U.N. chief appoints new representative for Sahara

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan appointed Alvaro de Soto of Peru, a key adviser on the Cyprus issue, as his new Special Representative for the Moroccan Sahara.

De Soto replaces William Lacy Swing (USA), the Secretary General's Special Representative and chief of the UN Mission for the Referendum in the Sahara (MINURSO).

De Soto had served as Annan's Special Adviser on Cyprus since 1999.

Before his Cyprus assignment, Mr. de Soto was Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and also spent 13 years in the Secretary General's Office serving successively as Special Assistant, Executive Assistant and Senior Political Adviser to the Secretary General.

Lacy Swing was, for his part, appointed as special representative for the RD Congo, the UN said Monday.