Brussels, Aug 3 (DPA) NATO welcomed its 12th secretary general Monday as Denmark's former prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived for his first day in the organisation's top job.

At a low-key ceremony under the flags of the alliance's 28 members, 56-year-old Rasmussen was welcomed to NATO by his deputy, Claudio Bisogniero, the head of the alliance's military committee, Admiral Giampaolo di Paola, and a handful of alliance staff.

His task over the next four years will be to chair NATO meetings and summits and coordinate debates and decisions among member states.

The centre-right politician served as Denmark's premier from November 2001 to April 2009, when he was appointed at NATO's 60th anniversary summit.

His nomination aroused some controversy. Turkey was initially opposed, in protest at his refusal to condemn the publication of cartoons mocking the prophet Mohammed in his country in 2005.

Rasmussen takes over as NATO is deeply embroiled in Afghanistan.