Embassy of the United States in Athens
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The Embassy of the United States in Athens is the primary diplomatic mission from the United States in Greece. Daniel V. Speckhard is currently the United States Ambassador.
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[edit] Facilities
The American Embassy Chancery building in Athens was designed by famed Bauhaus School architect Walter Gropius with consulting architect Pericles A. Sakellarios. It was constructed between 1959 and 1961 and is a protected architectural landmark. Gropius' famous design was in the characteristic simple Bauhaus form, inspired by the architecture of the Parthenon. [1][2]
In 2003, the U.S. Embassy and the Athens Municipality celebrated the addition of a welcoming green space - the Makedonon Street Park - in the city of Athens. The landscaping of this pedestrian walkway was prompted by heightened security requirements. [3]
In 2007 an office building, parking garage, compound entrances, fuel station, Marine quarters, swimming pool, and basketball court were completed. The design of the new office building is intended to integrate well with the Chancery, as well as with the Megaron Mousikis (Athens Concert Hall) next door. The new office building enabled the embassy to bring onto the compound employees who have been working in leased space for many years. The office building is 5,026 square meters and includes office space for over 150 people. The offices that are housed here include the Consular Section (Visas, American Citizen Services, and Federal Benefits), the Foreign Commercial Service, Drug Enforcement Agency, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Citizenship and Immigrations Services.[4][5]
| 2007 United States embassy attack | |
|---|---|
| Location | Athens, Greece |
| Date | January 12, 2007 5:58am (UTC+2) |
| Attack type | Rocket propelled grenade |
| Deaths | No fatalities |
| Injured | No injuries |
[edit] Terrorism
- Previous Attacks, see Revolutionary Organization 17 November
A minor terrorist attack occurred in the early morning of January 12, 2007. No casualties were reported.[6] [7] A rocket propelled grenade was fired into the embassy's modern, glass-fronted building[8]. The Greek public order minister, Byron Polydoras, said an anonymous phone call claiming to be from the left-wing terror group Revolutionary Struggle had taken responsibility.[9] On January 25, 2007, Revolutionary Struggle announced in local news outlets they took responsibility for the attack. [10]. On March 20th, the Government of Greece and the United States Rewards for Justice Program announced equal, parallel rewards for information leading to the perpetrators - Greece offering 800,000 Euros and the US "up to $1 million or more". [11]
[edit] See also
- United States Ambassador to Greece
- List of embassy attacks
- Revolutionary Struggle
- Revolutionary Organization 17 November
- Consulate General of the United States in Thessaloniki
[edit] References
- ^ Public Affairs Handout
- ^ Architecture for Athena. Time Magazine (July 15, 1957). Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
- ^ Public Affairs Handout
- ^ Public Affairs Handout
- ^ Embassy Press Release, May 9, 2007
- ^ U.S. Embassy damage in Greek blast scant - Associated Press
- ^ State Press Briefing - 1/12/2007
- ^ Blast at U.S. Embassy Called 'Terrorism' Forbes, 01.12.07, 10:44 AM ET
- ^ U.S. Embassy in Athens Hit by Rocket Attack - The New York Times
- ^ George Gilson. "Terrorists issue anti-US manifesto", Athens News, January 26, 2007
- ^ "$2mn for info on US embassy attackers", Gulf Times, March 21, 2007 accessed on March 22, 2007, 1:15 PM EET
