By Ralph A. Kuiper

Stedman

Dr. Stephen Stedman described his experiences as research director of the United Nations’ High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change for an audience at the Los Altos main library Oct. 19. The panel generated a major report, “A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility,” approved by 185 heads of state including President Bush at the Summit of the 60th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in September.

The Peninsula Chapter of the World Affairs Council, the Los Altos Libraries and the League of Women Voters of the Los Altos-Mountain View Area co-sponsored the program.

Stedman took an 18-month leave from his position as senior fellow and acting director of the Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation to direct the panel. He said it was an opportunity to help define what the United Nations should be.

Two years ago Secretary-General Kofi Annan formed the panel to assess the United Nations and its objectives to assure its relevance and to accomplish its goals in the most effective, efficient and transparent manner.

The panel addressed three questions: What are the threats faced by member nations today? How has the United Nations done in addressing these threats? How can the organization and its approach be strengthened?

The most critical threats today include poverty, infectious diseases, environmental degradation, civil war, international crime and weapons of mass destruction. These issues have evolved considerably since the United Nations was founded in 1945 as a collective response to international aggression.

The panel recommended instituting a Human Rights Council on a level with the Security Council and establishing an International Peace Building Commission. It was unable to achieve a consensus regarding proposed changes to the Security Council.

Stedman expressed disappointment over some omissions in the final report resulting mainly from U.S. Ambassador John Bolton’s input. There is no mention of nonproliferation, rules of force in conflicts or recommendations regarding the alternative proposals for the Security Council makeup and structure.

Bush’s signature represented a major policy move in that it concurred with the Millennium Development Goals, pushed for paying dues and recognized that there are legitimate concerns about human contributions to climate change, according to Stedman.

In response to questions, Stedman indicated that Bolton was a source of last-

minute difficulties, but that it was more important to recognize that the Bush administration supported arriving at an agreement.

Questions provided Stedman opportunities to highlight U.N. successes such as improved peace-keeping approaches and negotiations, especially in civil wars. He said the United Nations had also made major contributions to humanitarian efforts to combat communicable diseases and manage disaster relief efforts.

A panel discussion, “Intellectual Property Challenges in the Global Marketplace,” is scheduled 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hewlett-Packard headquarters in Palo Alto.

Ralph Kuiper is the chairman of the Peninsula Chapter of the World Affairs Council.

For more information, visit www.itsyourworld.org.