Machine summary:
Although the signatory states of the Charter of the United Nations were the victorious nations of that war, all states including those which were not yet members of the world organization welcomed the Charter and were guided by the fervent wish to join the organization as quickly as possible.
As we all know - due to the East-West confrontation at that time and the Cold War - the creation of a global organization including all nations of the world took several decades.
Regional conflicts like those in the Balkans (Kosovo), Africa and Asia, huge waves of refugees, increasing terrorism and international crime, escalating environmental problems and the population explosion are creating new difficulties for governments everywhere.
The positions of the European Union and the United States in this regard coincide largely with the proposal of Kofi Annan: withdrawal of Serb forces from Kosovo, return of refugees to their home, deployment of an international force in Kosovo to secure the safe return of the refuges to their homes and - upon acceptance · of these proposals end of bombardments on Yugoslav territory.
Considerations of domestic policy are frequently the decisive factors in the behaviour of governments in crisis situations, and not just sympathy for the peoples whose lives have been ravaged by war.
During the many years at the helm of the United Nations I had to take note of one important - and not the best - experience: if countries or governments are confronted with the decision to give priority to either international or national interests, they usually - with minor exceptions - choose their own national interests.