Brazilian to replace Robinson as human rights chief

A senior UN official from Brazil was today named to succeed former Irish president Mary Robinson as head of the Human Rights Commission.

‘‘The Secretary-General this morning informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint Sergio Vieira de Mello as the new High Commissioner for Human Rights,’’ said UN spokesman Fred Eckhard,

The assembly is expected to approve the appointment tomorrow.

Mrs Robinson, who has held the job since 1997, announced in March that she would step down in September even though supporters had urged her to stay.

She had indicated privately she was willing to remain in office for three more years and diplomats said she had support from Western Europe and many Arab and developing countries.

But US officials at UN headquarters have indicated Washington’s lack of enthusiasm for her.

Mrs Robinson had angered the United States by criticising its treatment of detainees brought from Afghanistan to the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba, and by spearheading last year’s UN conference on racism, which the United States abandoned in a dispute over criticism of Israel.

De Mello was considered the leading contender for the job after he completed his post as the UN administrator for East Timor in May when the tiny island nation declared independence.

He previously served as the UN representative for Kosovo and at UN headquarters as the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs.