Belgian minister of defence in the mix for top Nato post

Defence minister Pieter De Crem was among the 20 heads of state and many other high-level officials who convened in Bavaria last weekend to discuss all pressing security matters at the 50th Munich Security Conference. High on the agenda were the ongoing crisis in Syria, negotiations with Iran surrounding its nuclear programme, cyber security and Russia. 

Although De Crem went about his business quietly over the weekend, his name is front and centre within security circles. With only eight months remaining on current Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s tenure, set to expire on September 30, discussion has moved toward choosing his successor, and De Crem’s name is one of those in the mix. De Crem has regularly taken part in the conference since he took the helm of Belgium’s ministry of defence in 2008. The next Nato secretary-general will be chosen at its next summit, on September 4 & 5 in Wales.