Nato commits additional Afghan troops / Danish PM is new Nato chief

Reports of the NATO Summit meetings of Heads of State and Government, Strasbourg, France / Kehl, Germany, 3-4 April 2009.

At the Summit the 28 NATO Heads of State and Government agreed unanimously to appoint Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as NATO's next Secretary General as from August 2009.

NATO leaders also re-affirmed the principle of indivisibility of Allied security, the commitment to transatlantic solidarity and the common goal of a Europe that is whole and free.

They also agreed to a number of new initiatives for Afghanistan, including a significant expansion of the training and support effort for Afghan National Security Forces, enhanced engagement with neighbouring countries and a more integrated approach to working with the International Community and the Afghan Government to implement the Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS).

ESO: Background information: Nato summit faces Afghan test http://www.europeansources.info/record/nato-summit-faces-afghan-test/

BBC News, 4.4.09: Extra Nato troops for Afghan poll http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7982821.stm

Deutsche Welle, 4.4.09: Rasmussen named as new NATO chief http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4150878,00.html

NATO: Summit meetings of Heads of State and Government, Strasbourg, France / Kehl, Germany, 3-4 April 2009 http://www.nato.int/docu/comm/2009/0904-summit/index.html

NATO: Press Release, 4.4.09: NATO expands its role in Afghanistan http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_52799.htm

NATO: Press Release, 4.4.09: NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_52802.htm

NATO: Press Release, 4.4.09: NATO Allies select new Secretary General http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-7AB3F299-1FCD63B9/natolive/news_52867.htm

NATO: Press Release, 4.4.09: Strasbourg – Kehl Summit strengthens Transatlantic Link and looks at NATO’s future challenges http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_52845.htm

ESO: Background information: Turkey defies Nato on Danish chief http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkey-defies-nato-on-danish-chief/

France24, 4.4.09: Danish PM Rasmussen appointed new NATO SecGen http://www.france24.com/en/20090404-nato-alliance-danish-pm-anders-fogh-rasmussen-secretary-general

Spiegel Online International, 4.4.09: Obama Saves NATO Governments from Summit Shame http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,617478,00.html

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