Turkish woman becomes NATO chief deputy

ISTANBUL

A Turkish woman has broken ground by becoming NATO’s deputy assistant secretary-general, daily Milliyet has reported.

“Burcu San, 52, has been working in the alliance since 1998,” the daily reported on July 29.

San, who served as the deputy assistant secretary-general for operations (DASG OPS) for years, was promoted to be the director for operations in March following a difficult qualification exam.

Her mission was to coordinate NATO’s defense planning, crisis management and operational activities.

San started working in the alliance in 1998 and served in SFOR in Bosnia Herzigova and KFOR in Kosovo.

Born in the Turkish capital Ankara, she graduated from the international relations faculty of Ankara university ODTÜ.