News In Brief

June 26, 1984

Carrington takes up new role as NATO executive

Former British Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington took over as secretary-general of NATO Monday, succeeding Joseph Luns of the Netherlands, who left Friday after almost 13 years in the post. Lord Carrington is a firm believer in East-West dialogue.

Carrington, who resigned as foreign secretary after the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982, arrives at NATO at a time of difficult relations between East and West and of transatlantic frictions within the alliance.

American criticism that Europe is not spending enough on the Western defense effort has sparked fears on the Continent of an isolationist trend in the United States. Lord Carrington said his most urgent task is to reassure the United States that its European allies are pulling their weight.