Javier Solana

Dr. Francisco Javier Solana Madariaga (born the July 14th 1942 with Madrid, Spain) is the high representative for the foreign Politics and of common safety (PESC) and the general secretary at the same time of the Conseil of the European Union (EU) and the Western European Union (UEO). After a career of physicist, it became Ministre during 13 years before being useful as Secretary-General of NATO (1995 - 99).

Career of physicist

Javier Solana comes from a famous Spanish family. His/her mother was cousin of the person in charge of the League for the Disarmament of the Nations, diplomat, writer and in favor of European integration El Salvador de Madariaga. His/her father was chemistry teacher. His/her Luis large-brother was imprisoned for his opposition to the Dictature of Franco.

He is student with the Colegio del Pilar of Madrid before going to the University of Complutense of Madrid (UCM). He is sanctioned in 1963 by the authorities of the university for the organization of a forum of opposition to the Week of the Restoration of the University.

In 1964, it joined the Spanish Working Socialist party clandestinely (PSOE), which under Franco became illegal since the end of the Guerre of Spain in 1939. It is graduate the same year and spends one year to supplement its studies at the Spanish High council for the Scientific research (CISC) and with the the United Kingdom. In 1965, it goes to the the United States where it spends six years to be studied in various universities.

He teaches physics during a time at the University of Chicago and in La Jolla in California and he joined the fight against the Guerre of Vietnam. It off receives its doctorate in physics with a thesis on the Superfluidité in 1968 of Graduate School Arts & Sciences of the University of Virginia where it teaches and undertakes its research until in 1971.

Of return in Spain, it becomes Physics university lecturer in solid state at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Then in 1975, he becomes professor at the Complutense University. During these years, it publishes more than thirty articles of research. He works a time as assistant of Nicolás Cabrera that he met when Cabrera was professor at the University of Virginia. He frames his last thesis of doctorate to beginning of the year 90.

Spanish political career

Of return in Spain in 1971, Javier Solana adheres to the democratic Coordination of Madrid as a representative of the PSOE.

In 1976, at the time of the first national congress of the PSOE in Spain since the end of the civil war, it is elected Secrétaire of the federal Executive commission and also Secrétaire for information and the press, remaining posts some during five years.

He is a friend close to the leader of the party Felipe González and is regarded as one of the leaders of the PSOE responsible for the transformation of the party in the era post-Franco. In 1976, it represents the PSOE with the congress of the Internationale Socialist which was held with Suresnes, and of the same when it was held in Spain in 1977. The May 20th 1977, it accompanies González to meet the King Juan Carlos with the Palate of Zarzuela.

It becomes representing trade union of the teachers of the University of Complutense, and for this reason it gains a seat at the Parliament for the PSOE the June 15th 1977. The February 23rd 1981, it is with the the Cortes when the building, sits of the Lower House of the Spanish Parliament, was control during 18 hours by soldiers armed within the framework with an coup attempt with State.

The October 28th 1982, the PSOE obtains a historical victory with 202 of the 350 seats to the Lower House. The December 3rd, Javier Solana is named Minister for the Culture (it founds for example the exemption from payment of the visits of public museums), it remains at this station until in 1988 where he becomes Minister for Education. The July 5th 1985, it is also named Government spokesman for three years.

He becomes Foreign Minister the July 22nd 1992, the opening day before of the Ibéro-American conference of the Heads of State, to replace Francisco Fernández Ordóñez seriously sick. The 27 and November 28th 1995, whereas Spain chairs the Conseil of the European Union, Javier Solana convenes the Conference of Barcelona. While making lead to a treaty between the twenty-seven nations present, it gains reputation for what it calls “a process to foment the cultural and economic unit Mediterranean basin”.

It is during these 30 years as minister that its reputation of diplomatic and discrete politician increased. While becoming the Foreign Minister, it could avoid corruption scandals and that of the dirty war against the ETA (in particular “Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación”), which marked so much the last years of the González era. Towards the end 1995, the Spanish press spoke about Solana, only survivor of the first cabinet of Felipe González, as being a possible candidate to replace it and lead the PSOE to the elections of March 1996. It made the jump in international policy rather.

During, but also after, its mandate of general secretary of NATO, Solana continues to play an active role with PSOE and in the Spanish policy. In June 1997, in XXXIVe Congress of the PSOE, Solana leaves the executive commission and joined the federal Committee, being re-elected in second places three later. By supporting the speech of Colin Powell, the February 5th 2003 at the safety advice of the United Nations where he affirmed that Iraq had Armes of massive destruction, Solana contradicts the position of the leader of its party Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, opposite in support of the PP and of the government of Jose María Aznar with the American intervention in Iraq in 2003. Solana is seen, with González, like representative the old guard of the party. The February 15th 2005, it criticizes the plan Juan Jose Ibarretxe for her position on the independence of the Basque Country, affirming that this call to separate the Basque representation through the EU did not have a place in the constitution of the union suggested.

NATO

The December 5th 1995, Mr. Solana becomes new the General secretary of NATO, substitute Willy Claes who was thorough with resignation because of a scandal of Corruption. Its nomination was at the origin of a polemic because, in the past, it was adverse with NATO. He wrote indeed a text titrated 50 reasons to say not to NATO , and was listed like nobody subversive by the United States. The May 30th 1982, Spain joined NATO. When the PSOE arrived at the capacity even year, the party and Mr. Solana modified their position against NATO in Atlanticism. The March 12th 1986, Spain organizes Référendum on the maintenance of the country to the center NATO, the government and Mr. Solana having made countryside in favor of yes successfully. When he was criticized because of his past of opponent with NATO, Mr. Solana answered that he was happy to be its representative, the organization from now on being dissociated from Cold war.

Solana has immediately to direct the operation Joint Endeavor , maintenance mission of peace of NATO in the Balkans including/understanding 60000 soldiers, the IFOR, which made following mission of the the United Nations the December 20th. That led to the Accords of Dayton, after NATO bombarded selected targets in Bosnia Herzegovine during the months of ao$ut and preceding September. It did it in deploying the Allied Body of Fast Reaction (ARRC). In December 1996 the ARRC was reactivated, with the replacement of the IFOR by a force of stabilization of 32000 soldiers (SFOR) under the operations Joint Guard and then (in June 1998) Joint Forges .

Under control of Mr. Solana, and in answer to a new era of after cold war, NATO reorganized its political structure and soldier, and changed his basic strategies. It gained the reputation to be a General secretary shining and diplomat who was able to negotiate between the interests diverging at the same time from the Member States and also from interlocutors of NATO. In December 1995, the France reinstates the military structure of NATO, whereas Spain joined it in November 1996. The May 27th 1997, after 5 months of long and complex negotiations with the minister businesses foreign of Russia Ievgueni Primakov, an agreement was concluded: the Founding document of Paris. This agreement was regarded as a considerable diplomatic completion because it signed formally end of the hostilities between Russia and NATO. The same day, it set up the Conseil of partnership the euro-Atlantic to improve relations between the European countries members of NATO and the countries non-mambres. In July in Madrid, of the countries of the old Soviet block, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Poland was invited to start negotiations of adhesion with NATO, what they did the March 12th 1999.

War of Kosovo

The maintenance of peace in the ex- Yugoslavia continued to be at the same time difficult and discussed. The IFOR and the SFOR were the subject of many criticisms for their incapacity to capture the Serb leaders Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladic. End 1998, the conflict in the Serb province of the Kosovo between the Serb authorities and the clandestine army of Albanian of Kosovo: the Armée with Release of Kosovo (UÇK) is deteriorated, with like culminating point the incident of Racak, a massacre of 45 Albanian the January 15th 1999. NATO decided whereas the conflict could be solved that by sends of a gripping force of peace in order to to interpose. The January 30th 1999, NATO announces being prepared with launching strike air against Yugoslav targets, which was perceived like a threat for the two parts of conflict. The February 6th, Mr. Solana meets the two protagonists for negotiations with the Castle of Rambouillet, but they failed.

The March 24th, Mr. Solana launches air raids on military and civil targets in Yugoslavia without the agreement of the Safety advice of the United Nations because of opposition of Russia, allied historical of Serbia. He justified these attacks by humane motivations, and by the responsibility for NATO to maintain peace in Europe and to prevent all ethnic Cleaning as those which took place during War of Bosnia. The 23 and April 24th, the Atlantic Northern Conseil meet in Washington where the Heads of States decide of a Nouveau Strategic Concept , which modifies and amplifies the defensive nature of the organization. That allowed humane interventions in a greater number of crisis situations, that also allowed NATO to prevent and control the development of the crises.

The June 10th, the Serb forces are withdrawn from Kosovo, and Mr. Solana arrète the attacks what puts an end to the war of Kosovo. The same day, the Résolution 1244 Safety advice of the United Nations authorizes NATO to activate the ARRC with Kosovo Force (KFOR) and to occupy the province the June 12th. Mr. Solana leaves NATO the October 6th and is replaced by George Robertson.

Exercised mandates

In Spain

December 1982 - July 1988: Minister for the Culture
July 1985 - July 1988: Government spokesman
July 1988 - July 1992: Minister for Education and Sciences
July 1992 - December 1995: Foreign Minister

With the international level or supranational

December 1995 - October 1999: General secretary of NATO
Since October 1999: General secretary of the the Council of the European Union and high representative for PESC
Since November 1999: General secretary of UEO

Be-X-old: ХаўерСаляна Simple: Javier Solana

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