Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)

1968-06-01 / 2. szám

- 157

(07938)

HOP Vol XX Special Number

1968 No 2

justify the abolition of the UN0U The latter would leave such a vacuum in international life that it could hardly be filled soon enough as to prevent the loss of everything which the UNO has so far accomplished®130)

On the other hand, in line with a thesis in one of the studies of our committee we must now reiterate; there is an obvious need for developing the UNO® "The UNO must be made a world forum operating on the basis of an international ethos, a forum with the task of guarding over the moral coexistence of the peoples, of assuring the abolition of the nuclear armory, of making constant efforts to the end that the standard of living in every country of the world be raised and coexistence based on social justice be realised". (Special Number of HCP, July, 1966),,

The efforts to develop and enhance the effectiveness of the UNO must be based on the realities of our age, while trying to create the conditions for a peaceful world order of the future® The organisation,structure work and peacemaking activity of the UNO should express the fact that it is composed today of countries representing three types® The predominant role of the great powers today in international life warns us that neither the cause of disarmament nor that of the further development of the UNO can make progress as long as one of the great powers, the Chinese People}s Republic, is excluded from this exertion® Constant search should be made for the ways and means of increasing the authority of the UNO so that its constructive resolutions be put into actual practice®

It is obvious that, even in its present form, the UNO can do much for disarmament^ However, also in this matter, it would become a more effective forum if its further development could be achieved®

5) The problem of disarmament has an important bearing on ethics* If we consider the billions spent on arms or the tension caused by armaments which is a serious threat to mankind, it becomes clear that disarmament is a profoundly motivated ethical requirement® But its realisation, too, calls for moral motives; we cannot expect that this goal will be attained in a merely "mechanical" way, by the operation of the inexorable laws of history and as an automatic consequence of the situation now obtaining. Even the rational considerations are unable to furnish the necessary guarantees as it has been long realised that the armament race, in a final analysis, is irrational, while there are weighty ra.tional arguments in favour of disarmament* We have the need of an additional moral plus; the conscious,consistent and even sacrificially-minded endeavour toward the end that the political, economic and. technological potentialities of mankind actually serve the ca.use of universal peace, justice and progress rather than be pressed, at all costs, into the service of self-interests*

The ethical aspects of disarmament must be considered in the context of a mere comprehensive requirement, that of a new international ethos. One of the traits of modern life is progressive integration* It is almost