SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS LAMBERTO ZANNIER OF ITALY AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE

FOR KOSOVO, HEAD OF UNITED NATIONS INTERIM ADMINISTRATION MISSION IN KOSOVO

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Lamberto Zannier of Italy as his Special Representative for Kosovo and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). 

Mr. Zannier is an Italian career diplomat, with over 30 years of experience.  Most recently, he led policy and operational aspects of Italy’s participation in European Security and Defense Policy field operations at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  From 2002 to 2006, he was the Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna, where he oversaw the management of some 20 civilian field operations.  He has held other senior positions such as Permanent Representative of Italy to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague (2000-2002), chairperson of the negotiations on the adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (1997-2000) and Head of Disarmament, Arms Control and Cooperative Security at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1991-1997). 

Mr. Zannier is 54 years old and holds a law degree from the University of Trieste.

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For information media • not an official record