Javier Solana

Dr Francisco Javier Solana Madariaga (born July 14 1942 in Madrid, Spain) is the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Secretary-General of both the Council of the European Union (EU) and the Western European Union (WEU). He was a physicist who became a political minister for 13 years before serving as NATO Secretary-General 1995–99. Dr. Solana was designated to become EU Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2006, but is likely to continue in his present role while the future of the EU is decided.

NATO

On December 5, 1995, Solana became the new Secretary-General of NATO, replacing Willy Claes who had been forced to resign in a corruption scandal.

Related Topics:
December 5 - NATO - Willy Claes - Corruption

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His appointment created controversy as he had been an opponent of NATO in his past.

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He had written a pamphlet called 50 Reasons to say no to NATO, and had been on a US subversives list.

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On May 30, 1982 Spain joined NATO. When PSOE came to power later that year the party and Solana changed their previous anti-NATO attitude into a atlanticist, pro-NATO, pro-USA stance.

Related Topics:
May 30 - 1982 - Atlanticist

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On March 12, 1986 Spain held a referendum on whether to remain in NATO, with the government and Solana successfully campaigning in favour.

Related Topics:
March 12 - 1986 - Referendum

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When criticised about his anti NATO past Solana argued that he was happy to be its representative as it had become disassociated from its cold war origins.

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Solana immediately had to take command of the Balkans NATO mission Operation Joint Endeavour that consisted of a multinational peacekeeping Implementation Force (IFOR) of 60,000 soldiers which took over from a United Nations mission on December 20.

Related Topics:
Balkans - Peacekeeping - United Nations - December 20

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This came about through the Dayton agreement, after NATO had bombed selected targets in Bosnia and Herzegovina the previous August and September. He did this by deploying the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).

Related Topics:
Dayton agreement - Bosnia and Herzegovina

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In December 1996 the ARRC was again activated, with IFOR being replaced by a 32,000 strong Stabilisation Force (SFOR) under first Joint Guard and then (in June 1998) under Joint Forge.

Related Topics:
1996 - 1998

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Under Solana's guidance, and in response to a new post cold war era, NATO reorganised its political and military structure and changed its basic strategies.

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He gained the reputation of being a very successful, diplomatic Secretary General who was capable of negotiating between the differing needs both of the members of NATO and those with whom they were negotiating.

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In December 1995 France returned to the military structure of NATO, while in November 1996 Spain joined it.

Related Topics:
France - Spain

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On May 27, 1997, after 5 months of long and complex negotiations with Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov, an agreement was reached resulting in the Paris Foundation Act. This was considered a considerable diplomatic achivement as it formally ended hostilities between Russia and the NATO axis.

Related Topics:
May 27 - 1997 - Russian - Yevgeny Primakov - Paris

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On the same day he set up the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council to improve relations between European NATO and non-NATO coutries.

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In July in Madrid the former Eastern bloc nations of Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were invited to begin talks to enter NATO, which they did on March 12, 1999.

Related Topics:
Eastern bloc - Czech Republic - Hungary - Poland - March 12 - 1999

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Kosovo war

Keeping the peace in the former Yugoslavia continued to be both difficult and controversial.

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IFOR and SFOR had received a lot of criticism for their inability to capture the Serbian and Bosnian leaders Radovan Karad?i? and Ratko Mladi?.

Related Topics:
Serbian - Bosnian - Radovan Karad?i? - Ratko Mladi?

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In late 1998 the conflict in the Serbian province of Kosovo between the Serbian authorities and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) deteriorated, culminating in the Racak incident, a massacre of 45 Albanians on January 15, 1999. NATO decided that the conflict could only be settled by introducing a proper military peacekeeping force under their auspices, to forcibly restrain the two sides.

Related Topics:
1998 - Kosovo - Kosovo Liberation Army - Racak - Incident - Albanians - January 15 - 1999

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On January 30, 1999 NATO announced that it was prepared to launch air strikes against Yugoslav targets, which was seen as a threat to both sides in the conflict.

Related Topics:
January 30 - 1999

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On February 6 Solana met both sides for negotiations at the Château de Rambouillet, but they were unsuccessful.

Related Topics:
February 6 - Château de Rambouillet

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On March 24, Solana launched air attacks on military and civilian targets in both Serbia and Kosovo province.

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These attacks were made without the authorisation of the United Nations (UN) Security Council because of the opposition of Russia.

Related Topics:
United Nations - Security Council

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Solana justified the attacks on humanitarian grounds, and on the responsibility of NATO to keep peace in the European region.

Related Topics:
Justified the attacks - European

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He said he wanted to avoid the ethnic cleansing seen in Bosnia. Solana and NATO were criticised for the civilian casualties their bombings caused.

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On April 23 and 24, the North Atlantic Council met in Washington D.C. where the Heads of State of the member nations agreed to the New Strategic Concept, which changed and amplified the basic defensive nature of the organisation. This allowed for humanitarian intervention in a greater range of crisis situations than before, also allowing NATO to prevent and control the development of crises. NATO was given greater military control.

Related Topics:
April 23 - 24 - North Atlantic Council - Washington D.C. - Heads of State - Humanitarian

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On June 10, Serbia withdrew from Kosovo, and Solana stopped the attacks, which ended the Kosovo War.

Related Topics:
June 10 - Kosovo War

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The same day UN Security Council Resolution 1244 authorised NATO to active the ARRc with the Kosovo Force (KFOR) launching Joint Guardian and occupy the province on June 12.

Related Topics:
Resolution 1244 - June 12

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Solana left NATO on 6 October, two months ahead of schedule, and was replaced by George Robertson.

Related Topics:
6 October - George Robertson

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