British Ambassador to Bulgaria Richard Stagg will soon take a step up in the diplomatic hierarchy.

When his current term expires in October, Stagg will take the post of director of public services with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the embassy's press office announced on Monday. He will start his new job in London at the beginning of November.

In his new capacity, Stagg will be in charge of public relations, consulting services, relations with Parliament and FCO information servicing. He will also be responsible for supervising the work of the BBC World Service and the British Council, stated the press office.

Miroslava Simeonova, press and public affairs officer for the embassy, said that the ambassador has not yet made an official statement about his new appointment but has announced it to the mission's staff.

Stagg's career at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office dates back to 1977. It started with the post of assistant desk officer in the Hong Kong Department. In 1979 Stagg came to Bulgaria and spent three years here as a third chancery and information secretary. In October, 1998, the diplomat was appointed British ambassador to Bulgaria.

The British embassy also announced that the new British Ambassador will be Ian Soutar, who will take up the post in December. He has been the UK permanent representative to the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva since August 1997. His service with the FCO has included countries such as Vietnam, Belgium, New Zealand and the U.S.