£!l't£c~J:dance withparagraph 1oftheannextoGeneral Assembly resolution 33/138, thePresident ~hcul~beelected fromaStatememberoftheGroupofwestern European andotherStates e Inthisconnection, Ihavebeeninformed bytheChairman ofthatGroupthat theGrouphasendorsed thecandidacy ofHisExcellency Mr.JaimedePiniesforthe Presidency oftheGeneral Assembly. Takingintoaccount theprovisions ofparagraph 16ofannexVItotherulesof procedure, Itherefore declare HisExcellency Mr.JaimedePinieselected President ofthefortieth sessionoftheGeneral Assembly byacclamation. Iextend mysincere congratulations toMr.dePiniesandIinvitehimto assumethepresidency. Irequest theChiefofProtocol toescortthePr~sident tC)thepodium. Mr.dePiniestooktheChair.A/40/W.l 12 ADDRESS BYMR.JAIMEDEPINIES, PRESIDENT OFTHEPORrIETB SESSION OFTHEGENERAL ASSEMBLY ThePRESIDENT (interpretation fromSpanish) : Ishouldliketo congr8tulate mostwarmly mydistinguished predecessor, Ambassador PaulFiraino Lusaka, President ofthethirty-ninth session. Bisoutstanding performance, marked byobjectivity andimpartias. !ty,willberemembered byusallforalongtimeto come. Iamdeeplygrateful tothisAssembly fortheconfidence ithasreposed inme byc:hooaingme toserveasitsPresident thisyear,thefortieth anniversary ofthe founding oftheunitedNations. Thisisagreathonourandrepresents thepinnacle ofmylongcareer, nearly30yearsofwhichhavebeenspentintheUnitedNations. Onthestrength ofthesemanyyears,Ishouldliketomakeanumberofremarks. TheUnitedNations hasreached maturity. At40,itisoldenoughtohavethe goodjudgement andprudence whicharenecessary toturnitsattention andproject itselftowards thefuture. Butsuchmaturity isnotenough. Itshouldberecalled thatwhenthiskindofinternational organization first appealred theworld,wearyofallthefighting, ofsomuchwaranddestruction, was seeking peace,eoonomic recovery andstability. Andsothesuspicion andthe distrust whichmarkedtheperiodbeforethewargavewaytotrustandhope.The worldmadeaSPectacular economic recovery, butatthesametimesuspicion and distrust returned. ItishardlyasecretthattheUnitedNations isgoingthrough acrisisof prestige. TheOrganization hasapparently notliveduptothehopeswhichthe worldplacedinitwhenitwasfounded andindeed weoughttoreflect onthe reasons whytheOrganization hasbeensuchadisappointment tothosewhoplaced..... theirtrustInit.Themainreasonisperhaps thewidespread ignorance aboutwhat theUnitedNationsis,whatitrepresents andwhatitcando.A/40/PV.l 13 (ThePresident) Drawing onmyownexperience, Icanrecall'thegreatprestige whichtheUnited Nations enjoyed inthe1960s,whenitcaptured theinterest ofthemediainthis country andthroughout theworld,inlargemeasure asaresultofthenews generated bytheinternational Organization, whichwasinvolved inagreatmany positive activities. However, bythelate1960sitseemedthatthemediawereno longerasinterested inwhatwasgoingonintheUr.itedNations orweremore critical ofit,andnotbecauseitwasdoingless. Itisunlikely thatallthedecisions oftheUnitedNations a~esupported by allGovernments or,ofcourse, byallsegments ofworldpublicopinion, butthere canbenodenying thattheyreflect thegeneral viewoftheinternational community, whichconsiders thattheappropriate stepshavebeentakentoremedythe situation. Butwhilethoseundoubtedly reflect thefeeling ofthemajority inthe General Assembly, theposition isnotthesameinoneoftheothermain org~ns. I amreferring, ofcourse, tc~~l'~Security Council. WhatdoestheUnited Nat~,cms dowhenacrisisoccurs? Thatiswhateveryone asks.Well,theUnitedNations doesneither morenorlessthanitsMemberStates wantittodo.Letusnotforget, moreover, thattheUnitedNations hasno executive powertoenf~rceitsdecisions andthat,ifaconflict isreferred tothe security Council andtheCouncilfailstotakeadecision, eitherbecause the necessary votesarelacking orbecause someone exercises theveto.,theOrganization shouldnotbefaulted forineffectiveness orimpotence. TheOrganization was created thatwayandthatishowitmustbeaccepted, atleastaslongasits structure isnotchanged -something whichwouldbeneither easynor,perhaps, advisable atthepresent time. Wemustfacethefactthateither wetakethe unitedNations asitisoritwilldisappear, Itmustalsoberecognized thatthe majorPowers,particularly thesupe~-Powers, although theyhaveusedthe Org~,ization asaforuminthepastandmayevendosotoday,donotseemtoregardA/40/PV.l 14-15 (ThePresident) itasessential forthedefenceoftheirinterests, whereasitisplainthatthe restofusdoneedit. Despite theOrganiza.tion's shortcomings, substantii!ll progress hasbeenmadein manyareas. Thelistofitsachievements isendless; therearetheUnitedNatims emergency forcesanditsactivities inthesocial, economic, legal,administrative andotherspheres. Iwouldcitetheexampleofdecolonization, theliberation of peoples andthereaffirl\lltion oftheprincipleofself-dete"mination orterritorial
**Analysis**
The text is a speech by the President of the General Assembly, discussing the United Nations and its role in international relations. The speech touches on themes such as the Organization's prestige, its effectiveness, and its achievements. The President also mentions the importance of understanding what the United Nations is and what it can do. Given the context and content of the speech, it appears to be more focused on the United Nations as an international organization rather than specific sectors like economy or health.

**Category**
International relations, Culture