General Assembly
Topic A: The Function of Nuclear Technology in a peaceful
World
Author: Kattya Miroslava Graza Thomae
German‐American physicist Albert Einstein once said: “The discovery of nuclear reactions
need not bring about the destruction of mankind any more than the discovery of matches”.
Nuclear physic is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atom
nuclei. Nuclear technology includes a large variety of fields such as medicine, agriculture and
archeology, but still the two most known and practiced applications for this technology are, and
have always been, weaponry and power.
In modern day affairs, the adjective nuclear has always been related to “danger” and
“war”, but this need not to prevail in the future. Nuclear technology research is a rich field which
may, in the nearby future, fix many of the world’s most latent problems. As an example, it is a fact
that energy is an important issue today.
Coal and oil are two of the most popular forms of creating energy known today, but this
two form part of a series of non‐renewable resources, which means that they may at any time
deplete. Another problem caused by this type of power systems, is that they emanate different
types of gases, as CO2, which are deteriorating the ozone layer and increasing Earth’s temperature
because of the well‐known Greenhouse effect. How can this be prevented? Nuclear energy can be
the solution. Nuclear energy is proved to be a low‐carbon emission source which contributes
numbers close to 0 to the Greenhouse effect.
In fields such as medicine, nuclear technology research is proven useful as a diagnostic
tool; in agriculture, nuclear isotopes are used as pesticides and bactericides; in archeology, this
technology can help identify the longevity of certain objects.
Nuclear technology hasn’t been thoroughly researched, since there is a fear of the
weapons that can be developed through nuclear energy. In the future, peace and tranquility may
be found by humanity, and this technology could be properly developed, but meanwhile, it could
be too dangerous to make a proper investigation on this subject.
References
Harris, K. (1995) Einstein Quotes. Retrieved on August 11, 2009 from http://
rescomp.stanford.edu/‐cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html
Nuclear. (2009) In Merriam‐Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved on August 11, 2009 from
http://merriam‐webster.com/dictionary/nuclear
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General Assembly
Topic B: Democracy inside the United Nations
by Oliver Manuel Peña
At the end of the II World War, the establishment of the United Nations represented an enormous
success that would encourage the human being’s welfare worldwide. With the UN at the
management of international affairs, the world community was expecting for the development of
respect for human rights, the state’s sovereignty, global good governance, stability and the
quench of war as an instrument of conflict resolution.
The end of the Cold War was saluted as a start of a new order, based on peace,
disarmament and stability. The reality has been very different, with a spread of wars, genocides
and violence, all over the nineties. The I Gulf War, the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, the
genocide in Ruanda, and the Kosovo war were all paving the way to the preventive war against
Iraq made by George Bush and some European allies, which hindered the multilateral system
based on the UN.
These catastrophic events have created widespread criticism against the UN. The argument given
is that world’s most powerful NGO “should face a reality where many of its Members States
systematically violate the rules and laws they have agreed to respect” (Morgantini, 2009). It is true
that the permanent members of the UN (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom
and the United States) and other nations have transgressed several times the principles that were
once unbreakable agreements for the UN’s member countries. This is a flagrant proof of lack of
democracy in the UN’s internal politics.
There are different postures made by international personages suggesting a Reform of the
United Nations, which would imply looking forward to the establishment of new democratic
trends in the UN’s philosophy. “There is a need of a new participatory democracy inside the UN
[…]. The oligopolistic management of the world security can been avoided through the
reaffirmation of the inner ratio of the Charter, expressed in Article 2, which refuses the use of
force to solve the international conflicts” (Morgantini, 2009). By this last quote, we can notice that
there are articles in the UN’s code that should be modified for the new reform of democracy.
US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Kim Holmes said, "Fear of
reform, not its prospect, which holds the greater risk for the United Nations" (Waston, 2009). But
fear must be overcome for the realization of benefic causes. The world is worried about this
concern; there has been an inquiry around different places that shows people’s opinion: “A BBC
World Service poll of 23500 people in 23 countries ‐ the largest yet carried out ‐ has revealed
strong popular support for both democratisation of the UN system and a more powerful mandate
for the organization” (Waston, 2009).
On the other hand, Leinen explains that “The UN needs reform. On that almost everyone agrees.
But there is sharp disagreement on what kind of reform is needed and for what purpose” (2009).
Therefore, different postures should be compared; experts in international affairs and NGO’s
should meet in symposiums and conferences for solving the UN’s today democratic issues.
Bibliography
Leinen, J. (2009). The Reform of the United Nations: a view from the European Parliament.
Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://www.eptoday.com/April_24/article‐9.asp
Mecacci, M. (2004). Third Conference of the World Movement for Democracy. Retrieved August 19,
2009 from http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/index.php?func=detail&par=3212
Morgantini, L. (2009). No Veto for UN Reform and Democracy. Retrieved August 19, 2009 from
http://www.eptoday.com/April_24/article‐10.asp
Onyszkiewicz, J. (2009). Reforming the United Nations: a long way ahead. Retrieved August 19,
2009 from http://www.eptoday.com/April_24/article‐1.asp
Watson, G. (2009). UN Reforms. Retrieved August 19, 2009 from
http://www.eptoday.com/April_24/article‐3.asp
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