NATO Has No Consensus on New Secretary General Name – Biden Vetoes British Defense Minister Wallace and Danish PM Frederiksen – Stoltenberg Expected To Serve Another Term
By Paul Serran Jun. 25, 2023
Nato secretaries-general are appointed by consensus of the organization’s 31 members: there’s no election, all is dealt with in private negotiations, until a candidate emerges that can generate widespread support.
As consensus seem impossible to reach at this moment, during the Nato summit in Lithuania in July, current Secretary General, former Norwegian PM Jens Stoltenberg, is expected to be asked to remain in post for another year.
It would be the third time he has been asked to extend his almost 10-year term, providing a continuity for the alliance leading up to the 75th-anniversary summit next year.
The Guardian reported:
“The French president, Emmanuel Macron, along with leaders of other EU member states, reportedly remains reluctant to accept another non-EU candidate as secretary general, a stance that in effect rules out the British defense secretary, Ben Wallace, whose name has been mooted.
Stoltenberg, 64, could stay on in the role if consensus about an EU candidate, preferably a woman, is not reached before the summit. The US also has doubts about Wallace, with some in the military resenting the way he has forced the pace over Ukraine.”
Prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen insists she is not seeking NATO’s top job, despite being seen as the top contender, and having had meetings with both Biden and CIA Director William Burns.
“Stoltenberg appeared to keep his options open when he said earlier in the week: ‘I am responsible for all decisions that this alliance has to take, except for one. And that is about my future. That is for the 31 allies to decide’.”
Meanwhile, UK Government sources fear the US snub of Ben Wallace could damage the special relationship between the countries.
The Telegraph reported:
“Joe Biden has done Britain a ‘bad turn’ by blocking Ben Wallace’s run for Nato chief, government sources have said.
[…] Allies of Mr Wallace have since told The Telegraph they believe his ambitions were thwarted after the US president refused to endorse his attempt to become the military alliance’s next secretary-general.”
Wallace has close relations with the Ukrainian armed forces, including at intelligence levels, and was instrumental in the UK’s high-profile role in the Ukraine war.
CNN reported:
“It appears increasingly likely that the 31 NATO members will be unable to coalesce around a candidate to be the alliance’s next secretary general and Jens Stoltenberg will be asked to remain in the job for an additional year, multiple sources told CNN.
While some inside the White House would have liked to see a female NATO chief elevated for the first time, officials acknowledge that finding consensus has proven difficult.”
