Maximilianus "Max" van der Stoel (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑks(imiliˈjaːnʏs) fɑn dər ˈstul];[note 1] 3 August 1924 – 23 April 2011) was a Dutch politician and diplomat, member of the Labour Party (PvdA) and activist who served as High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE from 1 January 1993 until 1 July 2001.

Van der Stoel was appointed as State Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Cals taking office on 22 July 1965.

After the election of 1972 Van der Stoel was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Den Uyl, taking office on 11 May 1973.

In December 1992 Van der Stoel was nominated as the first High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE serving from 1 January 1993 until 1 July 2001.

Van der Stoel retired from active politics at 76 and became active in the public sector as a non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government and as an occasional diplomat for and diplomatic delegations, and worked as a distinguished professor of Peace and conflict studies, Minority rights and International relations at his alma mater from April 1999 until April 2000 and as distinguished visiting professor of International and European law at the Tilburg University from January 2001 until January 2003.

Van der Stoel was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 17 May 1991 and continued to comment on political affairs until his death in April 2011 at the age of 86.

[2][3] This provoked harsh criticism by the Czechoslovak authorities and president Gustáv Husák cancelled scheduled meeting with van der Stoel.