| Date: | Monday September 22, @03:19AM |
|---|---|
| Author: | ewing2001 |
| Topic: | News |
| from the Reuters dept. | |
Update: de Hoop Scheffer is a Bilderberger
Photo: Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaap de Hoop Scheffer with Paul Wolfowitz (right) on Sept. 2, 2003
Reuters - Mon September 22
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Dutch Foreign Minister Jaap De Hoop Scheffer has become NATO Secretary-General designate, succeeding George Robertson, a spokesman for the military alliance said Monday.
"It's official," the spokesman told Reuters, adding that De Hoop Scheffer would take over in three months.
After his military service, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer worked for the ministery of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1986. The first two years, he was stationed at the Dutch embassy in Ghana. After that, he worked at the Dutch delegation at NATO headquarters in Brussels until 1980.
Although he has been a member of the D'66 party, he became a member of the Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) in 1982. At the elections of 1986, he was chosen in the Second Chamber of parliament. He was a spokesman on foreign affairs for his party. Between 1997 and 2001, he was the leader of the CDA delegation in the Second Chamber, at a time when the CDA was in opposition. This made him the party leader.
When the list of candidates for the 2002 elections was chosen, his position as the party leader of the CDA became uncertain. After a power struggle with the party chairman Van Rij, De Hoop Scheffer resigned as party leader. Jan Peter Balkenende succeeded him, and had the top spot on the CDA list of candidates in the elections on May 15, 2002.
In those elections, the CDA was the winner, and received the leading role in the formation of a new government. The new prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende appointed Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as foreign minister in his short-lived first cabinet, a position he retained in the second Balkenende cabinet after the elections of January 22, 2003.
In 2003, the foreign policy of the Netherlands, which was determined in a large part by Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Jan Peter Balkenende, was characterized by a strong support of the United States in their war against Iraq, even though this is an unpopular policy with the Dutch people.
On September 22, 2003 it was announced that De Hoop Scheffer will be the new Secretary General of the NATO, starting on January 1, 2004.
Photo: Another Meeting between Wolfowitz and Scheffer in May 2003
Radio Hilversum NL -September 2
The Netherlands is to contribute at least 95 million euros to the reconstruction of Afghanistan over the next three years. The news came from Development Cooperation Minister Agnes van Ardenne, who was speaking to journalists at the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Dubai.
The minister said she hopes other countries will also help Afghanistan, and stop the country becoming a breeding ground for terrorists once again.
The money from the Netherlands will go to a special development fund used, among other things, to pay the salaries of civil servants in Afghanistan.
...Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende and foreign minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer are on a working visit to the United States. They will hold talks with US Vice-President Dick Cheney about the ongoing problems with restoring order in Iraq. Mr De Hoop Scheffer is expected to argue for a more prominent role for the United Nations. Tomorrow the Dutch ministers will have breakfast with President George W Bush.
Please read also The dutch 9/11 Ties
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printed from Iraq War Supporter De Hoop Scheffer to Become NATO Chief on 2004-05-06 01:54:10