NATO HQ 4 June 1999

Statement by the Secretary General of NATO, Dr. Javier Solana I am honoured by the decision taken by the European Union leaders to designate me as the first Secretary General of the EU Council of Ministers and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the Union. I am honoured by the confidence shown by the fifteen Heads of State and Government of the EU nations in appointing me to this new and challenging job. As I have repeated several times, at this very moment my unique concern to which I am dedicating all my energy is to bring to an end the crisis in Kosovo. To this goal I will continue to work, with the hope that the recent encouraging developments will lead us soon to a peaceful outcome to the crisis and a safe return of refugees to their homes in Kosovo. Etre le premier reprsentant pour la Politique Extrieure et de Scurit Commune est aussi un dfi. Pas seulement personnel mais collectif pour l'Europe. Mes convictions de toujours, mes fonctions prsentes, m'ont rendu vigilant la ncessit de construire la paix et de garantir la scurit en Europe. L'exemple du Kosovo aujourd'hui, o l'OTAN mne un combat pour le droit, la justice et la paix, nous prouve que dans le domaine de la scurit, des progrs restent encore faire sur notre continent. Ce matin, j'ai inform le Conseil de l'Atlantique Nord de ma nomination. J'en ai profit pour remercier les Reprsentants Permanents du soutien qu'ils m'ont toujours apport.