NATO defence chiefs chose Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola of Italy on Wednesday to replace Canadian Gen. Ray Henault as the alliance's top officer.
Henault, a former Canadian chief of defence staff, steps down when his three-year term expires in June.
His star rose in 1999 for his handling of Canada's role in the Kosovo military operation and the way he performed during daily media briefings.
Henault was the first chief of defence staff in more than a generation to preside over a military suffering combat deaths. But it was the former helicopter and jet fighter pilot's handling of Canada's role in Afghanistan that cemented his reputation outside the country — especially in the eyes of the Pentagon.
Di Paola, Italy's chief of defence for almost four years, is the second Italian to hold the post, beating out two other candidates. Also nominated for the job were Gen. Franciszek Gagor, chief of Poland's defence staff, and his Spanish counterpart, Gen. Felix Sanz Roldan.
The role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's top officer is to provide military advice from the 26 national chiefs of defence to NATO's civilian leadership.
The results of the secret NATO ballot in Brussels come at a time of rising tensions between the alliance and Russia surrounding U.S. plans to base a missile defence shield in eastern Europe with interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
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