BRUSSELS, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen took up his post as NATO secretary general on Monday, becoming the alliance's 12th top civilian leader.

    Following is a list of NATO secretary generals before him:

    -- Hastings Ismay (Britain)

    April 1952 -- May 1957

    -- Paul-Henri Spaak (Belgium)

    May 1957 -- April 1961

    -- Dirk Stikker (Netherlands)

    April 1961 -- August 1964

    -- Manlio Brosio (Italy)

    August 1964 -- October 1971

    -- Joseph Luns (Netherlands)

    October 1971 -- June 1984

    -- Peter Carington (Britain)

    June 1984 -- July 1988

    -- Manfred Woerner (Germany)

    July 1988 -- August 1994

    -- Sergio Balanzino (acting, Italy)

    August 1994 -- October 1994

    -- Willy Claes (Belgium)

    October 1994 -- October 1995

    -- Sergio Balanzino (acting, Italy)

    October 1995 -- December 1995

    -- Javier Solana (Spain)

    December 1995 -- October 1999

    -- George Robertson (Britain)

    October 1999 -- December 2003

    -- Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo (acting, Italy)

    December 2003 -- January 2004

    -- Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (Netherlands)

    January 2004 -- July 2009