ouradmiration forhisskilful handling ofseveralcrisissituations. Wewishhim continued success andreiterate tohimoursupport. Beforeproceeding further, allowmetoexpress onbehalfofthepeopleand Government ofIndiaourprofound griefattheheavytollinhumanandmaterial termsclaimed bytheearthquakes whichsotragically struckMexicolastweek. We express oursolidarity withandsupport forthepeopleandGovernment ofMexicoin theirhouroftravail andintheirheroicefforts toovercome thisunprecedented calamity. Mr.President, youpreside todayoverahistoric session. TheUnitedNations hascompleted 40yearsofitsexistence. Thesehavebeenyearsnotonlyof tribulation butalsoofpromise andevenachievement. Theworldissurcharged with suspicion anduncertainty, withincipient aswellasovertconflict, buttheideals oftheUnitedNations continue toinstiloptimism. Thedawnofindependence and freedom fortheoverwhelming majority ofmankind, particularly intheerstwhile colonial andimperial domains inAsia,AfricaandLatinAmerica, hasbeena significant andwelcome development ofourtimes.NR/ed A/40/PV.lO 42 (Mr.KhanrIndia) Thegeneration thatlaunched theunitedNatioos alsosawthelaunching ofthe nuclear age.Whileconventional attitudes towardsthisworldOrganization are stillshapedbythememories oftheSecondworldWarrthereistodayanewspectre thathauntsourcivilization rthespectre ofanuclear catastrophe. Hostile military blocsarepoisedagainst eachotherwithanarmadaofnuclear weaponry thatcouldwipeoutalllifeonthisplanetmanytimesover.Survival inthis nuclear agehasbecomethekeyissueofourtimes. TheUnitedNations todayisthehubofdiplomaUc activity forthenations of theworld. Whatever theirdivergence inpolitical systems reconomic structures Jr cultural mores rtheycometogether inalmostdailycontact onavarietyof bilateral, multilateral andglobalissues. Yetthisso-called democratization of international relations isonlypartofthestory. Ontheotherhandrthe pressures anddivisions thatcharacterize contemporary international relations seriouslyhampertheOrganization andreduceitscapacity foreffective action. As Jawaharlal NehrustatedattheUnitedNations asearlyas1948: "Wehavegotintoacycleofhatredandviolence, andnotthemost brilliant debatewillgetyououtofit,unlessyoulooksomeotherwayand findsomeothermeans.Itisobvious thatifyoucontinue inthiscycleand havewarswhichthisAssembly wasspecially meanttoavoidandprevent, the resultwillbenotonlytremendous devastation allovertheworld rbutthe non-achievement byanyindividual Powerorgroupofitsobjective." Inhisthought-provoking reportontheworkoftheOrganization, the Secretary-General hasveryaptlycharacterized theUnitedNations asanessential element inthehistoric choicebeforehumanity -between aworldoftechnological promise andoneofpotentially terminal danger. Hehasrightly stressed theneed tostrengthen theconcept ofinternational authority embodied intheunitedNationsNR/ed A/40/PV.10 43 (Mr.Khan,India) asonethatshouldserveasasubstitute for"unilateral action, exclusive alliances endspheres ofinfluence" (A/40/l, p.2).Hisspecific suggestions deserve careful studyandreasoned application. WeinIndiaandintheMovement ofNon-Aligned Countries believe thatthe unitedNations represents, inarealsense,thebesthopeofmankind. Asthelate PrimeMinister, Mrs.IndiraGandhi, statedinheraddress totheUnitedNations General Assembly atitsthirty-eighth session, "FirmfaithintheUnitedNations is central tothenon-aligned" (A/38/PV.9, p.3).ouraffinity fortheUnitedNations isrootedinourworldview. Wecherish peace. Webelieve intheequality, sovereignty andindependence ofstates. Wehaveafundamental conviction inthe dignity andworthofthehumanperson. TheUnitedNations embodies initself the~e loftyprinciples andmore.Itconstitutes auniqueinternational forumwhere nations canresolve theirdifferences andworktogether forthecommongoodof humanity. Throughout theyearsofIndia's freedom struggle, ourleaders viewed independence notinnarrownational termsbutaspartofthestruggle ofoppressed peoples everywhere forjustice -political, socialandeconomic. Following India's attainment ofindependence in1947,ourdemocratic institutions havestabilized and giventoourpeopleadeepsenseofparticipation andcommitment indetermining the nation's priorities inthepOlitical andeconomic fields, aswellasinthe building upofitssocialandcultural ethos. Inourinternational relationships, thecommitment tothepolicyofnon-alignment hasbeenbothinstinctive and inevitable. AsthePrimeMinister ofIndia,Mr.RajivGandhi, hasstated:
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on the role of the United Nations in promoting international cooperation, diplomacy, and peace. It also touches on the importance of strengthening international authority and the need for nations to work together to overcome global challenges. The text does not specifically address economic development, natural resources, or environmental issues, but rather emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and the promotion of peace.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International trade, Culture