Shakespeare's aphorism is as applicable to organizations as to individuals: "the evil they do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." Let it not be so with the United Nations. Rather, let us recall with pride the process of reform in the organization. Much, in fact, has already been accomplished. There is no doubt that the series of reforms, both those internally generated and those recommended by external review groups and panels, has helped to renew and revitalize the organization.

At the same time, we have to acknowledge that the U.N.'s performance has been somewhat patchy and variable. It has been neither uniform in its response, nor consistent in the quality of services provided. That is another compelling reason why the process of reform must be continued, to offset the unevenness of the organization's record and lift its collective performance to a higher plane of consistency.

At a time when the very principle of multilateralism is under challenge, when the world organization's most powerful and influential member throws down the gauntlet of relevance, the demands on the U.N. continue to be great and urgent, the expectations held of it compelling and poignant. To be faithful to the nations and peoples of the world who have kept faith with it for almost six decades, the U.N. must persevere in its collective effort to consolidate existing strengths and assets, reinforce weak structures, and eliminate wasteful habits and procedures.