By IANS,
London : Britain has named Sherard Cowper-Coles as its new envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Cowper-Coles, currently British ambassador to Afghanistan, will be appointed as special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, a new post, the foreign office said Monday.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the purpose of the appointment is to reinforce Britain’s strategic engagement both with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Cowper-Coles would work closely with US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke to help support the Afghan and Pakistani governments, he said.
Earlier Sunday, Holbrooke said bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan would be much tougher than in Iraq.
The new US administration is expected to approve up to 17,000 more combat troops for Afghanistan to counter the growing insurgency there.
Cowper-Coles will return to London in March to start his new job. His successor as ambassador will be announced later, Geo TV reported.