Mark Rutte took office as NATO Secretary General today. He was welcomed at NATO headquarters in Brussels by outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, whose ten-year term of office is coming to an end. Mr Rutte and Mr Stoltenberg laid a wreath during a ceremony at the NATO Memorial to the Fallen.
At a special meeting of the North Atlantic Council, Mr Stoltenberg formally handed over the post of Secretary-General to Mr Rutte. "It is a great honour to be here and to take up the post of NATO Secretary General," Rutte said, before thanking the allies for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the Alliance in the coming years.
Secretary General Rutte outlined his three priorities for the Alliance. "The first is to keep NATO strong and ensure that our defences remain effective and credible against all threats," He started. "My second priority is to step up our support for Ukraine and bring it ever closer to NATO, because without a strong and independent Ukraine there can be no lasting security in Europe." He continued, adding that his 'third priority is to strengthen our partnership' in an increasingly interconnected world.
The Secretary-General also paid tribute to his predecessor, describing his tenure as "exemplary", adding that "Today, NATO is bigger, stronger and more united than ever before, thanks in large part to your leadership".
In his farewell speech, Stoltenberg praised Rutte's pragmatism and ability to reach consensus, while noting that "he does not compromise on our values and principles". He also praised "his successor's personal commitment to our transatlantic bond and unwavering support for Ukraine."
The handing over of the function took place with the ceremonial handing over of the historic gavel.
nato.int/ gnews - RoZ_07
PHOTO - NATO
English 
Czech