UN General Assembly
1964

37. While reaffirming our adherence to the principle of our collective responsibility in this respect, I should like to stress the importance of recommending those measures which must be taken to obviate the drawback of haste and improvisation in peace-keeping operations and in the decisions that will set in motion the machinery of such operations, and of finding a solution which will enable the United Nations to undertake such operations with maximum effectiveness, speed and vigour. The provisions of the Charter are our constitution, but it must nevertheless be borne in mind that any rigid and uncompromising application of a given provision, which might have the effect of paralysing the Organization, or of hindering its work — even if only temporarily — would be highly prejudicial to the cause of peace, and perhaps to the very existence of the United Nations. The establishment of a satisfactory and effective peace-keeping formula is most important, especially as it may be the prelude to general and complete disarmament.