Rasmussen's NATO Term Extended By One Year

NATO allies have agreed to extend Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's term as head of that military alliance by a year, to the end of July 2014.

The 28-member organization said in a statement that the decision to extend Rasmussen's term was made by NATO ambassadors at a meeting on October 3 "following a process of consultations."

The extension means Rasmussen will be in office until a few months before the planned closing of NATO combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

NATO chiefs are traditionally appointed to a four-year term with the possibility of a one-year extension.

Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL