healandtheconfrontation betweenhostile alliances -themostdangerous inallof humanhistory -begantoloseitspurpose andtowinddown. Forayearnow,eachremarkable changehaabeenaprelude toevengreater changeandtone~andwideropportunities. Bast-West confrontation eased&Dd turnedincreasingly toco-operation. Disarmament becameaseriouspossibility and regional conflicts begantobeaddressed. Mostdramatically ofall,Germany, dividedin1945,hasmovedtowardunityinrespODse tothedemocratic wishofthe Germanpeopleandwiththefullgoodwill oftheinternational community. Ithasbeenatimaofhope,rotwithstanding themanyserious problems that remainininternational lif..WiththeendofBast-West confrontation, wehad begunatlasttoemergeintoatrUlypoat-war worldwheretheinstitutions of international orderestablished aftertheSecondWorldWarcouldfunction as intended. Now,suddenly andunezpected1y, thathopeIschallenged andthoseinstitutions faceamostseriousteat.AStateMemberoftheOrganization, aleading memberof theNon-Aligned MOvement andtheArabLeague, hasattacked another byforce, overwhelmed it11I.4purported toIDDezitinflagrant breachofinternational law andofthemostbasicprovisions oftheCharter. Wearetherefore nowfacCldwithamostserious question. Canoursystamof collective security, ofcommonactionagainst anyMemberStatethatcommits aggression, function asitwasintended to?Andifitdoesnot,orifthewillof Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryJB/29 Al45/PV.9 132 (Kt.COllins, Irelapd) theinternational community toupholdasystemoforderandjustice andlawbetween nationsfalters, whothenwilldefendtheweakagainst thestrong? InthefaceofIraq'sa9gression, theSecurity Council hastakenactionthat isbothdecisive andunprecedented inthehistory oftheOrganisation. AD eztraordin8rlly high degre~ofconsensus hasbeenachieved amongmembers ofthe Security Council andoftheUnitedNations asawhole. Weallsubscribe tothe principle oftheinadmissability ofusingforcetosettledisputes betweenStates. Ithasba~npossible toreachaconvergen~e ofviewsonthestepstobetakento counter theuseofforceinthisinstance. Ireland believes thatitlsofthegreatest importance thatapolitical solution befoundthrough thefullimplementation ofalltheresolutions ofthe Security Council. Iraqmustwithdraw fromKuwaitandthelegitimate Government of thatcountry mustberestored. Untilthen,theeconomic andpolitical pressure brought aboutbytheSecurity Council measures mustbemaintained. The international community mustmakeclearthatbehaviour suchasIra~'sinvasion of Kuwait18absolutely unacceptable. Without respect forinternational law,noneof usissafe.Through theUnitedNations wemusteffectively reassert theruleof law. Withourpartners intheEuropean Community, Irelandfullysupports the Security COUDcil resolutions already adoptedinrelation tothecr!Disinthe Gulf.Thesafetyandwelfare ofourcitisens whohavefoundthemselves caughtup inthesituation intheGulfasaresultofhavingbeenInKuwaitorIraqatthe tineoftheinvasioD havebeenandwillremainapriority formyGovernment. In concertwithourpartners, wearedoingeverything possible todealwiththe difficulties causedtoIrishcitizens byIraq~aactions. Weahallnotceaseinour efforts tosecuretheirrightstoezitfromthosetwocountries iftheywish. We insiatthattherightsofIrishandothercitizens be~espected. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryJB/29 Al45/PV.9 133 (Mr.eol11»8. Ireland) TheGulfcrisishasdemonstrated thaimportance oftheUnitedNations. This istheforumwherethecollective willoftheinternational community canbe ezpressed intheinterest ofthemaintenBnce ofinternational peaceandsecurity. Thisiswherewecanestablish theparameters foramoresecureandstableworld order,nowthatthecoldwarcanbeassigned to.hlstory. Agoodbeginning hasbeen made i~varydifficult circumstances. Thecapacity oftheUnitedNationstoactin suchsituations isthecentral element nscessary toprovide theassurances weall need. TheUnitedNations roleinthepeaceful resolution ofregional conflicts in thepastyearmustberecognized asasignificant stepforward. TheUnitedNations hasalegitimate taskintheestablishment ofinternational standards forfreeand honestelections. Theelectoral success scoredinNamibiajustifies theUDstintinq effortsoftheOrganization overthepast25yearstobringfreedom anddemocracy tothatcountry. Nicaragua isyetanother ezampleofhowwelltheOrganization can performinthatsphere. Thelonghoped-for emergence ofagreement between thepartiesinCambodia and thepositive movestopeaceful resolution oftheconflicts inElSalvador andthe Western Saharashouldpresent theOrganization withanearlyopportunity to cODsolidate it.expertise inelection monitoring andtofurther thedemocratic traditioD inareasvhereithasbeenlackinginthepast.
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement by the Prime Minister of Ireland, addressing the international community and the United Nations, specifically regarding the crisis in the Gulf and the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. The text does not discuss economic development, natural resources, agriculture, forestry, fishing, industry, transport, communication, international trade, health, education, employment, or humanitarian aid and relief. Instead, it focuses on international relations, politics, and security, highlighting the importance of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security.

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