NATO confirms Rasmussen as new alliance chief
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, April 4, IRNA -- NATO leaders chose Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as the alliance's next secretary general, media reports said here Saturday.
The decision which was announced at the NATO summit in Strasbourg by the alliance's present chief, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer followed arduous negotiations within the western military pact.
"I will do my utmost to live up to the confidence shown to me by my colleagues," Rasmussen was quoted saying after his appointment as the new NATO chief.
Rasmussen is set to take up office when de Hoop Scheffer steps down from his job at the end of July.
Turkey had strongly objected to Rasmussen's candidacy, citing his controversial stance on the publication of the blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Danish
daily Jyllands newspaper.
Ankara had also opposed Rasmussen for refusing to close a Copenhagen-based exile Kurdish radio station.
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End News / IRNA / News Code 416923
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