I have a special plea

And so，as this century draws to a close，we are justified in concluding that international organization has helped tilt the balance toward the domain within which the power of reason prevails.

A second attribute that the project of international organization shares with science is the experimental method.

Indeed，international organization is an experiment.

It is an experiment in human cooperation on a planetary scale.

Those of us who serve in international organizations must never forget the fact that they are not an end in themselves.

They are a means to empower both governments and people to realize goals through collaboration that would otherwise elude them.

International organizations，therefore，must be closely attuned to their environment，quickly correct their mistakes，build cumulatively on their achievements，and constantly generate new modalities as previous ways of doing things become outdated.

I am very pleased，therefore，to report to you today that we at the United Nations are amidst the most thoroughgoing institutional reforms ever attempted there.

I would go a step further and express my conviction that when our reform plans are announced next month，they will compare favorably with any such reforms yet undertaken by any public sector，anywhere.

We seek a United Nations that will view change as a friend，not change for its own sake but change that permits us to do more good by doing it better.

We seek a United Nations that is leaner，more focused，more flexible，and more responsive to changing global needs.

We seek a United Nations that is organized around its core competencies vis－a－vis other international organizations and an ever－more robust global civil society.

We seek a United Nations that serves more effectively not only its Member States but also the people of the world whose hopes we embody.

In short，we at the United Nations are working hard to firm up the grounds on which the project of international organization rests.