UN General Assembly
2012

fact, the sense of insecurity seems to be more pervasive today as people around the world continue to face a wide range of situations, characterized by the legacy of colonialism, injustice, domination, exploitation, hatred, intolerance, exclusion, xenophobia and so on. Economic insecurity in the face of the heightened global economic and financial crises and fierce competition for dwindling resources and energy security also play their part in generating tensions in many parts of the world. The concept of collective security being the core pillar of the United Nations Charter has often been undermined through recourse to dispute-settlement means that are outside the purview of a multilateral mechanism. Unilateralism and the selective interpretation of the provisions of the Charter risk inciting more conflict and confrontation rather than understanding and cooperation. That necessitates wider respect and observance of the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and non-interference as the bedrock principles of international relations. Those principles cannot and should not be put to the political test under any circumstances. The growing challenges do not mean that the role