The United Nations' top human rights body decided on Friday to set up a working group to reflection the reforms proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on UN's human rights bodies.

The 53-member Commission on Human Rights adopted the decision by a 34-15 vote, with four abstentions. Supporters for the decision were mainly developing countries while the United States, some European Union members and several other countries voted against it.

The working group will convene a five-day inter-sessional meeting in June, 2005, to reflect on the recommendations on human rights contained in Annan's report.

The Commission on Human Rights said it had decided to convene a one-day special session to formally adopt the outcome of the open-ended working group.

Annan has said that the Commission lacked "legitimacy and credibility" and should be replaced by a new rights watchdog that can command international respect.

According to Annan's proposal, it would be a Human Rights Council with fewer members, and future members should have a "solid record of commitment" to human rights and be directly

elected by a two-thirds majority of the UN General Assembly.

Although almost all countries supported the view that the Commission needs reform, debate is hot on how it should be carried out.

Source: Xinhua