Meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers, the Council of the European Union appointed today long-time Estonian and EU diplomat as EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia.

Toivo Klaar, who currently leads the Central Asia Division at the European External Action Service (EEAS) and prior to this appointment served as the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia, will be tasked to contribute to a peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region in his new capacity.

Klaar will also represent the European Union in the Geneva International Discussions (GID), a regular forum of dialogue on the consequences of the 2008 war in Georgia.

Toivo Klaar will replace Herbert Salber, who left the post in August, less than two months after his remarks in Tskhinvali were met with furious criticism from Georgian officials and opposition politicians. 

Before joining the European Commission in 2005, Klaar held various positions in the Estonian civil service, serving as foreign policy advisor to the Estonian President in 1999-2001, director general for political affairs in the Estonian Foreign Ministry and advisor to the Minister of Defense.

Toivo Klaar then served as the head of European Commission Representation to Estonia in 2005-2010 before becoming the head of a European Commission unit dealing with coordination and management of the establishment of the European External Action Service (EEAS), which he later joined as the head of the Division for Human Resources Policy and Coordination.