chances of success are varied. There is the innovative form represented by the establishment of peace-keeping forces to disengage belligerents and maintain the status quo. There are the good offices of the Secretary-General and the possibility, in the provisional rules of procedure of the Council, for it to hold periodic meetings to review the international situation and monitor grave incidents, within the framework of what has come to be known as preven- tive diplomacy. There is the Secretary-General’s exercise of his powers in bringing to the attention of the Council any matter which may threaten the maintenance of intema- tional peace and security and in making contacts, conduct- ing consultations and assembling information on areas of. tension in the world. 19 .follow up the implementation of its own resolutions, even if they were adopted unanimously. 209. Experience has proved that the Security Council, particularly at times of crises-and how numerous they are-has lost its ability to act, in most cases as a result of the lack of political will. This has prevented the Council from discharging its responsibilities and has reduced its role to voicing condemnations or launching appeals; in addition, the veto has frequently been abused-a fact which has resulted in international conflicts getting into a vicious circle of rivalry between the two conflicting blocs. 210. All those facts confirm the urgent need to review the existing system of collective security within the Organiza- tion, in order to make it more effective. 211. First among the methods to enhance the effective- ness of the Security Council in maintaining peace and secu- rity is the type of conduct engaged in by members of the Council and the political will they express-especially the Council’s permanent members, which have special responsibilities. 212. A precondition for restoring the Council’s effective- 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council in maintaining international peace and security, highlighting the challenges it faces, such as the lack of political will among its members, the veto power, and the need for a more effective system of collective security. The text suggests that the Council's effectiveness relies on the conduct and political will of its members, particularly the permanent members.

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