NATO has announced the appointment of Dutch Foreign Minister Mr Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as the defence alliance's next secretary general.
A meeting of ambassadors from the 19 NATO nations confirmed Mr De Hoop Scheffer has accepted the offer to replace Lord Robertson, who is stepping down in December after serving his four-year term.
Canada and France held up an agreement on Mr De Hoop Scheffer last week.
France said it wanted more time to discuss the issue, while Canada still supported its candidate, Finance Minister Mr John Manley, who had been the Dutchman's main rival for NATO's top job.
READ MORE
However, Mr Manley failed to rally support from European allies reluctant to relinquish their traditional hold on the secretary-general's post.
AP