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Javier Solana

The Most Excellent
Javier Solana
KOGF KCMG
Javier Solana in the Parliament of Iran.jpg
High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy
In office
18 October 1999 – 1 December 2009
Preceded by Jürgen Trumpf
Succeeded by Catherine Ashton
Secretary General of the Council of the European Union
In office
18 October 1999 – 1 December 2009
Preceded by Jürgen Trumpf
Succeeded by Pierre de Boissieu
Secretary General of the Western European Union
In office
20 November 1999 – 1 December 2009
Preceded by José Cutileiro
Succeeded by Arnaud Jacomet
Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
In office
5 December 1995 – 6 October 1999
Preceded by Sergio Balanzino (Acting)
Succeeded by George Robertson
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
16 June 1992 – 18 December 1995
Prime Minister Felipe González
Preceded by Francisco Fernández Ordóñez
Succeeded by Carlos Westendorp
Personal details
Born Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga
(1942-07-14) 14 July 1942 (age 74)
Madrid, Spain
Political party Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spouse(s) Concepción Giménez Díaz-Oyuelos
Alma mater Complutense University
University of Virginia

Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF (Spanish: [fɾanˈθisko xaˈβjer soˈlana ðe maðaˈɾjaɣa]; born 14 July 1942) is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González (1982–1995) and Secretary General of NATO (1995–1999), he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and Secretary-General of the Western European Union and held these posts from October 1999 until December 2009.

Solana was born in Madrid, Spain. He comes from a well-known Spanish family, being the grand nephew of Spanish League of Nations disarmament chief, diplomat, writer and European integrationist Salvador de Madariaga (Javier's grandfather, Rogelio de Madariaga and Salvador de Madariaga were cousins). His father was a chemistry professor, Luis Solana San Martín, who died when Javier was nineteen. His mother, Obdulia Madariaga Pérez, died in 2005. Javier is the third of five children. His older brother Luis was once imprisoned for his political activities opposing the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, subsequently became a distinguished leader in the Spanish telecommunications industry and was one of the first socialist members of the Trilateral Commission.


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