Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index George Robertson, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen (born 12 April 1946) is the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a position he has held since October 1999. Born in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Scotland, he was six times elected to the United Kingdom House of Commons, was Chairman of the Labour Party in Scotland, and was appointed to the Privy Council. He has won numerous awards. He was educated at the University of Dundee, graduating in 1968 with an MA (honours) in Economics. He is currently married with three children. When he took the position of NATO Secertary General, he succeeded Javier Solana. Table of contents 1 Career 2 Other former or present posts 3 Awards 4 Reference Career 1968 - 1978 Official of the General, Municipal and Boilermakers' Union for the Scottish whisky industry. 1978 - 1999 Member of the United Kingdom House of Commons, member for Hamilton or Hamilton South, elected six times. 1979 Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Social Services. 1979 - ? Opposition Spokesman on Scottish Affairs. ? - ? Opposition Spokesman on Defence. 1982 - 1993 Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs. 1983 - ? Chief Opposition Spokesman on Europe. 1993 - 1997 Principle Opposition Spokesman on Scotland. May 1997 Appointed to the Privy Council 1997 - October 1999 Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom August 1999 selected as 10th Secretary General of NATO and Chairman of the North Atlantic Council, taking office in October 1999. Other former or present posts Chairman of the Labour Party in Scotland Vice-chairman of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy Vice-Chairman of the British Council for nine years Vice-Chairman of the Britain/Russia Centre Member of the Council of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) seven years, now President Governor of the Ditchley Foundation Trustee of the 21st Century Trust Awards August 24, 1999 received a life peerage, taking the title Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. 1991 Grand Cross of the German Order of Merit 2000 Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania September 8, 2003 Ridder Grootkruis in de Orde van Oranje Nassau (Knight Great Cross in the Order of Orange Nassau). 1993 joint Parliamentarian of the Year for his role in the Maastricht Treaty ratification Honorary Regimental Colonel of the London Scottish (Volunteers) Honorary Doctorate from the University of Dundee Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bradford Honorary Doctorate from Cranfield University (Royal Military College of Science) Honorary Doctorate from the Baku State University, Azerbaijan Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) Elder Brother of Trinity House. United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, received November 12, 2003 Reference NATO Secretary General The Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, NATO, updated January 22, 2003, [1] This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.