Although the new US administration supports Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski as a candidate for NATO Secretary General, Berlin and Paris could block his candidature so as not to upset Moscow, press reports claim.

The daily Dziennik reports that despite Sikorski being considered one of the four top candidates for the office, “pro-Russian” governments in Paris and Berlin are not so supportive as they want to strengthen relations with the Kremlin, and Sikorski, being part of the Polish government which has been very critical of Moscow in disputes with Georgia and Ukraine, would hinder that cooperation.

Bruce Jackson, responsible for NATO expansion, who has written a report seen by the Gazeta Wyborcza daily, claims that although Sikorski is indeed a valuable candidate for the job - which will become available this year with the retirement of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer - he stands little chance, with France and Germany preparing to veto the application.

According to Jackson, the favoured candidate is now Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

Last week the UK’s Daily Telegraph supported Sikorski’s candidature in an Op-Ed column even though the foreign minister himself told reporters that: "I am not a candidate for the post of NATO secretary general." Prime Minister Donald Tusk, however, has said that his canditure will be put forward.

Minister Sikorski would have the support of all the new central and eastern European members of Nato and is welcomed in Washington for his very pro-American stance on many issues.

The new NATO Secretary General will be probably be chosen at a NATO meeting on April 3 and 4 in Kehl, Germany. (pg/is)