the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenanceof international peace and security". 3. The Security Council either may take preventive measures, if there is a threatto the peace, and recommend provisional measures to prevent an aggravation of thesituation (Art.40) or, if it determines that there is a breach of the peace or actof aggression, may intervene by taking action which does not involve the use offorce' such as an embargo (Art. 41), or by dispatching an internat,ional force. This last-mentioned power has fallen into disuse because, amonlt other things, the differences that have arisen among the members of the Council have made itA/40 / 454 English Page 9 impossible to conclude the special agreements on the constitution of theinternational armed forces (Arts. 43-45) and to establish a Military staffCommittee (Art. 45). 4' The lapse of the Councilrs restraining role has not by any means beencounterbalanced by a strengthening of its preventive one. Conseguently, since theadoption of the charter, there has been a considerable number of local conflictsthroughout the world, over 100 of them, in which outside powers have intervened,thereby heightening tension and exacerbating che feeling of world-wide insecurity.This situation is all the more disturbing because the victims are third-wortdcountries whose means of defence are inevitably limited and which need to mobilizeall their available resources for economic and social development. 5. Many conflicts are kept alive and fuelled by the recruitment, utilization,financing and training of mercenaries and by the granting of transit facilities totbem. As the conference of Heads of state or Government of Non-A1igned Countries,held at New Delhi in l'larch 1983, recently declared, it is necessary to intensifyefforts within the united Nations for the adoption of international conventionoutlawing such activities (A/38/L32, para. L771.
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on the role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, specifically highlighting the lack of effective measures to prevent and resolve conflicts. The text also mentions the recruitment and utilization of mercenaries, which may be related to issues of international security and humanitarian aid.

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