century? ,Itmay.Buttodoso,allnationStatesneedtoinvestinastrongand stableinternational political order. Acredible, effectively functioning united Nations whichstrongly reinforces theprinciples ofterritorial integrity andAP/rd A/40/PV.4 68 (Mr.Dhanabalan, Singapore) sovereign equality, willmakeiteasierforeventhesmallest Statesoftheworld toretainth&irindependence. Thesmallnations ofthisworldwhichtrytc)cheatontherulesoftheChB.rter arereallysowingtheseedsoftheirowndestruction. Technological advances aremakingtheunitedNations morerelevant eachmay. Theworldisshrinking atapaceunprecedented inthehistory ofman.Nations that wereonceseparated bymountains andoceanscannowlooksquarely intoeachother's eyes.Tremendous developments intelecommuniCAtions andcompute-. technology have madethispossible. InJulythisyear,almostoneandahalfbillion peopleoronequarter ofthis globe's population simultaneously watched aliveconcert heldtoraiseaidfor Africa.Onthisshrinking globe,wheretherearemassive movements ofpeoples and goodseveryday,apolitical disturbance inAsiacouldleadtobombsbeingplaced onaircraft inCanada; anewandfrightening diseaseafflicting NorthAmerica could becarried totheopposite sideoftheglobewithintwenty-four hours. Wefearthattheinternational institutions oftodayareunabletocopewith thenewnetworks andpatterns ofinterdependence thatareevolving eachday. Itisnolongeraccurate tosaythatwebelongtothesameplanet. Theold clichethattheworldisaglobalvillage ismoretruetodaythaneverbefore. Throughout history village communities havetendedtobestableandenduring. People docareabouttheirownneighbourhoods. Theyadoptcareful andresponsible positions onissuesdirectly affecting them. Inthisshrinking globalvillageitisinevitable thatnations willeventually viewglobalissuesmoreresponsibly whentheyseethedirectimplications for themselves. Thatdaywillcome.AP/rd A/40/pV.4 69 (Mr.Dhanab81an, Singapore) Wecould h~lptoexpediteitbytransforming thisAss£1Dbly andperhaps the Security Council intoavillage council. Thisisnotafrivolous orpurely rhetorical suggestion. Invillage meetings itissometimes usefultoletoffsteam. TheunitedNations hasperformed thisfunction admirably. Countless smallwarshavebeenavoided because somewiseleaders havetransported theirangerandtheangeroftheir populations tothehallofthisGeneral Assembly, allowingittoexplode inthis hall,andthusbringing acatharsis totheirpopulations andreducing theimpulse towards war.Nootherglobalinstitution canperform thisthankless task. Toomuchangerandrhetoric, however, canpoisontheatmosphere. Thistoohas happened intheUnitedNations. Thisinstitution isbeingovercome bythefumesof itsownrhetoric. Wearenotthefirsttomakethisobservation. InJunethis year,several formerPresidents oftheunitedNations General Assembly metunder theablechairmanship ofAmbassador PaulLusakainNewYorktodiscuss thestateof theUnitedNations. Icommend theirreporttoyou. Their pr~scriptions weremany. TheUnitedNations Secretariat needstight manageml~nt. Inthedebates, consensus building shouldbepromoted. Thenumber and thelenc;.lthofUnitedNations resolutions shouldbereduced. Everyeffortshouldbe madetoeliminate agendaitemswhicharenolongerrelevant. Meetings shouldstart ontime. Ifalltheserecommendations wereadopted, theworldwouldpaygreater heedto thedeliberations ofthisbodyandtheimportant resolutions adopted eachyear. Ifwe,thesmaller nation Members oftheUnitedNations, cancontinue tosteer awiseandcareful coursebetween thetwosuper-Powers, ifwecancontinue to reaffirm ourcommitment, bothinwordanddeed,totheUnited~atio~s_Charter, and ifwecangradually cleanse thedeliberations ofthisbodyofemptyrhetoric andAP/rd A/40/~.,4; 7Q (Mr.Dhanabalan, Singapore) :lOSturing, thenIamconfident thatwhenwereachportinthe21stcentury, the iitedNations willcontinue toberelevant. Singapore, asoneofthesmallest memberStatesoftheunitedNations, is solemnly dedicated tothetaskofmovingtheUnitedNations inwthe21stcentury, andwebeginbyrepledgi."19 ourcommitment, bothinwordandindeed,tothe purposes andprinciples oftheunitedNations Charter.~'R/at A/40/PV.4 71 Nr.RAMIRE~ OCAMPO (Colombia) (interpretation frc.Spanish): Atthe outsetallowmetoexpress Colombia lEigriefatthetragedy inMexico. tiewishto restate oursolldaritywiththatfraternal people. Together withtheLatin American Groupweshallbespatsoring adraftresolution auociating theUnited Nations withtheefforts todealwiththedisastrous eventsinthatcountry. Mycountry owesagreatdealtoSpnin,asdoesmankind asawhole,which thankstothatcountry wasenriched byth~meetingoftwomajorcultures five centuriesago. Frantheancient timesofsuarezandVitoria, Spainwasthefounder ofthelaw
**Analysis**
The text discusses the importance of a strong and stable international political order, the relevance of the United Nations, and the need for nations to work together to address global issues. It also touches on the idea of transforming the United Nations into a "village council" to facilitate international cooperation and decision-making. The text does not specifically mention economic development, natural resources, or environmental issues, but rather focuses on the political and institutional framework for international cooperation.

**Category**
International relations, Culture