Thepeace-keeping rolooftheUnitedNations continues toattract ahighlevel ofinterest andislitelytodo80fortheforeseeable future. Ifpeace-keeping is toberetained asanintegral partofthepeace-making activity ofthe Organization, itmust- Irepeat, must-beaccorded adequate political and financial support. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryJB129 Al4S/PV.9 134 (HL,.Collfps, Ireland) Themandate giventoourpeace-keeping f,orceaisnevaraneasyone.Our forcesoperate underdifficult, indeedoftenhostile conditions. Theirmotivation toservethehigherinterest ofpeaceandstability isandshouldbebeyond question. Everyeffortmustbemadeatthepolitical leveltoensurethatthat co~itment isnotinvain. IfIdwellonthis,itisbecause mycountry has,whenasked,givenliberally, andbecause webelieve in.theimportance ofthisrole.Inparticular, Ireland has participated intheUnitedNations Interim Force ~nLebanon (UHIFIL) sinceits establishment in1978.Thathal!inotbeenwithout humancost.Thirty-one Irish soldiers havediedvhileonservice withUNIFIL, 11ofthembyhostilefire.Our involvement, however, willcontinue asaconcrete expression ofIreland's ~upport forbringing peacetoLebanon. IftheUnitedNationsistocarryouttheexpanded functions inprospect in thepeace-keeping area,itmustbegivenadequate resources todoso. Prope~ funding, clearguidance andthepolitical willofthemembership areallnecessary infullmeasure toensureasustained effort. Wehaveachallenge beforeusto emulat~ theefforts ~JpastyearsinordertomaketheUnitedNations system relevant inthepromotion ofpeace ~~ddemocracy internationally. Thepromotion ofhumanrightsandfundamental freedoms isinscribed inthe CharteroftheUnitedNations andint~eUniversal Declaration ofHumanRights, as wellasinthetwointernational Treaties onhumanrights, whichguide 80muchof ourworkinthisfield. InDecember 1909,Irelandratified boththeInternatioDal Covenant onCivilandPolitical Rights, andtheInternational Covenant onEconomic, SocialandCultural Rights. Atthesametime,Ireland accededtotheFirst Optional Protocol tothefo~erCovenant, whichper,mits complaints byindividuals. Itherefore reaffl~ Ireland's wholehearted commitment totheprinciples enshrined inthoseCovenants andthepractices theyimply. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryJII/29 AI..S/PV.9 135 (Mr.eolll»" IrelADA) Throughout thevorld.therearestillsomecO\U1trie. wherethehuman ~ights 8ituatioll i8le8.thansatisfactory. wherepol1tii:el andSOCilllsysteml§ contInua to ••i8tiawhichhumanrightsandfundem8ntal freedQms areviolated. Irishpublic opinion continues tofollowwithconcern thethreatstohumanrightsthatItill ••iat. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library1M130W..5/PV.9 136 (Mt,CollinG« Irelagd) NewelcOIIO thecontinued improvement inEast-West relations odthegenuinely revolutionary developments inCentrol andEaster~ Burope. Thepolitical andsocial orderestablished asanoutcome o~theSecondWorldWarhasbeenoverturned bythe clearly ezpressed villofthepeople, ozpresse4 initially through peaceful mass demonstrations andrestated throughthedemocratic elections thathavetaken place.Inmostofthoeecountries moribund political andeconomic systems have beenreplaced byvibrant Dewdemocracies thatarenowbeingconsolidated, while refor.msareunderwaytobringaboutmarket-oriented economic systems. Animportant .ymbolofllIuchchangesistherapidprocessofGerman unification. Thi!lunityisapositive factorinthedevelopment ofBuropeasa wholean4oftheBuropean Community inparticular. Itistakingplacefreelyand democratically, infullrespectoftherelevant agreements andtreaties andofall tbeprinciples defined bytheHelsinki FinalAct,inaconteztofdialogue and East-West co-operation. Wewholeheart~dly welcome thosedevelopments andare p16dgedtosupport thominappropriate ways,bothbybilateral actionandthrough ourmembership oftheEuropean Community. Theoverallpositive trendisencouragitig andsuggests thatitiapossible to establish newrelationships toreplacetheRistrust thathasdominated Europefor almost45year.andtheconfrontation between twomv~'~lly antagoni8tic and mistrustful alli~nces. Theartificial division ofEuropemustgivewaytounity basedODmutualtrustandtherecognition ofthecommonEuropean identity and interdependence. Inourviewthemostappropriate waytodothisistoenhance and
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement from an Irish representative to the United Nations, discussing the importance of peacekeeping, human rights, and international cooperation. It mentions specific examples of Irish involvement in peacekeeping missions and ratification of human rights treaties. The text also touches on the topic of international relations, particularly in Europe, and the need for unity and cooperation.

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