The Hindu : International : Annan asks nations to approve reforms in U.N.

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Tuesday, Mar 22, 2005

International

International

Annan asks nations to approve reforms in U.N.

LONDON, MARCH 21. The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, today urged world leaders to adopt the boldest changes in the 60-year history of the world body, saying that they are essential to tackle global threats in the 21st century.

In a speech to the 191-member U.N. General Assembly, Mr. Annan called for the adoption of his entire reform package at a summit of world leaders in September and warned countries against treating the list of proposals "as an a la carte menu, and select only those that you especially fancy."

Opposing views

But getting leaders to agree on the package will not be easy because many countries have opposing views on issues ranging from the reform of the powerful U.N. Security Council and the creation of a new Human Rights Council to increasing development assistance to poor countries.

The timing of Mr. Annan's appeal also raised some questions, coming just before the former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, Paul Volcker, releases the results of an investigation into the activities of Mr. Annan and his son, Kojo, in relation to the scandal-ridden U.N. oil-for-food programme in Iraq. Kojo Annan worked in Africa for a company that had an oil-for-food contract.

The scandal is one of several that have dogged the world body this year. The sex abuse by peacekeeping troops in Congo and the resignation of the U.N. refugee chief amid sexual harassment charges have also tainted the image of the U.N.

Mark Malloch Brown, the secretary-general's chief of staff, dismissed media comments that Mr. Annan's report was "a panicked response" to the U.N.'s problems. "Look at it as the Secretary-General refusing to be distracted," he said.

Mr. Annan is proposing the most extensive overhaul of the world body since it was founded in 1945. His reform package calls for a realignment of the United Nations to give additional weight to key development, security and human rights issues. It also sets out plans to make the world body more efficient, open, and accountable — including strengthening the independence and authority of the U.N.'s internal watchdog.

Mr. Volcker's report on the Secretary-General and his son is expected by the end of March, but Mr. Annan is operating on the belief that he will be cleared. Mr. Volcker's final report is expected in the middle of the year.

`Actionable reforms'

"These are reforms that are within reach — reforms that are actionable if we can garner the necessary political will," Mr. Annan said in the introduction to the report, which was released on Sunday.

In the report, he urged the leaders to "act boldly" and adopt "the most far-reaching reforms in the history of the United Nations."

Expansion

He called for an expansion of the 15-member U.N. Security Council to reflect the global realities today, but he left the details to the General Assembly. He urged its 191 members to decide on a plan before the September summit, preferably by consensus, but if that was impossible by a vote.

Mr. Annan backed two options proposed in December by a high-level panel.

One would add six new permanent members and the other would create a new tier of eight semi-permanent members: two each from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. — AP

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