The only subject that was not discussed in Munich… The General Secretariat at NATO
(BRUSSELS2) Of course, in Munich, during the conference on security in Europe (Munich Security Conference), there was no question. But this great mass of security is also an opportunity for reconciliation, meetings, presentations... just as important for the ideas that can be promoted, as for the rest of your career. This is how many European officials were present in Munich also for this: the succession of AF Rasmussen at the head of NATO. For this position, there are today 3 declared applications and others not yet declared.
Three declared candidates
Three candidates made themselves known. Three foreign ministers. One is Franco Frattini. It is not a surprise. Berlusconi's former foreign minister had already announced his interest in the post a few months ago. It is supported by the Italian government as a whole. Its an asset. The second candidate is the Polish Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorsky, brilliant tenor. It is not a surprise. He had who has the disadvantage of his passport - enthroning a Pole is perhaps not automatically a guarantee to be given if one wants to maintain relations with Moscow, always delicate (even if Warsaw has largely calmed its relations with its neighbor since the Tusk government). The third is the latest to arrive: the Belgian Minister of Defence, Pieter de Crem, who comes from the host country of the Alliance, and is supported by his political mentor, Herman van Rompuy. It's not totally a surprise when you know the man, who has a European conviction, but also has a real Atlanticist approach. So much for the ministerial rank.
And those who are not declared... or not yet
Member States could choose only from these three candidates. Or decide to maintain, as with AF Rasmussen, the post for a leading role, that is to say Prime Minister. It would be a symbolic guarantee of a certain enhancement of the Alliance, even if certain capitals do not seem very comfortable with a man who actually " a little in his head ". In this case, all eyes could turn to a certain Jose-Manuel Barroso. The former Portuguese Prime Minister has the advantage of being quite consensual, of coming from a "small" faithful ally country, close to the Americans. At the head of the European executive for ten years, he also showed the necessary flexibility. It is no coincidence either, because the current President of the European Commission has a pronounced taste, more and more publicly, for defense affairs, in particular by relaunching the defense task force within it, and by visiting many of countries in the Mediterranean and in Africa. Interest more present for a year, as confirmed to me by an expert on the file. The Commission spokesperson interviewed by B2 claimed “ have no information to communicate on this subject ". In the context of the development of Alliance partnerships, this would be an asset. But other (ex) Premiers could come out of the woods. Unless France or the United Kingdom put their weight in the balance to appoint one of their own to head NATO.
NB: the appointment of the post of Secretary General at NATO does not follow a very codified procedure but is done by "consensus" between the various member countries. In fact, informal discussions between capitals. There is therefore no need to convene a summit. And even less parliamentary consultation. The Washington agreement is more important than the others. But the arrival of Rasmussen in this post also showed that the opinion of certain capitals counted; Turkey in particular had shown its bad humor at the appointment of the Dane (officially for the affair of the caricatures of Mohamet published in the Danish press under his mandate as Prime Minister).