Gay activists have demanded homosexual rights be included in international human rights treaties and have asked the United Nations to provide equal benefits to same-sex couples.

　　Speakers at a panel discussion on Monday evening organized by the UN alliance of gay, lesbian or bisexual employees said homosexuals have made great progress in winning equal rights and fair treatment but warned that discrimination is still widespread.

　　Us lawmaker Barney Frank said there is strong support for adopting the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender people as part of the UN doctrine of human rights, which sets the standards worldwide.

　　He also urged the 191-member world body to extend rights and benefits to same-sex couples among its own employees.

　　"One of the real problems in politics is if you start telling people to do something you haven't done yourself," he said.

　　Un secretary-General Kofi Annan, who briefly attended the symposium at UN headquarters, stressed the need for more tolerance and said he had heard the "message about rights."

　　Un spokesman Fred Eckhard said earlier on Monday that Annan has met with his senior advisers on the matter but was not ready to announce a new policy.

　　Eckhard noted that UN policies were based on agreement with the national laws of the staff member in question.