UN General Assembly
1966

182. A much more significant contribution to international understanding and peace and security can be achieved only when the United Nations engages in peace-building operations calculated to eliminate the underlying causes creating the tensions which eventually lead to breaches of the peace. Speaking before this Assembly last year, I referred to the fact that there should be available to the United Nations, for the furtherance of peace-building activities, a forceful and representative political task force which can step in and mediate even before a dispute has had time to deteriorate into a disruptive one. This, in the view of my delegation, would contribute immeasurably towards strengthening the peace-building capacity of this Organization. It is therefore gratifying to me to note that the Secretary-General himself has recently stressed the need for the United Nations to continue the longterm task of building the peace if it is to equip itself for helping countries to keep the peace. My delegation whole-heartedly endorses this observation of his and pledges itself to work towards the achievement of this end.