Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

February 21, 1939

Isafjôrdur, North Western Iceland

He edited Frjáls þjóð (1964–1967) and Alþýðublaðið (1979–1982). Chairman of the Icelandic Social Democratic Party (1984–1996) Minister of Finance 1987–1988 Minister of Foreign Affairs 1988–1995 Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson led Iceland"s delegation while Iceland participated in forming the Later he served as a diplomat in the United States and Mexico from 1998 to 2002 and to Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from 2002 to 2005. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2004 to 2006.He recognized the Baltic States" independence in 1991, as the only western foreign minister to arrive on the scene in January 1991 when Gorbachev was at the brink of a military crack down. In January 1991, after the bloodshed in Vilnius, he started the process of reestablishing diplomatic connections between Lithuania and Iceland. Thus Iceland was the first state to take a conflict with the Soviet Union to support Baltic freedom. In recognition, the square in front of Estonian Foreign Ministry in Tallinn is named as "Iceland Square", and on the grounds of the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament) the rocks of the last barricades from January 1991 bear the inscription "To Iceland - They Dared When Others Remained Silent". He was also, purportedly, the first foreign minister in the world to recognize Croatia as a sovereign nation in 1991.

Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson

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Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

Background

HANNIBALSSON, Jon Baldvin was born on February 21, 1939 in Isafjôrdur, North Western Iceland. Parents: Hannibal Valdimarsson and Solveig Olafsddttir.

Education

Reykjavik Grammar School, 1958. University of Edinburgh, Scotland, Master of Arts, Economics, 1963. University of Stockholm, Sweden, post-graduate work.

Labour Market Economics, 1963-1964. University of Iceland, Diploma, Educational Studies, 1965. Harvard Center for European Studies.

USA, Fulbright Scholar, 1976-1977. Spoken languages: nordic languages, english.

Career

He edited Frjáls þjóð (1964–1967) and Alþýðublaðið (1979–1982). Chairman of the Icelandic Social Democratic Party (1984–1996)

Minister of Finance 1987–1988

Minister of Foreign Affairs 1988–1995

Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson led Iceland"s delegation while Iceland participated in forming the

Later he served as a diplomat in the United States and Mexico from 1998 to 2002 and to Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from 2002 to 2005. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2004 to 2006.He recognized the Baltic States" independence in 1991, as the only western foreign minister to arrive on the scene in January 1991 when Gorbachev was at the brink of a military crack down.

In January 1991, after the bloodshed in Vilnius, he started the process of reestablishing diplomatic connections between Lithuania and Iceland.

Thus Iceland was the first state to take a conflict with the Soviet Union to support Baltic freedom. In recognition, the square in front of Estonian Foreign Ministry in Tallinn is named as "Iceland Square", and on the grounds of the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament) the rocks of the last barricades from January 1991 bear the inscription "To Iceland - They Dared When Others Remained Silent".

He was also, purportedly, the first foreign minister in the world to recognize Croatia as a sovereign nation in 1991.

Achievements

Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson has been listed as a notable Icelandic ambassador, politician by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Deputy member Reykjavik City Council, 1966-1967. Chairman Union of High School and College Teachers, 1966-1968. Member Town Council of Isafjordur, 1971-1978 (chairman 1975-1976).

Member North Atlantic Council Ministers.

Society of economists.

Interests

Swimming; economic and foreign policy.

Connections

Spouse Bryndis Schram. Children: four.

Spouse:: Bryndis Schram

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