UN General Assembly
2012

amendments as soon as possible. Together we can take this big step forward in the history of international law. Criminalizing the illegal use of force between States would be a very significant step forward in the promotion of the rule of law at the international level. The rule of law is rightfully moving to the centre of our attention. We have illustrated this fact by holding a high-level meeting on this topic earlier this week. The rule of law permeates many of the activities we pursue here at the United Nations. Indeed, there can be no lasting security, no sustainable development and no effective protection of human rights without the rule of law. We therefore look forward to a strong rule-of-law dimension in the sustainable development goals resulting from the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The Conference resulted in a number of important agreements. It also illustrated the value of inclusive and transparent multilateralism, especially when compared with other, more exclusive decision-making processes. This serves as a reminder of the need to reconcile seemingly competing interests in international