SG/A/873
BIO/3570
19 May 2004
Biographical Note
Secretary-General Appoints Javier Ruperez of Spain as Executive Director of Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate
NEW YORK, 18 May (UN Headquarters) -- Following consultations with the Security Council, the Secretary-General announced the appointment of Javier Rupérez as Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate at the Assistant Secretary-General level. The Security Council, by its resolution 1535, established the post.
Prior to his appointment as Executive Director of the Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate, Mr. Rupérez served as Ambassador of Spain to Washington (2000 to 2004). He held a number of postings in the diplomatic service of his country, including in Ethiopia and Poland. He was Spanish Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE -- later OSCE).
Mr. Rupérez also served as ambassador of Spain to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). From 1976 to 1977, he served as Chef de Cabinet to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Rupérez has a longstanding parliamentary experience, having been deputy and senator in the Spanish Parliament from 1979 to 2000. He has been a protagonist of the so-called “parliamentary diplomacy”, having been part of Spain’s first delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He has been a member of the Spanish delegation to the General Assembly on several occasions, both as a diplomat and a parliamentarian. He has participated in the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and NATO, and presided over the Assemblies of both Organizations.
Mr. Rupérez has published a number of articles and books on issues ranging from the freedom of religion and conscience to historical accounts of the work relating to the Helsinki Conference. He has published a memoir of his experience as a hostage in 1979 of the terrorist group ETA.
Mr. Rupérez holds degrees in law and journalism.
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