UN General Assembly
1972

58. Terrorism and reprisals are a vicious circle which has a chance of being broken only if an over-all settlement of the problem of the Middle East is reached, a settlement which must, of course, extend to the Palestine refugees-and I have constantly repeated that it is dangerous and wrong to neglect or underestimate this aspect of the problem. This pessimism which the situation has inspired in me and in many others should be a stimulant to action, not a brake on it. 59. The serious events to which I have just referred-be they encouraging or depressing-have this in common: they highlight the very small influence exercised in the past or being exercised at present by the United Nations. We are bound to acknowledge that there is still a very difficult road ahead in regard to bringing about international security through the adoption of effective collective measures for the purpose of preventing or removing threats to peace, repressing acts of aggression and reaching a peaceful settlement of disputes or situations which might lead to conflicts.