Brasília, 23 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The secretary general of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, has nominated a Brazilian, Sérgio Vieira de Mello, to become UN high commissioner for Human Rights. If the appointment is approved today by the General Assembly today, Mello will substitute Mary Robinson who has occupied the position since September 1997.

Until May of this year, Mello headed the UN Transition Administration of East Timor, which led that country to independence. Before that, he was a special representative of the Secretary General for Kosovo and a subsecretary general for Humanitarian Affairs.

Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso declared that he was pleased with the nomination and certain that Mello would perform his duties in the new position successfully. (AB)