UN General Assembly
1987

The control and reduction of armaments may help to maintain international security. It is the use of arms that destroys it. The Charter accordingly imposes an obligation on all States to settle their differences by negotiation and not to go to war. In the Security Council the Charter created the means by which the United Nations could uphold the rule of law and work for the peaceful settlement of disputes and the ending of conflict. The Council's record is far from unblemished we believe that its performance could be improved if its members could co-operate to settle disputes before the parties turn to conflict and its decisions might be less often disregarded or defied if the policies and actions of the great Powers showed greater respect for the laws they enjoin others to follow.