Irish Amnesty welcomes Robinson decision

The Irish branch of Amnesty International has welcomed the decision by Mrs Mary Robinson to remain in her post as the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights for another year.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson

Mr Brian Dooley, the fundraising and communications officer for the Irish section of Amnesty, said: "We are very pleased at her decision. She has done a tremendous job in upping the profile of human rights campaigning in the media and in the political arena in Ireland."

Mrs Robinson, who took up the top UN rights job in September 1997, had originally announced that she would be stepping down from the post at the annual UN Commission on Human Rights meeting in Durban, South Africa on March 19th.

She claimed that she could do more valuable work outside the "constraints" of the UN. Mrs Robinson said the main constraints stemmed from her office having a huge mandate but funding of $21 million, less than two per cent of the UN regular budget.

Mr Dooley also said her decision was even more welcome in the light of this claim.

"It took the prospect of her leaving to secure more resources for human rights. If that's what it takes, then we strongly welcome her actions," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Irish branch of the United Nations said that they were "delighted" at Mrs Robinson's decision.

"As our former patron, we are delighted that she has decided to continue her work as commissioner," the spokeswoman said.

UN sources today said Mrs Robinson changed her mind after hearing regrets from various leaders, including French President Mr Jacques Chirac, who spoke to UN agency heads in Geneva last Friday.

The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, said Mrs Robinson's decision had been a source of great regret for everyone concerned with human rights.

"She and I met in Geneva last week, and again yesterday here in Nairobi," Mr Annan said in a statement released in the Kenyan capital.

"We discussed the timing of her departure, and I am delighted to say that I have prevailed upon her, subject to approval by the General Assembly, to stay on for one more year," he added.