THE President, Mrs Robinson, led tributes to the veteran Irish diplomat, Mr Erskine Childers, who died yesterday.
Mr Childers (68), son of former President Erskine Childers, died of a heart attack while attending the 50th anniversary congress of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) in Luxembourg.
He was sitting in Congress after giving a speech when he suddenly had breathing difficulties and keeled over," said the chairman of the federation, Mr Malcolm Harper. Mr Childers's father also died suddenly while giving a speech.
"I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Erskine Childers at the 50th Anniversary Congress of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) of which he was Secretary General," President Robinson said in a statement.
"Erskine Childers had a lifelong commitment to the United Nations and in particular to the concept of we the peoples . . . He had a true understanding of the global community we all live in and of our responsibilities to each other. Erskine Childers wrote extensively on UN issues and his writings remain to challenge our thoughts as we move towards the new millennium.
"On behalf of the people of Ireland and on my own behalf I send deepest sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues in WFUNA."
Mr Childers became Secretary General of WFUNA only five months ago after a career that began in academia and ended in 1989 after 22 years working at all levels in the United Nations. Between leaving the UN and taking up his post at the WFUNA, he toured extensively, lecturing and writing on UN matters.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, extended his "personal condolences" to Mr Childers's wife and son. His 22 years service to the UN and his appreciation of the role of the UN was typified by his continued association with the AFUNA to which he had just recently been appointed Secretary General," he said.
It was also shown by his publications and lectures on the issues of the role of the UN in peacekeeping and the need for the reform of the structures of such a large organisation as the UN, Mr Spring added, passing will be mourned by all those committed to the ideals of the UN."
His sudden death came "as a bitter shock" to WFUNA, according to a statement from the organisation. "After his retirement [from the UN] he continued to strive relentlessly for the ideals for which he had worked so hard. .. He died as he had lived in the service of the United Nations," it said.
A special session of the Congress, held to honour his memory, heard tributes from the president of WFUNA, Mr Hashim Abdul Halim, and other officers of the organisation.
Mr Childers is survived by his wife, Ms Mallica Vajravthon Childers, and their son, also called Erskine. Ms Vajravthon Childers is due to retire from her job in the UN this week.