New UN chief 'will help tackle North Korea crisis'

Austria's foreign minister today congratulated South Korean Ban Ki-moon on his appointment as the next UN Secretary-General and invited him to make a return visit to the alpine country where he once served as his country's ambassador.

"With Ban Ki-moon the United Nations will have a Secretary-General who is very familiar with the organisation. His long-time experience and excellent knowledge that he acquired through his service at the United Nations, will benefit the UN and all of us," Ursula Plassnik said in a statement.