Canadian becomes NATO's top soldier
17/11/2004 - 17:37:52NATO military chiefs today chose Canadian air force General Ray Henault as the alliance’s top soldier over his chief rival from Denmark.
Henault won a secret ballot vote among NATO’s 26 defence chiefs to replace German General Harald Kujat, who is stepping down from the post he has held since 2002.
“He’s an excellent candidate. I’m personally very happy,” said Kujat after announcing the result of the vote. “We had two excellent candidates.”
NATO officials in Brussels declined to say how many voted for Henault. However, Danish officials said it was close.
Diplomats at alliance headquarters suggested Henault was seen as a tougher, more politically savvy negotiator and supporters of the Canadian general said he had greater experience than Denmark’s armed forces chief, General Hans Jesper Helsoe.
Henault, 55, was named Canada’s military chief in 2001. The 36-year air force veteran was widely known in Canada for his daily briefings in Ottawa during the 1999 Kosovo conflict. He defended a military heavily criticised for being severely underfunded and understaffed.
He will only take up his post in mid 2005.
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