Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, best known as Javier Solana was born in Madrid on 14 July 1942.
He is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician who served in Felipe Gonzalez’s successive governments from 1982 to 1995 being a Minister of Culture, a Government Spokesman, a Minister of Education and Science and finally being a Minister for Foreign Affairs from July 1992 to December 1995.
After finishing his university studies abroad, he joined the Democratic Coordination of Madrid as the Spanish Socialist Worker’s Party representative (PSOE representative). During his stay in the PSOE party, he became a close personal friend of its leader Felipe Gonzalez, holding the previously mentioned positions within the party for over 24 years.
In the international sphere, Solana became the new Secretary General of NATO on 5 December 1995. His appointment created controversy since in the past he had been an opponent of this organisation, writing a pamphlet called “50 reasons to say no to NATO”, however on 30 May 1982; due to this, Spain joined the organisation changing its position into a pro-NATO stance, holding a referendum on whether to remain in it, with Solana campaigning in favour, arguing that he was glad to be its representative since it had become disassociated from its Cold War origins.
During his term in office, which coincided with a significant phase in European history, NATO went through a crucial stage in its development. It sent a peace-keeping force under a United Nations mandate to Bosnia and Herzegovina and negotiated and signed the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, creating this way a new cooperation and consultation partnership between Western Europe and Russia. This made Solana gain the reputation of being a successful diplomatic Secretary General, capable of negotiating with NATO members and between NATO and non-NATO States. The 6 October 1999, he left the organisation.
Shortly after leaving NATO, he was appointed Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and the first High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). A month later, he was also appointed Secretary General of the Western European Union (WEU). Holding both positions at the same time gave hin the chance of being the single voice of foreign policy and was coloquially named “Mr. Europe”.
Concerning foreign affairs, he also negotiated numerous Treaties of Association between the European Union and Middle Eastern and Latin American countries, playing a pivotal role in unifying the remainder of the Yugoslavian federation. He also proposed the unification of Serbia and Montenegro to avoid a domino effect from Kosovo and Vojvodina on independence demands.
Javier Solana has received several awards and honours from various countries and different universities worldwide such as the Charlemagne Prize in 2003 and the Peace through Dialogue Medal in the Munich Security Conference in 2007 among others.
He is now Senior Visiting professor at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded an Honorary Degree in 2010.