Former Danish premier Rasmussen takes over at NATO

Former Danish premier Rasmussen takes over at NATOBrussels  - Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former prime minister of Denmark, officially took the office of the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels on Saturday, replacing Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

Rasmussen is to take up the work of the military alliance on Monday and is to lead a meeting of NATO members on Tuesday.

The new chief's greatest challenge will remain Afghanistan, where the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has 64,500 soldiers and must secure the country for upcoming presidential elections.

Outgoing NATO head de Hoop Scheffer had held the post since January 2004, seeing the organization expand from 19 members to 28. (dpa)