Geir Pedersen, left, then-UN special coordinator for Lebanon and other officials walk past a heavily damaged mosque during their tour in the devastated town of Bint Jbeil in south Lebanon, 02 March 2007. (MAHMOUD ZAYYAT / AFP)
UNITED NATIONS — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has informed the Security Council that he intends to appoint veteran Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen as his special envoy for Syria.
Pedersen is currently Norway's ambassador to China and previously served as his country's UN ambassador
Pedersen is currently Norway's ambassador to China and previously served as his country's UN ambassador. He will replace Staffan de Mistura, who announced this month that he will be leaving the post at the end of November.
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Guterres says in a letter to the council obtained Tuesday night by The Associated Press that Pedersen will provide "good offices" aimed at ending the seven-year Syrian conflict and will lead UN efforts to facilitate "an inclusive and credible political solution that meets the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people."
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The secretary-general calls on the international community and the Syrian government to give Pedersen "unified and unwavering support."
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