Photo: REGIERUNGonline / Eisele
Germany and France - strong partners within
a strong alliance
Anders Fogh Rasmussen will take over
as NATO Secretary General on 1 August 2009. The 28 NATO member
states elected him unanimously, with the two new member states
Albania and Croatia voting for the first time.
"I would like to congratulate the
new NATO Secretary General most warmly,” exclaimed Chancellor
Angela Merkel with delight. She declared herself happy that the
alliance had thus proven its ability to act and that the summit had
been a success.
Along with the French President Nicolas Sarkozy the
Chancellor had decided to mark the 60th anniversary of
NATO with a symbolic stroll with the heads of state and government
across the Rhine Bridge that links Germany and France, after so
many wars where the two countries stood on opposite
sides.
"We are delighted that we can build on the foundations that
our predecessors laid when they built this bridge,” stressed Angela
Merkel. But this generation too has its work cut out for it. The
appointment of the new NATO Secretary General demonstrates the
unity within NATO. In view of the global problems facing us, this
was an important signal.