In a report released here, the panel chair, former Thai Prime Minister Panyarachun, said it "puts forward a new vision of collective security, one that addresses all of the major threats to international peace and security felt around the world."
The 16-member panel reaffirmed the right of states to defend themselves, including preemptively when an attack is imminent. But it said states should seek the Security Council's approval in taking "preventive" military actions against non-imminent threats.
"If it (the council) does not so choose, there will be, by definition, time to pursue other strategies, including persuasion, negotiation, deterrence and containment -- and to visit again the military option," the panel said.
The report said that in case of "nightmare scenarios" -- for instance, those combining terrorists and weapons of mass destruction -- the Security Council may have to act earlier, more proactively than in the past.
But it stressed that there is no need to "find alternatives to the Security Council as a source of authority", as the body is "fully empowered" under the UN Charter to address "the full range of security threats" [that] states are concerned with.
The panel also endorsed humanitarian intervention, saying it is an "emerging norm" that the international community intervenes militarily, as authorized by the Security Council, in the event of genocide, ethnic cleansing or serious violations of international humanitarian law [that] sovereign governments have proved powerless or unwilling to prevent.
The panel found that the UN "has been much more effective in addressing the major threats to peace and security than it is given credit for, but that nonetheless major changes are needed" if it is to be "effective, efficient and equitable in providing collective security for all" in the new century.
The team suggested the Security Council be enlarged from 15 seats to 24 seats, but that the power of veto would only be limited to the current five permanent council members.
The panel offered two options for the enlargement.
Under Option One, six new permanent council seats and three new two-year term non-permanent seats would be created. Asia and the Asia-Pacific region would each get two new permanent seats, while Europe and Americas would each obtain one new permanent seat.
Option Two proposes creating eight so-called "semi-permanent" seats, which have four-year renewable terms, and one new two-year term non-permanent seat. Africa and the three other regional groupings would each gain two "semi-permanent" seats, with the single new non-permanent seat going to Africa.
"We recommend that under any reform proposal, there should be no extension of the veto," said the panel.
Currently, only the five permanent members -- China, Russia, the United States, Britain and France -- have veto powers.
Annan will submit the 95-page report to the General Assembly on Thursday, which also contains proposals on reforms of other UN organs, including the 191-nation [general] assembly and the Human Rights Commission.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/01/content_2280133.htm