03/08/2014 Le Point.fr

Le secrétaire général de l'Otan, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, réclame une hausse des "investissements" militaires des pays membres.

Le secrétaire général de l'Otan, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, affirme que "l'agression russe" contre l'Ukraine justifie la préparation de "nouveaux plans de défense", souhaitant une hausse des "investissements" militaires des pays membres, dans un entretien dimanche au Midi Libre. "Nous allons renforcer des exercices militaires et préparer de nouveaux plans de défense. L'agression russe a été un signal d'alarme et a créé une nouvelle situation de sécurité en Europe", a déclaré Anders Fogh Rasmussen au quotidien régional.

"C'est préoccupant parce que je pense que l'ambition du président Poutine est d'établir une sphère d'influence dans le voisinage. Je vais encourager les pays de l'Otan à augmenter leurs investissements de défense. Au cours des cinq dernières années, la Russie a augmenté ses dépenses de défense de 50 %, les pays de l'Otan ont diminué les leurs de 20 % en moyenne. Ce n'est pas tenable. Il faut inverser la tendance", a-t-il ajouté.

Suite de l’article

MADRID, 15 juin - RIA Novosti

L'Otan entend aider l'Ukraine à augmenter sa capacité de défense, a déclaré dimanche le secrétaire général de l'Alliance atlantique Anders Fogh Rasmussen dans une interview accordée au journal El País.

"Actuellement, nous préparons un paquet de mesures que nous soumettrons au ministère des Affaires étrangères d'ici fin du mois. Sans rentrer dans le détail, ce paquet comprendra des  mesures visant à aider l'Ukraine à réformer le secteur de la Défense ainsi qu'à moderniser ses forces armées", a indiqué M.Rasmussen.

Selon lui, la coopération avec Kiev portera "un caractère exclusivement pratique et permettra à l'Ukraine d'avoir notamment accès aux exercices militaires de l'Otan".

Les autorités de Kiev mènent depuis le 15 avril une opération militaire d'envergure visant à réprimer la révolte qui a éclaté dans le sud-est de l'Ukraine en réaction au coup d'Etat du 22 février. L'armée ukrainienne utilise l'artillerie et l'aviation. Les événements ont pris une tournure particulièrement dramatique à Donetsk, Slaviansk, Kramatorsk et d'autres villes de la région de Donetsk, ainsi qu'à Lougansk. Moscou appelle Kiev à arrêter cette opération punitive qui fait beaucoup de morts, y compris parmi les civils.

12-05-2014 French.china.org.cn

Le secrétaire général de l'Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord (OTAN) Anders Fogh Rasmussen se rendra en Slovaquie mercredi pour rencontrer de hauts dirigeants du pays et évaluer les dix de la Slovaquie en tant que membre de l'Alliance, a annoncé dimanche le ministère de la Défense.

Il s'agit de la troisième visite en Slovaquie de M. Rasmussen en sa qualité de chef de l'OTAN. "Parmi les sujets qui seront probablement abordés figurent l'évalution des dix ans de la Slovaquie au sein de l'OTAN, les développements en Ukraine et les questions relatives au futur engagement de l'OTAN en Afghanistan au terme de l'opération de l'ISAF", a affirmé dimanche Martina Ballekova, porte-parole du ministère de la Défense.

M. Rasmussen devra rencontrer le président slovaque Ivan Gasparovic, le Premier ministre Robert Fico,le ministre des Affaires étrangères Miroslav Lajcak, ainsi que le ministre de la Défense Martin Glvac.

Par ailleurs, le secrétaire général de l'OTAN participera jeudi à Bratislava à la conférence sur la sécurité GLOBSEC 2014. Il évoquera le prochain sommet de l'OTAN prévu les 4 et 5 septembre au Pays de Galles et l'actuelle situation et les mesures prises par l'OTAN pour apaiser les tensions dans l'est et le sud de l'Ukraine déchirée par les conflits.

M. Rasmussen quittera ses fonctions à partir du 1er octobre 2014 et sera remplacé par l'homme politique norvégien Jens Stoltenberg.

10/04/2014 Kassandra Chérubin – Ministère de la Défense

L’Organisation du traité de l’Atlantique Nord (Otan) a organisé le mardi 8 avril à Paris un séminaire sur sa transformation en vue de son prochain sommet au pays de Galles en septembre. Le ministre de la Défense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, s’est exprimé aux côtés du secrétaire général de l’Otan, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, et du Commandant suprême allié transformation (SACT), le général français Jean-Paul Paloméros. Le ministre et ses deux interlocuteurs ont notamment souligné le besoin impératif d’une transformation continuelle pour une défense interopérable et collective.

Lors du séminaire sur la transformation de l’Otan, Jean-Yves le Drian, ministre de la Défense, s’est exprimé aux cotés de Anders Fogh Rasmussen, secrétaire général de l’Otan et du général Jean-Paul Paloméros, Commandant suprême allié transformation (SACT). Ils ont partagé une vision commune sur les nécessaires transformations rapides de l’Otan. Sur la route du sommet de l’Otan en septembre prochain, les trois interlocuteurs ont insisté sur la nécessité de s’adapter aux nouveaux modes opératoires toujours plus élaborés, afin d’assurer au mieux la sécurité globale. Chaque crise régionale a aujourd’hui des répercussions internationales. « Un seul objectif préside à ces travaux : nous permettre de réagir avec des capacités nationales sans cesse plus interopérables, et adaptées aux missions collectives comme aux ressources qui sont les nôtres », explique Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Ce séminaire, qui s’est déroulé dans un contexte de crise, a été l’occasion pour les trois interlocuteurs de mettre en lumière le rôle prépondérant de l’Otan dans la gestion de crise, de la défense collective et de la sécurité coopérative.   Ces trois missions, socle de l’accord transatlantique, pertinentes et étroitement liées, se sont notamment manifestées par l’interopérabilité des armées de l’Otan lors des conflits en Afghanistan (2001), en Lybie (2011) et au Mali (2013).

« La solidarité reste bien le ciment de l’Alliance, tout particulièrement lorsqu’il s’agit de faire respecter notre souveraineté, la souveraineté de chacun des membres de notre Alliance », a déclaré le ministre. « C’est au titre de ce principe de solidarité que le président de la République, François Hollande, a décidé de marquer la volonté de la France d’agir en cette période de crise. »

Le secrétaire général, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a conforté cette déclaration et a appuyé la politique de défense française en appelant à la mise en place d’un plan d’action « réactivité », incitant les pays membres de l’Otan à renforcer les efforts capacitaires et « réinvestir dans notre défense ».  « La France a maintenu ses dépenses de défense proches de l’objectif Otan agréé des 2% du produit intérieur brut, […] donnant un excellent exemple de la façon dont les Alliés européens peuvent choisir d’investir les ressources voulues dans les capacités voulues. »

Le Commandant suprême allié transformation (SACT), le général Paloméros, s’est également exprimé sur le lien important qui existe entre l’Otan et l’UE, « véritable ligne de force de notre Alliance depuis 65 ans, et il nous appartient de l’entretenir, de la conforter ».

 « L’Alliance doit poursuivre les efforts qu’elle a entrepris, lors des sommets précédents, pour se moderniser et conforter ses principes fondateurs, qui ont fait tout son intérêt pour notre sécurité et celles des Nations qui partagent nos valeurs  », a conclu Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Apr. 8, 2014 - By PIERRE TRAN – Defense News

PARIS — Russia risks driving itself into political isolation if Moscow continues to destabilize Ukraine, with the prospect of a breakdown of relations with the NATO defense organization, alliance chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday.

“If Russia were to intervene further in Ukraine it would be an historic mistake,” Rasmussen told a press conference at a high-level seminar on NATO transformation.

“It would have grave consequences for our relationship with Russia and it would further isolate Russia internationally,” he said.

Rasmussen was speaking after pro-Russian protesters April 6 seized public buildings in three Ukrainian cities — Donetsk, Kharkiv and Luhansk — and called for a referendum to leave Ukraine.

“Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine is the greatest challenge to Europe’s security in a generation,” Rasmussen said. “I urge Russia to step back and not escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine.

“So I continue to urge Russia to pull back its troops, fulfill its international commitments and engage in a constructive dialogue with the Ukrainian parliament.”

NATO has suspended practical cooperation with Russia, while keeping political and diplomatic channels open, Rasmussen said.

NATO foreign ministers will meet in June and decide on how to handle the 1997 Founding Act and the 2002 Rome declaration, two cooperation agreements signed with Russia, in the light of the Ukraine crisis, he said.

The Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security aimed to boost cooperation, while the 2002 NATO — Russia Council included joint military exercises.

“Our decisions should be seen in the broad international response to Russia’s illegal actions, including responses from the United States and the European Union,” Rasmussen said. “Further steps will … depend on possible further Russian action.”

Regarding Ukraine, foreign ministers of the alliance met April 1 and “decided to enhance our cooperation with Ukraine,” he said.

NATO will work with Kiev to boost “cooperation in defense reforms, develop military capacity, and the ability of Ukrainian armed forces to work …with armed forces of NATO countries,” he said.

Rasmussen called on European NATO members to lift military spending.

“Over the past years, some of our European allies have cut their defense spending by as much as 40 percent. While other countries, like Russia, are increasing theirs by 30 percent,” he said.

French Air Force Gen. Jean-Paul Palomeros, NATO supreme allied commander transformation, led the seminar.

07/04/2014 K. Chérubin  -  DICoD

Suivez en direct le séminaire consacré à la transformation de l’Otan le mardi 8 avril de 9h à 11h sur le site du ministère de la Défense.

Le séminaire se déroule à l’hôtel InterContinental de Paris en présence du secrétaire général de l’Otan, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, du ministre de la Défense, Jean-Yves Le Drian ainsi que du Commandant suprême allié transformation (SACT), le général Jean-Paul Paloméros.

Le séminaire est l’occasion pour les représentants permanents au Conseil de l’Atlantique Nord et au Comité militaire, ainsi que pour les responsables des différents états-majors de l’Otan de réfléchir aux futurs défis auxquels l’Alliance doit se préparer avant de se retrouver en septembre prochain au pays de Galles, lors du sommet de l’organisation.

06 Apr 2014 By Anders Fogh Rasmussen – the Telegraph

Ukraine crisis shows that defence matters as much as ever. Every ally needs to invest in its armed forces, Nato's secretary-general warns in the Telegraph

Sixty-five years ago this month, Nato was born into a dangerous world. As the Soviet shadow deepened across Europe, 12 nations from both sides of the Atlantic committed to individual liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law determined to stand together to safeguard their security.

Those nations were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. They took the most solemn pledge that any country can take: an attack on one would be viewed as an attack on all.

Today’s Nato brings together a unique combination of the world’s strongest democracies with an integrated military structure, a permanent political decision-making process and a network of more than 40 partners from around the world. It is where Europeans and North Americans consult, decide and act every day on security issues that concern us all. We have learned much from the last 20 years of challenging operations, from Afghanistan to Kosovo, from Libya to the Horn of Africa. We are now more efficient and effective than at any time in Nato’s history.

We still live in a dangerous world, and the threats are more complex and unpredictable than 65 years ago. Some are new: cyber and missile attacks. Others are age-old: attempts to redraw borders by force. What has not changed is Nato’s commitment to our fundamental values and purpose. Our motto remains: all for one, one for all.

That solidarity is clear in our response to Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine and its continued breach of international law. Thanks to allies from both sides of the Atlantic, we have more than doubled the number of fighter aircraft policing the airspace of the Baltic States. We are patrolling the skies of Poland and Romania with Awacs early-warning aircraft and allies have boosted their presence in the Black Sea.

We are united in our determination to deter threats and to defend any ally at all times. We have strengthened our support for Ukraine and other partners in the region. And we have suspended cooperation with Russia; there can be no business as usual.

Nobody in Nato wants a return to the Cold War, but we see the Kremlin trying to turn back the clock and carve up Europe into new spheres of influence. We must stand up for our values, on which we have built a new and better Europe, and for the system of international rules that has underpinned prosperity and predictability.

This September we will hold a summit in Wales – a pivotal meeting at a pivotal time. We will make sure that we remain strong at home, active in managing crises, and engaged with our partners around the world.

Today’s crisis shows that defence matters as much as ever. So every ally needs to invest the necessary resources in the right capabilities. That means modern equipment, intensive training for our forces, and closer cooperation among Nato allies and with our partners. I know how challenging this is in today’s economic climate, but the security climate makes it vital.

In the long run, a lack of security would be more costly than investing now and we owe it to our forces, and to broader society. We all benefit from Nato’s protection; we all must be able to contribute to it. The alliance has kept us safe for 65 years. The bond between the democracies of North America and Europe remains the bedrock of our collective security. Nato has stood the tests of the past. We are ready to face the future.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the secretary general of Nato

April 3rd, 2014 By NATO - defencetalk.com

NATO foreign ministers on Tuesday (1 April 2014) reaffirmed their commitment to enhance the Alliance’s collective defence, agreed to further support Ukraine and to suspend NATO’s practical cooperation with Russia. “NATO’s greatest responsibility is to protect and defend our territory and our people. And make no mistake, this is what we will do,” NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

Ministers directed Allied military authorities to develop additional measures to strengthen collective defence and deterrence against any threat of aggression against the Alliance, Mr. Fogh Rasmussen said. “We will make sure we have updated military plans, enhanced exercises and appropriate deployments,” he said. NATO has already reinforced its presence on the eastern border of the Alliance, including surveillance patrols over Poland and Romania and increased numbers of fighter aircraft allocated to the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic States.

On Ukraine, NATO foreign ministers decided to intensify efforts to support the country’s defence reforms. The Alliance will also provide advice on Ukraine’s protection of critical infrastructure. In a separate meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia, the Allies and Ukraine condemned Russia’s illegal military intervention in Ukraine and Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

NATO Foreign Ministers also agreed to suspend all of NATO’s practical cooperation with Russia. “Through its actions, Russia has chosen to undermine the very foundations upon which our cooperation is built,” said the Secretary General. “In light of this, there can be no business as usual.”

Allied ministers urged Russia to engage in dialogue towards a political and diplomatic solution that respects international law and Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.

In light of the Ukraine crisis, preparations for the Alliance’s summit in Wales this September are even more important, Mr. Fogh Rasmussen said. “We remain committed to all our core missions. We will further develop our partnerships through defence capacity building and by building upon our experience in operations in order to further promote security and stability together and we will continue to invest in our readiness, so that we stay strong and prepared for any challenge.”

April 01, 2014 Spacewar.com (AFP)

Brussels - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday said he could not confirm the withdrawal of Russian troops from near the Ukrainian border as announced by the Kremlin.

"Unfortunately I cannot confirm that Russia is withdrawing its troops; this is not what we have seen," Rasmussen told journalists ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting on the crisis in Ukraine.

Ukraine and the United States have accused Russia of massing thousands of troops near the border and have expressed concern that Moscow intends to seize southeastern parts of Ukraine that are home to large populations of ethnic Russians, following the Crimea takeover.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Putin had personally informed her of the troop pullback in a telephone conversation on Monday, and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the move "a small sign that the situation is becoming less tense".

Ukraine also reported Monday that Russian troops were leaving the flashpoint area.

NATO foreign ministers are meeting at the alliance headquarters in Brussels to forge a response to Russia's annexation of Crimea last month.

But as the talks began, NATO seemed to be stepping back from reinforcing military presence in countries bordering Russia, preferring for now to give more time to diplomacy.

"I think everybody realises that the best way forward is a political and diplomatic dialogue," Rasmussen said, though he added NATO was "very determined to provide effective defence and protection of our allies".

One counter-measure apparently off the table for now is the idea to set up permanent military bases in NATO countries bordering with Russia.

The move would be highly controversial for Moscow, reversing an informal agreement made when NATO expanded east to include former Warsaw Pact countries that were eager to break away from years of Soviet domination.

But Dutch foreign minister Frank Timmermans said that for now "we don't need NATO troops at the border with Russia," adding there was "no need for sudden moves".

The cautious line could come as a disappointment to eastern NATO members, who were expected to argue for a tougher stance against Russia at the meeting.

"There is a rather wide consensus among the allies, even if eastern countries -- such as the Baltics and Poland -- wish NATO would adopt a more pronounced stand against Russia," a diplomat said.

Before entering NATO headquarters for the talks, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said his country "would welcome any forces" on its territory.

"All members should enjoy the same level of security," he said.

20 mars 2014 45eNord.ca (AFP)

Le rattachement de la Crimée à la Russie constitue la «plus grave» menace pour la stabilité de l’Europe depuis la Guerre froide, a affirmé mercredi le secrétaire général de l’OTAN Anders Fogh Rasmussen, qui redoute une intervention de Moscou dans l’est de l’Ukraine.

«Cela constitue un signal d’alarme pour la communauté euro-atlantique, pour l’Otan et pour tous ceux qui sont engagés dans la défense d’une Europe entière, libre et en paix», a-t-il déclaré devant l’institut Brookings, un centre de réflexion de Washington.

«Nous avons connu d’autres crises en Europe ces dernières années: les Balkans dans les années 90, la Géorgie en 2008. Mais il s’agit là de la plus grave menace à la sécurité et à la stabilité de l’Europe depuis la fin de la Guerre froide», a-t-il estimé, soulignant que cela s’était passé à «la frontière même de l’OTAN.»

Le secrétaire général de l’Alliance a une nouvelle fois fustigé la Russie dont «l’agression militaire» a violé la souveraineté ukrainienne que Moscou avait pourtant promis de respecter en 1994.

Moscou, Washington et Londres signaient le 5 décembre 1994 avec l’Ukraine un accord prévoyant que les trois pays se portent garants de l’intégrité territoriale de l’ancienne république soviétique, en échange du renoncement de celle-ci à l’arme nucléaire.

Comme la veille, il a averti que l’Alliance ne reconnaîtrait pas l’«annexion illégale et illégitime» de la Crimée par la Russie après le référendum de dimanche.

Mais pour M. Rasmussen, l’intervention en Crimée participe d’une stratégie globale de la Russie. Moscou, a-t-il asséné, a à coeur de «maintenir l’instabilité dans la région pour empêcher les pays de la région de chercher à intégrer la communauté euro-atlantique».

De même, le patron de l’OTAN a dit craindre que le président russe Vladimir Poutine n’aille «au-delà de la Crimée» et n’intervienne dans les régions orientales de l’Ukraine.

«Il n’y a pas de moyens rapides et aisés pour tenir tête aux tyrans du monde», a-t-il encore dit. «Parce que nos démocraties débattent, délibèrent et pèsent les choix avant de prendre des décisions. Parce que la transparence nous est chère et que nous poursuivons des choix légitimes et parce que nous utilisons la force non en priorité mais en dernier ressort».

M. Rasmussen s’exprimait alors que des responsables du Pentagone ont affirmé que l’armée américaine cherchait à étendre la coopération militaire avec les alliés de l’Otan le long de la frontière russe.

L’OTAN a décidé début mars de renforcer sa coopération avec l’Ukraine et de réexaminer celle avec la Russie.

On ne sait plus si la Russie est un partenaire ou un «adversaire», s’est encore interrogé M. Rasmussen, précisant que les prochaines réunions de l’OTAN devaient «se pencher sur les conséquences à long-terme de l’agression russe sur notre propre sécurité».

January 20, 2014  By Fidelius Schmid and Christoph Schult – Spiegel.de

NATO is building a new headquarters for one billion euros. But the construction consortium is in financial difficulties and the project is at risk of being halted. It's an embarrassment for outgoing NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a man who attaches a lot of importance to his public image. The Danish secretary general of NATO likes to be filmed while out jogging with his bodyguards in the morning, and he's always bronzed and impeccably dressed.

His term ends in the summer and he is reported to have already compiled a list of achievements in the "Rasmussen era" for presentation to the NATO summit in September. The message will be that Rasmussen has prepared the Western defense alliance for the challenges of the future with a structural reform and a new strategic concept.

Rasmussen wants this modernization to be symbolized by the move into a new headquarters -- away from the aging, Cold War-era concrete complex and into a gigantic palace of steel and glass on the other side of the street in the Brussels suburb of Evere.

But Rasmussen has a problem: The construction project has run into serious financial difficulties, according to documents seen by SPIEGEL. The consortium of firms building it is at risk of insolvency. Rasmussen is aware of the problem but hasn't seen fit yet to inform the public about it, meaning the taxpayers of the 28 NATO member states. At a meeting of NATO's Deputies Committee on December 19, Rasmussen's staff asked that the issue be dealt with "confidentially."

The Committee consists of representatives of all 28 NATO member states. Rasmussen's staff told it that the consortium leader, BAM Alliance, was in serious financial difficulty "resulting from miscalculation and high claims from subcontractors," according to a Dec. 20, 2013 report by Germany's NATO representative office in Brussels. The conclusion was that the project would not be able to stick to the budgeted upper limit of €1.05 billion. Without a fresh injection of capital, construction would come to a halt.

The mood was frosty. Member states had already been skeptical when the consortium won the contract for €460 million in 2010 -- the offer was €210 million below the costs estimated by NATO.

Risk to Reputation

It quickly became clear in the Dec. 19 meeting that there was no question of the project being halted. Many delegates, including the Germans, said they favored providing additional funds. "We pointed to the disastrous effect on the image of the alliance if construction were to stop and if NATO appeared to be incapable of punctually completing a construction project that was decided at the NATO summit of government leaders in April 1999 in Washington," the German ambassador, Martin Erdmann, told Berlin in a confidential cable.

A short-term financial injection of €20 million was regarded as acceptable at the meeting, but it seemed doubtful whether that would be enough. "The risk of a further cost increase is already palpable," Erdmann warned. But these additional costs were the lesser evil, he added. He warned of the costs that would result from a halt to construction given the possible weather damage to the unfinished building, parts of which hadn't been fitted with windows yet.

The committee met again on Jan. 10. NATO project manager Tony Carruth told delegates that the consortium wanted €245 million in additional funding and that completion would probably be delayed by nine-and-a-half months.

"These figures must be approached with caution," NATO staff said in a 13-page report prepared for the meeting.

The ambassadors vented their anger. Germany made clear, the Jan. 13 cable showed, that the additional costs could only be approved if they "don't spell the beginning of further demands on the part of BAM."

The consortium's spokesman told SPIEGEL: ""Several unforeseen circumstances including significantly increased security requirements" by NATO had led to the construction exceeding the initially agreed sum. The spokesman declined to comment on the looming insolvency.

The matter isn't just a problem for Rasmussen, but for Belgian Defense Minister Pieter De Crem as well. With NATO headquarters situated in Belgium, the country's Defense Ministry manages the project. De Crem has aspirations of succeeding Rasmussen. But the problems besetting the new headquarters are unlikely to improve his chances of getting the job.

Dec 11, 2013 Spacewar.com (AFP)

Brussels - NATO said Wednesday that current head Anders Fogh Rasmussen will stay in his post two months longer than previously expected to prepare and oversee the military alliance's next leaders summit in Britain in September.

Rasmussen was initially due to complete his four-year term in July 2013 but that was extended by one year to July 2014.

NATO member ambassadors have now decided that he should stay in office until the end of September 2014 "to enable him to prepare and preside" at the summit in south Wales earlier that month, a statement said.

The last summit was held in 2012 in Chicago.

The 2014 summit comes before the planned withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, its biggest and longest military operation.

NATO currently plans to maintain a training and assistance mission in Afghanistan post-2014 but its future is in doubt as Afghan President Hamid Karzai is refusing to sign a security pact with Washington on its legal and operational status.

Washington and NATO both say there can be no continued alliance presence in Afghanistan without such a pact.

The Wales summit is also meant to set the guidelines for NATO's future role at a time when defence budgets are under pressure everywhere and as costs for increasingly sophisticated military hardware steadily mount.

The US-led alliance was designed to counter the Soviet threat during the Cold War but after the fall of communism it began a period of active military operations which saw it intervene in the Balkans in the 1990s.

After the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, NATO took on its biggest commitment, leading the campaign in Afghanistan to oust the Taliban.

Despite initial success and a huge investment in lives and money, the Taliban remain a threat amid doubts that Afghan government forces will be able to hold them at bay after NATO leaves.

Rasmussen, 60 and a former Danish prime minister, was appointed for the maximum single NATO term in 2009.

Among names mentioned as possible successors for a post traditionally held by a European are former Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini, as well as Belgian Defence Minister, Pieter de Crem and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski who was formerly in charge of defence.