text: mayberequired. Inthepreparation ofmyproposals forthecurrentand forthcoming biennialprogramme budgets, Ihaveendeavoured toreassure allMember Statesofmycommitment toachieve thedelivery ofprogrammes entrusted totheSecretariat in themostcost-effective waypossible. Iambound,however, toexpressmydeepconcern atthepracticeofcertainMemberTodayinternational co-operation isrecognized asindispen­ sableeveninmatterswherenotlongagoitwasthought to beUtopian. Insocialandeconomic development, the achievements ofUnitedNations programmes andagencies areuniversally recognized. Theforceofnecessity hasmade theUnitedNations systemaglobalsourceofadviceand assistance, co-operation andco-ordination inallareaswhere Governments, whatever theirphilosophical differences, have toacttogether. Itisironicthat,asweenteraphaseinhistoryinwhich thepractical necessity ofco-operative internationalism isso patent,thereshould,insomequarters atleast,bearetreat fromit.Questioning ofinternational organizations striving tocreategreaterorderintheworldpolityandeconomy is widespread, andtheUnitedNationsisthesubjectofespecial­ lyheavycriticism. Weneedtoexamine thisphenomenon and trytounderstand it.Surelythefortiethanniversary isagood timetotakeacollective lookatthisproblem andtherole ofMember Statesinaddressing it. Thereisnoquestion thatthedifficulties ofmakingthe UnitedNations worktotheirsatisfaction hasanimportant bearingontheattitude ofsomeGovernments towards the Organization. Certainly thenewcomplexity oftheexpanded membership andnewvotingpatterns, aswellasinstances wheredivision andconflicthavebeenhighlighted attheex­ penseofbroadareasofagreement andcommon interest, have I'hadanimpact. Inthesecircumstances therehasbeenatendency tomaketheUnitedNationsascapegoat forcurrent problems andconfusions andtoseeitasthesymbolofalack ofinternational authority andresponsibility, ratherthanas aninstrument forco-operation inaddressing thecurrent problems ofanewlyglobalsociety. ItistheGeneral Assembly, themainrepresentative organ oftheUnitedNations, whichinevitably carriestheweight ofmuchofthecriticism oftheUnitedNations. Onlyinthe GeneralAssembly cantheworldbeseeninitsfullvariety, anditistherethatdifferences andconflicts arehighlighted inaparticularly dramatic way.TheGeneral Assembly, when allissaidanddone,isthefirstapproximation ofatown meetingoftheworld.Farlesswellknownisthepainstaking workcarriedonwithintheframework oftheAssembly in codifying international lawandstandards ofbehaviour and infocusing andmaintaining attention onvitalissues. Manyeffortshavebeenmadeovertheyearstoreformthe GeneralAssembly andtostreamline andrationalize itspro­ cedures.ThetruthisthattheAssembly represents theuniver­ salityofthemembership andhasaverybroadanddiverse agenda. Itistherefore difficult tostreamline itwithout losingitsmainpoint.Therearecertainly, however, waysin whichtheperformance oftheGeneral Assembly couldbe progressively improved. Itseemstomethatessential stepsinimproving thepolitical processintheGeneral Assembly shouldinclude amuch greaterdegreeofintergovernmental consultation beforeeach session,andadetermined attempttohammer outconsensus onimportant issuesandtoavoiddivisiverhetoric. Otherwise thequalityofthepolitical processintheGeneral Assembly willdeteriorate. *** ***Inthinking ofthefutureoftheOrganization, oneisstruck bythefuctthattheUnitedNations isalmostuniqueamong political institutions inhavinglittledirectcontactwithitsbasic constituency, "thepeoples oftheUnitedNations" whoad­ dressusinthefirstwordsoftheCharter. Thisisadelicate matter,sincetheindependent nationalsovereignty ofMember Statesisaprimary prerequisite oftheCharter. Nevertheless theUnitedNationsdealswithmoreandmore issueswhichareimportant internationally andalsohave strongdomestic implications. Onlythesupportofnational domestic constituencies ineachMember Statecanassurethe necessary follow-up whichwillleadtoeffective actiononsuch issues.Hereafargreaterinvolvement withnon-governmental organizations inthebroadest senseofthetermcouldgoa longwaytowards asolution. Wehavehadanindication of theirenormous directvalueandinfluence inaseriesofglobal conferences aswellasintheremarkable world-wide efforts byvoluntary agencies, entertainers andothersinsupportof reliefinAfricaandelsewhere. Wealsoneedtoencourage theconcept ofpractical inter­ national serviceinamanner broader andmoresystematic thanhasyetbeenthecase.Inparticular moreeffortshould bemadetodevisewaysofengaging youngpeopledirectly inmattersofconcern totheworldcommunity. Ihave,inaseriesofotherreportstotheGeneral Assembly andtheSecurity Council, commented indetailonthemajor political issueswithwhichtheUnitedNationsisconcerned, inmanyofwhichtheSecretary-General hasparticular respon­ sibilities. Ishallnot,therefore, repeatmyselfhereordeal withthespecific situations covered bythosereports. Ishouldlike,however, tomention certainothergreatissues ofourtimewhichhaveanimportant bearingonthefuture. Perhapsthebroadest andmostcomplex oftheseissuesisthe
analysis: The text appears to be a speech or report by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, discussing the organization's role in international cooperation, its challenges, and its future direction. The topics covered include the importance of international cooperation, the role of the United Nations in addressing global problems, and the need for reform and improvement. The text does not specifically focus on a particular sector or industry, but rather on the organization's overall mission and its impact on the world.