bemoresusceptible oftreatment. Itsuffersfromthe Council's incapacity toapproach someproblems atall.But Imaintain thatintherealconditions ofinternational lifethese 40years-as opposed tovariousrhetorical versions ofthe sameevents-the Security Council hasplayedanessential andoftencentralroleinproviding stability andlimiting conflict. Thequestion ishowtoenhance thatroleandbringthe Councilclosertotheposition prescribed foritintheCharter. Itwouldobviously beextremely desirable toseethatchange inrelationships amongthepermanent members thatabove allmightrestoretheCouncil totheposition itwasoriginally intended tooccupy.Butsurely,inthemeanwhile,thereare waysinwhichtheCouncil couldimprove itscapacity along thelinesonwhichithasbeenworking formanyyears. Inmyprevious annualreports,andespecially inthereport for1982,Ihavemadeanumberofsuggestions onthisscore. Ishallnotrepeatsuchsuggestions here,although Ihopethat Governments willseefittoactonsomeofthem.Onthe occasion ofthefortiethanniversary, however, Ishallmake asimpler setofsuggestions. First,Iwouldsuggestthatadetermined andconscious ef­ fortbemadebymembers oftheSecurity Council, and especially thepermanent members, tousetheirmembership tomaketheCouncil moretheguardian ofpeaceitwasset uptobeandlessthebattleground onwhichtofightout political andideological differences whicharenotdirectly relevanttotheissueunderdiscussion-in otherwords,togive mattersofinternational peaceandsecurity priority over bilateral differences. Secondly, IsuggestthattheSecurity Council should, in thenearfuture,makeadeliberate andconcerted efforttosolve oneortwoofthemajorproblems beforeitbymakingfuller useofthemeasures available toitundertheCharter.3 Thirdly,themembership asawholemightreaffirm Charter obligations, especially thoserelatingtothenon-use offorce orthethreatofforce,thepeaceful settlement ofdisputes, resorttothemechanism setoutintheCharterforthesettle­ mentofdisputes andrespectforthedecisions oftheSecuri­ tyCouncil. Inthepresentcircumstances thesesuggestions maytosome seemsimplistic. Butinournuclearagethereisnothingmore dangerous thanfailingtomakethecollective systemof international peaceandsecurity work.TheUnitedNations isinnowayasuper-State. Itisanorganization ofsovereign independent States.TheOrganization hasnosovereignty of itsown.Sovereignty remainsentirelyvestedintheindividual Member Statesunlesstheydecideotherwise. TheOrganiza­ tion'sfunction, andhencethatoftheSecretary-General, is therefore toharmonize, toencourage andtoinitiate.Butthe implementation, thedrive,mustcomefromtheMembers. Whenthisdrivedoescome,itcanachieveremarkable results. Iwouldliketoseethisdrive,thiscollective will,directed tothekeyfunction oftheUnitedNations, themaintenance ofinternational peaceandsecurity. Nextyear,1986,has beendesignated theInternational YearofPeace.Letustry tomakethisdesignation acallforseriousreflection and action. Without collective determination andtheacknowledgement ofaminimum common interestinsurvival, therecanbeno meaningful progress indisarmament. International insecurity andthearmsrace,withthefearofitspossible extension to newareas,createarelentless viciousspiral.Wherethearms raceisconcerned, itcannotbesufficiently emphasize4that thequestforadvantage isillusory. Inthenucleareraitalso placesallpeopleatriskandputsindoubt'thelivesoffutute generations. Governments havetofindthecouragetotakethefirststeps. Weshouldrecallthevisionthatledtosuchadvances asthe PartialTest-Ban Treatysome20yearsago.Today,aclearand vitalsignalofhumanity's willingness toconfront thenuclear challenge wouldbethrough agreement onacomprehensive test-ban treaty.Impeding asitwouldtheceaseless technological refinement ofnuclearweapons, itsadoption wouldhelptobreakthesequence thatthreatens ourveryex­ istence.Thereareotherareasdeserving ofurgentattention­ nuclear-weapon-free zones,forexample. Whilethefearofnuclearweapons ispervasive because of theirpotentially globaldevastating effects,itisconventional weapons thateverydayclaimcountless lives.Thosewho engageinandfuelthearmstradebearaparticularly heavy responsibility. Theconventional armsrace,moreover, squanders precious economic resources. Wemustpushfor practical measures formultilateral disarmament, including regional plans,bearing inmindthelinkbetween disarma­ mentanddevelopment. Bilateral negotiations between thegreatPowersareclear­ lyofcrucialimportance tothefutureofallpeoples aswell astheirown.Inthisconnection, Iamsurethatweallshare theprofound hopethattheforthcoming meeting between the leadersoftheSovietUnionandtheUnitedStateswillcon­ tributetoareduction oftensionandtoprogress ondisarma­ ment,aswellasonotherimportant matters. Atthesametime,Iwishtoemphasize thattheUnited Nationscanandmustcontribute toprogress indisarmament. TheConference onDisarmament affordsauniquemultilateral arenafordiscussions onarmslimitation anddisarmament. IndeedtheOrganization hasacomprehensiVe responsibilitY *** Manyofthegreatesthopesofmankind focusoneconomic andsocialprogress, whichmustremainaprimary goalof theUnitedNations system.Muchprogress hasbeenmade inthepast40years,butmanyworriesanduncertainties now
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on international relations, diplomacy, and the role of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security. The author emphasizes the importance of collective action, disarmament, and cooperation among nations to address global challenges. The text also touches on the significance of the United Nations in promoting economic and social progress, as well as the need for practical measures to achieve disarmament and sustainable development.

**Category**
International relations, Humanitarian aid and relief, Science and technology