Deaths on July 17

Joseph Luns, Dutch politician and Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1911)

Joseph Marie Antoine Hubert Luns (28 August 1911 – 17 July 2002) was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the defunct Catholic People's Party (KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist. He served as Secretary General of NATO from 1 October 1971 until 25 June 1984.Luns attended a gymnasium in Amsterdam from April 1924 until June 1930. Luns was conscripted in the Coastguard of the Royal Netherlands Navy serving as a warrant officer from June 1930 until July 1931. Luns applied at the University of Amsterdam in July 1931 majoring in law before transferring to the Leiden University in November 1932, obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree in June 1933 and graduating with a Master of Laws degree in July 1937. Luns applied at the London School of Economics of the University of London in January 1938 for a postgraduate education in economics, obtaining a Bachelor of Economics degree in June 1938. Luns worked as a civil servant for the Diplomatic service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from October 1938 until September 1952 as an attaché in Bern, Switzerland, from December 1939 until April 1942, as an attaché in Lisbon, Portugal, from April 1942 until November 1943, as an attaché in London, England, from November 1943 until September 1949 and as chargé d'affaires at the United Nations in New York City from September 1949 until September 1952.

After the election of 1952 Luns was appointed as Minister for Foreign Policy in the second Drees cabinet, taking office on 2 September 1952. Luns was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1956, taking office on 3 July 1956. Following the cabinet formation of 1956 Luns was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Drees III, taking office on 13 October 1956. The Cabinet Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1958 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Beel II with Luns remaining as Minister of Foreign Affairs, taking office on 22 December 1958. After the 1959 Dutch general election Luns was elected again as a Member of the House of Representatives but declined to take office. Following the cabinet formation of 1959 Luns continued as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet De Quay, taking office on 19 May 1959. After election of 1963 Luns was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives but again declined to take office. Following the cabinet formation of 1963 Luns remained as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Marijnen, taking office on 24 July 1963. The Cabinet Marijnen fell on 27 February 1965 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1965 when it was replaced by the Cabinet Cals with Luns continuing as Minister of Foreign Affairs, taking office on 14 April 1965. The Cabinet Cals fell just one year later on 14 October 1966 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1966 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra with Luns remaining as Minister of Foreign Affairs, taking office on 22 November 1966. After the election of 1967 Luns returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 23 February 1967. Following the cabinet formation of 1967 Luns continued as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet De Jong, taking office on 5 April 1967. After the election of 1971 Luns again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 11 May 1971. Following the cabinet formation of 1971 Luns per his own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet De Jong was replaced by the Cabinet Biesheuvel I on 6 July 1971 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Foreign Affairs.

In September 1971 Luns was nominated as the next Secretary General of NATO, he resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives the same day he was installed as Secretary General, serving from 1 October 1971 until 25 June 1984. Luns retired after spending 31 years in national politics and became active in the public sector served as an diplomat and lobbyist for several economic delegations on behalf of the government and as an advocate for United States–European Union relations and European integration.

Luns was known for his abilities as a negotiator and debater. Luns continued to comment on political affairs as an statesman until his retirement in 1996 after suffering a stroke, he died six years later at the age of 90 and holds the distinction as the longest-serving Secretary General of NATO with 12 years, 268 days and the longest-serving Minister of Foreign Affairs with 14 years, 266 days and the longest-serving government minister after World War II with 18 years, 307 days.