NATO chief to stay one more year in office

BRUSSELS - NATO decided on Wednesday to extend the mandate of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen for one more year until July 2014.

"Following a process of consultations, Allies approved today Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's fifth year in office, thus extending his mandate until July 31st 2014," the alliance's decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council said in a statement.

"Allies will support Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in his dedicated work to carry forward NATO's tasks, missions and objectives, based on consensual allied decisions," it concluded.

The mandate of NATO Secretary General is four years with the possibility to prolong for one more year. Rasmussen took office in August, 2009.

The extension came as the military alliance is working on wrapping up its combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.