He said the Brazilian, also fluent in English and French, would serve only four months in Iraq and retain his current position, which he took only last year.
While some diplomats saw that as a matter of concern, they did not see it as an obstacle. Another consideration was that while Vieira de Mello was regarded as dynamic and multilingual, he was not an Arab or, at least, did not speak Arabic. Still, diplomats told United Press International that would not be an obstacle.
A letter with the secretary-general's choice was sent to the Security Council Friday and then distributed to council members.
U.N. officials told UPI they saw the short term given Vieira de Mello as a bow by the secretary-general to human rights groups who feared the sensitive Geneva-based agency would be neglected.
Interestingly, Human Rights Watch said in a statement earlier Friday, "The new U.N. special representative for Iraq should make human rights a central element in rebuilding the country."
The announcement was no surprise as Vieira de Mello appeared the front-runner ever since Washington suggested the high commissioner for the post.
"We warmly welcome the announcement," said an official at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.
"Vieira de Mello is a great choice for this post," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of HRW. "Protecting human rights is essential for successfully rebuilding Iraq. Vieira de Mello will bring his experience of the top human rights post to this important role."
However, he expressed concern on the possible impact on the high commissioner's office.
"A temporary replacement will never have the clout that is needed to fill this critical role. It is essential that a vacuum not be left in this important post," Roth said.
Annan designated Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertie Ramcharan, of Guyana, as officer-in-charge of the agency.
Roth called on the newly appointed Vieira de Mello to take immediate steps to establish human rights monitoring throughout Iraq and to press for the establishment of an international commission of experts mandated to make recommendations regarding the type of international justice mechanism best suited to satisfy "the need for accountability for crimes and atrocities committed by the previous Iraqi regime."
He also called on the new special representative to take immediate steps aimed at the collection and preservation of forensic evidence in Iraq and the creation of an agency to register cases of the disappeared and facilitate the certification of death and the recovery of remains, and with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and other relevant agencies, monitor the situation of refugees and the internally displaced inside Iraq.
Additionally, Roth said Vieira de Mello should make it a top priority to address the threat posed to civilian lives in Iraq by antipersonnel land mines and unexploded ordnance.
The post of special representative is set out in the council's latest Iraq resolution, passed just Thursday.
It says the representative's "independent responsibilities shall involve reporting regularly to the council on his activities ... coordinating activities of the United Nations in post-conflict processes in Iraq, coordinating among United Nations and international agencies engaged in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction activities in Iraq, and, in coordination with the (occupying powers' coalition) authority, assisting the people of Iraq."
Among a list of the representatives duties is "working intensively with the authority, the people of Iraq, and others concerned to advance efforts to restore and establish national and local institutions for representative governance, including by working together to facilitate a process leading to an internationally recognized, representative government of Iraq."
Vieira de Mello for more than 30 years with the United Nations served at various posts across the globe.
While he initially was the choice of the United States, no council diplomats raised any objection him. He is highly regarded as one of Annan's top trouble-shooters and a tough man for a tough job.
Before taking the Geneva UNHCR post last September, he was the secretary-general's special representative to East Timor, until it became independent Timor-Leste just one year ago.
Before that he was a special representative in Kosovo, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and relief coordinator at U.N. headquarters in New York, and an assistant secretary-general serving as assistant high commissioner for refugees in Geneva.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
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