Close on the heels of US appointing a special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Britain has named Sherard Cowper-Coles as its representative for the region.
Close on the heels of US appointing a special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Britain has named Sherard Cowper-Coles as its representative for the region to discuss the security situation.
Coles, who is currently serving as the ambassador in Afghanistan, has been assigned the new responsibility by foreign secretary David Miliband.
He will be returning to the Foreign Office in London in March to take up his new appointment, a release by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.
"Sherard Cowper-Coles has made a major contribution to the UK effort in Afghanistan during his time as Ambassador in Kabul. I want to continue to make use of his expertise as we take forward our work with both countries which is so critical to the UK's own strategic interests," Miliband said.
The Britain's move comes weeks after the US appointed Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Holbrooke is currently on a visit to the region that will take him to Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.
Coles will be the foreign secretary's representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Coles will work closely with the British ambassador in Kabul and the high commissioner in Islamabad, but focus on the cross-cutting issues facing both the governments, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Miliband telephoned Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari to inform him about Britain's decision to appoint a special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and to discuss the regional security situation.
Media reports quoted Zardari as telling Miliband that Pakistan would soon share the findings of its probe into the Mumbai attacks with India.
During his recent visit to Pakistan, Miliband had called on the government to go "farther and faster" to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.
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