NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has decided to appoint Mircea Geoana from Romania as the next Deputy Secretary General. He will replace Rose Gottemoeller from the United States, who took up her position in October 2016.
"I am happy to announce the appointment of Mircea Geoana as the next Deputy Secretary General. He is a staunch advocate of the transatlantic bond and will bring long experience as a statesman and diplomat to this post. He will be the first Romanian to hold this senior office," Jens Stoltenberg announced on Wednesday.
"I am very grateful to Rose Gottemoeller. Her diplomatic skills and her expertise in international security policy have been invaluable to the Alliance, as NATO continues to adapt to a more unpredictable security environment," he added.
Mircea Geoana is the founder and president of the Aspen Institute Romania. He previously served as President of the Romanian Senate, Foreign Minister, and Romania’s Ambassador to the United States. He will take up his post in mid-October 2019.
Poland's presidential minister Krzysztof Szczerski was also tipped to become NATO's deputy chief. According to Polish "Dziennik Gazeta Prawna", Szczerski enjoyed the support of the United States in the race.
Asked about his chances, Szczerski only said that Poland's President Andrzej Duda allowed his name to be shortlisted.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, NATO
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: NATO