Geneva - Nimal Siripala De Silva, the Sri Lankan minister of health, was chosen by the World Health Assembly Monday as the president of the annual meeting.

The election at the ministerial-level meeting, came as European Union foreign ministers called for an independent inquiry into alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

This echoed previous calls for a commission of inquiry by various UN human rights experts. UN officials have warned of war crimes in the Asian country during the fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels.

There were ongoing attempts in Geneva to convene a special session of the Human Rights Council to discuss the situation.

The states, mostly from the Western-bloc, pushing for the session were still short the requisite number of votes. At least 16 of 47 member states of the council must support calling the session.

The assembly is the annual meeting of the World Health Organization and its 193 member states. Much of the event is taking place under the shadow of the swine flu outbreak.