The talks are being carried out by a core group of 33 countries, most of them representing major regional groups, formed by the current president of the UN General Assembly, Jean Ping of Gabon, to seal a compromise deal on the sweeping UN reforms to be submitted to world leaders when they meet here September 14-16.Indiaâs UN envoy Nirumpam Sen said Mondayâs discussions focused on terrorism and the planned establishment of a peace-building commission to assist countries emerging from conflict. Several diplomats said terrorism was the subject of heated exchanges, with Ping directing a five-member sub-committee (Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan, the European Union and the United States) to work on a compromise text that could be presented to the whole core group Tuesday morning. Terrorism is one of seven issues being tackled by the core group along with development, disarmament and non-proliferation, responsibility to protect peoples threatened with genocide, UN management reform as well as setting up a revamped and more effective Human Rights Council and a peace-building commission.
US Ambassador John Bolton, who had put forward more than 500 amendments or deletions to a 39-page draft text, submitted several letters, including ones on development and terrorism, explaining the US position. âIâm optimistic that we have all the proposed amendments out on the table and we can engage in negotiations,â Bolton told reporters during a break in the talks. âThatâs what they pay us to do.â
John Bolton said he had sent a letter to his colleagues on terrorism âthat outlines the amendments that we will seek in negotiations and explains on paper what our reasons areâ. In that letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, Bolton spelled out some amendments Washington seeks to Pingâs outcome document. Washington insists on inserting the words âby terroristsâ in a paragraph that reads âWe affirm that the targeting and deliberate killing by terrorists of civilians and non-combatants cannot be justified or legitimized by any cause or grievance.â
âWe consider these changes of critical importance to ensure that the scope of this paragraph is limited to terrorist actions, and does not address military activities that are appropriately governed by international humanitarian law,â the Bolton letter said.