UN General Assembly
1988

﻿Forty years ago this month, my compatriot Count Police Bernadotte was murdered during his mission as United Nations mediator on Palestine. His name reminds us of the planned political violence which, however meaningless, is still a reality. His name also reminds us that the practical work for peace and security has been a central task of the United Nations during its entire existence. The world's expectations of the United Nations have varied over the years. The United Nations role in recent efforts for peace has once again raised expectations. Last year we were many in this Assembly who discussed how the United Nations was to overcome the crisis that threatened its existence. The issue today is how the Organization can live up to the expectations, how the United Nations can best make use of the "window of opportunity" that has opened.