Hans BLIX

Sweden politician and diplomat. IAEA Director General from 1981 to 1997, Dr. Blix guided the Agency through the Chernobyl disaster, revelations of a clandestine nuclear weapons programme in Iraq and the DPRK's safeguards violations. Under his direction, the framework for strengthened safeguards was established, and the international legal regime for nuclear energy was bolstered. After the termination of his fourth term, Dr. Blix was appointed Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) for Iraq by the UN Secretary-General in January 2000. He left the post at the end of June 2003, with the expiry of his third contract.

From 1978 to 1979 Dr. Blix served in capacity of the Foreign Minister of Sweden. After leaving the post he was the leader of the Liberal Campaign Committee in connection with the referendum on the Swedish nuclear energy program in 1980.  

In 1961–1981 he was a member of Sweden's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, and he has represented Sweden at numerous international conferences including the Geneva Disarmament Conference (1962–1978).

He studied at the University of Uppsala; Columbia University, where he was also a research graduate; and at Cambridge University, where he received his Ph.D (1958). He became Doctor of Laws at the Stockholm University in 1959. Dr. Blix has several honorary doctorates and is a recipient of a number of decorations and awards, including Doctorate Honoris causa of the Lomonosov Moscow State University (1987) and Doctorate Honoris causa of the University of Cambridge (2007).