Javier Solana facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Solana and the second or maternal family name is de Madariaga.

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Solana in 1999

High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy
In office 18 October 1999 – 1 December 2009
Preceded by	Jürgen Trumpf
Succeeded by	Cathy Ashton (Foreign Affairs and Security Policy)
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
9th Secretary General of NATO
In office 5 December 1995 – 6 October 1999
Preceded by	Sergio Balanzino (Acting) Willy Claes
Succeeded by	The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen
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 82) Madrid, Spain
Political party	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spouse	María de la Concepción Giménez Díaz-Oyuelos
Children	2
Education	Complutense University University of Virginia
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Javier Solana (born 14 July 1942) is a Spanish physicist and politician. He held many important international jobs.

He was Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister from 1992 to 1995. Then, he became the Secretary General of NATO (1995–1999). During this time, he led NATO during the Operation Allied Force.

After that, he worked for the European Union. He was the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Secretary General of the Council of the European Union. He also led the Western European Union. He held these roles from October 1999 to December 2009.

Early Life and Education
- Studying in the United States
Political Career in Spain
- Ministerial Roles
Leading NATO
- Kosovo Conflict
Leading European Union Foreign Policy
- Important Foreign Affairs Work
Personal Life and Recognition
Awards and Honours
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Javier Solana was born in Madrid, Spain. He comes from a well-known Spanish family. His father was a chemistry professor.

Solana went to the Nuestra Señora del Pilar School. Later, he studied at Complutense University (UCM). In 1963, he faced trouble from authorities for organizing a student forum. In 1964, he secretly joined the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). This party was illegal in Spain at the time. After graduating, he studied in Spain and the United Kingdom for a year.

Studying in the United States

In 1965, Solana moved to the United States. He studied there for six years with a Fulbright Scholarship. He visited the University of Chicago and the University of California, San Diego. Then, he went to the University of Virginia.

At the University of Virginia, he taught physics. He also joined protests against the Vietnam War. In 1971, he earned his doctorate in physics. His research was about Superfluid Helium.

After returning to Spain, he became a physics lecturer. In 1975, he became a professor at Complutense University. He published over 30 articles during these years.

Political Career in Spain

When Solana came back to Spain in 1971, he joined a political group in Madrid. He represented the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).

In 1976, he was chosen as a Secretary for the PSOE party. He was a close friend of the party's leader, Felipe González. Solana helped change the PSOE party after the rule of Francisco Franco.

On 15 June 1977, he became a member of the Spanish parliament. He represented the Madrid region until 1995. In 1981, he was in the parliament building when it was taken over by gunmen in an attempted coup.

Ministerial Roles

In 1982, the PSOE party won a big election. On 3 December, Solana became the Minister for Culture. He held this job until 1988, when he moved to the Ministry of Education.

In 1992, he became the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He helped organize the Barcelona Conference in 1995. This meeting brought together twenty-seven nations to work on cultural and economic unity in the Mediterranean region.

Solana became known as a skilled and diplomatic politician. He avoided political problems that affected other government members. Near the end of 1995, he was considered a possible leader for the PSOE party. Instead, he moved into international politics.

Leading NATO

On 5 December 1995, Solana became the new Secretary-General of NATO. He replaced Willy Claes. His appointment caused some discussion because he had been against NATO in the past. He had even written a pamphlet called 50 Reasons to say no to NATO.

However, when his party came to power, they changed their view on NATO. In 1986, Spain held a vote on staying in NATO, and Solana supported staying. He explained that NATO had changed since the Cold War.

Solana with Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright, 1999

Solana quickly had to deal with the NATO mission in the Balkans. This mission, called Joint Endeavour, involved 60,000 soldiers. It took over from a United Nations mission in Bosnia. NATO had previously bombed targets in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During Solana's time, NATO changed its structure and strategies. He was known as a very successful leader who could negotiate between different NATO members and other countries. In 1997, NATO and Russia signed an agreement. Solana also helped create the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.

Kosovo Conflict

Keeping peace in the former Yugoslavia remained difficult. In late 1998, the conflict in Kosovo got worse. This led to the Račak massacre in January 1999, where many people were killed. NATO decided that military action was needed to stop the fighting.

On 24 March 1999, NATO forces started air attacks on targets in Yugoslavia. Solana said these attacks were to protect people and prevent ethnic cleansing.

Solana meets with Secretary of Defense William Cohen at the Pentagon on 15 March 1999

The bombings caused some civilian casualties, which led to criticism. On 10 June, Serbian forces left Kosovo, and NATO stopped its attacks. This ended the Kosovo War. Solana left NATO on 6 October 1999.

Leading European Union Foreign Policy

After leaving NATO, Solana took on a new role in the European Union. In June 1999, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union. He also became the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). In this role, he represented the EU in other countries when there was a common policy. He started these jobs on 18 October 1999.

He also became Secretary-General of the Western European Union (WEU). He helped transfer its duties to the CFSP. In 2004, his term was renewed. He also became president of the European Defence Agency.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Russian president Vladimir Putin and Solana at the EU-Russia summit in Rome, 2003

In December 2003, Solana released the European Security Strategy. This plan outlined the main threats to EU security, including terrorism. He appointed Gijs de Vries as the anti-terrorist co-ordinator for the CFSP in 2004.

In 2004, he was chosen to become the EU's first "Union Minister for Foreign Affairs." This new position would combine two roles to give Europe a stronger voice in foreign policy. However, Solana announced he would step down at the end of his term.

Important Foreign Affairs Work

Solana with Colin Powell in April 2003

Solana helped negotiate agreements between the European Union and many countries. He played a key role in uniting parts of the former Yugoslavia. He suggested that Montenegro form a union with Serbia instead of becoming fully independent.

In 2002, Solana stated that detainees at Guantanamo Bay should be treated as prisoners of war. He also worked to prevent wars, like the Iraq invasion, through negotiations.

Round table talks during the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, on 1 December 2004

Solana was very involved in trying to solve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He helped create the "Road Map for Peace" with the UN, Russia, and the United States. He met with leaders like Ariel Sharon in Israel.

In November 2004, Solana helped the UK, France, and Germany negotiate with Iran about its nuclear program. In the same month, he helped mediate between presidential candidates in Ukraine. He invited Ukraine's new President, Viktor Yushchenko, to discuss future EU membership.

President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Solana at the EU-India summit in Helsinki, 2006

In 2010, after leaving office, Solana signed a petition with other EU leaders. They called for EU actions against Israel due to continued settlement construction.

Personal Life and Recognition

Solana is married to Concepción Giménez. They have two adult children, Diego and Vega. He lives in Brussels. He speaks Spanish, French, and English fluently.

General Wesley Clark once asked Solana the secret to his diplomatic success. Solana replied: "Make no enemies, and never ask a question to which you do not know or like the answer."

He is an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George. He has received many awards for his work in diplomacy and European unification. These include the Charlemagne Prize in 2007. In 2010, King Juan Carlos I of Spain made Javier Solana a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

In March 2020, Solana was hospitalized after getting COVID-19.

Awards and Honours

Spanish Honours

Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise (1996)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (1997)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (2000)
Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (2010)

Other Countries

Grand Officer of the Order of the White Lion (Czech Republic, 1998)
Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (United Kingdom, 2000)
Manfred Wörner Medal of the Federal German Ministry of Defence (Germany, 2002)
Recipient of the Order for Exceptional Merits (Slovenia, 2004)
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (Poland, 2005)
Commander Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (Lithuania, 2005)
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic (Germany, 2007)
Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (Portugal, 2010)
Knight of the Georgian Order of the Golden Fleece (Georgia, 2010)