Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on Thursday the need for UN reform so that the world body can continue to play its vital role in safeguarding world security and meeting global challenges facing the world today.

Addressing the UN summit, Putin noted that the UN, with its experience, authority and supreme legitimacy, has played an indispensable and truly unique role in global policy, economic and humanitarian cooperation in the new historical context.

He stressed the need to adapt the UN to the new historic realities and said constructive efforts for this end should take into account both the lessons and the positive experience. The reform process must unite, rather than separate its member states, he said.

"Only through a broad agreement can we further strengthen the authority and legitimacy of the UN as well as its capacity to respond more effectively to the challenges of the 21st century," he said.

On the fight against terrorism, he said terrorism poses the main threat to human rights and freedoms as well as to sustainable development of states and peoples.

He said the UN and its Security Council must be the main center for coordinating international cooperation in this fight as well as the settlement of regional conflicts when terrorists and extremists are using religious, ethnic and social confrontation to attain their aim.

Putin also urged the international community to counteract the influence of extremist ideologies of terrorist groups by tapping the broad potential of civil society, mass media, cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

He pledged Russia's more active participation in international crisis response and promoting development, and its joint effort with partners from the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Council of Europe in these endeavors.

The UN summit, attended by more than 150 heads of state and government, entered its second day as world leaders focused their debate on development, world security and other major global issues.

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2005)