Javier Solana Biography

Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF KCMG (Spanish: [fɾanˈθisko xaˈβjer soˈlana ðe maðaˈɾjaɣa]; born 14 July 1942), is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government as Foreign Affairs Minister under Felipe González (1982–1995) and as the 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.