Francisco Javier Conde de Saro

Conde de Saro was born in Madrid. He graduated in law and joined the diplomatic career in 1971.^[1]

In August 1976 he was appointed deputy director-general for international fisheries relations at the Ministry of Trade.^[2] He was dismissed at the end of 1977.^[3] He subsequently served as advisor to the minister of transport and communications and has been posted to the Spanish diplomatic missions in Morocco and Argentina.^[1]

In 1986, already in the central services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was appointed director-general for European Legal and Institutional Coordination^[4] and, in 1990, chief of staff to the Secretary of State for the European Communities,^[5] at that time the socialist Pedro Solbes. Eight months later, he received his first head of mission, being appointed Spanish ambassador to Algeria.^[6]

After almost four years in the Arab country, he was called to Madrid to take over the position of Secretary-General for the European Communities,^[7] receiving at this time the Grand Cross of Naval Merit, with White Decoration.^[8] He held this position until the change of government in May 1996, when he was appointed ambassador permanent representative of Spain to the North Atlantic Council (NATO)^[9] and he rewarded for his services with the Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit, with White Decoration.^[10]

Between 2000 and 2002 he represented Spanish interests before the European Union,^[11] being decorated after his dismissal with the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.^[12]

He was immediately sent to Tokyo to replace diplomat Juan Bautista Leña Casas as head of the embassy^[13] and in 2006 he was entrusted with the task of directing the State Society for International Exhibitions, a state-owned enterprise. From this position he coordinated the Spanish presence in various important events such as the Expo 2008 —for which he was named honorary ambassador of the city of Zaragoza^[14]— or the Expo 2010, not being able to enjoy the latter since he was dismissed weeks before its inauguration.^[15]