A senior United Nations official from Brazil has been appointed the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Sergio Vieira de Mello was named as Mary Robinson's successor by the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

Sergio Vieira de Mello: "Knows where the red lines are"

A vote at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday evening confirmed his appointment.

"For Brazil, it's an honour and great satisfaction for one of its nationals to be assigned to such responsibility," said the country's UN envoy Luiz Tupy Caldas de Moura.

Ever since Mr Vieira de Mello successfully headed the UN operation that led to independence from Indonesia for East Timor, he has been the leading contender for the post.

US opposition

Mrs Robinson, the current high commissioner, has made enemies in the United States, with her outspoken criticism of the detention of al-Qaeda suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

The US had indicated that it would oppose a second term for the former Irish president.

Mr Vieira de Mello acknowledged that the "job in itself is a minefield," adding that he would like to make it less political.

His appointment is likely to be welcomed by the US.

"He knows where the red lines are," said one Washington envoy.

Apart from East Timor, Mr Vieira de Mello has served in Cambodia, where he was the first director for mine clearance, and in Lebanon, Bosnia and Kosovo.

A spokeswoman for Mrs Robinson said she welcomed Mr Vieira de Mello's appointment.

"The two know each other well and have a big respect for each other," the spokeswoman said.

But a human rights group said that the incoming high commissioner should not take all the controversy out of his job.

"The challenge for him will be to speak out on behalf of the victims in a clear voice," said Johanna Weschler, UN representative for Human Rights Watch.

Mr Vieira de Mello takes up his new post in September.