UN General Assembly
1979

198. In your opening statement, Mr. President, you stressed the importance of the United Nations as an instrument for the promotion of peace, freedom, justice, international security and cooperation. You said also that this Organization will fail to meet its lofty ideals as enumerated in its Charter if we, as individual nations, choose to use it as an instrument of periodical convenience. Indeed, we could not agree with you more. When we all became Members of the United Nations, we pledged to uphold the principles and purposes of the United Nations. We pledged to work for world peace, for the reconciliation of our differences and for the common good of mankind. Yet, time and time again we see these very principles trampled upon with impunity. The sovereignty of nations as been violated and the use of force to settle disputes has become an attractive option in the face of the helplessness of the United Nations. We in Malaysia look at this development with great concern, as indeed do all responsible peoples.