UN General Assembly
1951

56. The Middle East Command is merely a logical extension of the idea involved in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is as little opposed to the principles of the Charter as is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Both are regional defence arrangements in full accord with the principles of Article 51 of the Charter. In neither case do these defence arrangements in any way infringe the national independence or sovereignty of the participating countries. Nor do either of them threaten any one except the potential aggressor. Their whole purpose is defence against a possible attack from outside: the securing of peace through strength. It is sincerely to be hoped that in a region where the peace and security of so many nations are at stake, each will make its full contribution to the common effort symbolized in the Middle East Command.