Spaniard joins race for top Nato post

Brussels - Denmark fought last night to keep its former foreign minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen in the running for the top job at Nato but support was emerging for the compromise candidacy of Spain's Foreign Minister, Javier Solana.

Nato ambassadors will discuss the issue today after France, piqued at Washington's rejection of the Dutch candidate, Ruud Lubbers, refused to accept Mr Ellemann-Jensen. Mr Solana's name emerged after numerous defence and foreign ministers of the Western European Union praised him at a meeting in Madrid on Tuesday and the United States added its praise yesterday. Reuter