NEWS RELEASES
AXWORTHY WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF MARY ROBINSON AS UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
June 13, 1997 No. 103
AXWORTHY WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF MARY ROBINSON AS
UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today welcomed the appointment of Mary
Robinson, President of Ireland, as the new United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights.
"I am delighted with this appointment. Ms. Robinson is eminently qualified for
this position and has demonstrated a strong commitment to human rights and
humanitarian issues, both in her own country and internationally. Canada looks
forward to working with her, and I commend Secretary-General Kofi Annan for this
appointment." said Mr. Axworthy.
Ms. Robinson will assume principal responsibility for the human rights activities
of the UN, including the tasks of integrating human rights throughout the UN
system and guiding the work of the Centre for Human Rights in Geneva.
Canada attaches great importance to the role of the UN in protecting and promoting
human rights internationally and played a central role in the creation of the
position of High Commissioner for Human Rights following the Vienna World
Conference on Human Rights in 1993. Ms. Robinson is the second person to hold the
position of High Commissioner, replacing Mr. José Ayala Lasso, who resigned the
post last March to become Foreign Minister of Ecuador.
Secretary-General Annan announced Ms. Robinson's appointment at the UN in New York
yesterday.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Catherine Lappe
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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