BERTRAND RAMCHARAN WELCOMES NOMINATION OF LOUISE ARBOUR AS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

BERTRAND RAMCHARAN WELCOMES NOMINATION OF LOUISE ARBOUR

AS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 20 February (UN Information Service) -- The acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, congratulates and warmly welcomes the nomination of Louise Arbour as High Commissioner for Human Rights.  He telephoned Judge Arbour today to congratulate her and to assure her of his unstinting support and that of the staff of the Office of High Commissioner.

The acting High Commissioner noted that Judge Arbour has been involved in various aspects of the law throughout her professional career, notably as professor of law and judge and in the pursuit of international justice as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.  Her passion for justice will be a great asset in the position of High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The acting High Commissioner looks forward to working with the new High Commissioner.

* *** *