SAO PAOLO, Brazil - Bankrolling Jose Graziano da Silva's pending re-election to the FAO has drained Brazil's funds for dues owing to other UN agencies, meaning it has lost its right to vote at the International Atomic energy agency and the International Court and stands to lose voting rights at UNESCO next month also, diplomatic sources said Friday.

 Senor Graziano persuaded the government headed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, his former colleague in the Lula government when they were both ministers, to pay in January Brazil's outstanding membership dues to the Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation for 2014 of dlrs 15 million, on the ground that this was essential to ensure Graziano's re-election in June, said the sources, quoted by the respected Sao Paolo newspaper Estadao. The decision to cough up was made before it was known that Graziano would be running unopposed for re-election.

 By giving priority to the FAO membership dues, however, Brazil opted not to start paying off dlrs 35 million it owes to the IAEA, nor to pay dlrs 6 million owing to the UN International Court, and in both forums Brazil lost its voting rights Jan.1, Estadao said. Brazil also stands to lose voting rights at UNESCO if it does not pay dlrs 23 million owing by May 1 while Brasilia is trying to negotiate a partial payment deal with UNIDO for dlrs 15 million owed to that agency, the sources said.

 The consequences of giving the FAO priority were discussed at a meeting of Brazil's chancellor Mauro Veira and Planning Minister Nelson Barbosa, including "not just the physical structure of embassies, but also taking a toll in terms of the impact on the country's position abroad," Estadao said.

 "Diplomats have ceaselessly attacked the influence of Graziano," Estadao said, "speaking on condition of anonymity, diplomats pointed out that Brazil today cannot vote on topics of international interest. These accounts (with the UN) are not being paid, because they are not among the government's prioritìes."

 In all before the FAO dues were paid Brazil owed as much as dlrs 662 million to the UN in back membership and other obligations, including dlrs 87 million for UN peace-keeping operations in Haiti, Congo and Lebanon, said Estadao.

 The failure of Brazil to meet its obligations to the U.N. tarnishes its image as a regional superpower with a claim to a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and a dynamic Bric economy, while the priority given to the FAO payment while neglecting other obligations means Senor Graziano's pledge that he will move the FAO to international centre-stage during his second term of office will come under close domestic scrutiny and already has caused tension within the Brazilian cabinet, the sources quoted by Estadao said.