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World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 07/09/2005

UN REFORM: WCC URGES INTERNATIONAL BODY
TO UPHOLD FUNDAMENTAL VISION AND VALUES

In the lead-up to the 14-16 September 2005 United Nations World Summit,
the World Council of Churches (WCC) has shared its views on a planned
reform of the international body with the governments of the UK and China
- the two nations which currently preside, respectively, over the G8, and
the G77.

Pointing out that the "WCC and the UN have shared goals on justice and
peace, eradication of poverty, and the promotion and defence of human
rights and dignity", a 7 September letter from WCC general secretary Rev.
Dr Samuel Kobia to the two governments calls on the UN to hold fast to its
fundamental principles, and outlines the Council's "orientations" in nine
areas of UN work.

Specifically, the letter calls for development and security concerns to be
held together; for better representativity within the UN; for the right to
protection of people in peril; for 100% debt cancellation for poor
countries and an increase in Overseas Development Assistance; for limiting
military force; for not allowing human rights "to be compromised in the
name of national security"; and for implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and
the Kyoto Protocol.

> The full text of the WCC letter appears below:

"In two weeks time, the United Nations World Summit will take place. The
event will decide which direction the United Nations will take both in
content and in form. The World Council of Churches (WCC) has earlier
expressed its appreciation for and commented in detail on the reports
written in preparation for this Summit.

The WCC will now follow closely the negotiations on the Outcome Document
and will take the opportunity to share its orientations with you, who are
in the process of addressing the work of strengthening the UN, setting
clearer priorities and mobilizing political will to fulfil its tasks.

The World Council of Churches' considerations on international affairs are
based on ethical and theological reflections with our 347 member churches
worldwide. The concerns raised in our reflection process are closely
linked to the UN agenda. Historically, the WCC and the UN have shared
goals relating to justice and peace, eradication of poverty and the
promotion and defence of human rights and human dignity.

The WCC calls for

1. bringing together the concerns of development and security. By seeking
a common and inclusive approach involving the global South and the global
North, there is a basis for moving towards a reformed United Nations;

2. a reform that empowers and strengthens the UN and achieves better
representation so that the world organization can successfully address the
global challenges facing humanity: wars, conflicts, nuclear arms,
environmental degradation, AIDS and other diseases, under-development,
extreme poverty and acts of terror;

3. a clear understanding that people in extraordinary peril have a right
to protection and that if their own governments cannot or will not provide
such protection, then the international community has the responsibility
to try to provide it;

4. all countries to honour the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in implementing Goal eight: to "develop a
global partnership for development";

5. 100 per cent debt cancellation for poor countries and an increase of
Official Development Assistance, ODA, to the UN recommended level of 0.7;

6. full compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); the
State Parties to explicitly honour and comply fully with their commitments
to disarmament; and accession of the Non State Parties to the Treaty. A
condition for any new permanent membership in the Security Council should
be a clear and verified status as a non-nuclear-weapon state;

7. the UN to maintain its responsibility to restrict and limit military
force in the framework of international law and as reflected in the UN
Charter, and not give room for the possibility of pre-emptive military
action based on article 51;

8. human rights not be compromised in the name of national security. If
poverty and terrorism are to be eliminated, it is essential that civil and
political rights as well as socio-economic cultural rights of all peoples
be realized;

9. the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change and the negotiations for the second commitment period.
The WCC reiterates the need to go beyond technical changes in areas of
energy, transport and economic policy, for a fundamental reorientation of
the socio-economic structures that are at the origins of the climate
change phenomenon.

On behalf of the World Council of Churches, please allow me to express my
support for your work at the United Nations and my wishes for wisdom in
the very important process of building conditions for the UN to work for a
safer and better world for all."

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.