Willy Claes

Willy Claes
Claes in 2008
8th Secretary General of NATO
In office 17 October 1994 – 20 October 1995
Preceded by	Manfred Wörner Sergio Balanzino (acting)
Succeeded by	Sergio Balanzino (acting) Javier Solana
President of the Party of European Socialists
In office November 1992 – October 1994
Preceded by	Guy Spitaels
Succeeded by	Rudolf Scharping
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 7 March 1992 – 10 October 1994
Prime Minister	Jean-Luc Dehaene
Preceded by	Mark Eyskens
Succeeded by	Frank Vandenbroucke
Personal details
Born	(1938-11-24) 24 November 1938 (age 85) Hasselt, Belgium
Political party	Different Socialist Party
Alma mater	Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Willem Werner Hubert "Willy" Claes^[1] (Dutch: [ˈʋɪli klaːs]; born 24 November 1938) is a Belgian politician who served as the eighth Secretary General of NATO, from 1994 to 1995. Claes was forced to resign from his NATO position after he was found guilty of corruption, which was uncovered during the investigation into André Cools' death. Claes was a member of the Flemish Socialist Party.

Claes was born in Hasselt, Belgium. He graduated in political and diplomatic sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).