UN General Assembly
1961

10. However, I have not merely observed the machinery of the office and the flexible and democratic operation of its administrative system. I have also, in the past few months, watched the man himself more closely and I have felt what some thinkers declare to be true—that in the life of any man who aspires to betterment there is value in objective and even vehement criticism. Piercing the Secretary- General's remarkable vigilance, one could sense in him a man who closely watched himself and his actions. We should therefore not hesitate to say that those who criticize with intent to harm are in error, for unknown to themselves they help us to do better, they teach us to observe ourselves and they do us better service than those so-called friends who lull us in idleness and indolence with their false and extravagant praise. 11. The office, then, is one of indisputable importance. It would be unfortunate if minor quarrels, creating difficulties that do our Organization no honour, were allowed to prolong this vacancy which has already existed too long.