UN General Assembly
1968

140. A major conflict that has proved beyond the means of the United Nations to stop is the devastating war in Viet-Nam. The fighting and destruction go on with unabating fury, and the loss of human life is a tragic and appalling spectacle. Earlier discussions of the issue here in the General Assembly had made it clear that a majority of the Governments of the world have been deeply troubled by the growing intensity of the conflict. All the same, the United Nations has been powerless to reverse the trend or to produce a negotiated settlement, despite the noble, selfless and sometimes thankless initiatives and efforts of the Secretary-General to bring the conflict to the conference table. Some hopes were raised, however, with the opening of preliminary peace talks in Paris, between North Viet-Nam and the United States. Although the talks have now dragged on for some months without any tangible results, it is the sincere hope of the Government of Iceland that they will soon result in the establishment of a cease-fire, paving the way for negotiations towards a peaceful settlement.