NATO's new Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has appointed former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright to head a committee of experts debating a new strategic concert for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Deputy chair of the 12-person commission is former Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer.

Earlier today, Secretary-General Rasmussen, who took over on Saturday, outlined the priorities that will form the policies central to his leadership of the alliance. Mr Rasmussen said Afghanistan was at the top of his list, closely followed by improving relations with its former Cold War foe, Russia.

According to the Secretary-General, "NATO needs a new strategic concept". The last time NATO drew up an overall strategy was in 1999, well before today's global challenges, including terrorism, cyber attacks and piracy in the Gulf of Aden became NATO's concern. Dr Albright and her team will lead a debate on the challenges NATO will face in the next decade and how to respond to them.