Turning Point in History
The policy of non-alignment has made a significant impact on world affairs. It was evolved as an assertion of our will to be independent and not be the puppet of colonial powers. Non-alignment made the concept of peaceful co-existence increasingly acceptable. It made a vital contribution to peace and relaxation of tensions. Non-alignment has not lost any of its relevance even when the "cold war" era has become a part of history. Non-aligned countries have taken significant and successful initiatives in directing the attention of the international community to the urgent need for establishment of a new international economic and social order.
The U.N. is at a turning point in its history. It is an instrument for shaping the destiny of mankind. Its mission, expressed in the Charter, is to secure peace and justice for all mankind. Its duty is to the peoples of all nations. Its objective is the moulding of one world, based on peace and co-operation, not its division into three or more "worlds" separated by conflict and inequality.
There is today a growing awareness of the interdependence between peoples and nations, each conscious and responsive to the basic needs and legitimate aspirations of the other. But the problems posed by this reality of interdependence are only just beginning to be appreciated. What U Thant described as "prosperous provincialism" is dangerous for world order; and as the present U. N. Secretary-General has said:
"We must now go forward from deliberation to action, from confrontation to
co-operation and from eloquently expressed allegiance to principles to the far more difficult task of making these principles a reality."