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22.

The United Nations in a Period of Global
Change: from Romanticism to Critical Realism

SТАТЕМЕNТ
ВУ МR. VLADIМIR PEТROVSКY
UNITED NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF ТNЕ UNITED NATIONS OFFICE АТ GENEVA
АТ THE CELEBRATION OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE ASSOCIANON OF FORМER INТERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS
- GENEVA

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Thursday, 21 February 1995

INТRODUCTION

F irst of all, congratulations to you on your Association's 55th
Anniversary, which coincides with the Golden Anniversary of the
United Nations. Although your organization is five years older, in
UN terminology one may say that we are both in the same "Decade of
Development". For the United Nations, this anniversary is а time to reflection
on the past, take stock of the present, and prepare for the future. Much has been
said of the Cold War and its effect on the Organization. Though the UN
positive role in the time of global confrontation is well known to us all, the
Cold War prevented the United Nations from being utilized to its fullest
potential. Certain policies and programmes were unduly politicized and
opportunities were squandered. The end of the Cold War has brought in its
wake а renewed vigour to the United Nations.

However, there has been an overemphasis of this post-Cold War activity of
the United Nations - especially as it relates to peace-keeping operations. The

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