Javier Solana: Difference between revisions
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<font color=red>“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (Revelation 13:18) </font> |
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[[Image:Javiersolana.jpg|150px|frame|right|Javier Solana]] |
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Dr '''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|Council]] of the [[European Union]] (EU) and the [[Western European Union]] (WEU). He was a [[Physics|physicist]] who became a [[political minister]] for 13 years before serving as [[NATO]] Secretary-General [[1995]]–[[1999|99]]. Dr. Solana was designated to become EU [[Union Minister for Foreign Affairs|Minister for Foreign Affairs]] in [[2006]]. |
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== Personal background and career as physicist == |
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Solana comes from a well-known Spanish family and is the grandson of Spanish [[League of Nations]] [[Arms control|disarmament]] chief, diplomat, writer and [[Europe|European]] integrationist [[Salvador de Madariaga]] and Scottish [[scholarly method|scholar]] and [[economic history|economic historian]] Constance de Madariaga. |
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His father was a chemistry professor, and his mother the writer [[Nieves de Madariaga|Nieves Mathews]]. |
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His older brother Luis was imprisoned for his political activities opposing the [[dictatorship]] of [[Francisco Franco]]. |
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He studied in the [[El Pilar College]], an exclusive Catholic secondary school, before going to [[Complutense University]]. There as a student in [[1963]] he was sanctioned by the authorities for having organised an opposition forum at the so-called called Week of University Renovation. |
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He graduated in chemistry in [[1964]], and in the same year clandestinely joined the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE), which had been illegal under Franco since the end of the [[Spanish Civil War]] in [[1939]]. |
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[[Image:Javiersolana.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Javier Solana]] |
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He spent a year furthering his studies at [[Spain's Higher Council for Scientific Research]] (CSIC) and in the [[United Kingdom]]. In [[1965]] he went to the [[United States of America]], where he spent six years studying at various universities on a [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright Scholarship]]. |
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'''Javier Solana''' (born [[July 14]], [[1942]]), the 1995-1999 NATO Secretary General, is Secretary General of both the European Union and the 10 nation permanent member Western European Union. He also holds the title of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. WEU Assembly Recommendation 666 gave the "High Representative" emergency police powers and power to convene the Council of the European Union in the event of an emergency. Recommendation 666 was adopted as EU law at the Nice conference of December 2000. |
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He taught physics for a time at the [[University of Chicago]] and at [[La Jolla, California|La Jolla]], [[California]], and joined in the [[protests]] against the [[Vietnam War]]. |
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[http://www.assemblee-ueo.org/en/documents/sessions_ordinaires/txt/2000/rec666.html] He has been officially designated to serve as the powerful new Foreign Minister of the European Union under its new constitution, effective upon full ratification expected in 2006.[[http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-118090-16&type=News]] As such he will combine the positions of Commissioner of External Relations (currently held by Benita Ferrero-Waldner) and Common Foreign and Security Policy chief currently held by him. He has a growing cabinet of his own already serving under him. That advisory body is expected to grow as he continues to enlarge his EU roles. It is expected that ratification will be complete sometime in 2006 and that new roles may begin in 2007. Under the new constitution, he will easily be the most powerful figure in the European government, he having a unique power of initiative not even shared by the presidency. He will also automatically serve as Vice President of the European Commission. |
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He received his doctorate in physics, with a dissertation on [[Superfluid|superfluidity]] called ''Elementary Excitations in [[Helium]] 2'', in [[1968]] from the [[University of Virginia|University]] of [[Notable Alumni of the University of Virginia|Virginia]], where he taught and researched until [[1971]], extending his planned stay in the US by a year in order to continue his investigations as well as being President of the Association of foreign students. |
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==Family history== |
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Solana was born on [[July 14]], [[1942]] as Javier Solana de Madariaga in [[Madrid]], [[Spain]]. On his maternal side, he is the grandson of famous Spanish diplomat/writer [[Salvador de Madariaga]] ([[1886]]-[[1978]]). Salvador de Madariaga at various times served as Spanish ambassador to the United States and as chief of the Disarmament Section of the League of Nations. He also had a teaching career at England's Oxford University. Salvador de Madariaga was admiringly said to be one of the ten best conversationalists in all of Europe in his day. His writing career ranged from books about Christopher Columbus to analyses of what he considered to be the growing Communist threat to Latin America. Solana's maternal grandmother, Constance Archibald de Madariaga, was born Scottish. Like her diplomat-writer husband, she was also a well known scholar. She was professionally and academically known as an economic historian. |
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Returning to Spain he became a lecturer in [[solid-state physics]] at the [[Autonomous University of Madrid]] (UAM), and then in [[1975]] he became a [[Professor]] at Complutense University. During these years he published more than 30 articles. For a time he worked as assistant to [[Nicolás Cabrera]], whom he had met when Cabrera was Professor at Virginia University. The last [[PhD]] [[dissertation]]s that he directed were in the early [[1990s]]. |
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Javier is the younger of the two sons of de Madariaga's daughter [[Nieves de Madariaga|Nieves]] ([[1917]]-[[2003]]). |
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== Spanish politics == |
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Solana's mother, like her more famous father, was also a recognized scholar and writer. Her full name at the time of her death was Nieves Hayat de Madariaga Mathews. She was employed for upwards of 20 years by the FAO ([[Food and Agricultural Organization]]), a [[United Nations]] agency headquartered in [[Rome]]. Her [[Yale University]]-published book on the life of [[Sir Francis Bacon]] was released in [[1996]]. The 606 page volume is entitled, ''Francis Bacon: The History of a Character Assassination''.[[http://www.sirbacon.org/nmathewsbook.htm]] Interestingly, Nieves de Madariaga Mathews (Solana's mother) claimed in her acknowledgements that the book was suggested and blessed by "my teacher, Osho, who thought highly of Francis Bacon and gave the book his blessing." Osho is more commonly known in USA circles as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.[[http://www.stelling.nl/simpos/bhagwan_shree_rajneesh_osho.htm]] Rajneesh gained extensive notoriety in the USA in the 1980s for his alleged Oregon cult compound. He was deported from the USA for its claimed excesses. As well as Rajneesh, Solana's mother was equally deeply and publicly influenced by the works of Immanuel Velikovsky. She devoted much time to her pursuit of both Velikovsky and Sir Francis Bacon literacy and causes. |
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On returning to Spain in [[1971]] Solana joined the Democratic Co-ordination of Madrid as the PSOE representative. |
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Javier Solana's only maternal aunt is [[Isabel de Madariaga]], a professor emeritus of [[Slavonic Studies]] at the [[College of London]]. A brilliant and thorough scholar, she has published extensive historical works, most notably about Russian empress, [[Catherine the Great]]. |
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In [[1976]], during PSOE's first national congress inside Spain since the [[Spanish civil war|civil war]], he was elected Secretary of the party's Federal Executive Commission, and also Secretary for Information and Press, remaining in the post for five years. |
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He was a close personal friend of the party's leader [[Felipe González]], and is considered one of the PSOE leaders responsible for the transformation of the party in the post-Franco era. In [[1976]] he represented the PSOE at a [[Socialist international]] congress held in [[Suresnes]], [[France]], and again when it was held in Spain in [[1977]]. On [[May 20]] [[1977]] he accompanied González in visiting [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|King Juan Carlos]] at the Zarzuela Palace. |
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He became a representative of a teacher's union in the Complutense University, and in this role won a [[Spanish Congress of Deputies|parliamentary]] seat for PSOE on [[June 15]], [[1977]]. On [[February 23]] [[1981]] he was in the [[Cortes Generales|parliament]] when was it was taken over for 18 hours in an attempted [[23-F|coup]] by armed gunmen led by [[Antonio Tejero]]. |
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Javier Solana is the younger of Nieves de Madariaga Mathews' two sons. His older brother [[Luis Solana]] is a retired Spanish telephone company chief executive officer; he was the first known [[Socialist]] party member to join the [[Trilateral Commission]]. He was ardently opposed to the Spanish presidency of General Franco and was reportedly imprisoned for his political activity. Like his older brother, Javier Solana, is an active member of the Trilateral Commission. Although not eligible for membership as he is not an American citizen, Javier Solana is a frequent speaker and enjoys excellent relationships with members of the prestigious US based Council on Foreign Relations [[Council on Foreign Relations]] (CFR) He is likewise active with the [[Foreign Policy Association]] (FPA) as well as the New York city based East West Institute. |
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On [[October 28]] [[1982]] PSOE won an historic victory with 202 out of 350 seats in the [[Spanish Congress of Deputies|lower house]]. On [[December 3]], along with the other members of González's first cabinet, Solana was sworn in as Minister for Culture, where he remained until moving to the Ministry of Education in [[1988]]. On [[5 July]] [[1985]] he was also made the Official Spokesman for the Government for three years. |
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On Solana's paternal side, his grandfather was [[Don Ezequiel Solana de Ramirez]]. He was reportedly a revered educator and text book author who died in [[1931]]. Luis and Javier's father was Don Ezequiel Solana's son Francisco Solana. |
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He was made Minister for Foreign Affairs on [[July 22]] [[1992]], the day before the opening of the II [[Organization of Ibero-American States|Ibero-American]] conference of [[Head of State|heads of state]] in Madrid, replacing the terminally ill [[Francisco Fernández Ordóñez]]. On [[November 27]]–[[November 28|28]] [[1995]], while Spain held the [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|Presidency of the Council of the EU]], Solana convened and chaired the [[Barcelona]] [[Barcelona Conference|Conference]]. A treaty was achieved between the twenty-seven nations in attendance with Solana gaining credit for what he called "a process to foster cultural and economic unity in the [[Mediterranean]] region". |
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==Education, Early Career, and Associations== |
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It was during these thirteen years as a cabinet minister that Solana's reputation as a discreet and diplomatic politician grew. By going to the foreign Ministry in the later years of González administration he avoided the political scandals of corruption, and of the [[Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación|dirty war]] allegedly being fought against [[ETA]], that characterised its last years. towards the end of [[1995]] Solana, the only surviving member of González original cabinet, was talked about in the press as a possible candidate to replace him and lead the PSOE in the following March elections. Instead, he made the leap to international politics. |
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Javier Solana's most personally listed affiliation apart from the Socialist party is the Spanish chapter of the [[Club of Rome]]. On a personal level, he has been said to "eat little and sleep less;" his is reportedly "a monk's diet of fish and fruit." Some accounts state that although he is active in global disarmament efforts, his favorite personal hobby is "collecting guns". |
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During and after his spell as NATO secretary general (see below) Solana continues to play an active role in PSOE and Spanish politics. In June [[1997]], at the XXXIV PSOE Congress, Solana left their Executive Commission and joined their Federal Committee, being re-elected in second place three years later. By supporting [[Colin Powell]]'s [[February 5]] [[2003]] speech to the UN Security council which claimed that Iraq had [[Weapons of mass destruction|WMD's]] Solana contradicted the position of his party leader [[José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero]], who opposed the [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] government of [[José María Aznar]]'s support for the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]]. Solana is seen, along with González, as representing the older wing of the party. On [[February 15]] [[2005]] he criticised the [[Juan José Ibarretxe|Plan Ibarretxe]] for its position on [[Basque Country]] independence, saying that its call for separate Basque representation within the EU had no place within the proposed EU constitution. |
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Professionally, apart from his political careers, Solana holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry (Received in Spain in 1963), a Master's Degree obtained in Great Britain, and a doctorate in [[physics]]; he is fond of saying that "in a previous incarnation I worked as a professor in solid-state physics." He received his doctorate in 1968 while studying at the [[University of Virginia]] under a [[Fulbright Scholarship]] in the United States. He taught and worked as a researcher at the University of Virginia between 1968 and 1971. |
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== NATO == |
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Solana left the USA in [[1971]] to return to [[Spain]] with one of his teaching mentors. There he became employed by [[Complutense University]] of Madrid, Spain. Again, he was banished for political reasons, i.e. opposition to the Franco government. In [[1975]] his political nemesis, Generalissimo [[Francisco Franco]] died. Thereupon Solana, expelled in his youth for anti-Franco rebellion, gained a Complutense University professorship. That year, also, he involved himself in Spanish political life. As a representative of a teacher's union, he ran and won election as the Socialist candidate for the parliamentary seat he was to begin occupying in [[July, 1977|July]] [[1977]]. |
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Solana has been a member of the Spanish socialist party [[PSOE]] since [[1964]]. That was the year as well that he joined the "Socialist Youth." In 1976, he represented the Socialists at an internation Socialist Congress held in the French province of Suresnes. He participated in the same Congress held in 1977 in Spain. Solana was designated secretary of Information and Press of the Federal Executive Commission of the PSOE. He was also active in the Teacher's Union, the Federation of Workers of the Education of the General Union of Trabajadores (UGT). He was elected to the Spanish parliament as a representative of the Teacher's Union in 1977. He was continuously a member of the Spanish parliament and steadily advanced in the Ferdinand Gonzalez administration through various cabinet positions. |
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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. |
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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 [[Atlanticism|atlanticist]], pro-NATO, pro-USA stance. |
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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. |
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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|cold war]] origins. |
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Between [[1982]] and [[1995]] he held powerful positions in the Spanish government including that of the Minister for Culture, Minister of Science and Education and lastly as Minister for Foreign Affairs ([[1992]]-[[1995]]). For most of those years he was also the official spokesman for the Spanish government. When it was Spain's turn to hold the rotating chairmanships/presidencies of the Council of the European Union and the Western European Union, Solana was designated by Spain to head those posts. Those dual posts would coincide in 1995. |
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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]]. |
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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). |
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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''. |
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On [[November 20]]th, [[1995]], during Spain's turn at the rotating six month [[presidency of the European Union]], Javier Solana concluded a treaty between the European Union and [[Israel]].[[http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2000/l_147/l_14720000621en00030156.pdf]] Although scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 1997, that treaty was not ratified and made effective between Israel and the EU until June 1, 2000. |
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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. |
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On [[May 27]], [[1997]], after 5 months of long and complex negotiations with [[Russia|Russian]] foreign minister [[Yevgeny Primakov]], an agreement was reached resulting in the [[Paris]] [http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/fndact-a.htm Foundation Act]. This was considered a considerable diplomatic achivement as it formally ended hostilities between Russia and the NATO axis. |
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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]]. |
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== Role in NATO == |
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===Kosovo war=== |
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On [[November 30]], [[1995]], Solana was appointed as [[NATO]] Secretary General. His election was a surprise to many, including 52 United States congressmen who telegraphically protested his appointment because of his alleged [[Marxism]] and open [[Castro]] sympathies. He had once been on the USA's own subversive list. He was best known, per the Spanish newspapers observing the scene, as one of Spain's most vocal and most prominent opponents of NATO. He had once written a pamphlet, "''50 Reasons to say NO to NATO''." Between [[1995]] and [[1999]], Solana was NATO Secretary General. |
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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 [[Serbia|Serbian]] and [[Bosnia|Bosnian]] leaders [[Radovan Karadzic]] and [[Ratko Mladic]]. |
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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]] [[Racak incident|incident]], a massacre of 45 [[Albania|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. |
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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. |
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On [[February 6]] Solana met both sides for negotiations at the [[Château de Rambouillet]], but they were unsuccessful. |
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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) [[UN Security Council|Security Council]] because of the opposition of Russia. |
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Solana [[Legitimacy of NATO bombing of Yugoslavia|justified the attacks]] on humanitarian grounds, and on the responsibility of NATO to keep peace in the [[Europe|European]] region. |
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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 [[April 24|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. |
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On [[June 10]], Serbia withdrew from Kosovo, and Solana stopped the attacks, which ended the [[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]]. |
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Solana left NATO on [[6 October]], two months ahead of schedule, and was replaced by [[George Robertson]]. |
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The Secretary General of NATO usually has a ministerial role, passing on instructions from the member nations' consensus to its military components, but during his 1995 to 1999 NATO tenure, Solana was given sole unusual powers to make military decisions over [[Yugoslavia]]. For example, on [[January 30]], [[1999]], he was given sole power to make all further military decisions over NATO [[Balkan]] operations. This included the say so on whether or not bombings should occur. [[Madeline Albright]], USA Secretary of State then said by way of explanation, "Solana has the power and has had it since [[January 30]], 1999. We are speaking with one voice through Javier Solana.", and on [[March 21]], [[1999]], USA President [[Bill Clinton]] told a national American television audience in regards to the forthcoming bombings: "I agree with Javier Solana's decision to do this." The order to commence bombing against Yugoslavian targets was subsequently given solely by Solana. |
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==EU foreign policy chief== |
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On [[June 3]]–[[June 4|4]] [[1999]] Solana was appointed by the [[Cologne European Council]] as foreign policy chief of the newly-created [[Common Foreign and Security Policy|CFSP]], which had been established as the second of the three [[Three pillars of the European Union|pillars]] of the [[European Union|EU]] in the [[Maastricht Treaty]]. It has a budget of [[Euro|€]]40 million, most of which goes to Balkan operations. |
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He also became Secretary-General of the Council of the EU, presiding over their Political and Security Committee (PSC) and giving a continuity between the rotating [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|presidents]]. |
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USA General [[Wesley Clark]], who as head military officer of the NATO coalition reported to and took orders from Solana, reports in his book ''WAGING MODERN WAR'' that he once asked Solana the secret of his success. Solana reflected briefly and then answered, "First make no enemies. Then never ask a question to which you do not know or do not like the answer." |
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He helps both construct and actualise the decisions of the Council. He is also empowered to negotiate on the EU's behalf with other countries, always with the permission of the current president. These posts began on [[October 18]]. |
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Despite his activity in world politics, most Americans are unfamiliar with Solana's name, the [[Barcelona Process]], and certainly the extent of his growing powers which are becoming increasingly global in scope and influence. |
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A major element of the CFSP is the [[European Security and Defence Policy]] (ESDP) and initiated by the [[Amsterdam Treaty]]. At the [[Cologne]] and [[Helsinki]] (December, 1999) [[European Council]] meetings it was agreed to set up a 60,000 strong [[European Rapid Reaction Force]] in order to fulfil the Petersberg tasks. |
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On [[November 20]] he also became Secretary-General of the [[Western European Union|WEU]], a partially dormant European defence and security organisation. He thus oversees the ongoing transfer of functions from the WEU to the EU, with this latter appointment being a part of the partial merger of the WEU into the CFSP, though some have claimed that the WEU is now more active under Solana's leadership. Both the [[European Union Institute for Security Studies]] (EUISS) and the [[European Union Satellite Centre]] (EUSC) are organisations that were under the WEU but are now under the CFSP. |
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== Roles in the EU and the Western European Union == |
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The [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] administration claimed in May [[2000]] that Solana was the fulfillment of [[Henry Kissinger]]'s desire to have a phone number to talk to Europe. In [[December 2003]] Solana released the European Security Strategy which sets out the main priorities and identifying the main threats to the security of the EU, including [[terrorism]]. On [[March 25]] [[2004]] Solana appointed [[Gijs de Vries]] as the anti-terrorist co-ordinator for the CFSP, and outlined his duties as being to streamline, organise and co-ordinate the EU and its members fight against terrorism. |
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Solana's NATO term was to have expired in December, 1999; however, he left that job two months early, in October 1999, to take the newly created position of Office of the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (also more informally called "[[Señor PESC]]" ("[[Mr PESC]]", in Spanish media)- [[Post of European Security Commissioner]]). He was also given the title and responsibility of Secretary General of the European Union; this was for the purpose of giving continuity between the EU's 6 month rotating presidential administrations. These positions caused Solana to be generally described by the European press as "[[tsar]] of European military and foreign policy." |
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Solana's posts were extended on [[June 29]] [[2004]] when he was also designated the EU's first [[Union Minister for Foreign Affairs|Minister for Foreign Affairs]], a job combining the head of the CFSP with the [[European Commission|European Commissioner]] for Foreign Relations (in May [[2000]] [[Chris Patten]], then Commissioner for Foreign Relations claimed that Solana was encroaching on his activities) and Vice President of the Council of the EU in [[2006]] (if the new [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|EU constitution]] is ratified). |
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On [[July 12]] [[2004]] he was named head of a new [[European Defence Agency]] that provides political guidance to ensure greater efficiency in EU members military spending. |
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On [[November 20]], [[1999]], Javier Solana was also selected by the ten-nation core of the [[Western European Union]] (WEU) to be its pending Secretary General, pending unification with the European Union. However, on [[June 5]], [[2000]], the ten nation WEU in its Assembly Recommendation 666 noted that under its governing treaties, complete merger could not occur, and therefore they support a proposal to have the WEU Secretary General and CFSP High Representative (both Solana) preside over the PSC ([[Political Security Committee]]) and convene the council of the European Union in the event of an emergency. (Such an emergency was declared after the 3/11 ([[March 11]], [[2004]]) [[Madrid train bombings]].) |
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Solana has received both criticism and praise for the extent of the new powers outlined in the new Constitution. |
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He has said that even under the new constitution the minister can only act when there is unanimity amongst member states. |
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This appointment came on the same day as major world leaders were gathering at deceased British author Sir Harold Acton's old [[Italy|Italian]] villa then and now owned by [[New York University]]'s School of Law. The gathering was of the [[Third Way Movement]]. Solana was in attendance at the villa as were U.S. [[Bill Clinton|President]] and [[Hillary Clinton|Mrs. Clinton]], [[United Kingdom|British]] Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]], [[Romano Prodi]] and many other distinguished transatlantic leaders. |
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On [[April 18]], [[2005]] he told French students while electioneering for the [[May 29]] referendum held there over ratifying the constitution that there is hostility towards the EU constitution from some American neoconservatives because they believe it represents a new rise in Europe's power. On [[May 4]] he said the constitution would not undermine NATO. He has emphasised how important the ratification is to the security of the EU members. Ratification depends upon the complete assent of all constituent countries. On [[May 29]], [[2005]], the French voters clearly rejected ratification. Javier Solana has said that despite this the EU will remain an actor on the world stage and would forge ahead with plans for a new diplomatic service and will take a very careful, detailed look at the situation. |
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===Foreign affairs=== |
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He has negotiated numerous Treaties of Association between the European Union and various [[Middle East|Middle Eastern]] and [[Latin American]] countries, including [[Bolivia]] and [[Colombia]]. Solana played a pivotal role in unifying the remainder of the former Yugoslavian federation. He proposed that [[Montenegro]] formed a union with [[Serbia]] instead of having full independence, stating that this was done to avoid a domino effect from [[Kosovo]] and [[Vojvodina]] independence demands. Local media sarcastically named the new country "Solania". |
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Javier Solana presides over Europe's [[Political Security Committee]] (PSC). All seated on that committee hold ambassador rank in the EU and serve at the pleasure of Javier Solana. All foreign ambassadors of the European Union entity (as opposed to its individual countries) as well as all EU military personnel are ultimately accountable to the Council of the European Union through Javier Solana. The EU's hope is that the pending new European constitution will strengthen and extend this European federal type set of structures. |
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On [[January 21]] [[2002]] Solana said that the detainees at [[Guantanamo Bay]] should be treated as prisoners of war under the [[Geneva Convention]]. The EU has stated that it hopes to avoid another war like the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraqi invasion]] through this and future negotiations, and Solana has said the most difficult moments of his job were when the [[United Kingdom]] and [[France]], the two permanent EU [[Security Council]] members, were in [[Iraq disarmament crisis|disagreement]]. |
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In December 2003, Solana published the [[European Security Strategy]]. |
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The so-called [[Vilnius letter]], a declaration of support by eastern european countries for the United States' aim of régime change in Iraq, and [[The letter of the eight|the letter of the eight]], a similar letter from predominantly western european countries, are generally seen as a low-water mark of the CFSP. Solana has played an important role working with the [[UN]], [[Russia]], and the [[United States|USA]] quartet in the Middle East and continues to be a primary architect of "The Roadmap" to work towards peaceful end to the conflict in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]. |
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Javier Solana did most or even all of the spearheading and coordination of the [[Barcelona Conference]], the launching pad of the 27 nation [[Barcelona Process]] expected to lead to a Mediterranean free trade zone by [[2010]]. This conference was opened by him on November 27, 1995. He opened by declaring that it was auspicious that it began on the 900th anniversary of the calling of the [[first crusade]] by [[Pope Urban II]], and commented "What a lot of intolerance and misunderstanding that led to." The conference concluded with the 27 nations signing the Barcelona Treaty. |
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On [[July 22]] [[2004]] he met [[Ariel Sharon]] in [[Israel]]. Sharon had originally refused to meet Solana, but eventually accepted that, whether he liked it or not, the EU was involved in the Roadmap. He criticised Israel for obstructing the [[Palestinian presidential election, 2005|Palestinian presidential election]] of [[January 9]], [[2005]], but then met Sharon again on [[January 13]]. In [[November 2004]] he assisted the [[United Kingdom]], [[France]], and [[Germany]] in negotiating a nuclear material enrichment freeze with [[Iran]]. |
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In the same month he was involved in mediating between the two presidential candidates in the [[Post-election developments in Ukraine, 2004|post-election developments]] in [[Ukraine]], and on [[21 January]] [[2005]] he invited Ukraine's new [[President of Ukraine|President]] [[Viktor Yushchenko]] to discuss future EU membership. |
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Solana has also negotiated numerous "Treaties of Association" between the European Union and various Mideast countries. In his tenure with the European Union, Javier Solana has been relatively busy on the world stage negotiating various integration treaties with South American countries such as [[Bolivia]] and [[Colombia]]. He has also been a vital part of the Quartet for Peace in the Middle East along with [[Kofi Annan]] of the [[United Nations]], a [[Russia]]n representative, and a USA representative. He has been said to be a primary architect of "The Roadmap" itself issued by "The Quartet", |
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==Other== |
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Solana is married to Concepción Solana, and they have two children, Diego and Vega, but he lives alone in [[Brussels]], where his apartment has a reputation of being a focal point for Spanish politicians in or visiting this capital. He speaks fluent [[French language|French]], as well as [[English language|English]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. He has admitted that his family life has suffered as a result of his work. |
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In November 2004, Solana assisted Britain, France, and Germany in negotiating a nuclear material enrichment freeze with the leadership of Iran. The EU through Solana stated it hoped to avoid another American-Iraqi style invasion through this and future negotiations. [http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=617235§ion=news Reuters] |
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He describes himself as an Atlanticist and a [[Europeanist|European]]. He has been said to eat little and sleep less, surviving on a diet of fish and fruit. He is a [[gun]] collector. He enjoys doing a little [[sport]] every day, and particularly [[swimming]], [[cycling]] and [[running]]. |
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Others, particularly in the USA and England were more cynical about the motives. Rather than believe them altruistic, some British observers starting in the late 1990s stated that perhaps the EU's motives, engineered through Solana, were to dislodge the USA as a competing superpower in the coming 21st century struggle for increasingly scarce global resources. They pointed to the EU's own military buildup under the auspices of "peacekeeping" as perhaps a cover for planned future anti-USA efforts. |
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== "Solania" == |
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General [[Wesley Clark]] once asked Solana the secret of his diplomatic success. He answered: "Make no enemies, and never ask a question to which you do not know or like the answer." He has been described as a "squarer of circles". |
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Solana claimed a pivotal role in unifying the remainder of the former Yugoslavian federation. Reportedly, he proposed accommodating the Montenegrine desires within the new loose union of [[Serbia and Montenegro]] (2003), instead of full independence of the parts. Solana claimed this was done to avoid a domino effect from [[Kosovo]] and [[Vojvodina]] independence demands. Local media sarcastically named the new country "Solania" after its claimed architect. Still other observers have pointed to this as a "Balkan reduction." They point out that Solana has obviously done by a combination of borrowed NATO military power and diplomacy what some historians say Hitler failed to do: reduce the Balkans. Some view this with apprehension in view of Jacques Santers' stated aims and recent calls by France to dislodge the United States as a competing superpower. |
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== Future == |
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U.S. [[ambassador]] to NATO [[Alexander Vershbow]] said of him: "He is an extraordinary consensus-builder who works behind the scenes with leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure that NATO is united when it counts." He is a frequent speaker at the prestigious U.S. based [[Council on Foreign Relations]] (CFR). He is likewise active in the Foreign Policy Association (FPA) as well as the New York City based East West Institute. |
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Increasingly [[as of 2004]], there is increased reliance on Javier Solana on the part of the EU and the WEU, which has noticeably strengthened his military and foreign power. On [[June 29]], 2004 Javier Solana was selected by the [[Council of the European Union]] to be its first Foreign Minister under the new [[EU constitution]]. Until formal ratification of the constitution occurs (slated for [[2006]]), Solana is ''de facto'' exercising the defined powers of that future office as well as its approximate 26 billion [[euro]]s budget (formerly reserved for the Commissioner of External Affairs). |
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He is a [[Knight]] of the [[Order of St Michael and St George]], a member of the Spanish section of the [[Club of Rome]]. He has received the Grand Cross of [[Isabella of Castile|Isabel the Catholic]] in Spain and the [[Manfred Wörner|Manfred Wörner Medal]] from the German Defence Ministry. He received the Vision for Europe Award in [[2003]]. He has been President of the [[Madariaga European Foundation]] since [[1998]]. |
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A sign of that is that Solana no longer travels with the [[EU presidency|EU rotating presidency]] and the Commissioner of External Affairs ([[Chris Patten]]) as the reigning EU "troika" -- since the vote of the Council of Ministers, Solana now speaks and travels as the sole voice rather than one of three voices. |
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<center> |
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<table border="1"> |
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<tr> |
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<td width="30%" align="center">'''Preceded by''':<br> |
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[[Willy Claes]]</td> |
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<td width="40%" align="center">[[NATO |Secretary General of NATO]]</td> |
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<td width="30%" align="center">'''Succeeded by''':<br> |
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[[George Robertson]] </td> |
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</tr> |
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</table> |
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</center> |
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This was dramatically illustrated by events in [[Israel]] on or about July 20 to 22nd (2004). Israel's Prime Minister [[Ariel Sharon]] declined to meet with Solana, saying that because of an EU vote against Israel at the UN that Israel would not work with the EU, notwithstanding despite its prominence on the [[Quartet for Peace]] in the [[Middle East]]. Solana stunned the world, Israel included, by replying that like it or not, both he and the EU were there to stay on the Israeli-Palestinian decision making processes. He is presently probably the major player in structuring a peace plan between Israel and Palestine, with Europe combined with other major players guaranteeing regional security for the time any treaty achieved is in force. |
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==See also== |
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*[[List of European Union-related topics]] |
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The Clinton White House once announced in a press conference that Javier Solana was the fulfillment of [[Henry Kissinger]]'s long stated wish to have only one phone number to ring up for Europe.[[http://www.aegis.com/news/afp/2000/AF0005B6.html]][[http://www.usembassy.it/file2000_05/alia/a0052504.htm]] Post June 29, 2004, many other sources were making the same observation -- that Kissinger (and anybody else) could ring up Europe by calling only Javier Solana. |
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*[[General Affairs and External Affairs Council]] |
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*[[History of Serbia and Montenegro]] |
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Some Solana-watchers are noting his rise to power with growing fascination. They have said that three countries presently stand in the way of controlling the Foreign Minister seat as he says is necessary to have one effective voice speak for Europe. The three countries that presently appear to be taking preventive measures to block him are Germany, France, and England. While they have been and continue to be from time to time enthusiastic Solana supporters, it appears they are aligning to form a type of an "EU directorate." According to an article appearing in BBC News[http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3500949.stm] although England's Tony Blair, France's Jacques Chirac; and Germany's Gerhard Schroeder had made unconvincing denials of an attempted EU power grab, that they were evidently trying to do just that. The apparent and even obvious purpose is to continue to control as much as possible EU foreign policy after the new constitution takes final effect. If Solana is to truly become the one voice speaking for Europe as he desires and plans for his full seat of Euro-power as the new EU Foreign Minister, as he projected he planned to do in a a more recent Der Spiegel article [http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,324799,00.html], realistically he would first have to find a way to curtail these EU governments and their present leaders' ambitions to properly fit his foreign policy agenda. Some observers note that this would entail a necessary and even potentially ugly power struggle if he is to assume the powers projected for the upcoming post. In doing so, some say that if he is successful in throwing off this potential trio of resistance then some say that almost in biblical terms he might be said to have "subdued" (i.e., won power struggles) against three of the ten countries projected to have weighted power in the forthcoming European Union under its new constitution, assuming the new already signed European Union constitution is timely ratified. Solana is obviously aware of these potential conflicts. He has of late publicly downplayed the potential powers of the office saying that even under the new constitution and the new Foreign Minister with all its projected powers, that such can only be exercised if there is complete unanimity among EU participants. Given Solana's talents in securing consensus but also bringing pressure to bear where necessary, it will be interesting to watch how Solana and/or his successors of this office crafted by him play out the role of the new EU Foreign Minister. Many foresee a power struggle which they believe Solana will win to determine whether or not ''one voice'', or ''a trio'', shall speak for Europe -- Javier Solana and/or his successor in office OR the France-Germany-Great Britain leadership presently appearing threatened by the potential powers of his forthcoming office. |
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*[[Peace of Westphalia]] |
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*[[Politics of Europe]] |
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On 21 January 2005 Solana invited Ukraine's president-elect Viktor Yushchenko to discuss the possibility of a future EU membership [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20050121/wl_nm/ukraine_dc]. It is interesting to note that the report also stated the EU's Executive Commission stated just the past week it had no plans to consider Ukrainian enterence into the EU. Assuming there was not mere miscommunication, this is a possible indicator of just how powerful Javier Solana has become. It may portend that he has veto power over the Executive Commission itself. On the other hand, it may indicate that despite Solana's hopes that Europe will see fit to speak with one voice through him, that it is not happening as fast or fully as Solana may have liked. |
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*[[History of the European Constitution]] |
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*[[History of the European Union]] |
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== Personality == |
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*[[Enlargement of the European Union]] |
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*[[Itavia Flight 870]] |
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As the anti-Franco activist in his youth and the anti-NATO activist in his 40s combined with his leadership of NATO in his 50s, Javier Solana has sometimes been called a "squarer of circles" (i.e. reconciler of opposites). Past illustrations of this (whether intentional or not) were his marriage to the daughter (Concepción Giménez) of a top Franco general and by his heading NATO in his fifties. He has also played an active role in the various Mideast peace processes at least between 1991 and the present time. |
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Javier Solana is married to Concepcion Giménez Solana, herself a teacher. They are the parents of two grown children: a son, Diego, and a daughter, Vega. Solana reportedly has never moved his immediate family - wife and children - to [[Brussels]], his main residence since taking his NATO post in the late fall of 1995 and his European Union posts thereafter. He has admitted that his family life has suffered as a result of the schedules from his NATO post and EU jobs forward. |
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== External links== |
== External links== |
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*[http://ue.eu.int/solana/cv.asp Curriculum Vitae of Javier Solana] |
* [http://ue.eu.int/solana/cv.asp Curriculum Vitae of Javier Solana] |
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*[http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/infoBios/setimes/resource_centre/bios/solana_javier shorter biography] |
*[http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/infoBios/setimes/resource_centre/bios/solana_javier shorter biography] |
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*[http://www.cidob.org/bios/castellano/lideres/s-041.htm Biography in Spanish] |
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*[http://www.sispain.org/english/history/fisherie/position/disputes/foreign.html Interview as Spanish foreign minister in conflict with Canada] |
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*[http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/javier/solnato.htm Solana and NATO article] |
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*[http://afa.at/globalview/052000/solana.html Solana's development of a Common Foreign and Security Policy] |
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*[http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/javier/solnato.htm Spain and Solana's integration into NATO] |
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*[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r104:S08DE5-237: Assessment of next NATO Secretary General] |
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*[http://www.statewatch.org/news/jul00/05solana.htm Civil liberties and Solana] |
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*[http://www.newropeans-magazine.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2154&Itemid=85 Interview about EDSP] |
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*[http://www.madariaga.coleurop.be/ Madariaga European Foundation] |
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*[http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:c0RRgAW8cvsJ:ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/sghr_int/84246.pdf+&hl=en&lr=lang_en|lang_es&client=firefox-a Interview with Physics world magazine] |
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*[http://www.pmo.gov.il/NR/exeres/EE42775C-31E8-469B-A76A-57905CC3348E.htm Solana meets Sharon, July 2004] |
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*[http://www.globalagendamagazine.com/2005/javiersolana.asp Solana writes in Global agenda magazine] |
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Revision as of 19:35, 20 June 2005
“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (Revelation 13:18)
Javier Solana (born July 14, 1942), the 1995-1999 NATO Secretary General, is Secretary General of both the European Union and the 10 nation permanent member Western European Union. He also holds the title of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. WEU Assembly Recommendation 666 gave the "High Representative" emergency police powers and power to convene the Council of the European Union in the event of an emergency. Recommendation 666 was adopted as EU law at the Nice conference of December 2000. [1] He has been officially designated to serve as the powerful new Foreign Minister of the European Union under its new constitution, effective upon full ratification expected in 2006.[[2]] As such he will combine the positions of Commissioner of External Relations (currently held by Benita Ferrero-Waldner) and Common Foreign and Security Policy chief currently held by him. He has a growing cabinet of his own already serving under him. That advisory body is expected to grow as he continues to enlarge his EU roles. It is expected that ratification will be complete sometime in 2006 and that new roles may begin in 2007. Under the new constitution, he will easily be the most powerful figure in the European government, he having a unique power of initiative not even shared by the presidency. He will also automatically serve as Vice President of the European Commission.
Family history
Solana was born on July 14, 1942 as Javier Solana de Madariaga in Madrid, Spain. On his maternal side, he is the grandson of famous Spanish diplomat/writer Salvador de Madariaga (1886-1978). Salvador de Madariaga at various times served as Spanish ambassador to the United States and as chief of the Disarmament Section of the League of Nations. He also had a teaching career at England's Oxford University. Salvador de Madariaga was admiringly said to be one of the ten best conversationalists in all of Europe in his day. His writing career ranged from books about Christopher Columbus to analyses of what he considered to be the growing Communist threat to Latin America. Solana's maternal grandmother, Constance Archibald de Madariaga, was born Scottish. Like her diplomat-writer husband, she was also a well known scholar. She was professionally and academically known as an economic historian.
Javier is the younger of the two sons of de Madariaga's daughter Nieves (1917-2003). Solana's mother, like her more famous father, was also a recognized scholar and writer. Her full name at the time of her death was Nieves Hayat de Madariaga Mathews. She was employed for upwards of 20 years by the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization), a United Nations agency headquartered in Rome. Her Yale University-published book on the life of Sir Francis Bacon was released in 1996. The 606 page volume is entitled, Francis Bacon: The History of a Character Assassination.[[3]] Interestingly, Nieves de Madariaga Mathews (Solana's mother) claimed in her acknowledgements that the book was suggested and blessed by "my teacher, Osho, who thought highly of Francis Bacon and gave the book his blessing." Osho is more commonly known in USA circles as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.[[4]] Rajneesh gained extensive notoriety in the USA in the 1980s for his alleged Oregon cult compound. He was deported from the USA for its claimed excesses. As well as Rajneesh, Solana's mother was equally deeply and publicly influenced by the works of Immanuel Velikovsky. She devoted much time to her pursuit of both Velikovsky and Sir Francis Bacon literacy and causes.
Javier Solana's only maternal aunt is Isabel de Madariaga, a professor emeritus of Slavonic Studies at the College of London. A brilliant and thorough scholar, she has published extensive historical works, most notably about Russian empress, Catherine the Great.
Javier Solana is the younger of Nieves de Madariaga Mathews' two sons. His older brother Luis Solana is a retired Spanish telephone company chief executive officer; he was the first known Socialist party member to join the Trilateral Commission. He was ardently opposed to the Spanish presidency of General Franco and was reportedly imprisoned for his political activity. Like his older brother, Javier Solana, is an active member of the Trilateral Commission. Although not eligible for membership as he is not an American citizen, Javier Solana is a frequent speaker and enjoys excellent relationships with members of the prestigious US based Council on Foreign Relations Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) He is likewise active with the Foreign Policy Association (FPA) as well as the New York city based East West Institute.
On Solana's paternal side, his grandfather was Don Ezequiel Solana de Ramirez. He was reportedly a revered educator and text book author who died in 1931. Luis and Javier's father was Don Ezequiel Solana's son Francisco Solana.
Education, Early Career, and Associations
Javier Solana's most personally listed affiliation apart from the Socialist party is the Spanish chapter of the Club of Rome. On a personal level, he has been said to "eat little and sleep less;" his is reportedly "a monk's diet of fish and fruit." Some accounts state that although he is active in global disarmament efforts, his favorite personal hobby is "collecting guns".
Professionally, apart from his political careers, Solana holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry (Received in Spain in 1963), a Master's Degree obtained in Great Britain, and a doctorate in physics; he is fond of saying that "in a previous incarnation I worked as a professor in solid-state physics." He received his doctorate in 1968 while studying at the University of Virginia under a Fulbright Scholarship in the United States. He taught and worked as a researcher at the University of Virginia between 1968 and 1971. Solana left the USA in 1971 to return to Spain with one of his teaching mentors. There he became employed by Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. Again, he was banished for political reasons, i.e. opposition to the Franco government. In 1975 his political nemesis, Generalissimo Francisco Franco died. Thereupon Solana, expelled in his youth for anti-Franco rebellion, gained a Complutense University professorship. That year, also, he involved himself in Spanish political life. As a representative of a teacher's union, he ran and won election as the Socialist candidate for the parliamentary seat he was to begin occupying in July 1977.
Solana has been a member of the Spanish socialist party PSOE since 1964. That was the year as well that he joined the "Socialist Youth." In 1976, he represented the Socialists at an internation Socialist Congress held in the French province of Suresnes. He participated in the same Congress held in 1977 in Spain. Solana was designated secretary of Information and Press of the Federal Executive Commission of the PSOE. He was also active in the Teacher's Union, the Federation of Workers of the Education of the General Union of Trabajadores (UGT). He was elected to the Spanish parliament as a representative of the Teacher's Union in 1977. He was continuously a member of the Spanish parliament and steadily advanced in the Ferdinand Gonzalez administration through various cabinet positions.
Between 1982 and 1995 he held powerful positions in the Spanish government including that of the Minister for Culture, Minister of Science and Education and lastly as Minister for Foreign Affairs (1992-1995). For most of those years he was also the official spokesman for the Spanish government. When it was Spain's turn to hold the rotating chairmanships/presidencies of the Council of the European Union and the Western European Union, Solana was designated by Spain to head those posts. Those dual posts would coincide in 1995.
On November 20th, 1995, during Spain's turn at the rotating six month presidency of the European Union, Javier Solana concluded a treaty between the European Union and Israel.[[5]] Although scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 1997, that treaty was not ratified and made effective between Israel and the EU until June 1, 2000.
Role in NATO
On November 30, 1995, Solana was appointed as NATO Secretary General. His election was a surprise to many, including 52 United States congressmen who telegraphically protested his appointment because of his alleged Marxism and open Castro sympathies. He had once been on the USA's own subversive list. He was best known, per the Spanish newspapers observing the scene, as one of Spain's most vocal and most prominent opponents of NATO. He had once written a pamphlet, "50 Reasons to say NO to NATO." Between 1995 and 1999, Solana was NATO Secretary General.
The Secretary General of NATO usually has a ministerial role, passing on instructions from the member nations' consensus to its military components, but during his 1995 to 1999 NATO tenure, Solana was given sole unusual powers to make military decisions over Yugoslavia. For example, on January 30, 1999, he was given sole power to make all further military decisions over NATO Balkan operations. This included the say so on whether or not bombings should occur. Madeline Albright, USA Secretary of State then said by way of explanation, "Solana has the power and has had it since January 30, 1999. We are speaking with one voice through Javier Solana.", and on March 21, 1999, USA President Bill Clinton told a national American television audience in regards to the forthcoming bombings: "I agree with Javier Solana's decision to do this." The order to commence bombing against Yugoslavian targets was subsequently given solely by Solana.
USA General Wesley Clark, who as head military officer of the NATO coalition reported to and took orders from Solana, reports in his book WAGING MODERN WAR that he once asked Solana the secret of his success. Solana reflected briefly and then answered, "First make no enemies. Then never ask a question to which you do not know or do not like the answer."
Despite his activity in world politics, most Americans are unfamiliar with Solana's name, the Barcelona Process, and certainly the extent of his growing powers which are becoming increasingly global in scope and influence.
Roles in the EU and the Western European Union
Solana's NATO term was to have expired in December, 1999; however, he left that job two months early, in October 1999, to take the newly created position of Office of the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (also more informally called "Señor PESC" ("Mr PESC", in Spanish media)- Post of European Security Commissioner). He was also given the title and responsibility of Secretary General of the European Union; this was for the purpose of giving continuity between the EU's 6 month rotating presidential administrations. These positions caused Solana to be generally described by the European press as "tsar of European military and foreign policy."
On November 20, 1999, Javier Solana was also selected by the ten-nation core of the Western European Union (WEU) to be its pending Secretary General, pending unification with the European Union. However, on June 5, 2000, the ten nation WEU in its Assembly Recommendation 666 noted that under its governing treaties, complete merger could not occur, and therefore they support a proposal to have the WEU Secretary General and CFSP High Representative (both Solana) preside over the PSC (Political Security Committee) and convene the council of the European Union in the event of an emergency. (Such an emergency was declared after the 3/11 (March 11, 2004) Madrid train bombings.)
This appointment came on the same day as major world leaders were gathering at deceased British author Sir Harold Acton's old Italian villa then and now owned by New York University's School of Law. The gathering was of the Third Way Movement. Solana was in attendance at the villa as were U.S. President and Mrs. Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Romano Prodi and many other distinguished transatlantic leaders.
Javier Solana presides over Europe's Political Security Committee (PSC). All seated on that committee hold ambassador rank in the EU and serve at the pleasure of Javier Solana. All foreign ambassadors of the European Union entity (as opposed to its individual countries) as well as all EU military personnel are ultimately accountable to the Council of the European Union through Javier Solana. The EU's hope is that the pending new European constitution will strengthen and extend this European federal type set of structures.
In December 2003, Solana published the European Security Strategy.
Javier Solana did most or even all of the spearheading and coordination of the Barcelona Conference, the launching pad of the 27 nation Barcelona Process expected to lead to a Mediterranean free trade zone by 2010. This conference was opened by him on November 27, 1995. He opened by declaring that it was auspicious that it began on the 900th anniversary of the calling of the first crusade by Pope Urban II, and commented "What a lot of intolerance and misunderstanding that led to." The conference concluded with the 27 nations signing the Barcelona Treaty.
Solana has also negotiated numerous "Treaties of Association" between the European Union and various Mideast countries. In his tenure with the European Union, Javier Solana has been relatively busy on the world stage negotiating various integration treaties with South American countries such as Bolivia and Colombia. He has also been a vital part of the Quartet for Peace in the Middle East along with Kofi Annan of the United Nations, a Russian representative, and a USA representative. He has been said to be a primary architect of "The Roadmap" itself issued by "The Quartet",
In November 2004, Solana assisted Britain, France, and Germany in negotiating a nuclear material enrichment freeze with the leadership of Iran. The EU through Solana stated it hoped to avoid another American-Iraqi style invasion through this and future negotiations. Reuters Others, particularly in the USA and England were more cynical about the motives. Rather than believe them altruistic, some British observers starting in the late 1990s stated that perhaps the EU's motives, engineered through Solana, were to dislodge the USA as a competing superpower in the coming 21st century struggle for increasingly scarce global resources. They pointed to the EU's own military buildup under the auspices of "peacekeeping" as perhaps a cover for planned future anti-USA efforts.
"Solania"
Solana claimed a pivotal role in unifying the remainder of the former Yugoslavian federation. Reportedly, he proposed accommodating the Montenegrine desires within the new loose union of Serbia and Montenegro (2003), instead of full independence of the parts. Solana claimed this was done to avoid a domino effect from Kosovo and Vojvodina independence demands. Local media sarcastically named the new country "Solania" after its claimed architect. Still other observers have pointed to this as a "Balkan reduction." They point out that Solana has obviously done by a combination of borrowed NATO military power and diplomacy what some historians say Hitler failed to do: reduce the Balkans. Some view this with apprehension in view of Jacques Santers' stated aims and recent calls by France to dislodge the United States as a competing superpower.
Future
Increasingly as of 2004, there is increased reliance on Javier Solana on the part of the EU and the WEU, which has noticeably strengthened his military and foreign power. On June 29, 2004 Javier Solana was selected by the Council of the European Union to be its first Foreign Minister under the new EU constitution. Until formal ratification of the constitution occurs (slated for 2006), Solana is de facto exercising the defined powers of that future office as well as its approximate 26 billion euros budget (formerly reserved for the Commissioner of External Affairs).
A sign of that is that Solana no longer travels with the EU rotating presidency and the Commissioner of External Affairs (Chris Patten) as the reigning EU "troika" -- since the vote of the Council of Ministers, Solana now speaks and travels as the sole voice rather than one of three voices.
This was dramatically illustrated by events in Israel on or about July 20 to 22nd (2004). Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declined to meet with Solana, saying that because of an EU vote against Israel at the UN that Israel would not work with the EU, notwithstanding despite its prominence on the Quartet for Peace in the Middle East. Solana stunned the world, Israel included, by replying that like it or not, both he and the EU were there to stay on the Israeli-Palestinian decision making processes. He is presently probably the major player in structuring a peace plan between Israel and Palestine, with Europe combined with other major players guaranteeing regional security for the time any treaty achieved is in force.
The Clinton White House once announced in a press conference that Javier Solana was the fulfillment of Henry Kissinger's long stated wish to have only one phone number to ring up for Europe.[[6]][[7]] Post June 29, 2004, many other sources were making the same observation -- that Kissinger (and anybody else) could ring up Europe by calling only Javier Solana.
Some Solana-watchers are noting his rise to power with growing fascination. They have said that three countries presently stand in the way of controlling the Foreign Minister seat as he says is necessary to have one effective voice speak for Europe. The three countries that presently appear to be taking preventive measures to block him are Germany, France, and England. While they have been and continue to be from time to time enthusiastic Solana supporters, it appears they are aligning to form a type of an "EU directorate." According to an article appearing in BBC News[8] although England's Tony Blair, France's Jacques Chirac; and Germany's Gerhard Schroeder had made unconvincing denials of an attempted EU power grab, that they were evidently trying to do just that. The apparent and even obvious purpose is to continue to control as much as possible EU foreign policy after the new constitution takes final effect. If Solana is to truly become the one voice speaking for Europe as he desires and plans for his full seat of Euro-power as the new EU Foreign Minister, as he projected he planned to do in a a more recent Der Spiegel article [9], realistically he would first have to find a way to curtail these EU governments and their present leaders' ambitions to properly fit his foreign policy agenda. Some observers note that this would entail a necessary and even potentially ugly power struggle if he is to assume the powers projected for the upcoming post. In doing so, some say that if he is successful in throwing off this potential trio of resistance then some say that almost in biblical terms he might be said to have "subdued" (i.e., won power struggles) against three of the ten countries projected to have weighted power in the forthcoming European Union under its new constitution, assuming the new already signed European Union constitution is timely ratified. Solana is obviously aware of these potential conflicts. He has of late publicly downplayed the potential powers of the office saying that even under the new constitution and the new Foreign Minister with all its projected powers, that such can only be exercised if there is complete unanimity among EU participants. Given Solana's talents in securing consensus but also bringing pressure to bear where necessary, it will be interesting to watch how Solana and/or his successors of this office crafted by him play out the role of the new EU Foreign Minister. Many foresee a power struggle which they believe Solana will win to determine whether or not one voice, or a trio, shall speak for Europe -- Javier Solana and/or his successor in office OR the France-Germany-Great Britain leadership presently appearing threatened by the potential powers of his forthcoming office.
On 21 January 2005 Solana invited Ukraine's president-elect Viktor Yushchenko to discuss the possibility of a future EU membership [10]. It is interesting to note that the report also stated the EU's Executive Commission stated just the past week it had no plans to consider Ukrainian enterence into the EU. Assuming there was not mere miscommunication, this is a possible indicator of just how powerful Javier Solana has become. It may portend that he has veto power over the Executive Commission itself. On the other hand, it may indicate that despite Solana's hopes that Europe will see fit to speak with one voice through him, that it is not happening as fast or fully as Solana may have liked.
Personality
As the anti-Franco activist in his youth and the anti-NATO activist in his 40s combined with his leadership of NATO in his 50s, Javier Solana has sometimes been called a "squarer of circles" (i.e. reconciler of opposites). Past illustrations of this (whether intentional or not) were his marriage to the daughter (Concepción Giménez) of a top Franco general and by his heading NATO in his fifties. He has also played an active role in the various Mideast peace processes at least between 1991 and the present time.
Javier Solana is married to Concepcion Giménez Solana, herself a teacher. They are the parents of two grown children: a son, Diego, and a daughter, Vega. Solana reportedly has never moved his immediate family - wife and children - to Brussels, his main residence since taking his NATO post in the late fall of 1995 and his European Union posts thereafter. He has admitted that his family life has suffered as a result of the schedules from his NATO post and EU jobs forward.