Page 79 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Bringing the Concept to Life

The Organization served as a safety valve which often prevented the
over­heated engine of the international political system from blowing up. It
also served as a yardstick to measure international opinion. Even during that
period, the United Nations managed to codify the norms of international law
and contribute to the maintenance of global security and stability.

12. Today, the Organization is in an entirely new situation. The ideological
constraints have been removed. In recent years, there has been a considerable
intensification of its activities in many fields.

Yet the burden of the past still makes its presence felt. For example, one of
the main difficulties faced by the UN in the contemporary international
environment is the problem of reconciling the rapid pace of economic and
technological progress with the slow evolution of the political mentality.

The UN was created as an idealistic and forward-looking organization. It
bases its work on the idea of universal well-being and the unity of humankind.
In practical terms, these ideals, too often, cannot be attained.

13. The contemporary political mentality is based on the assumption that
there is an enemy to fight. An external enemy provides not only the most
effective means of uniting a nation but also the best excuse for mistakes and
failures in domestic policy. This situation no longer exists and, as a result,
political minds are confused.

The world has entered a period of uncertainty. A few years ago, things
were clear - at every political crossroads there was a traffic light, showing
politicians how to proceed. Some States were engaged in the fight for the
communist future of humankind; others were preoccupied with the
containment of communist totalitarianism and the defense of freedom and
democracy. Now circumstances have changed, and this rationale no longer
applies.

But the zeal to fight is still there, even though it is not clear who the enemy
is. Even those with vivid imaginations have difficulty in determining which
country now represents a real threat to whom. If there is no external enemy,
people start looking for a domestic one instead.

14. A few days ago, I had a meeting with the President of the Parliament of
a small State - a former Soviet republic - and I asked him what relations were

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