Race hots up for job of NATO chief

Date: 02/11/1995

By Elizabeth Wise

NATO watchers have begun a countdown to mid-November, when ambassadors to the 16-nation alliance are expected to decide on who should lead the beleaguered institution.

The suspense is dying down, as more and more nations give their blessing to Ruud Lubbers, but the former Dutch prime minister still faces a challenge from former Danish Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen.

The two front-runners are wooing NATO's leading member, virtually racing to Washington for meetings there. On Wednesday they both left for the American capital, where a White House spokesman referred to the meetings as “job interviews”.

Danish officials said Ellemann-Jensen would meet Secretary of State Warren Christopher today (2 November) and Canadian officials on Friday. Both Washington and Ottawa have yet to name a favourite.

Ellemann-Jensen, proposed by the Danish government, is the only official candidate, but Dutch diplomats have hinted that The Hague may soon nominate Lubbers. In the past week, Lubbers has received the backing of German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, French President Jacques Chirac and UK Premier John Major. Italy's foreign ministry has also said it would back Lubbers.

Diplomats have expected Washington to favour Lubbers because the Dutch have traditionally been keen supporters of close Atlantic relations and are strong US-allies within NATO. Lubbers also has excellent credentials of his own.

NATO needs a leader soon to enable it to deploy the 60,000 troops it has promised to enforce a peace settlement in former Yugoslavia. Bosnian, Croat and Serb leaders, going into US-sponsored peace talks in Dayton, Ohio this week, said they felt they were close to agreement.

The alliance, whose credibility suffered while bribery scandals dogged Willy Claes until his resignation on 20 October, cannot afford another leaderless period. Claes replaced Manfred Wörner, who died of cancer while holding the post, but only after six weeks of searching for a successor.