Former Mexican Foreign Minister Fernando Solana dies at 85

FILE - In this June 21, 1993, file photo, Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Mexico's Secretary for Foreign Affairs Fernando Solana, center, take part in a news conference at the State Department in Washington on Monday, after a meeting of the U.S. Mexico Binational Commission. Solana who was foreign minister for President Carlos Salinas de Gortari from 1988 to 1993, and worked on the free trade agreement that created what was the then the world’s largest free-trade block, died Wednesday, March 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson, File) (The Associated Press)

MEXICO CITY – Fernando Solano, who served as Mexico's foreign minister while the North American Free Trade Agreement was negotiated and signed, died Wednesday at age 85.

Mexico's current foreign minister, Claudia Ruiz Massieu, expressed her condolences through her official Twitter account.

Solana was foreign minister for President Carlos Salinas de Gortari from 1988 to 1993. He worked on the free trade agreement that created what was then the world's largest free-trade block, boosting commerce between Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Solana also served other presidents as education and commerce secretary and was in Mexico's Senate.