On March 9, 2011, National Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, Regional Commander Andrew Manatos, Archon Mike Manatos and Father Alex Karloutsos, Archon Spiritual Advisor, met with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip H. Gordon, along with the State Department Director for Southern European Affairs Jess Baily (who is headed to Istanbul in June to become the US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission). They also met with Assistant to the President and Deputy National Secretary Advisor Denis McDonough in the West Wing of the White House. Discussions were held on the current situations in Turkey with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Archons briefed them on their religious freedom mission to Budapest, Hungary next month. Budapest recently took the rotating presidency of the council of the European Union from Belgium and a delegation of Archons will meet with local government officials and members of the European Union.