Большая перемена

Генеральный секретарь ООН Кофи Аннан выступил в штаб-квартире Комиссии ООН по правам человека в Женеве. И заявил, что она не справляется с возложенными на нее обязанностями. А это бросает тень на всю организацию в целом. Поэтому, полагает Генсек, следует "ампутировать больной орган" и создать новую структуру, которая бы занималась этой проблематикой. В состав учрежденной в 1946 году комиссии входят представители 53 стран. На ежегодные сессии, которые продолжаются шесть недель, она собирается раз в год. Комиссия является одной из основополагающих в ООН. Именно на нее возложена обязанность следить за соблюдением прав человека во всем мире. Однако, как утверждают критики, справляется с этой задачей она далеко не блестяще.

Гуманитарная катастрофа в суданской провинции Дарфур с особой остротой выявила несостоятельность Комиссии ООН по правам человека в Женеве, считает Кофи Аннан. Несмотря на очевидные зверства в Судане, резолюцию с осуждением позиции хартумских властей комиссия так и не приняла. Более того, представитель Судана был избран в ее состав еще на один год.

По мнению Генсека, то, как будет разрешаться ситуация именно в этой стране, станет экзаменом как для "отдельных сотрудников ООН, так и организации в целом".

Комиссия излишне политизирована, нередко ее члены занимаются лоббированием собственных интересов. А у некоторых стран, таких, как Китай, Куба, тот же Судан и Зимбабве, в области соблюдения прав человека у самих "рыльце в пушку".

В рамках своей амбициозной программы реформирования всемирной организации - она была обнародована в марте - Аннан намерен создать более компактный и мобильный постоянный Совет по правам человека.

Он мог бы проводить заседания по мере необходимости, в связи с конкретными проявлениями нарушений прав человека. Предполагается, что его членов будет избирать Генеральная ассамблея ООН большинством в две трети голосов. Они должны будут соответствовать определенным критериям.

Между тем Совет Безопасности ООН озаботился другой проблемой. И своей резолюцией 1595 инициировал международное расследование гибели бывшего премьер-министра Ливана Рафика Харири.

Согласно резолюции будет создана специальная следственная комиссия. На проведение всех необходимых мероприятия ей отводится 3 месяца. Однако в случае необходимости Генеральный секретарь ООН Кофи Аннан сможет продлить ее мандат на такой же срок.

Александр Зорин, Российская газета 9 апреля 2005

Unit II

The north atlantic treaty organization (nato)

Part 1

What is nato

Warm-up

Discuss the following questions in groups. Share your ideas with the class:

1. How many members are there in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?

2. Look at the list of the countries below. Which of them are the members of NATO?

Belgium United States Australia Bulgaria Canada Ukraine Czech Republic Georgia Greece Estonia Denmark Macedonia France Germany Hungary Cyprus Iceland Italy United Kingdom Latvia Turkey Lithuania Bosnia Spain Luxembourg Slovenia Netherlands Slovakia Norway Romania Poland Portugal Albania Russia Croatia France

3. Who is the Secretary General of NATO?

4. What is the Washington treaty? When was it signed?

Pronunciation

Watch the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations. If necessary consult a dictionary:

ally

allied

alliance

enduring

maintenance

cohesion

indispensable

intimidate

coerce

deter

deterrence

ministerial

assign

Reading

Read the text and find answers to the following questions:

1. What is the main purpose of NATO?

2. What are the main principles of NATO?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an alliance of countries from North America and Europe committed to fulfilling the goals of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington on April, 4, 1949.

NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by political and military means.

Relations between North American and European members of the Alliance are the bedrock of NATO. These countries share the same values and interests and are committed to the maintenance of democratic principles, making the security of Europe and that of North America indivisible.

Based on common values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the Alliance has striven since its inception to secure a just and lasting peaceful order in Europe. The achievement of this aim can be put at risk by crisis and conflict affecting the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. Therefore, the alliance not only ensures the defense of its members but contributes to peace and stability in this region.

The fundamental guiding principle by which the Alliance works in common commitment and mutual cooperation among sovereign states in support of the indivisibility of security for all its members. Solidarity and cohesion within the Alliance, through daily cooperation in both the political and military spheres, ensure that no single ally is forced to rely upon its own national efforts alone in dealing with basic security challenges.

The alliance is committed to defending its member states against aggression or the threat of aggression and to the principle that an attack against one pr several members would be considered as an attack against all which is proclaimed in Article 5 of the Treaty.

To achieve its essential purposes, as an alliance of nations committed to the Washington treaty and the United Nations Charter, the alliance performs the following fundamental security tasks.

- Security. NATO provides one of the indispensable foundations for a stable Euro-Atlantic security environment based on the growth of democratic institutions and commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, in which no country would be able to intimidate or coerce any other through the threat or use of force.

- Consultation. The alliance serves as an essential transatlantic forum for allied consultations on any issues that affect their vital interests, including possible developments posing risks for members’ security and for appropriate coordination of their efforts in fields of common concern.

-Deterrence and Defense. NATO deters and defends against any threat of aggression against any NATO member state as provided for in Articles 5 and 6 of the Washington treaty.

NATO remains an inter-governmental organization in which each member country retains its sovereignty. All NATO decisions are taken jointly by the member countries on the basis of consensus. Each member country participates fully in the decision-making process on the basis of equality, irrespective of its size or political, military and economic strength.

NATO is headed by the Secretary General. He performs three main roles. First and foremost, he is the chairman of the North Atlantic Council, the Defense Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group as well as the chairman of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the NATO-Russia Council, the NATO-Ukrainian Commission and the Mediterranean Cooperation Group. Secondly, he is the principal spokesman of the alliance and represents it in public on behalf of the member countries. Thirdly, he is the senior executive officer of the NATO International Staff, responsible for making appointments to the staff and overseeing its work.

The main decision-making body of NATO is the North Atlantic Council (NAC). It consists of permanent representatives of all member countries meeting at least once a week. Twice a year, or sometimes more frequently, the Council meets at a higher ministerial level when each country is represented by its minister of foreign affairs. Meetings of the Council also take place in defense ministers’ sessions. Summit meetings attended by heads of state or government are held in urgent cases or whenever particularly important issues have to be addressed.

Most of the meetings are chaired by the Secretary General of NATO, or, in his absence, by his Deputy.

The work of the Council is assisted by subordinate Committees which are responsible for specific areas of policy: the Defense Committee (deals with collective defense planning); the Nuclear Planning Group (is responsible for specific policy issues concerning nuclear forces); the Military Committee (deals with the military policy of NATO), etc.

NATO has no operational forces of its own, except those assigned to it by member countries or contributed by Partner countries for the purpose of carrying out a specific mission.

Scanning