UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has named a former counter-terrorism expert to head the world body's newly created security department.  

David Veness was formerly in charge of counter-terrorism with London's Metropolitan Police. A news briefing was held on Thursday in New York to introduce the new security chief.

The UN General Assembly created the post, with the rank of under-secretary-general, late last December.

Veness said he would assume the post late February, and put the emphasis of his work on the protection of UN staff.

The world body now has more than a hundred thousand workers around the world, and those working in restive countries sometimes become targets of deadly attacks.

(CCTV.com January 14, 2005)