[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 195 (Friday, December 8, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S18303-S18304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           JAVIER SOLANA--THE NEXT SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I had the privilege several days ago of 
meeting with the Foreign Minister of Spain, Javier Solana, who has 
recently been appointed the new Secretary General of NATO.
  I happen to believe, Mr. President, that this is a very fine choice, 
a superb choice, one that I think should strengthen NATO and the 
political leadership of NATO in the months to come, particularly at a 
critical time when the issue of Bosnia and NATO's role there is going 
to be so very, very important.
  I know that most Americans are probably not familiar with Mr. Solana 
as a foreign minister of Spain. There has been some criticism raised 
about this choice over Mr. Solana's opposition some 15 years ago to 
Spain's participation in NATO. As a result of his statements then, 
there have been those who have criticized his choice to head that 
organization.
  I thought it might be worthwhile to share something of Mr. Solana's 
background and involvement when Spain was making the decision about 
NATO membership. I also think it would be informative for people to 
know about the critical role he has played in the Spanish Government 
over many years.
  Finally, I believe my colleagues will be surprised to know of the 
deep sense of affection that Mr. Solana holds for our country, knowing 
it as well as he does. I say that because Mr. Solana is a physicist, by 
academic training. He, of course, received his undergraduate degree 
from the University of Madrid, and his Ph.D. from the University of 
Virginia, while a Fulbright scholar. He taught physics at the 
University of Chicago in this country before beginning any kind of a 
political career. He has published more than 30 books on the subject of 
physics.
  Having spent such a great deal of time in our country and receiving a 
good part of his education here, I know firsthand that he has a deep 
appreciation for our Nation, a great love for America and for 
Americans.
  The breadth of Mr. Solana's government experience is also broad and 
varied. He has served in one capacity or another in every Spanish 
Government since 1982, in addition to maintaining a strong involvement 
in his chosen profession of physics. We are talking about someone of 
deep, long experience. He first served as the Culture Minister and 
simultaneously held the portfolio of Government spokesman in the early 
1980s. In 1988, he became the Government's Minister of Education and 
served in that capacity until he was named Foreign Minister in 1992.
  Mr. President, I am deeply disturbed that some of Mr. Solana's 
critics go back 15 or more years to talk about Mr. Solana's initial 
opposition to NATO, without bothering to discuss the historical context 
of Spain's participation in NATO.
  At that time, Spain was emerging from a military dictatorship that 
they had been under for many years. Mr. Solana felt participation in 
NATO at that particular moment was probably not the wisest course to 
follow. What is important is what happens after that. The critics fail 
to disclose--as appropriate as it is to point out Mr. Solana's initial 
opposition--that it was also through his efforts several years 
thereafter, that a convincing case was presented to the Spanish people, 
on the wisdom of Spain's participating in NATO.
  If Mr. Solana is going to be criticized for his opposition to Spain 
joining NATO in the first instance, I think it is also appropriate that 
his involvement in convincing the Spanish people about the wisdom of 
NATO membership be mentioned as well. Certainly, he played a pivotal 
role in that.
  He has been described by his colleagues in the foreign affairs field 
as an ``expert'' and a ``pragmatic negotiator,'' who has always adopted 
a very commonsense approach to diplomacy. Dr. Solana has remained 
untouched by recent allegations that have been lodged against certain 
Government officials, both with respect to corruption and to the so-
called dirty war, alleged to have been conducted against the Basque 
rebels.
  I believe, Mr. President, we should be extending our appreciation for 
Dr. Solana's willingness to accept the challenge of assuming the 
position of the Secretary General of NATO at this very critical 
juncture in that organization's history. I, for one, think he is the 
right man for the job. I applaud NATO members for the decision to 
appoint him.
  Mr. President, at this point, I ask unanimous consent that a 
statement given by Secretary of State Warren Christopher in support of 
Dr. Solana's appointment and a brief biography be printed in the Record 
at the conclusion of my remarks. 

[[Page S 18304]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. (See 
exhibit 1.)
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am confident that Dr. Solana is going to 
make a very fine Secretary General of NATO, at a time when we ought to 
be reaching out to new members, as Spain has been a relatively new 
member of NATO.
  I think this is a wise move, particularly with someone who has 
enjoyed broad-based support, and is a great friend of the United 
States, a person who knows our country very well.
  I had the privilege of being with him in Spain a week ago, and I had 
a chance to speak with him at some length. This is an individual, I 
think, most of our colleagues when they have an opportunity to meet 
him, will be deeply impressed and pleased with this choice.
  So, Mr. President, I commend the NATO members for choosing him at 
this critical hour, and I commend Secretary Christopher for his 
statement, along with President Clinton's statement in support of his 
nomination.

                               Exhibit 1

Statement by Secretary of State Warren Christopher on the Selection of 
                Javier Solana as NATO Secretary General

       I am very pleased that the North Atlantic Council has 
     unanimously selected Javier Solana of Spain as the next 
     Secretary General of NATO.
       Minister Solana has demonstrated time and again his 
     commitment to strengthening NATO as the core institution of 
     our transatlantic alliance. Spain's membership in NATO is due 
     in no small part to his efforts--efforts that were not at all 
     popular at the time. I feel confident that he has the 
     strength vision and leadership to guide NATO during this 
     crucial period as we seek to bring peace to Bosnia and to 
     pursue a measured path on NATO enlargement.
       Under Minister Solana's leadership, Spain has played a key 
     role in securing the peace in Bosnia. Through the darkest 
     days of that tragedy, Spanish soldiers served in the UN force 
     with distinction. Spanish airmen flew with our pilots. Now 
     Minister Solana will lead the effort to help bring peace to 
     that troubled region.
       More broadly, Minister Solana has been a leader in 
     promoting deeper ties between Europe and the United States. 
     Indeed, he and Prime Minister Gonzalez have made the 
     strengthening of our transatlantic relationship a priority of 
     Spain's EU Presidency. Their efforts were instrumental in 
     laying the foundation for greater cooperation between the 
     United States and the European Union that we hope to build 
     upon at the upcoming U.S.-EU Summit in Madrid.
       Minister Solana has also worked to bring Spain into the 
     community of European nations. It is fitting that he will 
     complete his term as Spanish Foreign Minister as President of 
     both the European Union and the Western European Union--two 
     institutions which continue a process of European integration 
     dating to the Marshall Plan.
       Minister Solana has strong ties to the United States. He 
     was a Fulbright scholar from 1966 to 1968 at the University 
     of Virginia, where he earned his Ph.D. in physics. He 
     returned to this country later as an instructor in physics at 
     the University of Chicago. He has kept up close ties to this 
     country, personal and official, through the intervening 
     years.
       I have known Minister Solana personally for many years and 
     have worked closely with him on a broad range of issues. I 
     have great confidence in his leadership and his vision, which 
     will serve the Alliance well in coming years. I congratulate 
     Minister Solana on his appointment, and I look forward to 
     working with him as we fulfill NATO's task of guarding peace 
     and stability throughout Europe.
                                                                    ____


                        Javier Solana Madariaga

       Minister of Education and Science (since July 1988).
       A US-trained physicist, Javier Solana has been a member of 
     the executive committee of the Spanish Socialist Workers 
     Party (PSOE) since 1976 and a Madrid deputy in the Cortes 
     (parliament) since 1977. Before assuming his current post, he 
     served concurrently as Minister of Culture and as Government 
     Spokesman.
       Solana was born on 14 July 1943. He joined the youth 
     organization of the PSOE in the mid-1960s. During his student 
     years he was detained several times by the police and fined 
     for unauthorized political activity. After receiving a degree 
     in physics from the University of Madrid, Solana attended the 
     University of Virginia studied and taught in Chicago, 
     Illinois, and in La Jolla, California. In the early 1970s he 
     became a professor at the University of Madrid.
       Solana speaks excellent English. His wife, the former 
     Concha Gimenez Diaz-Oyuelos, directs public relations for a 
     state-owned department store. The couple has two children. 
     Solana's brother, Luis heads the Spanish national television 
     network.
                                                                    ____

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________