Italian to head UN mission in Kosovo

Pristina: The United Nations is expected to name Italian diplomat Lamberto Zannier this week as the new head of its Kosovo mission, a senior UN official said on Tuesday.

Zannier takes over from German diplomat Joachim Ruecker as part of a planned "reconfiguration" of the mission after Kosovo Albanians declared independence from Serbia in February and won recognition from major Western powers.

"The appointment should be made this week," a senior UN official said on condition of anonymity. "The planned arrival is on Friday."

UN veto-holder Russia, which backs Serbia in opposing Kosovo's secession, had blocked the withdrawal of the mission.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week put forward proposals to "reconfigure" the mission, allowing it to cede certain powers to Pristina.