Washington, DC – Foreign Policy for America is saddened by the news of the passing of former Secretary of State George Shultz. A forward-thinking leader renowned for his professionalism and decency, Secretary Shultz served as America’s top diplomat from 1982-1989 and helped bring about the end of the Cold War.
Secretary Shultz was an ardent believer in the power of American diplomacy. As Secretary of State, he encouraged President Reagan to establish ties with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. He later led the negotiations with Russia leading to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. He successfully pushed the Palestine Liberation Organization to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist, setting the stage for future U.S. diplomacy in pursuit of a two-state solution to the conflict.
In recent years, Secretary Shultz advocated for ending the U.S. reliance on nuclear weapons and for ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Together with William Perry, Henry Kissinger, and Sam Nunn, he established the Nuclear Threat Initiative to advance that agenda. He called for ending the embargo against Cuba and renewing U.S.-Cuba diplomatic ties. He championed U.S. leadership in combating climate change, including advocating for a domestic carbon tax.
A leading Republican statesman, he is one of only two American leaders to have served in four different cabinet posts. In January 1989, he was awarded the United States’ highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom.
“George Shultz will long be regarded as one of America’s best Secretaries of State,” said Foreign Policy for America Chairman Lionel Johnson. “At the height of the Cold War, he forged a foreign policy of peace through strength. His commitment to principled diplomacy, and to the men and women of the Department of State, is unparalleled. We have today lost a true patriot, and I a dear mentor and friend.”
FP4A sends our condolences and sympathies to the Shultz family, and all those who had the privilege of working with him.
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