# He tabled a resolution in the form of a "\*\*black draft\*\*," **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2023, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431 "2023-02-27T08:14:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/1 "2023-02-27T08:14:43Z")
In New York, news of the invasion galvanized UN ambassador Parsons into action. At a hastily-convened Security Council meeting, he tabled a resolution in the form of a “ **black draft** ,” which entitled its presenter to a vote within 24 hours. (source: Thornton, Richard C. _The Reagan Revolution II: Rebuilding the Western Alliance_ . Trafford Publishing, 2004, p.74) What is a **black draft** in the context? ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/2 "2023-02-27T08:16:18Z")
It’s explained right in the quote you gave. > [@cannonkuo](#): > > which entitled its presenter to a vote within 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/3 "2023-02-27T08:18:43Z")
So any resolution entitling its presenter to a vote within 24 hours is called a “black draft”? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/4 "2023-02-27T08:35:21Z")
I can only find [Parsons](https://falklandstimeline.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/sir-anthony-parsons-interview-1991.pdf) as the sole source of that expression (where he contrasts it with “blue draft” for a working proposal) > So we decided to present it in final form from the outset, not to put down a working paper or a blue draft, or anything like that, but to put down a black draft, in final form, and insist on a vote in 24 hours. I don’t see anything about the fact that it is a black draft _entitling_ a 24-hour vote, though. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/5 "2023-02-27T08:37:10Z")
There’s this, which also makes no mention of the 24-hour thing. It sounds like after preliminary drafts, negotiations and revisions, a blue draft is the almost-firm version just prior to a vote. The only mention of a black draft is at the end of the final paragraph - “when voted on”. Presumably that means the absolutely-firm final version, consistent with what @MrDibble found. > **Putting a Resolution in Blue** > > In the 1960s the sponsors of draft resolutions began circulating their drafts outside Council meetings, rather than submitting them during meetings. These draft resolutions were printed in blue ink, which gave rise to the concept of putting a draft “into blue” usually just ahead of a vote. The blue draft resolution has a document number and is issued in provisional form. “Blue” draft resolutions remain in blue indefinitely unless cancelled or turned into “black” (when voted on). > > Changes to a resolution in blue—which are rare—are incorporated into a revised version of the blue draft resolution. When revisions are made to a text in blue during a formal meeting, the president of the Council specifies the changes made, and in putting the text to a vote at a meeting, refers to the changes as oral amendments. > > The sponsor(s) of a draft resolution may at any time request that a draft resolution be put into “blue”. This is often either when a text has been informally agreed among all members of the Council or when it is clear no further progress can be achieved through negotiations. Once in blue, the draft is considered to have been submitted. Nothing in the Provisional Rules of Procedure addresses the time period between a draft being put into blue and a vote being taken. In practice, there is a minimum 24-hour rule, although there have been cases where a draft in blue has been put to the vote much faster. The Russian draft on the investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) into the reported use of chemical weapons in Douma in Eastern Ghouta was circulated on the morning of the vote on 10 April 2018. > **[the-un-security-council-handbook-by-scr-1.pdf](https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/the-un-security-council-handbook-by-scr-1.pdf)** > > 2.30 MB ---
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/6 "2023-02-27T08:52:26Z")
Can the presenter decide whether or not to present the resolution in the form of blue or black? Any regulations to administer the blue-black thing? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/7 "2023-02-27T10:17:05Z")
This sounds kind of similar to the white and green papers in the UK. White Papers are issued by the Government as statements of policy, and often set out proposals for legislative changes, which may be debated before a Bill is introduced. Some White Papers may invite comments. Green Papers set out for discussion, proposals which are still at a formative stage. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/8 "2023-02-27T11:18:13Z")
Security Council and Turkey > **[the\_un\_security.pdf](https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/111816/the_un_security.pdf)** > > 322.46 KB by Y Eralp He paraphrases the same quote " Parsons took a risk and prepared a “_black draft_ ”, which is a draft resolution that needs to be voted on within 24 hours without making any changes on it. " ---
**Author:** ![cannonkuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@cannonkuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonkuo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-tabled-a-resolution-in-the-form-of-a-black-draft/980431/9 "2023-02-27T12:44:38Z")
Thank you all for helping me.