Bratislava  - Slovakian Foreign Minister Jan Kubis is to leave government for a post in the United Nations, the country's foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday.

The ministry said that Kubis, a seasoned diplomat, had accepted an offer from UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon to become the executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva.

Slovakian media had long tipped Kubis to be the next EU Commissioner for the country, or else as a future NATO general secretary. Kubis had been an independent member of the Slovakian cabinet, and was previously the general secretary of of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

A replacement has not been announced, although Prime Minister Robert Fico told local media that he would prefer another non- partisan candidate. (dpa)