The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 218
202 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN and are oriented, more or less, in the same direction. That helps to generate a spirit of co-operation. Question : What about the Cold War issue, in this last year particularly, in the United Nations? Is this an issue that is always in the forefront of your work ? Khan : It affects us all the time; but some members are rather cold towards the Cold War issue. They certainly consider it is a problem; but, some of them, while they are ready to assist both sides to be reasonable, are not overly preoccupied with it. On the other hand, there are certain powers that are directly involved in the Cold War issues and we cannot help being drawn into them from time to time. The United Nations is now approaching universality, and the different shades that pervade the relationships between the states outside are reflected inside the United Nations also. Question: What about Disarmament? Is this a genuine concern of a large portion of the membership ? Khan : It is becoming more and more so, because it is felt that both security and prosperity are tied up with it. You cannot feel wholly secure under the uneasy equilibrium brought about by the atomic or nuclear deterrent. At any time, the wrong lever may be pulled or the wrong button pressed and the world might blow up enveloping everything in ruin. Again, rapid progress towards the prosperity of the human race as a whole cannot be made when such a large proportion of the resources available - and more especially of the new sources of power that science has placed at the disposal of man - is directed towards the manufacture of armaments, rather than towards the beneficent service of humanity. Mankind today as a whole is much more interested in this problem than it was at any time before. That interest has become so much keener because there is a feeling that, given a certain degree of confidence, Disarmament is practicable. Up to a certain time, with conventional weapons it was felt it was difficult because nobody would be willing to give up his advantage and most of the time the powers were engaged in manoeuvring for position. A certain amount of that still continues, but the great powers also seem to be genuinely anxious for Disarmament, for the choice has been narrowed to destruction or bankruptcy. So there is some hope.