Zero Draft
A zero draft is an initial working version of a proposed negotiating text circulated to invite comments, changes and competing formulations.
It is a starting point for negotiation, not a final text. Its authorship and status vary by institution and process.
Using a zero draft makes it possible to negotiate specific language while recording where positions converge or diverge.
A penholder distributes a zero draft of a proposed Security Council resolution before revising language in response to members’ comments.
Zero draft and non-paper are related but not equivalent.
Closely related entries kept separate because each carries a distinct institutional meaning.
- Non-paper
A non-paper is an informal working document circulated to test ideas, present options or facilitate negotiations without necessarily adopting them as an official government or institutional position.
- Penholder
In UN Security Council practice, a penholder is a Council member that leads or helps facilitate the drafting and negotiation of a document on a particular country or thematic file.
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