questions with increasing vigour and effectiveness through a dynamic and pragmatic interpretation of Article 2, paragraph 7 of the UN Charter dealing with domestic jurisdiction.
What we need is, in my opinion, cautious optimism and not a starry-eyed idealism. We must recognize that the traditional legal & political framework based on nation-state system is here to stay for probably some more decades to come. This will mean that inter-state conflicts existing in the Indian sub-continent, the Middle-East, the Mediterranean and other areas will also persist in the future. At the same time, there are new types of conflicts in which national boundaries have little or no meaning because of the demise or weakening of state authorities or because of cross-border allegiances and sympathies of sub-national groups. The conflicts today in Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, Liberia as well as in the Former Yugoslavia show that the present is an era of great fluidity in the nation-state system, and therefore classical means of conflict resolution have only a limited value. The principle of national self-determination used to be a great rallying point for new countries which came into being after World War ?U.
It is now applied in a way as to create further political groupings and subdivisions based on shared ethic, cultural and other identities, cutting across the classical state boundaries.
The United Nations provides for many diverse and useful means of the settling international conflicts as well as a variety of instruments to pressure conflicting parties to come to terms with each other, under Chapter ?Y and Chapter ?Z of its Charter. Futhermore Coersive means in the hands of the United Nations extend from diplomatic, political, economic to military sanctions. Increasing resort is now being made also to regional organizations and arrangements under Chapter ?[ and imaginative, combination of regional and universal means is tried as seen in the conflict in Haiti, in Liberia and more recently in Brundi.
The nation-states are facing severe competition from multi-national corporations as well as non-governmental organizations which have become more influential and active. The U.N. is trying to accomodate itself to the existence of achive and assertive NGOs whose assistance has become indespensible in humanitarian relief and post conflict rehabilitation activities. We are also faced with embryonic international public opinion, even though mass media today shows a great deal of shortcomings in their coverage of international events;they are highly selective, subjective and sometimes quite inaccurate and even irresponsible in their treatment world events. Greater maturity and the sense of responsibility should be expected of mass media of tomorrow.
