UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhuanet) -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan Friday appointed Japanese diplomat Nobuaki Tanaka as the new under-secretary-general for disarmament affairs, a UN spokesman said.

    Tanaka, who has been serving as Japanese ambassador to Pakistan since July 2004, will take office on April 6, spokesman Stephanie Dujarric told reporters.

    Tanaka, 59, will replace his countryman, Nobuyasu Abe, who resigned from the UN post in January.

    Dujarric said Tanaka is a seasoned diplomat with a variety of experience, not only dealing with bilateral political and economic issues, but also in working within the UN system.

    Tanaka served as assistant director general of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from 1994 to 1997 in charge of management and administration. Enditem