1．The role of the United Nations has gained increasing importance since the end of the Cold War.

冷战结束后的联合国起着越来越重要的作用。

2．The increasing prestige is due in part to the fact that the Security Council has escaped the paralysis which resulted from the US-Soviet rivalry during the Cold War, a period when the two superpowers used their veto rights against each other, thereby incapacitating the Security Council.

联合国地位的上升部分是因为安理会摆脱了冷战期间因美苏对抗而出现的瘫痪状态，当时两个超级大国各自使用自己的否决权来反对对方，致使安理会无法正常运作。

3．The West, just as the developing world, has discovered that it needs the United Nations to achieve its objectives.

西方世界同发展中国家一样也发现它需要联合国以达到自己的目的。

4．In addition, global problems, including the proliferation of nuclear weapons, rapidly expanding populations, the environment, drugs and refugees, call for the entire international community to pool their efforts to find solutions.

此外，包括核武器扩散、人口激增、环境污染、吸毒以及难民在内的全球性问题要求整个国际社会共同努力，携手寻求解决问题的方法。

5．However, the United Nations faces a series of tough issues.

然而，联合国面临着一系列棘手的问题。

6．First of all, how should the UN respect state sovereignty while dealing with an increasing number of internal conflicts?

首先，如何在着手解决日益增多的国家内部冲突的同时，又能尊重那些国家的主权呢？

7． In many cases, regional organizations cannot resolve regional conflicts.

在许多情况下，区域组织不能解决区域冲突。

8．In the Cold War era, UN peace-keeping forces has two missions: to buffer conflicts and to implement agreements already reached between the parties.

在冷战期间，联合国维和部队有两大使命，即缓解冲突和贯彻有关各方之间达成的协议。

9．Now peace-keeping has turned into peace-enforcement.

现在维护和平已经变成了强制和平。

10．The United Nations has turned from handling international disputes into meddling in domestic affairs.

联合国从处理国际争端变成了干预国内事务的组织。

11．Furthermore, peace-keeping does not necessarily need prior approval of the countries concerned.

而且，维和并非得到有关国家的同意。

12．A second problem facing the world organization is how to better handle relations between the United Nations and regional organizations.

世界组织面临的第二个问题是如何更好的处理美国和区域组织之间的关系。

13．According to the UN Charter, regional organizations can play a role within the Charter and under UN co-ordination.

根据联合国宪章，区域组织可以在联合国宪章以及联合国的协调下发挥作用。

14．Today, regional organizations, such as NATO, are playing a more important role than the United Nations, outshining the world body on issues such as the Bosnian-Herzeguvinian war.

今天，诸如北约这样的区域性组织，却起着比联合国更为重要的作用，在处理诸如波黑战争这些问题上，是联合国黯然失色。

15．A third problem is how to achieve equality between nations, be they big or small.

第三个问题是如何在国家之间，无论其大小，实行平等。

16．On reforming the Security Council, the West unanimously backs up Germany and Japan in their effort to become a permanent member of the Council.

在对安理会的组成进行改革时，西方国家一致支持德国和日本成为安理会的常任理事国。

17．Unfortunately, no single Western nation has never expressed its support of any developing country in this regard.

然而却没有一个西方国家曾表示过要支持一个发展中国家成为安理会的常任理事国。