UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has appointed Peter W. Galbraith, a veteran negotiations expert from the United States, as deputy UN special representatives for Afghanistan, Ban's spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

    Galbraith,59, will be responsible for political issues, including electoral and parliamentary matters, as well as those related to peace and stability, security sector reform and human rights. He replaces Christopher Alexander of Canada who will be completing his assignment with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) at the end of March, spokesperson Michele Montas said.

    "The secretary-general is grateful to Mr. Alexander for his dedicated service in Afghanistan over the past three years, during which he made a valuable contribution to UNAMA efforts to foster peace and stability in Afghanistan," Montas told a regular press briefing.

    Galbraith is currently a Senior Diplomatic Fellow at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and founder of the Windham Resources Group LLC, a firm that specializes in international negotiations and strategies.

    He also has many years of humanitarian and security policy experience with regard to negotiations on Iraq, the former Yugoslavia and Timor-Leste.

    Besides, he has served as U.S. Ambassador to Croatia and been a senior legal advisor to the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

    UNAMA is headed by the secretary-general's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Kai Eide, and currently has some 1,500 staff across the country.