UN negotiators far from agreement on reform
Diplomats have remained far from agreement on a sweeping package of reforms of the United Nations
Diplomats have remained far from agreement on a sweeping package of reforms of the United Nations that should be put to a summit of world leaders in just 10 days time.
After a weekend of negotiations, some diplomats on Sunday expressed doubts that a strong and effective package would be agreed before the summit.
"Quite clearly there are certain differences which are insurmountable, so the level of detail will be less," said Nirupam Sen, India's UN ambassador.
The discussions focused on seven areas: terrorism, development, disarmament and non-proliferation, protections for genocide-threatened peoples; UN administrative reform, and the creation of a Human Rights Council and peace-building commission.
A committee of 33 member states assembled to negotiate a document for the leadership summit to approve will not meet again until Tuesday.
Egypt's UN ambassador Maged Abdelfattah Abdelaziz said the discussions should be pursued within smaller working groups.
"We want the spirit to reach a compromise," he said.
"You go to the working groups, you find the desk officers, repeating the national positions ... Is there a real intention to bridge the gap or not?" he said of the negotiation process.