View source for Hans Blix

{{Short description|Swedish politician (born 1928)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Hans Blix
| image               = Hans Blix in 2015-2.jpg
| caption             = Blix during a debate about [[NATO]] in [[Stockholm]], 2015
| order               = 1st Executive Chairman of the [[United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission]]
| term_start          = 1 March 2000
| term_end            = 30 June 2003
| predecessor         = ''None''
| successor           = [[Dimitris Perrikos]]
| birth_name          = Hans Martin Blix
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1928|6|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place         = [[Uppsala]], Sweden
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Liberal People's Party (Sweden)|Liberal People's Party]]
| order2              = 3rd Director General of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]]
| term_start2         = 1981
| term_end2           = 1 December 1997
| predecessor2        = [[Sigvard Eklund]]
| successor2          = [[Mohamed ElBaradei]]
| order3              = [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)|Minister for Foreign Affairs]]
| primeminister3      = [[Ola Ullsten]]
| term_start3         = 18 October 1978
| term_end3           = 12 October 1979
| predecessor3        = [[Karin Söder]]
| successor3          = [[Ola Ullsten]]
| order4              = President, [[World Federation of United Nations Associations]]
| term_start4         = 2006
| term_end4           = 11 August 2009
| predecessor4        = [[Rhyl Jansen]]
| successor4          = [[Park Soo-gil]]
| parents             = [[Gunnar Blix]]<br>Hertha Wiberg
| spouse              = {{Marriage|Eva Kettis|1962}}
| monarch3            = [[Carl XVI Gustaf]]
}}

'''Hans Martin Blix''' ({{IPA|sv|hɑːns ˈblɪks|lang|Sv-Hans_Blix.ogg}}; born 28 June 1928) is a [[Sweden|Swedish]] diplomat and politician for the [[Liberal People's Party (Sweden)|Liberal People's Party]]. He was [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)|Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs]] (1978–1979) and later became the head of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]]. Blix was the first Western representative to inspect the consequences of the [[Chernobyl disaster]] in the [[Soviet Union]] on-site and led the agency's response to them. Blix was also the head of the [[United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission]] from March 2000 to June 2003, when he was succeeded by [[Dimitris Perrikos]]. In 2002, the commission began searching [[Iraq]] for [[weapons of mass destruction]], ultimately finding none. On 17 March 2003, U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] delivered an address from the White House announcing that within 48 hours, the [[United States]] would [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invade Iraq]] unless [[Saddam Hussein]] would leave. Bush then ordered all of the weapons inspectors, including Blix's team, to leave Iraq so that America and its allies could invade Iraq on 20 March. In February 2010, Blix became head of the [[United Arab Emirates]]' advisory board for its [[nuclear power]] program. He is the former president of the [[World Federation of United Nations Associations]].

==Life and career==
Blix was born in [[Uppsala]], Sweden. He is the son of professor [[Gunnar Blix]] and Hertha Wiberg, and grandson of professor [[Magnus Blix]]. He comes from a family of [[Jämtland|Jamtlandic]] origin. Blix studied at [[Uppsala University]] and [[Columbia University]], earning his PhD from the [[University of Cambridge]] ([[Trinity Hall, Cambridge|Trinity Hall]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.columbia.edu/media_inquiries/news_events/2002/friedmann_2002 |title=2002 Friedmann Award Given to Dr. Hans Blix – retrieved 21 March 2007 |access-date=21 March 2007 |archive-date=6 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906043416/http://www.law.columbia.edu/media_inquiries/news_events/2002/friedmann_2002 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1959, he earned a [[Juris Doctor]] in [[international law]] at [[Stockholm University]], where he was appointed associate professor in international law the next year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wmdcommission.org/sida.asp?ID=33 |title=Chairman of the Commission: Hans Blix, Sweden |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208140617/http://www.wmdcommission.org/sida.asp?ID=33|archive-date=2006-02-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hans Blix has two sons, Mårten and Göran, who both have doctoral degrees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lararnasnyheter.se/alfa/2009/10/29/portratt-hans-blix|title=Porträtt: Hans Blix|access-date=31 August 2016|archive-date=24 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924073116/http://www.lararnasnyheter.se/alfa/2009/10/29/portratt-hans-blix|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Between 1962 and 1978 Blix was a member of the Swedish delegation at the Disarmament Conference in Geneva. He held several other positions in the Swedish administration between 1963 and 1976, and from 1961 to 1981, he served on the Swedish delegation to the United Nations. From 1978 to 1979, Blix was the Swedish Foreign Minister.

Blix chaired the Swedish [[Liberal People's Party (Sweden)|Liberal Party]]'s campaign during the 1980 [[1980 Swedish nuclear power referendum|referendum]] on nuclear power, campaigning in favour of the retention of the Swedish nuclear energy program.

==Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (1981–1997)==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2024}}
Blix became Director General of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] between 1981 and 1997 after [[Sigvard Eklund]].

Blix personally made repeated inspection visits to the Iraqi nuclear reactor ''[[Osiraq]]'' before its attempted destruction by the [[Iran]]ians, in 1980, and its eventual destruction by the [[Israeli Air Force]] in 1981 during [[Operation Opera]]. Although most agreed that Iraq was years away from being able to build a [[nuclear weapon]], the Iranians and the Israelis felt any raid must occur well before nuclear fuel was loaded to prevent [[nuclear fallout]]. The attack was regarded as being in breach of the [[United Nations Charter]] (S/RES/487) and was widely condemned. Iraq was alternately praised and admonished by the IAEA for its cooperation and lack thereof. It was only after the first [[Gulf War]] that the full extent of Iraq's nuclear programs, which had switched from a [[plutonium]]-based weapon design to a highly [[enriched uranium]] design after the destruction of Osiraq, became known.

Another significant event during his time as head of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]] was the [[Chernobyl disaster]] on 26 April 1986, a [[nuclear accident]] rated at the highest level 7 on the IAEA's [[International Nuclear Event Scale]].

==Iraq disarmament crisis (2002–2003)==
During the [[Iraq disarmament crisis]] before the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], Blix was called back from retirement by UN Secretary-General [[Kofi Annan]] to lead the [[United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission]] in charge of monitoring Iraq. Kofi Annan originally recommended [[Rolf Ekéus]], who worked with UNSCOM in the past, but [[Russia]] and France vetoed his appointment. <!--"Called back from retirement" is mentioned in "Disarming Iraq"; should check for more details. Much has to be written about the work done in Iraq. "Disarming Iraq" is a good reference -->

Blix personally admonished Saddam for "cat and mouse" games<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1413384/Dont-mess-with-us-UN-warns-Saddam.html |title=Don't mess with us, UN warns Saddam |first=Marcus |last=Warren |date=16 November 2002 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=2012-05-09 |location=London}}</ref> and warned Iraq of "serious consequences" if it attempted to hinder or delay his mission.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2485209.stm | work=[[BBC News]] | title=Blix warns Iraq over inspections | date=17 November 2002}}</ref>

In his report to the [[UN Security Council]] on 14 February 2003, Blix claimed that "so far, [[United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission|UNMOVIC]] has not found any such weapons [of mass destruction], only a small number of empty chemical munitions."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/Iraq/Story/0,,895882,00.html | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Full text: Hans Blix's briefing to the UN security council | date=14 February 2003}}</ref>

In 2004 Blix stated that "there were about 700 inspections, and in no case did we find weapons of mass destruction."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/03/18_blix.shtml | work=UC Berkeley News| title=Blix: There were about 700 inspections, and in no case did we find weapons of mass destruction | date=18 March 2004}}</ref>

Blix's statements about the [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|Iraq WMD program]] contradicted the claims of the [[George W. Bush administration]]<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/DOC_0005479946.pdf |title=Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs - Archived copy |access-date=2013-03-21 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824053559/https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd/Iraq_Oct_2002.pdf |archive-date=24 August 2006 }}</ref> and attracted a great deal of criticism from supporters of the invasion of Iraq. In an interview on [[BBC 1]] on 8 February 2004, Blix accused the US and British governments of dramatizing the threat of [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction in Iraq]] to strengthen the case for the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 war]] against the government of [[Saddam Hussein]]. Ultimately, Blix was largely vindicated; the invasion failed to turn up any active WMD programs.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2024-11-27|title=Iraq War 10 Years Later: Where Are They Now? Hans Blix (U.N. weapons inspector)|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iraq-war-10-years-later-where-are-they-now-hans-flna1c8956460|date=19 March 2013|website=NBC News}}</ref>

In an interview with ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper, Blix said, "I have my detractors in Washington. There are bastards who spread things around, of course, who planted nasty things in the media."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/jun/11/iraq.usa | work=The Guardian| title=Blix: I was smeared by the Pentagon | date=11 June 2003}}</ref>

In 2004, Blix published a book, ''Disarming Iraq'', where he gives his account of the events and inspections before the coalition began its invasion.

===CIA investigation===
Senior American officials ordered the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) to investigate Blix to gather "sufficient ammunition to undermine" him so that the US could start the invasion of Iraq. The American officials were upset that the CIA did not uncover such information.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/04/15/skirmish-on-iraq-inspections/1223f8bd-2129-4a05-b5e4-f1c5ca1c6582/|title=Skirmish on Iraq Inspections|last=Pincus|first=Walter|newspaper =[[Washington Post]]|date=April 15, 2002}}</ref><ref>[http://www.accuracy.org/release/668-chemical-weapons-agency-coup/ The Institute for Public Accuracy, 24 April 2002, "Chemical Weapons Agency 'Coup'"?]</ref>

Blix said he suspected his home and office were bugged by the United States while he led teams searching for Saddam Hussein's supposed weapons of mass destruction.<ref name="bug">{{cite news | title=Blix suspected U.S. spied on him | url =http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/02/28/un.britain/index.html | publisher =[[CNN]] | access-date = 2007-09-20 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080407085915/http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/02/28/un.britain/index.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 7 April 2008}}</ref> Although these suspicions were never directly substantiated, evidence of a request for bugging of UN Security Council representatives around the time the US was seeking approval from the council came to light after a British government translator leaked a document "allegedly from an American National Security Agency" requesting that British intelligence put wiretaps on delegates to the UN Security Council.<ref>{{cite news | title= Iraq war 'spy memo case' collapses | date= 25 February 2004| url =http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/25/uk.gchq/index.html | publisher =[[CNN]] | access-date = 2008-04-21 }}</ref>

==Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission==
Since 2003 Blix has been chairman of the [[Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission]] (WMDC), an independent body funded by the Swedish government and based in Stockholm.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wmdcommission.org/ |title=www.wmdcommission.org - Active ISP |access-date=4 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040428100000/http://www.wmdcommission.org/ |archive-date=28 April 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In December 2006, the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission said in a report that [[Pakistan]]'s nuclear scientist [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]] could not have acted alone when passing on nuclear data and designs "without the awareness of the Pakistan government."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305023021/http://archive.deccanherald.com/Deccanherald/dec82006/foreign2156302006127.asp "A Q Khan did not act alone says Hans Blix team"]. ''[[Deccan Herald]]''. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 29 December 2014.</ref>

==President of WFUNA==
In 2006 Hans Blix was elected president of the [[World Federation of United Nations Associations]] at its 38th Plenary Assembly.

==Humanitarian initiatives==
In 2009 Blix joined the project ''Soldiers of Peace'', an [[anti-war film]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soldiersofpeacemovie.com/about/the-cast/16/dr-hans-blix/ |title=Hans Blix&nbsp;— The Cast&nbsp;— Soldiers of Peace |publisher=Soldiersofpeacemovie.com |access-date=2009-10-18 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808104822/http://www.soldiersofpeacemovie.com/about/the-cast/16/dr-hans-blix/ |archive-date=8 August 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.soldatidipace.blogspot.com/ |title=Soldati di Pace (Soldiers of Peace) |publisher=Soldatidipace.blogspot.com |date=18 October 2009 |access-date=2009-10-18}}</ref>

==Head of Advisory Board for United Arab Emirates Nuclear Program ==
Blix chairs a panel of advisors who oversee the establishment of the UAE's Dh150 billion [[Nuclear power in the United Arab Emirates|atomic energy programme]]. He leads the nine-person board,<ref name="Utilities Middle East">{{cite web | url=https://www.utilities-me.com/article-391-hans-blix-heads-uaes-nuclear-advisory-group | title=Hans Blix heads UAE's nuclear advisory group | publisher=Utilities Middle East | date=23 February 2010 | access-date=26 November 2019 | author=Baxter, Elsa }}</ref> which meets twice a year.<ref name="NTI 2010">{{cite web | url=https://www.nti.org/gsn/article/blix-to-advise-united-arab-emirates-on-nuclear-program/ | title=Blix to Advise United Arab Emirates on Nuclear Program | publisher=[[NTI]] | date=22 February 2010 | access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> The International Advisory Board (IAB) oversees the progress of the nation's nuclear energy plan and issues reports on potential improvements to the scheme.<ref name="National 2011">{{cite web | url=https://www.thenational.ae/business/uae-s-nuclear-power-programme-on-track-1.421481 | title=UAE's nuclear power programme on track | work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]|location=Abu Dhabi | date=8 February 2011 | access-date=26 November 2019 | author=Yee, April }}</ref>

==Awards and honours==

===Awards===
*[[File:Seraphimerorden ribbon.svg|50px]] {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[H. M. The King's Medal]], 12th size gold (silver-gilt) medal worn around the neck on the Order of the Seraphim ribbon (1998)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kungahuset.se/sveriges-monarki/ordnar-och-medaljer/sok-medaljforlaningar?medaljar=1998&medaljtyp=0&medaljnamn=Blix#! |publisher=[[Royal Court of Sweden]] |title=Medaljförläningar |access-date=5 September 2024 |language=sv}}</ref>
*[[File:For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm ribbon.png|50px]] {{flagicon|Sweden}} ''[[Illis quorum]]'' (2018)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-28 |title=Hans Blix tilldelas medaljen Illis quorum meruere labores |url=https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2018/06/hans-blix-tilldelas-medaljen-illis-quorum-meruere-labores/ |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=Regeringskansliet |language=sv}}</ref>
*[[File:AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 2nd Class BAR.svg|50px]] {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria|Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria]] (1997)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXIV/AB/10542/imfname_251156.pdf |publisher=[[Austrian Parliament]] |title=Anfragebeantwortung |trans-title=Response to inquiries |id=10542/AB XXIV. GP |page=1130 |date=23 April 2012 |access-date=6 September 2024 |language=de}}</ref>
*[[File:Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon.svg|50px]] {{flagicon|France}} Commander of the [[Legion of Honour]] (2004)
* {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Seraphim Medal]] (2004)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kungahuset.se/sveriges-monarki/ordnar-och-medaljer/sok-medaljforlaningar?medaljar=2004&medaljtyp=0&medaljnamn=Blix#! |publisher=[[Royal Court of Sweden]] |title=Medaljförläningar |access-date=6 September 2024 |language=sv}}</ref>
* Recipient of the [[Henry DeWolf Smyth]] Nuclear Statesman Award (1988)
* Gold Medal for distinguished service in the field of nuclear affairs by the Uranium Institute (now [[World Nuclear Association]]) (1997)
* [[Otto Hahn Prize|Otto Hahn Prize of the City of Frankfurt/Main]] (1998)
* Awarded the ''Golden Doves for Peace'' Journalistic prize issued by the Italian Research Institute Archivio Disarmo (2004)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.archiviodisarmo.it/images/pdf/list.pdf | title=THE JOURNALISM PRIZE 'Archivio Disarmo Golden Doves for Peace' | publisher=IRIAD | access-date=26 November 2019 | archive-date=22 April 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422180003/https://www.archiviodisarmo.it/images/pdf/list.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Sydney Peace Prize]] (2007)<ref name="sydney">{{cite news | title=Nuke-hunter Blix awarded Sydney Peace Prize | date=21 May 2007 | url =http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1928488.htm | work =ABC News Online }}</ref>
* Awarded the [[Fulbright Prize]] (2014)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fulbright.org/fulbright-prize/|title=Fulbright Prize|publisher=[[Fulbright Association]]|date=15 May 2014|access-date=18 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325151516/http://fulbright.org/fulbright-prize/|archive-date=25 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Honours===
* Doctorate ''[[Honoris causa]]'' of the [[University of Moscow]] in 1987.
* Honorary membership in the [[Cambridge Union Society]].
* Doctorate ''Honoris causa'' of the [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] in 2003.
* Doctorate ''Honoris causa'' of the [[University of Padova]] in 2004.
* Doctorate ''Honoris causa'' of the [[University of Cambridge]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2006-07/weekly/6080/20.html|title=Reporter 11/07/07}}</ref>
* Elected as Honorary President of the [[World Federation of United Nations Associations]] in 2009. Elected as President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations in Buenos Aires in 2006 and served until 2009.

==In media==
*Blix appeared in the documentaries ''[[The World According to Bush]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416043/|title=The World According to Bush|date=27 May 2004|publisher=IMDb}}</ref> and ''Europe & USA: Behind the Scenes of a Political Rupture''.<ref>{{IMDb title|id=406749|title=Europe & USA: Behind the Scenes of a Political Rupture (2004)}}</ref>
*A [[marionette]] version of Blix appears in ''[[Team America: World Police]]''. In the film, Blix demands to inspect [[Kim Jong-il]]'s palace; Kim's response is to feed Blix to a shark.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/11/ten-years-since-team-america/382328/ | title=The America of 'Team America,' a Decade Later | website=[[The Atlantic]] | date=4 November 2014 }}</ref>
*Blix is the unnamed main character in the Swedish novel ''The Diplomat'' (Diplomaten 2009) by [[Alexander Ahndoril]] published by [[Albert Bonnier]] publishing house.

==Bibliography==
* ''Disarming Iraq: The Search for Weapons of Mass Destruction''. Hans Blix, Pantheon (9 March 2004). {{ISBN|0-375-42302-8}}.
* ''Why Nuclear Disarmament Matters''. Hans Blix, The MIT Press (30 April 2008). {{ISBN|0-262-02644-9}}.

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=35em}}
* [[International Conference on Nuclear Disarmament]]
* [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction]]
* [[Iraq disarmament crisis]]
* [[Hans Corell]]
* [[Operation Rockingham]]
* [[Dag Hammarskjöld]] 
* [[Mohamed ElBaradei]]
* [[V. R. Raghavan]], Commissioner on the Independent Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060208140617/http://www.wmdcommission.org/sida.asp?ID=33 WMD Commission Biography]
*[http://www.maximsnews.com/biohansblix.htm UN Maxims Biography]
*[https://www.un.org/Depts/unmovic/ExecChair/ExeChBi.htm United Nations Biography]
*[https://www.theguardian.com/profile/hans-blix Hans Blix] column archives at ''[[The Guardian]]''
*{{C-SPAN}}

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{{succession box|before=[[Karin Söder]]|title=[[Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs]]|years=1978–1979|after=[[Ola Ullsten]]}}
{{succession box|before=[[Sigvard Eklund]]|title=[[International Atomic Energy Agency|Director General of the IAEA]]|years=1981–1997|after=[[Mohamed ElBaradei]]}}
{{succession box|before='' '''None''' ''|title=[[United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission|Executive Chairman of the UNMOVIC]]|years=2000–2003|after=[[Demetrius Perricos]]}}
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{{Footer Sydney Peace Prize laureates}}
{{Footer Olof Palme Prize laureates}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blix, Hans}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Liberals (Sweden) politicians]]
[[Category:Ministers for foreign affairs of Sweden]]
[[Category:Directors general of the International Atomic Energy Agency]]
[[Category:Olof Palme Prize laureates]]
[[Category:Uppsala University alumni]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity Hall, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Swedish expatriates in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Swedish expatriates in Austria]]
[[Category:Politicians from Uppsala]]
[[Category:World Federation of United Nations Associations]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 3rd class]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Illis quorum]]