NATO chief Rasmussen given another year in office

BRUSSELS - Agence France-Presse

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, from Denmark, speaks during his monthly press briefing in Brussels, Belgium, 01 October 2012. NATO Secretary General Rasmussen mainly talked about the next meeting of the Nato Defence ministers that will take place from 08 to 09 October 2012 in Brussels. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

NATO allies agreed on Wednesday to extend Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's term as head of the organization by a year to the end of July 2014, the alliance said.
 
The extension means Rasmussen will be in office until a few months before the planned end of NATO combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014.
 
NATO chiefs are traditionally appointed for a four-year term with the possibility of extending by a year. The decision to extend Rasmussen's term was taken by NATO ambassadors at a meeting on Wednesday.