PARIS, June 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko has been chosen as a candidate for the post of UNESCO director general, the organization said in a press release.

The list of nine candidates was announced by the chairman of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Executive Board, Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai, on Monday.

Also running for the post will be Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Austria), the European commissioner for external relations and European neighbourhood policy.

Koichiro Matsuura, who was elected director general in 1999, will step down in November.

The director general is nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the General Conference for a period of four years, and serves a maximum of two consecutive terms.