[JURIST] Russian President Vladimir Putin [official website] called Thursday for collective international action to defeat terrorism as he addressed world leaders at the ongoing 2005 World Summit [official website] on UN reform [JURIST news archive]. Putin urged the adoption of "constructive" UN reforms that would "unite, not separate" and insisted that the UN must play a central role in the fight against terrorism. Labelling terror "the ideological successor of Nazism," Putin said that it poses the main threat to human rights and sustainable development and called [PDF statement] for the UN and its Security Council to serve as "the main center for coordinating international cooperation" against it. During the opening day of the summit Wednesday, Security Council heads of state and government unanimously adopted [JURIST report] a resolution [text] calling on states to reinforce the battle against terrorism and strengthening the Council's role in preventing conflict. BBC News has more.

Also Thursday, the UN Convention against Corruption [PDF text; UN backgrounder] received its 30th ratification, meaning the first international treaty against governmental corruption will enter into force in 90 days. The ratification comes as part of an invitation by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan [UN News report] for leaders attending the summit to sign, ratify or accede to 32 treaties. The documents included in this year's treaty event span a broad range of issues, including human rights, the law of the sea, disarmament, and refugees. As part of the treaty event, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism [PDF text] received its first signature [JURIST report] Wednesday. UN News has more.