evocative momentininternational relations. AbrutalwarragedinVietNamwhich th~TI~itedNations waspowerless tolimitQrcontrol. Thegreat-Power quintet whichhaddafined thescorefQrthisOrganization 20yearsearlier wasbrokenand divided withinitself. TheNon-Aligned Movement, thefirstcollective assertion of international cQnscience inthepost-war world,hadonlyjustbeguntQbeheard, eventobelistened tQ.Theworld's mostpopulous natiQnwasdeniedpresence in thesechambers, andsotooweremanysmaller natiQns whQseindividual identities remained obscured intheQverwhelming maternal clingoftheircQlonial occupants. Andyet,strangely, atthattimeofinternational fracture and disorganization, theindividual suddenly begantQmatter. Itwasthetimewhen JoanBaezsangof"passionate strangers whorescued eachotherfromalifetime of cares". Itwasawhollypersonal metaphor, andyetitseemed tQdefinethe increasing articulation andvehemence ofathinking world. Domesti~ disenchantments fusedwithperceptions ofinternational inequities. Thevigourof protest wasintroduced intothefabricofpost-war society, andwhatspurred and lentfiretQthatprotest wasnotsimplythegrievance ofanindividual abouthis owndenialofrights. Itwasaconcern farwider, wherethosepowerless tofind justice fQrthemselves foundstrangers passionate intheircause. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryRH/7 A/44/PV.96 17 (Mr.Zuze,President, United Nations Council forNamibia) Iunderline thisbecause Ihaveoftenwondered whether theUnitedNations as itstandstodaywouldpossess theinitiative, theimagination, indeedtheaudacity, tovisualize andtocreateaninstitution comparable totheCouncil forNamibia~ whichitsodeterminedly launched inwhatseemsanother age.Perhapsitisthenew civility anddecor\tm ininternational affairs. Thereisthememorable line attributed byRobertBolttoAmbassador Chapuys, theSpanish EnvoytoCromwell, whereheremarks delightedly, l'Evenintimeslikethis,evennow,itisapleasure toconverse withyou". Toanon-professional -someofmyfriends mightsay unprofessional -diplomat likeme,thatseemstosayitall:nomatterwhatthe injustices, theoutrages, theviolations onanother shore,hereinthesechambers weremainfartoobusybeingnicetoeachother. Andtheanswerperhaps, aptly enough,liesinwhatCromwell saidonanother occasion: "Therearesomethings thatarebeyondgoodmanners". Allthisisknown,ifnotfullyappreciated. Ihavereferred totheglobal context inwhichtheCouncil wasconceived. Itwasatimewhendisaffection and protest weregivenvoiceinnew,freshandunexpected forms. Sitting inthisHall todaythereare,Iamsure,manymellowed delegates whowere,atleastspiritually, partofthatsurgeofconscience thatsparkled aquarter ofacentury ago.But soon~asacontemporary composer putit,"thepictures intheTimescouldnolonger beputinrhymes". Itwasnotthearticulation thatwasimportant; itwasthe definition ofremedy. Itwasadifficult momentfortheUnitedNations. Ithadtriedits conventional andaccessible formsofredress: resolutions oftheGeneral Assembly, theAdvisory Opinion oftheInternational CourtofJustice, missions of consultation andnegotiation. Andyetnothing seemedtoclick. LikeDonGiovanni Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryRH/7 A/44/PV.96 18 (Mr.Zuze,President, United Nations Council forHarnibia) trapp~d inthestagesetting ofMadameButterfly, wesuddenly realized nothing - ,therules,theenvironment, thedefinitions -nothing wasofourchoosing orofour acceptance. Andsowehadtodrawuptherules. ,ThatiswhattheUnitedNations reali~ed in1966.Thedecisions ittoo~in regardtoNamibia -thetermination oftheSouthAfrican mandate in1966 a~dthe directassumption ofresponsibility in1967-wereswift,decisive andarticulate. Therewasnohem,therewasno.hesitation. Ittooktheword"unique", untilthena tired,flaccid andmuchover-used adjective, andgaveitthevitality andvigourof alverb.Itdidnotassignorapportion responsibility, itassumedit.Itcreated whatwasvirtually anewmemberState,politically andlegally con~etent to represent theinterests ofitspeople. Itmadedynamic themanycurreuts of international indignation andangeroverthebrutalization ofNamibia. Itoffered itselfasavehicle andaforumfortheirharmony. Thisisnottosuggest thatourdetermination andvisionmadeeasierthe enormity ofourresponsibility. Theywere,quitehonestly, moments whenwe wondered whatexactly weweredoing, andwhy.Howwasitthatdespite every civilized method andappeal, andindeedinstruction, nothing hadhappened? Itwas notthatthemorethingschanged, themoretheystayedthesame.Itwasthat
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a reflection on the role of the United Nations in international relations, specifically in the context of the Namibian conflict. It discusses the evolution of the UN's approach to addressing global issues, from a focus on international relations and diplomacy to a more proactive and decisive role in promoting justice and human rights. The text highlights the importance of individual conscience and the need for the UN to adapt to changing global circumstances.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Culture