UN General Assembly
1993

anniversary. The founding principle of the United Nations - the sovereign equality of all States - remains valid today. The Secretary-General has emphasized this principle in his report "An Agenda for Peace". The principle of sovereign equality must be put into practice if the bold proposals in "An Agenda for Peace" are to succeed. As the transition to a new global order continues, the United Nations will come under greater pressure to live up to its ideals. However, in order to command the widest possible support, the United Nations must operate on the basis of an acceptable set of guiding principles. With regard to national disputes, United Nations intervention must be considered only upon the request of the Member State concerned. Indigenous peace efforts must be encouraged and respected. Regionalism has received a new impetus. The United Nations should extend its fullest cooperation to these regional trends and initiatives. A lingering obstacle to regional unity is the question of border disputes. The Non-Aligned Movement has made useful proposals in this regard, including the suggestion by Sri Lanka that a border