BRUSSELS – Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the ambassadors of the North Atlantic Council bid a fond farewell to Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller on Wednesday, states NATO in a press release.
Gottemoeller took office in October 2016, after nearly five years as the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She was the first woman in NATO’s seventy-year history to hold the post of Deputy Secretary General.
Over the past three years, Gottemoeller helped guide the Alliance’s policy on Russia. Gottemoeller also managed the transition to the Alliance’s new headquarters – one of Europe’s largest architectural projects in years – and coordinated NATO’s efforts in the fight against terrorism.
“Rose Gottemoeller has been a pillar of strength over the past three years. An expert in arms control and disarmament, she has played a key role in strengthening NATO’s defence and deterrence, modernizing our alliance, and raising the profile of women in peace and security. We will all miss her”, said Jens Stoltenberg.
Two years ago, EWB had an interview with her where she talked about the region and cooperation.
“I always like to take the polls of the people I am talking to on a high level and try to understand what issues and concerns are for them, so I do like to have pretty frank and direct conversations and see what people think”, said Gottemoeller at the time.
Mircea Geoană takes up the post today
Romanian diplomat Mircea Geoană will officially take up his post as NATO’s Deputy Secretary General today and will be the first Deputy Secretary General from Central and Eastern Europe.
”I am happy to announce the appointment of Mircea Geoană as the next Deputy Secretary General. He is a staunch advocate of the transatlantic bond and will bring long experience as a statesman and diplomat to this post. He will be the first Romanian to hold this senior office,” stated Stoltenberg in June when he appointed him.
Geoană most recently served as the President of the Aspen Institute Romania and ran for the Presidency of Romania in 2009. He served as the President of the Romanian Senate between December 2008 and November 2011 and President of the Social Democratic Party, from 2005 to 2010.
Between 2012 and 2014, he served as Chairman of the Joint Committee of the Romanian Senate and Chamber of Deputies regarding Romania’s Accession to the Schengen Area, and as High Representative of the Romanian Government for Strategic Economic Projects and Public Diplomacy. He was also a member of the Romanian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. From 2000 to 2004, Geoană served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania.