text: negotiation andpeaceful confli~t resolution. Ananonymous butuncanny vi~ionarT: oncenotedthat: Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryJSM/bg Ai44/PV.I00 24-25 (ThePresident) "thefutureisrelated, andindeedindebted, tothepast,andcanonlybe. I perceived meaningfully andprojected realistically inthecontext andagainst thebackground ofhistorical experience". Now,asweneartheendofthefirst45yearsofUnitedNations history, and prepare ourselves toembarkupontheforty-fifth session ofGeneral.Assembly activity, thestartling changes, inspiritandinperception oftheOrganization's significance andrelevance, merit,1daresay,morethanacursory ~,lance. Governments inallcountries andofverydiffering political persuasions have continually affirmed, sincethefirstsession oftheGeneral Assembly, andinas manyaspossible oftheirpublicstatements, solidcommitment totheUnitedNations andtoallitspurposes andprinciples. Theyhavecontinued toexpress, asoften astheydecently can-sometimes indefiance ofcontradictory internal situations - theirdetermination toupholditsobjectives andtostrengthen itseffectiveness in everypossible manner. Suchextraordinary e)ressions ofcommitment -yet,the UnitedNations wassimultaneously beingaccused ofirrelevancy andincompetence. Why,1mayask,thiscontradiction? ---- ~~~~~-~---------' Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryFMB/8 A144/PV.I00 26 (ThePresident) Moreoftenthannot,therewasanundertow ofdesperation tostatements of solidarity: thewordshadbecomeanactoffaith,anincantation whicnallfelt obliged topronounce, butinwhichnogreatconfidence wasfelt.TheUnited Nations wasimpotent. Manyofthecriticisms thenlevelled atthis institut~on ~ contained morethanagrainoftruth;thegreatmajority, however, werebasedon veryrealconceptions oftheUnitedNations assomething aboveandbeyondreality, asamythical Utopianentitythatshouldbefreeofallmortalfeelings. Therewas aneedforasharpreminder andthiswasbluntly delivered in1954by JohnFosterDulles. Hesaid: "TheUnitedNations wasnotsetuptobeareformatory. Itwasassumed that youwouldbegoodbeforeyougotinandnotthatbeinginwouldmakeyougood." Ourmostsympathetic detractors claimthattheUnitedNations -andthe Assembly inparticular -hasmanaged tofunction despite theMembers ratherthanin concert withthem.Ironically, whileindividual Governments continue toexert theirsovereign rightsinthepursuit ofthe"national interest", their ever-watchful agencies andmediainstitutions warebusilypointing thefinger, declaring withderision thattheUnitedNations had f~iled. Whenever theUnitedNationsfails,itisbecause we,itsMembers, have failed. WhenoneMemberbreaksranks,thesideisnolongerinvincible andis threatened withdestruction. Wemustacknowledge, evenifonlysubconsciously, thattheUnitedNations can neverbeanything butamirroroftheworldasitis.TheUnitedNationsismerely anassemblage ofthemultiplicity ofindividual national Stateswithalltheir imperfections. WhentheMemberStateswerebellicose, theUnitedNations wasfull ofbellicosity. Whentheworldwasaworldofcoldwar,theUnitedNations wasa systemofcoldwar,particularly initsfirst15years. Whentheworldwasoneof Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryFMB/8 A/44/PV.100 27 (ThePresident) rich/poor confrontation asitappeared inthe1970s,soalsowastheUnited Nations. Andiftheworldisnowbesetwithnationalism, sotoowouldbethe UnitedNations. TheUnitedNationsisasgoodorasbadastheStateswhich composeit. Thisrealization hasbeenslowincoming, butitsarrivalisnolesswelcome. Theforty-fourth session oftheGeneral Assembly witnessed thegradual assumption bytheUnitedNations ofanewconfidence andstatusasitcrossed the threshold toregainitslong-vacant postoffacilitator ofworldpeaceand security. Thethreesp,ecial sessions whichdeliberated onthedestabilizinq and dehumanizing impactofpoverty arising fromunderdevelopment, drugtrafficking and abuse,andthenightmare ofapartheid, eachproduced aconsensus declaration. The Assembly notonlyasserted itselfontheessential issuesofourtimebut demonstrated, foralltime,theremarkable achievement lyingwellwithinourgrasp whenpolitical willismaintained. Itisworthrecalling thatduringtheforty-fourth session, Namibia claimed itsindependence andassumeditsrightful placeasthe160thMemberStateofour Organization. Inadopting theConvention ontheRightsoftheChild,theGeneral Assembly atitsforty-fourth session gaveanunlimited guarantee thatour civilization willaccorddueattention totheinalienable rightsofchildren tobe safeguarded, toliveinaprotected familyenvironment freefrompersecution and neglect. Thi~isbutthefoundation. Itisafoundation, however, because
analysis: The text appears to be a speech or a statement by the President of the United Nations, focusing on the organization's significance, relevance, and challenges. The text highlights the importance of international cooperation, the need for effective conflict resolution, and the role of the United Nations in promoting world peace and security. The speech also touches on issues such as poverty, underdevelopment, and human rights.