Rasmussen Wins One More Year as NATO Head

Rasmussen, a former Danish prime minister, took the helm at NATO in August 2009 and has been chief during a turbulent period in Afghanistan. File photo

NATO allies have extended the term of chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, leaving him at the helm of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for one more year, his fifth in the post.

"Following a process of consultations, Allies approved today Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's fifth year in office, thus extending his mandate until July 31st 2014," the alliance said in a statement.

The statement announcing the extension of his single 4-year mandate said the allies would support Rasmussen "in his dedicated work to carry forward NATO's tasks, missions and objectives, based on consensual allied decisions."

Rasmussen, 59, served as Danish prime minister from 2001-09 and is NATO's 12th secretary-general.

Rasmussen took the helm at NATO in August 2009 and has been chief during a turbulent period in Afghanistan, where NATO-led forces have been engaged in fighting against Taliban insurgents.

Potential successors had begun to jostle for position to take over from Rasmussen, with former Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini mentioned as a possible candidate.

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