News In Brief

Carrington to follow Luns as NATO chief

A former British foreign secretary, Lord Carrington, is expected to replace Joseph Luns as NATO's secretary-general, according to diplomats. The diplomats said a successor to Mr. Luns, who is retiring, would be named by the ministers Dec. 9, the last day of NATO's fall meeting.

The Carrington appointment, one diplomat said, ''is all settled.''

Lord Carrington, who resigned his British Cabinet post during last year's Falkland Islands conflict, probably would not assume his new position until at least May, before the NATO ministers' spring conference.

NATO sources Wednesday said Spain was initially hesitant to accept Lrd Carrington because of the Spanish-British dispute over Gibraltar. But Spain now agrees with the appointment, they said.