the future, our collective global future, inshaallah, is bright. it is the united nations and multilateralism that will safeguard this future. mr. president, pakistan believes in the promise of the united nations - a world free from the scourge of war, a world governed by rules and norms of civility, of decency, of good will, creating a better future for the peoples of the world, interstate conduct premised on the respect for the immutable principles of the united nations. we must ensure that our united nations is the best representation of the aspirations of our peoples. mr. president, we must do better. there is far too much distance between these aspirations, and the sometimes dark realities of our times. we are constantly struggling with difficult choices and cycles -- expediency versus values, interests versus ideals, there is conflict, discord and death. natural and man-made calamities spread fear and destitution among millions, and often exacerbate and expose already unacceptable levels of poverty and deprivation. we face these challenges in