of position and major movement towards positions which my Government could accept. No such reac- tion had been received by last night. l-26. I also made clear to the Secretary-General, as I had made clear throughout the negotiations and as I have equally made plain to all members of the Council in informal consultations, that, although my Government’s mind would never be closed to any avenue which promised to bring about a peaceful solution to the present crisis, we could not in the mean time allow ourselves to be in any way inhibited from carrying out military action in accordance with our inherent right of self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter. That remains our position today. 127. The British people are neither militaristic nor bellicose. Over the centuries many nations have made the mistake of interpreting our slowness to be aroused as weakness. This has always proved a profound mistake. We are not carried away by slogans or rhetoric, but we are implacably stubborn in defence of principles and the rights of peoples. In this instance, the principles of the peaceful settlement of disputes and of the non-use of force to settle political differences have been flagrantly breached by Argentine aggres- sion, The rights of the people of the Falkland Islands have been trampled on by the invaders. We have reacted as we have always reacted to such challenges down the centuries of our history. Even so, we still hope and pray for a peaceful settlement. provided that it satisfies these principles and these rights. 128. Mr. DORR (Ireland): As this is the first time, Sir, that I have had occasion to speak in public ses- sion of the Council this month, I should like to offer to you my congratulations on your assumption of the 
**Analysis**
This text appears to be a statement made by a representative of the British Government in the United Nations Security Council, likely in response to the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The text discusses the position of the British Government, its military actions, and its principles, particularly in relation to self-defense, peaceful settlement of disputes, and the rights of the people of the Falkland Islands. The tone is formal and diplomatic, indicating that the text is likely a formal statement or speech.

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