text: wide knowledge and experience and a vision that encom- passes global interests and dimensions. His report, for which my delegation wishes to thank him warmly, reflects his strong commitment to the betterment of the Organiza- tion and his genuine concern for its future role. Despite the oft-repeated criticisms of the Security Council, my delega- tion agrees with the Secretary-General’s assessment that “the Security Council has played an essential and often central role in providing stability and limiting conflict’” and that “there are ways in which the Council could improve its capacity along the lines on which it has been working for many years*‘.2 109. We gather here on this occasion to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. An anniversary is usually a time for rejoicing as well as a time for pondering. We rejoice today that the world has survived for the past four decades without becoming embroiled in another world war, which, to eve- ryone’s knowledge, would mean the extinction of human civilization as we know it. Yet as we survey the headlines of every day’s newspapers or take a look at the issues which have been brought to the Security Council, we can- not forget that peace is still not a normal state of affairs around the globe. So this time of rejoicing must also be a 9 time for pondering, as we move into the fifth decade of the United Nations. 110. We are today appraising whether the United Nations, and in particular the Security Council, can main- tain peace and security in order for it, in the words of the founding fathers, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”. As we survey the globe, we see wars and threats of war everywhere. In some areas, wars have not yet broken out because military alliances have served to 
analysis: The text appears to be a diplomatic speech or statement discussing the role and effectiveness of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security. It touches on the organization's founding, its achievements, and its challenges, highlighting the importance of the Security Council in preventing war and promoting stability. The text does not mention specific economic, environmental, or technological issues, but rather focuses on the political and security aspects of international relations.