Krohn Devold has been widely viewed as a leading candidate to succeed the current secretary general of NATO, Lord George Robertson, who will step down at the end of the year. She's also been warmly backed by US officials.
But Krohn Devold, who hasn't wanted to comment on the issue, effectively dashed her own candidacy. "I think the alliance's next secretary general should come from the Netherlands, which today is Norway's most important partner on the European side in NATO," she told wire service NTB.
She stressed that this was her personal opinion, and said that the issue hadn't been drafted either with Norway's prime minister or foreign minister. She noted that the Dutch government has launched its foreign minister, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, as NATO's 11th secretary general.
Her evaluation is thus widely interpreted as meaning that she doesn't see herself as taking over the helm after Lord Robertson.
He's due to be in Norway on Friday, for his last official visit as NATO boss. Krohn Devold said she'll take the opportunity to back the Dutch candidate, adding that she thinks he can unite the alliance even though NATO members from southern Europe may think it's their turn to win the top job.
Krohn Devold said, meanwhile, that she'll also give Lord Robertson a comprehensive overview of Norwegian defense forces. She wants to keep them flexible, available for use both at home and overseas. She thinks Norway should help boost NATO's transport capacity, continue its cooperation in the air with the Netherlands and Denmark and work with the British and Dutch amphibious forces.
