Page 272 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International

of the United Nations is due to announce his major reform plans, on 16 July
1997. This will certainly give you the best possible insight you can have on the
future outlook of the United Nations.

I. The New International Environment and the Evolving Role of the
United Nations

If public opinion is so focused on United Nations Reforms, it is because
there is a genuine need to redefine the role of the organization in light of the
radical changes which have so dramatically altered the rules of the game on the
international chess board. The conditions under which the United Nations was
founded and has operated for over half a century no longer prevail, and while
the ideals of the Charter remain perfectly relevant, what is needed today is a
new reading of this Treaty. Member States have to tread new grounds in their
collective approach to world peace and security.

Considering the pace and magnitude of recent changes, some go as far as
to question the very existence of the United Nations in the twenty-first century.
Earlier this year, at the European University of Antwerp, I had the opportunity
to explore various scenarios focusing on alternative options to the United Na-
tions. Unrestricted unilateralism, unmanageable globalization and fragmentation
appeared as some of the most likely outcome of this intellectual exercise, and
participants concluded that the need for a universal organization was more
acute than ever. Judging from the growing demands laid upon the organization,
Member States seem to concur with this analysis.

The current challenge confronting the United Nations is thus to adapt its
structure, operations and work methods to the new environment, while
remaining faithful to the ideals of the Charter and preserving the legacy of the
first fifty years. The Charter remains the compass, but it must be given a
broader interpretation.

Let us take the example of Peace and Security which is at the core of Unit-
ed Nations activities. Our understanding of this concept has undergone a
profound transformation and the United Nations has redirected its efforts ac-
cordingly. Peace as the mere absence of war is no longer acceptable. It is a
notion that cannot be dissociated from stability and well-being. Political stabil-
ity, however, entails a vibrant democracy and minimum standards of freedom,
human rights and social justice. It also involves the democratization of interna-
tional relations so as to ensure a greater participation of developing countries.

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