UN General Assembly
1961

118. When last the United Nations changed Secretary-Generals, rather a long time elapsed — half a year or more — before agreement was reached on Dag Hammarskjold as Trygve Lie's successor. We all know that today it would be even more difficult and, for a variety of reasons, probably will require still more time, to obtain Security Council clearance. 119. The United Nations is today besieged by serious problems the solution of which cannot suffer delay without the risk of jeopardizing progress already made in the interest of peace. It is vital, therefore, that a decision be taken as a matter of great urgency to provide the Organization with an executive head pending action by the Council in fulfilment of its duty as envisaged by the Charter.