HELSINKI ( Associated Press) — Uffe Allemann-Jensen, who was Denmark’s foreign minister for more than 10 years in the early 1980s and considered one of the region’s leading politicians during the end of the Cold War, has died . He was 80 years old.
The Venstre party, headed by Allemann-Jensen from 1984–1998, indicated in a statement that the politician died “after a long illness.” He did not give details.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksson said in a press release that Allemann-Jensen, who was foreign minister from 1982 to 1993, was a “sharp statesman” and “great courage”.
“He represented our country during the Cold War,” Fredriksson said, emphasizing that Allemann-Jensen insisted that Denmark remains committed to NATO policies and strong ties between Europe and the United States. .
“At this time when the European continent is at war again, your voice in favor of a strong, secure and democratic Europe is clearer than ever,” he said.
Allemann-Jensen, born in 1941, came close to becoming prime minister in 1998, but his party lost the election. The bitter defeat prompted him to resign as the head of his party and leave politics.
In the late 1980s, when the Cold War was ending, he was in favor of the independence of the Baltic states and the then Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
He also managed to convince a majority in the Danish parliament to support the United States in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
His policies favoring the interests of Denmark, a country of 5.8 million inhabitants, came to be called the Allemann–Jensen principle, which constitutes the idea of promoting the ability of smaller countries to influence the world order.
In 1995, Allemann-Jensen was a candidate to become Secretary General of NATO. He gained the support of the United States, but France withheld his candidacy in favor of the Spanish candidate Javier Solana.
He is survived by wife Alice Westergaard, his four children and 10 grandchildren.
