New NATO secretary-general chairs meeting on Afghanistan

September 30th, 2009 President to meet NATO secretary generalWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama meets at the White House today with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (AHN'-derz FOHG RAHS'-moo-sihn). The likely topic of discussion: Afghanistan.

September 14th, 2009 NATO service member killed in AfghanistanKABUL — NATO forces say one of its service members has died in fighting in southern Afghanistan. NATO said in a statement that the service member died Sunday "as a result of a hostile fire incident with insurgents." It did not provide the nationality of the deceased.

September 11th, 2009 NATO: 2 service members killed in AfghanistanKABUL — NATO says two of its troops have been killed in eastern Afghanistan. NATO said a U.S.

August 31st, 2009 NATO gets report of top commander in AfghanistanBRUSSELS — The strategic review of the war in Afghanistan prepared by the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces there has been received by commands on both sides of the ocean, officials in Brussels said Monday.

August 4th, 2009 New NATO chief chairs 1st meeting on AfghanistanBRUSSELS — NATO's new civilian and military leaders briefed top members Tuesday on command changes in Afghanistan and other matters affecting the escalating war, a spokesman said. Both NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and supreme allied commander U.S.

August 4th, 2009 NATO OKs new operational command for AfghanistanBRUSSELS — NATO's governing body approved a plan on Tuesday to reorganize the alliance's command structure in Afghanistan by setting up a new headquarters to handle the day-to-day running of the war. NATO spokesman James Appathurai said the new Intermediate Joint Headquarters in Kabul will be commanded by U.S.

August 3rd, 2009 BRUSSELS - NATO welcomed its 12th secretary general Monday as Denmark's former prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived for his first day in the organisation's top job. At a low-key ceremony under the flags of the alliance's 28 members, 56-year-old Rasmussen was welcomed to NATO by his deputy, Claudio Bisogniero, the head of the alliance's military committee, Admiral Giampaolo di Paola, and a handful of alliance staff.

August 2nd, 2009 Twin blasts kill 2 NATO troops in AfghanistanKABUL — NATO says two of its troops have been killed in twin blasts in southern Afghanistan. The military alliance did not provide other details about the Saturday attack.

July 1st, 2009 2 NATO troops killed in AfghanistanKABUL — NATO said an explosion Wednesday in southern Afghanistan killed two of its troops and wounded six others. The military alliance did not reveal the troops' nationalities or the exact location of the blast.

April 1st, 2009 BRUSSELS - NATO Wednesday welcomed a joint declaration by US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on nuclear arms control and on further cooperation in Afghanistan. 'Obviously NATO-Russia relations are heavily influenced by bilateral relations between the United States and Russia,' said NATO spokesman James Appathurai in Brussels.

March 27th, 2009 BRUSSELS - Diplomats from the NATO and Iran held their first talks in 30 years here, focusing on possible cooperation on Afghanistan, an official said here. An Iranian diplomat met NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Martin Erdmann, the alliance's spokesman James Appathurai told reporters.

March 12th, 2009 BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has assured Afghanistan that the military alliance was preparing to provide troops for the upcoming elections, EuAsiaNews reported. Scheffer made the assurance while meeting Afghanistan's visiting defence chief General Bismallah Khan at the NATO headquarters here Wednesday, James Appathurai, a spokesman for the 26-nation military alliance, told reporters.

March 6th, 2009 BRUSSELS - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Thursday proposed a regional conference with key players such as NATO, the UN, Russia, India and Pakistan aimed at stabilising Afghanistan, diplomats said. The conference would be held in Brussels March 31.

March 5th, 2009 BRUSSELS - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived at NATO's headquarters in Brussels Thursday for talks with fellow foreign ministers on the alliance's strategy in Afghanistan and on its intention to re-engage with Russia. The meeting is the first by the new chief diplomat of the US, whose allies expect her to offer a listening ear while in Brussels.

January 27th, 2009 BRUSSELS - Refusing to intervene in the 'bilateral relations' of India and Pakistan, the NATO has urged them to take all necessary steps to de-escalate the tension in their ties, a spokesman for the 26-nation military alliance said here Wednesday. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had paid an official visit to Islamabad last week, during which he was briefed about the current stand-off between India and Pakistan following the Nov 26 Mumbai attacks, NATO spokesman James Appathurai told journalists.