Inocencio Arias

The new Consul General of Spain, Inocencio F. Arias, was recently Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations (1997 – 2004) and had served previously as Secretary of State (Deputy Minister) for International Cooperation and Iberoamerican Affairs (1991–93) and as Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1988–1991).

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (State Department), where he has worked for thirty-six years, Mr. Inocencio F. Arias has been Chief spokesman of the Minister on three occasions and for three different governments (1980-82/1985-88/1996-97), such as the Center Party (UCD), Socialist (PSOE), and the Partido Popular (PP).   Throughout his diplomatic career he has been posted in Bolivia, Algeria, Portugal and New York (U.N.).

In the private sector, Mr. Arias has been General Manager of the world-famous soccer club Real Madrid (1993-95).  He also has a vast academic experience, having been professor of International Relations at University Complutense (Madrid) and at University Carlos III (Madrid), where he still teaches.  Mr. Inocencio F. Arias is the author of several publications, papers and contributions, primarily political issues and international relations, as well as the theatre, cinema, and sports).  He has also worked as radio commentator (Radio Nacional de España) on foreign policy issues, and he has frequently appeared on similar television programs.  He has had eight appearances, in a variety of characters, in feature films.

He has actively participated in numerous international conferences: Earth Summit (Río de Janeiro, 1991); European Councils (1986, 87, 88, 96); NATO Summit (Madrid, 1997); Middle East Summit (Madrid, 1991); Movement of Non-Aligned Countries Summit (Jakarta, 1992; Cartagena, 1998); Iberoamerican Summits (Mexico, 1991; Madrid, 1992; Bahia, 1993; Santiago Chile, 1996).  He has been a member of the Spanish Delegation of the 36th, 37th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, and 54th sessions of the General Assembly.

He has been awarded more than thirty Spanish and foreign decorations (Grandes Cruces of Chile, Great Britain, Colombia, etc.).

Inocencio F. Arias was born in Albox, Spain, on April 20th, 1940.  He holds a degree in Law and joined the diplomatic service in 1967.  He is married and has three children.