BELGIUM/U.K.: TWO LEFT IN FRAME FOR RACE TO SUCEED LORD ROBERTSON AS NEXT SECRETARY-GENERAL OF NATO

Record ID: 646872

  • Title: BELGIUM/U.K.: TWO LEFT IN FRAME FOR RACE TO SUCEED LORD ROBERTSON AS NEXT SECRETARY-GENERAL OF NATO
  • Date: 17th September 2003
  • Summary: (U4) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (SEPTEMBER 17, 2003) (REUTERS) WIDE EXTERIORS OF FLAGS OUTSIDE NATO WIDE OF NATO STAR OUTSIDE THE BUILDING CLOSE-UP OF NATO ENTRANCE ZOOM OUT FROM CANADIAN FLAG TO WIDE OF FLAGS PAN FROM NATO FLAG TO DUTCH FLAG SECURITY OUTSIDE NATO HEADQUARTERS
  • Embargoed: 2nd October 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA52V1H60X5HENYUZJE1LKA7JJ4
  • Story Text: After Norway's defence minister pulled out of the race for secretary-general of NATO, a Dutchman and a Canadian are left in the frame.
    It still might be to early to predict who will be the next Secretary General of NATO, but it looks like Dutch Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has a clear edge over Canadian Finance Minister John Manley. The formal decision on who the the current Secretary General George Robertson's successor will be, is expected to be taken by the beginning of next week. Scheffer has emerged as a favourite in recent days because of his unequivocal support for the US-led military operation in Iraq. Robertson intends to step down at the end of 2003 to become a deputy chairman of the British telecommunications group Cable & Wireless. Manley's chances to get the post are slim compared to Scheffer's although Canada has never held the post in NATO's 54-year history. Some hoped a woman could have broken the alliance's all-male image with Norwegian Defence Minister Kristin Krohn Devold. But Devold has pulled out of the race, leaving the path clear for Scheffer and Manley to contest the post. If Scheffer wins the honour, he will follow in the footsteps of Joseph Luns, the legendary Dutch secretary general who held the position through much of the Cold War, from 1971 to 1984.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register