Remaking the UN: main points

The following are key points from the draft document prepared by a core group of 32 member states for presentation to this week…

The following are key points from the draft document prepared by a core group of 32 member states for presentation to this week's UN World Summit.

Peacebuilding Commission: Members agreed to establish the commission to assist countries emerging from conflict. Issue of whether it reports to Security Council and General Assembly unresolved.

Human Rights: Members resolve to create a new Human Rights Council to replace the current, discredited Human Rights Commission that includes some alleged rights abusers. But a proposal that members of the new body would need a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly was dropped and the details of the new body are left to the General Assembly to work out.

Terrorism: Document seeks comprehensive convention but fails to call for a definition of terrorism that rules out attacks on civilians, as Kofi Annan had proposed. Some countries said this would undermine legitimate struggles for independence.

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Peacekeeping: Member states resolve to: express readiness to take collective action through the Security Council should national authorities manifestly fail "to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity". But there is no formal obligation to intervene.

Disarmament: The entire section on disarmament and non-proliferation was dropped from the final document, a decision Kofi Annan called a "real disgrace".

Development: Member-states resolve to adopt, by 2006, and implement comprehensive national development strategies to achieve internationally-agreed poverty-reduction goals, including the millennium development goals set five years ago. Moves to reach the UN target of devoting 0.7 per cent of GNP in overseas aid by the EU and others are welcomed.