FIRST WORKING TABLE ON GLOBALISATION AND UN TASKS TAKES PLACE

NEW YORK, Sept 7 (Hina) - The first working meeting of presidents and prime ministers of United Nations member countries held in New York Wednesday afternoon, discussed the position and role of the UN in the 21st century. All participants, including Croatian President Stipe Mesic, agreed that the institutional frame, created in mid 20th century to respond to challenges of the time, failed to satisfy contemporary needs and expectations of an organisation such as the United Nations. Mesic said that globalisation processes had been taking places at all levels with all positive as well as negative consequences. "Globalisation will not take place without conflicts (...), but those conflicts are different from those United Nations creators could have foreseen", Mesic said. Also discussed was the expansion of the Security Council as well as changes in the way of making decisions, because the right to veto, which was granted to five permanent member countries, is questionable today. On the final day of the Millennium Summit, a report on standpoints of participants of the working meeting will be presented at a plenary session of the Summit. (hina) it