For those countries which have lived by the Charter of the United Nations, this must be a grave disappointment and must cause great concern about the future of that body. I am glad that Kofi Annan, the outstanding Secretary General, has moved rapidly to try to ensure that the fractures and fissures that have developed over this event will be healed. It is interesting that, despite the division in Europe, British and French officials are working together towards the establishment of a rapid reaction force to be deployed in Africa to try to stop some of the sordid little wars taking place there.