Circular letter re Bruce George (UK)

INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT · SECRÉTARIAT INTERNATIONAL
Place du Petit Sablon 3
B-1000 Brussels
T. +32 2 504 81 55
E. secgen@nato-pa.int
www.nato-pa.int
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
LA SECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉRALE
056 CIR 20 E 3 March 2020
TO SECRETARIES OF DELEGATION FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL MEMBERS
Dear Member,
I am profoundly saddened to inform you that former NATO PA Vice-President Bruce George
of the United Kingdom passed away on Monday 24 February after a long illness.
Bruce was a member of the House of Commons for 36 years, and joined the Assembly in
1982. As a Rapporteur and Chairman of the Political Committee in the years preceding and
immediately following the end of the Cold War, he was one of the leading figures who steered
the Assembly through these transformative years. He wrote about this period and the
Assembly’s pioneering role in opening dialogue with parliaments from the former Warsaw Pact
countries in the commemorative book published on the occasion of the Assembly’s 50th
anniversary in 2005, which can be found here: https://nato-pa.int/document/nato-
parliamentary-assembly-1955-2005-0
A deeply committed Atlanticist, Bruce led the UK delegation from 2005 to 2010. He was elected
Vice-President of the Assembly in 2007. During his tenure on the Bureau, he helped shape
the Assembly’s response to the Georgia-Russia war, advocating for a firm response to
Russia’s actions and clear support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. In 2011, he was
awarded the Medal of Honour by the President of Georgia in recognition of his contribution to
the country’s democratisation.
Bruce George left the UK Parliament in 2010. He re-joined his former Assembly colleagues for
the memorable evening reception held in the Central Lobby of the UK Parliament in London
on the occasion of the spring meeting of the Standing Committee in March 2015, and again
for the special meeting commemorating the Assembly’s 60th
anniversary in Paris in July 2015.
Bruce was an academic – by training and at heart – and author of several books on defence
and transatlantic relations. He also served as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
in 2002 to 2004. In both the NATO PA and the OSCE PA, he participated in and led multiple
election monitoring missions – a way for him to highlight the important role of parliamentarians
in upholding democratic values and assisting countries in transition.
His long-standing friends in the Assembly will remember his remarkable oratory skills, warm
personality, optimism and sense of humour.
The Assembly is indebted to Bruce for the unique contributions that he made to the Assembly,
particularly during key turning points in its history.
NATO''s Parlamentariske Forsamling 2019-20
NPA Alm.del - Bilag 18
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INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT · SECRÉTARIAT INTERNATIONAL
Place du Petit Sablon 3
B-1000 Brussels
T. +32 2 504 81 55
E. secgen@nato-pa.int
www.nato-pa.int
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
LA SECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉRALE
Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Lisa George. Messages of condolence can be sent
to her at:
Ms Lisa George
c/o Stephen HABBERLEY
Secretary, UK Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Overseas Office – Parliamentary Assemblies Section
House of Commons
UK-SW1A 0AA LONDON
Yours sincerely,
Ruxandra Popa