integrity, asthecasemaybe.Thisyearwearecelebrating thetwenty-fifth anniversary ofresolution 1514(XV),accepted asthebasisfOldeco1onization.•A/40/PV.l 16 (ThePresident) Moreover, theUnitedNations isextremely valuable. Ithaschannelled some conflicts andendedothers, buthasbecomeboggeddowninmany.Yetitcannotbe thatbad-farfromit-whenthecommemoration ofitsfortieth anniversary this yearcoincides withthatoftwoothereventswhich occurr~d thesamenumberof yearsago:thedawningoftheatomicage,withitsattendant horrors, andtheend oftheSecondWorldWar-40yearswithout aglobalconflagration. Doesthismeanthatwehaveenjoyed peaceduringthese40years? Canwefeel complacent because wehaveavoided athirdworldwar?Absolutely not. Somanymajororminorconflicts havearisensincethesecondWorldWarthat thereareabsolutely nogrounds forcomplacency. Eveninperiods ofcalm,when conflicta havebeenreduced toaminimum, wecannotsaythatpeacehasprevailed. Forthosewhodieorarewounded ordisabled atthehandsoftheireneMYor adversary, nottomention thevictimsofterr(dsmandapartheid, thescaleofthe conflict orthere~sons invoked tojustifyitarenotimportant. Forthosewho suffer, including thosewhohavebeenforcedtoabandon theirhomes,theextentof theconflict isirrelevant. Infact,thesehavebeenfrustrating yearsbecause periods ofcalmhavenot beenusedtoresolveconflicts or,atleast,initiate mediation thatmightresolve them.Attempts havebeenmadebut,thusfar,efforts havefailed. Theworldislivinginastateofperpetual uncertainty brought aboutbythe lackofsecurity. Inordertobeabletoenjoypeace,weneedtohavesecurity, whichmeansthatwemustalwayshavethemeanstoguarantee itthissecurity. This hasledtoaconventional andnuclear armsraceofsuchalarming proportions that weaponstockpiles continue togrowandnooneknowswhentheywillstop. Weare already spending over$1,000billion, i.e.onemillion milliondollars, ayearon anarmsracewhichistrulyterrifying. Andtothinkthatifevenpartofthese resources werereleased, wecouldputanendtoallthehungerandmiseryinthe world.A/40/PV.l 11 (ThePresident) IsitthattheUnited ~'ati1)nsisunabletorisetoevents? Idonotthink thattheUnitedNations isunequipped forthejob.Onthecontrary, Ibelieve that theCharter remains avalidinstrument today. ThetruthisthattheUnitedNations o~ghttoreturntotheideathatprevailed initsearlyyears. Theopening paragraph ofthepreamble totheCharter reads: ~ethepeoples oftheUnitedNations, determined tosavesucceeding generations fromthescourgeofwar,whichtwiceinourlifetime hasbrought untoldsorrowtomankind, ••••• Thenextparagraph reaffirms fundamental humanrights, thedignity andworth ofthehumanperson, theequalrightsofmenandwomenandofnations largeand smallandasubsequent paragraph callsforrespect fortheobligations arising from treaties. Again,whentheCharter refersspecifically tothe"purposes andprinciples of theOrganization·, thefirstreference itmakesistothemaintenance of international peaceandsecurity andto·collective measures fortheprevention and removalofthreats tothepeace,andforthesuppression ofactsofaggression or otherbreaches ofthepeace". HerethenwehavetheessenceoftheUnitedNations and,ifwedonotreturn toit,thatis,tothemaintenance ofpeaceandsecurity andtotheadoption of measures toprevent andremovethreats topeaceandsecurity, weshallbe frustrating theaimsoftheCharter andtheobjectives thatwepursuethroughit. Thus,ifinsteadofwaiting foreventstohappen weweretotakestepstoprevent themfromhappening, wewouldbestrengthening thisOrganization and,ofcourse, fUlfilling ourobligations undertheCharter. Iremember how,onapastoccasion whenoneof:heconflicts whichhave remained withusthelongestfirstarose,atthemostcritical momentsomeone highlyplacedinth~Organization saidto~-.-~-----~~~ A/40/PV.l 18 (Thepresideni;). thisincipient conflict mayhavetogetworsebeforeitcanbegintogetbetter. Andsoitwasandsoitcontinues tobe.Whatatragedy: soletusreturntotheoriginsofourChart·,: andletusrespectit.Butlet usdomorepreventive workbeforeconfliots Q~~elop. Aslongaswefailtoachieve thoseobjectives andtosee" mean~ofpreventing conflicts, wewillalwaysbe de0medtopoverty, hungerandm...sery. TheCharter isnotabaddocument, thoughitcouldnothavebeenanticipated thattheOrganization's original membership of51StateswouldintimeglOWto today's membership of159-andtherearestillsomemoretobeadmitted. ThesadthingisthattheCharterlsoftennotadhered to. Howmanyperiodic meetings havebeenheldbytheSecurity Council? Onlyone, withSpainasPresident, incident.ally. Nowanother onehasbeenconvened atthe ministetial level. Couldtherenotbesomehigh-level meeting oftheEc~nomic andSOcialCouncil tosolvevarious economic andsocialproblems? Howmanyconferences havebeenheldtoreviewtheCharter? Notone,even thoughtheCharter isclearonthatpoint. HasfullusebeenmadeofChapter VIIoftheCharter? Nevertheless, whentheMembers ofthisOrganization understood, forexample, theincongruity ofArticle 27,underwhichtheaffirmative voteofallthe permanent members isrequired fo,decisions ofthesecurity Council, theyrealized thatthiswasadoubleveto,whichtheauthors oftheCharter hadnotintended to grant.Inotherwords,theCharter wasbeingreviewed because theletterwasnot \ inkeepingwiththespirit. Woulditnotbepossible alsotocontrol nottheuse, buttheabuseoftheveto?
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or address by a high-ranking official, possibly the President of the United Nations, discussing the organization's role in maintaining international peace and security. The text highlights the importance of the United Nations in preventing conflicts and promoting peace, while also criticizing its limitations and inefficiencies. The speaker emphasizes the need for the organization to return to its original principles and to take proactive measures to prevent conflicts, rather than simply reacting to them.

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