I urge the Iraqi leadership for sake of its own people... to seize this opportunity and thereby begin to end the isolation and suffering of the Iraqi people.

Like any large organisation, public or private, the UN is a complex machine.

The Security Council should be seen as the executive committee of the global security system set up after World War II. Its members, and especially the Permanent 5 (P5), have a special responsibility for international peace and security.

This is an historic step forward in the world's efforts to combat a truly global threat.

The U.N. power comes from concerted action of the governments.

When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life.

We at the U.N. have to take some of the blame, because we have not lowered expectations creating the impression we are here to save people, even when we have very limited resources.