NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SPAIN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Press Release
BIO/3022

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SPAIN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Carlos Westendorp, the new Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

Mr. Westendorp was the Foreign Minister of Spain from 19 December 1995 through 5 May. He began his career in 1964, when he joined the Spanish foreign service as a career diplomat. Since 1970, he has been involved in the European Community and European Union affairs, in various capacities within the Spanish Administration. In 1981, he was appointed Director-General of the Cabinet of the Minister for Relations with the European Communities.

In October 1982, Mr. Westendorp became Secretary-General in the State Secretariat for the European Communities, where he was a member of the task force which negotiated Spain's treaty of accession to the Communities.

In January 1986, he was appointed Spain's Permanent Representative to the European Communities and in March 1991 was appointed Secretary of State for the Communities. In March 1995, he became Chairman of the Reflection Group of the European Union on the revision of the Treaty of the Union.

Mr. Westendorp obtained a law degree from the Complutense University, Madrid, in 1959. Born in Madrid on 7 January 1937, he is married and has three children.

* *** *