New UN Secretary-General names Chief of Staff, Spokesperson
By Sonita Taylor 'Pakistan Times' UN Special Correspondent

UNITED NATIONS: Ban Ki-moon, who took over as the eighth UN Secretary-General Monday, has appointed a former Indian diplomat to the key post of chef de cabinet as he announced the first appointments of his team.

Ambassador Vijay Nambiar was until now special adviser to Kofi Annan, who completed his two five-year terms as UN chief on December 31, 1006.

“I have known Mr. Nambiar for a long time and we share deep confidence and respect for each other” the new secretary-general said in a statement.

During his long career as a diplomat, Nambiar also served in Pakistan as India’s Ambassador from 2000 to 2001.

Ban Ki-moon also named Michelle Montas, an award winning Haitian journalist, as his spokesperson. Until recently, she was heading up the U.N.’s French radio service.

“Today’s appointments will serve as a solid basis for establishing my team and pursuing a programme of reform of the Secretariat to provide continuity along with change,” said Ban, promising to name more members of his team in the coming days.

Nambiar undertook a number of sensitive assignments during his tenure with Annan, including traveling to the Middle East following the war between Israel and Hizbollah.

Before joining Annan’s team in March, Nambiar was Deputy National Security Advisor to the Government of India and Head of the National Security Council Secretariat.

He previously served as India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, from May 2002 to June 2004. Earlier as Ambassador of India, he served China (1996-2000), Malaysia (1993-1996), and Afghanistan (1990-1992). He was also Ambassador of India in Algeria from 1985 to 1988.

Nambiar joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1967 and spent his early years in the diplomatic service specializing in the Chinese language serving in Hong Kong and Beijing. He also served during the mid-1970s in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.