NATO named on Wednesday the British ambassador to Iran, Simon Gass, as the alliance’s new top representative to Afghanistan

NATO named on Wednesday the British ambassador to Iran, Simon Gass, as the alliance's new top civilian representative to Afghanistan, a statement said.
  
Gass will replace another Briton, Mark Swedwill, who has served as NATO's senior civilian representative since February 2010, the 28-nation military organization said in a statement. The new envoy will officially take over at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in April.
  
Gass will take office during a crucial year that will see the NATO-led mission begin to hand over security responsibility to Afghan forces, with the goal of giving them control of the battlefield nationwide by 2014.