The appointment was announced in a Commonwealth Secretariat release yesterday.

McKinnon was in Guyana in early July and met President Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Desmond Hoyte.

He has since remained in touch with them and has followed recent developments in the country and both have welcomed Reeves' appointment, the release said.

The release reported McKinnon as saying, "I continue to be concerned over the situation in Guyana and Commonwealth good offices have always been on offer.

"I am pleased that Sir Paul will be able to apply his considerable experience to help restore political dialogue and promote national reconciliation in Guyana."

Reeves has had a distinguished career. A former Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand, he was Governor General of New Zealand from 1985 to 1990.

In 1994, he was Deputy Leader of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the South African elections, and in 1996 he led the Commonwealth Observer Group to the Ghana elections.

From 1995-1997, he chaired the Fiji Constitutional Review Commission.

The release said Reeves is expected to visit Guyana shortly and will be assisted by two senior officials of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Mrs. Judith Pestaina and Mr. Kosi Latu.

President Jagdeo and Hoyte started talks in April last year, but Hoyte suspended the dialogue in March, 2002 over differences on implementation of agreements reached.

The Government has said progress has been made in implementing agreements and civil society, including religious and business groups, and western embassies based here have called for resumption of the dialogue.