Claes due to quit as Nato chief
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.WILLY CLAES, the Nato Secretary-General, is expected to resign following the Belgian parliamentary commission ruling yesterday that he should face trial on charges of corruption.
The scandal comes at a terrible time for Nato, which has just begun the planning for deploying a massive force to Bosnia to enforce the peace deal. The alliance will have to choose a successor to Mr Claes with the utmost urgency, and it is essential that it be someone fully committed to Nato's new interventionist policy in the Balkans.
The strong favourite is Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, the former Danish foreign minister, who commands high respect in Washington as well as European capitals. Douglas Hurd, who resigned as foreign secretary in June, has been tipped, but following his hands-off approach to the war in the former Yugoslavia it is thought unlikely he would win backing from Washington.
Mr Claes is accused of knowing about payments made by Augusta, the Italian helicopter company, to his Flemish Socialist Party in return for helicopter sales at a time when he was Belgium's economics minister. Yesterday he said he was "stricken" by the parliamentary commission's finding. Asked by Belgian radio whether he would quit his post he said: "It's too soon. I must examine the test of the commission - and think about it before taking my decision."
Although Nato members have tried to maintain support for Mr Claes during the long-running corruption scandal, there was little doubt yesterday that the parliamentary commission decision to lift his immunity from prosecution must bring about his resignation. It is inconveivable that he could continue in the top Nato job while on trial.
Under Belgian law, only the Belgian parliament can send ministers and former ministers for trial. The parliamentary commission, set up to decide if there was a case against Mr Claes, said yesterday that it was "imperative" that proceedings should begin. The parliament will vote on whether to charge Mr Claes on Thursday, and is expected to follow the commission's recommendation.
Mr Ellemann-Jensen has not been directly involved in decisions on Europe's Balkan policy and would therefore come to the Nato job uncompromised in US eyes by what Washington sees as European perfidy over the past four years.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments