Sir, - No one should be surprised by the lack of shattering decisions from the Okinawa Summit. Even in the absence of new and pressing international dramas, the G8's failure to ease conditions on the debt relief plan, launched a year ago, has fallen far short of expectations.
History has shown that governing elites, local, national or international, never willingly relinquish their power and authority.
If the continued drive to McDonaldise the world is left unopposed, it can only mean business as usual and therefore, the increased possibility of global conflict. Some would argue this has already begun, with the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and the arms build-up centred round Taiwan.
In a globalising world, with the ever-present danger of dominance by a few major powers, we more than ever need global institutions to tackle the earth's economic, ethnic and environmental problems.
The time has come to acknowledge that the security of the planet is a universal need to which the only legitimate world body, the United Nations must cater.
Unfortunately, the UN of today is in great neglect. The UN is being bypassed, as other bodies such as the G8 - which has no formal constitution or mandate - become the focus of international lobbying. Also, the role and importance of the General Assembly has been diminished by members of the Security Councils' power of veto.
The thinking seems to be that unless a country is rich and militaristic, it cannot play a positive role or hold valid views on the rights and well being of the peoples of this world. The weak countries of this world simply do not count.
Reform of the UN is long overdue. If we want in the coming decades an UN that protects the best interests of all, as opposed to the vested interests of a few, much work has to be done and quickly. And what can be done? For starters the end of veto power and permanent membership of the Security Council. A more democratic set-up of elected regional representation including nations from Central and South America, Africa and the Middle East could ensure the end of dominance of the victors of WW2, and "empower the rest - not just the West".
"We the Peoples" should not wait for another international conflict before the main players recognise that participation in the UN, rather than manipulation, is in their long-term interest. Governments can be made to initiate change if people demand it. That has been the major story of change in our time.
Global well-being, in the broadest sense, demands that we must all learn to think and perceive internationally. Surely our success and wealth is not morally worth enjoying, if it can only be obtained at cost to others. The debt crises can't wait for the rich, powerful and complacent. They must stop retreating to islands and stop taking the money. - Yours, etc.,
Jim Nisbet, Sackville Court, Blessington Street, Dublin 7.