Former NATO Secretary General receives honorary UK award
The UK Foreign Secretary has appointed the former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG).
Former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen with the Foreign Secretary
The KCMG was awarded in recognition of Mr Rasmussen’s services to UK and international security as Secretary General of NATO between 2009 and 2014.
The UK Permanent Representative to NATO, Sir Adam Thomson, said:
“This award honours Anders Fogh Rasmussen, his services to NATO and NATO’s importance to the UK’s defence and security. Mr Rasmussen led NATO with distinction through a period of important change. During his tenure as NATO Secretary General, the Alliance began to face new challenges to its security and Mr Rasmussen was critical to ensuring that the Alliance was able to respond effectively.
“Mr Rasmussen helped forge the Alliance’s current Strategic Concept. He drove NATO reform. And his leadership in preparation of the 2014 Wales Summit contributed to the success of the Summit, including the achievement of all the major UK policy objectives.
“Ahead of NATO’s Warsaw Summit in July next year, the UK is playing a leading role to ensure the commitments made at the Wales Summit are delivered, including strengthening collective defence.”
The former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said:
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG). This award will further strengthen my ties to the British people.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank the UK for its invaluable contribution to the promotion of freedom and peace in the world. The United Kingdom is a staunch NATO ally and a bedrock of the transatlantic security cooperation between Europe and the United States.”
The KCMG was awarded to Mr Rasmussen by the UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, at a ceremony in London.