Vienna  - Austrian diplomat Werner Almhofer will be the new chief of the Kosovo mission of the Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe (OSCE), Austrian news agency APA reported Thursday.

Finland, which currently chairs the OSCE, appointed the 48-year-old Austrian to succeed Tim Guldimann of Switzerland, who had led the mission since last October.

Since 2005, Almhofer has been Austria's ambassador in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

APA quoted unnamed diplomatic sources who said Serbia was angry that it was not adequately consulted about the decision.

The OSCE mission is involved in institution-building and promotion of human rights in Kosovo. (dpa)