UNITED NATIONS, July 23: A revised draft for the most sweeping overhaul of the 60-year-old United Nations, including a proposed expansion of the Security Council, was released on Friday less than two months before it is to be submitted to a summit of world leaders here.

“It is a work in progress,” Dutch UN ambassador Dirk Jan van den Berg, one of the diplomats tasked with shepherding the mammoth project through the UN machinery, told reporters. “It is an important step toward preparation of the summit.”

The blueprint outlined 159 recommendations that expanded on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s “In larger freedom” report presented in March on preparations for the September world summit.

The recommendations focus on Security Council enlargement, creation of a peacebuilding commission to assist countries emerging from conflict and replacing the discredited Human Rights Commission with a leaner Human Rights Council made up of members that “undertake to abide by the highest human rights standards.

They also provide for a commitment to a timetable to hike official development aid to 0.7 per cent of gross national income, agreement on a convention providing a legal definition of terrorism and a commitment to end impunity for the most serious crimes, such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The latest draft is to be discussed by member states next week and is likely to be amended again before it comes for consideration by world leaders at their September 14-16 summit ahead of the UN General Assembly.

One of the most controversial items involves the enlargement of the Security Council, which currently groups five permanent and veto-wielding members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — along with 10 rotating non-permanent members without veto power.

But three competing draft resolutions on the issue have been submitted to the General Assembly, where a two-thirds majority is needed for passage.

The one enjoying broadest support was introduced by the so-called G4 — Brazil, Germany, India and Japan, four countries pressing for six new permanent seats without veto power — one for each of them and two for the African region— and four non-permanent seats in an expanded 25-member council.

Their bid, is backed by more than 30 countries, including France and Britain, but faces strong opposition led by the United States.—AFP