UN General Assembly
2012

of international law and resilient mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes. That will provide a platform for States under threat to bring their problems before those mechanisms with confidence, rather than trying to resolve them by force. The President has selected an important theme for the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly: bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means. In a fast- changing environment, where the global governance structure is fragmented and coordination is difficult, the parameters of dialogue among States become crucial. In that dialogue among States, respect for the rule of law by all parties is essential. If that were not the case, small States would lose their independence and autonomy, and even the larger and stronger States could never feel entirely secure. A stable international system is critical to our collective security. Small States like Singapore are vulnerable even at the best of times, and these are not the best of times. It is therefore particularly important for small States to be in an international