UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday announced the appointment of Elinor Jane Britt Hammarskjold of Sweden as under-secretary-general for legal affairs and UN legal counsel.

Currently serving as director-general for legal affairs of the Swedish Foreign Ministry and head of the Legal Department, Hammarskjold has over 30 years of experience in security policy, international law, human rights and treaty law.

She has served as ambassador of Sweden to Israel, and worked at the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in New York.

Hammarskjold will succeed Miguel de Serpa Soares of Portugal. ■