UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- World governments have promised to step up the combat against the pandemic with more resources and reaffirmed their commitments to universal access to HIV prevention and treatment by 2010, it was learned on Saturday.

    At the end of a three-day UN meeting Friday night, over a dozen heads of state and governments and more than 140 government ministers endorsed a political declaration to reaffirm their determination to fight the deadly disease.

    The document assessed the progress made in combating AIDS since the UN General Assembly held a special session on AIDS in 2001 declaring a comprehensive battle against the scourge.

    The declaration reaffirmed previous goals while calling for "ambitious national targets" to be set this year, including interim targets for 2008, as the world moves toward universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

    With the declaration, governments pledged to promote the protection of human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women, young people and especially girls to reduce their vulnerability to HIV.

    The declaration also called for strengthened efforts to combat stigma and social exclusion connected with the epidemic, endorsing full rights for people living with and vulnerable to HIV, to education, employment, health care, prevention and treatment, among other things.

    "This declaration moves the global response to AIDS a significant step forward by acknowledging both the need for AIDS crisis management today and for a sustained, long term response to AIDS in the years to come," said Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS, the UN agency coordinating the global fight against AIDS.

    "(UN) Member states took on the difficult issues brought forward by country constituencies and civil society this week. The result is a strong declaration that endorses strong national targets, comprehensive HIV prevention strategies, and protection for all people at risk for HIV," he added.

    The 2006 declaration agreed that 20 to 23 billion U.S. dollars is needed for the AIDS response by 2010. It called for the development of improved drugs, diagnostics and prevention technologies including vaccines and microbicides.

    UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also hailed the results. His spokesman said the UN chief is "particularly heartened" by the adoption of the declaration.

    Annan "warmly welcomes the call for 20 billion to 23 billion U.S. dollars to be spent on the response to HIV/AIDS by 2010," his spokesman said.

    "The secretary-general hopes that with this declaration, world leaders have finally placed on the record the personal commitment and leadership needed to win the fight against HIV/AIDS -- the greatest challenge of our generation."

    General Assembly President Jan Eliasson of Sweden urged governments to make good on their pledges. "The true test of this declaration's worth will be the extent to which you all go back to your countries and implement it with a sense of urgency and purpose," he said.

    "My call to you now is this: take this declaration, and take the new spirit and understanding of these three days, back to your countries, and implement it," he said.

    "I would hope that we can all use this new energy to translate this declaration into action, to make a difference between life and death for many, and give a life in dignity for all affected by HIV/AIDS." Enditem