Austria nominates Ferrero-Waldner to head UNESCO

Mr. Ferrero-Waldner, 60, was Austria's Foreign Minister before becoming a European Union Commissioner in late 2004.

An Austrian official says the country has nominated EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner to be next Director General of UNESCO.

The Paris-based U.N. cultural agency is expected to pick a new chief in the Autumn. The job is currently held by Koichiro Matsuura of Japan.

Alexander Schallenberg, a spokesman for Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, said on Thursday that the Austrian Embassy in France forwarded a letter nominating Ferrero-Waldner to UNESCO very recently.