attending the ceremony was Alternate Foreign Affairs Minister responsible for European Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis.
On the occasion of the ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Canada’s new Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, Karine Asselin said: “It is an honour to be designated as Ambassador to a country that I admire and appreciate with such a large and successful diaspora in Canada.”
On Twitter, Ambassador Asselin wrote that “Truly honoured to present my Letters of credentials to H.E. President Sakellaropoulou, and to assume my role as Ambassador of @CanadaGreece ! I look forward to working with my incredible embassy team to further strengthen our excellent bilat relations!”
Emphasizing the excellent relations between Canada and Greece based on strong people-to-people ties, Ambassador Asselin noted that the year 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of Canada-Greece diplomatic relations.
The two countries have a great potential for deepening cooperation. Ambassador Asselin voiced her plans to focus on strengthening the excellent political and trade relations and enhancing collaboration on education and defence. She also looks forward to working together with the Greek government on significant global issues, including regional stability and energy, human rights, diversity and gender equality, as well as climate change.
The Canadian diplomat has also served as Director General for Consular Policy (2020-2022), Executive Director for Canada’s UN Security Council Campaign (2018-2020), Canada’s Ambassador to Panama (2015-2018), and Minister-Counsellor in Brazil (2011-2015). Before these posts, Ms. Asselin was posted to Canada’s delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna as Counsellor and Program Manager (politico-military) from 2004 to 2008, as well as at the Privy Council Office (1997-2000). Ambassador Asselin is a Licentiate in Law, receiving her LLL in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa in 1990, and becoming a member of the Quebec Bar in 1991.
