The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to appoint Switzerland's federal prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, as head of the UN's international war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda.

She was nominated last week by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to replace the Canadian Louise Arbour.

The Security Council took just two minutes to approve the choice.

'Determined and stubborn'

Ms del Ponte has been Switzerland's top legal official since 1994. She has gained a reputation as a crusader through her work against organised crime, drug-trafficking and the illegal arms trade.

Predecessor Louise Arbour says the courts are too slow

She led a money-laundering investigation against Raul Salinas, the brother of the former Mexican president, and she has investigated money-laundering attempts by organised crime groups in Russia and allegations of high-level Russian corruption.

People who know her use words like "determined", "combative" and "stubborn" to describe her.

When he recommended her appointment, Mr Annan said he was looking for a strong and fearless prosecutor.

He said she had demonstrated great professionalism in her own country which will prove invaluable at the tribunal.

Inheritance

Ms del Ponte inherits a court that has issued 65 public indictments for alleged atrocities in the former Yugoslavia.

But though it has more than two dozen people in custody, it has come under criticism because leading figures who have been indicted, like Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, remain at large.

Ms del Ponte will also be responsible for the tribunal investigating the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which at least half a million people were slaughtered.