Senior German diplomat appointed Annan’s top envoy for Kosovo

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed a senior diplomat from Germany to be his Special Representative for Kosovo and the head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission (UNMIK).

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed a senior diplomat from of Germany to be his Special Representative for Kosovo and the head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission (UNMIK).

Michael Steiner, a former Foreign and Security Policy Adviser to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, replaces Hans Haekkerup, who left Kosovo when his contract expired at the end of 2001.

Mr. Steiner is the third Special Representative for Kosovo since UNMIK was established in 1999, following Mr Haekkerup of Denmark and Bernard Kouchner of France. He will take up his duties in Pristina early next month.