Tuesday, September 13 2005 12:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: Negotiators grappled with a revised draft of a reform package to save the UN Summit beginning United Nations tomorrow (Sept14, 2005) from collapse, dropping controversial parts on issues such as terrorism and human rights from the proposed document even at the expense of making it toothless.

As the core group of 32 ambassadors, including India's Nirupam Sen, held discussions, which are expected to continue through the night ahead of the three-day summit, diplomats said the final outcome would be a much scaled-down version of what Secretary General Kofi Annan had envisioned to restructure the world body on its 60th anniversary.

The language on terrorism, human rights council and peace building has already been reduced to generalities without any specific proposal and diplomats said objections were being raised even on the watered-down language.

Annan, who has staked his prestige on the success of the summit, redoubled his diplomatic efforts to reach some agreement and American Ambassador John Bolton promised to continue working till the time is up.

Already the blame game has begun with some Western diplomats blaming the developing nations with obstructing major reforms and developing nations blaming Western countries with trying to ride rough shod over them in an effort to impose their will.

On terrorism, for example, the controversial part which would have defined it as deliberate killings of civilians has been dropped but negotiators have also not included the language which would have enshrined the right to resist by those under foreign occupations as proposed by Arabs and supported, among others, by Pakistan.