--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody knows that the United Nations…" description: "\"Everybody knows that the United Nations is not the Secretary-General; he has an important position, but the United Nations is the states within this or..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg" --- # Everybody knows that the United Nations is not the… ![“Everybody knows that the United Nations is not the Secretary-General; he has an important position, but the United Nations is the states within this organization, and to be frank, most of the people say only the five permanent members; this is the United Nations because they have the veto, they…” quote by Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg) > “Everybody knows that the United Nations is not the Secretary-General; he has an important position, but the United Nations is the states within this organization, and to be frank, most of the people say only the five permanent members; this is the United Nations because they have the veto, they can do whatever they want and they can refuse whatever they want, and if there's a reform that is very much needed for this organization.” [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The UN’s real power lies with its member states, especially the five permanent members who hold vetoes, limiting the Secretary‑General’s influence and highlighting the need for reform. **In simple terms:** UN power is in the states, not the Secretary‑General. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of institutional authority. Themes politics international relations power structures Mood critical analytical Type political analytical When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - policy advocacy - UN reform proposals Key Concepts veto power institutional reform state sovereignty Questions to Reflect On - How can smaller nations increase their influence? - What reforms could balance power without destabilizing the UN? A Different Perspective The veto can also protect minority interests, complicating calls for change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frank/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Nations Secretary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations-secretary-2551304/) [Nations Veto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations-veto-5683077/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Permanent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent/) [Permanent Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent-members-950473/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse/) [Secretary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretary/) [Secretary General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretary-general-722503/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-organization-5683078/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-nations/) [Veto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veto/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [To achieve effectiveness and legitimacy it is time to scrap the right of veto given to permanent members of the UN, or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/to-achieve-effectiveness-and-legitimacy-it-is-time-to-scrap-the-right/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [There's no such thing as the United Nations. If the U.N. secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/there-s-no-such-thing-as-the-united-nations-if-the-u-n-secretary/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [Somewhat by historical happenstance the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China - also were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/somewhat-by-historical-happenstance-the-five-permanent-members-of-the/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Of course, when Secretary-General is objective, he can play an important role in dealing with different officials in the United Nations in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/of-course-when-secretary-general-is-objective-he-can-play-an/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [António Guterres role as Secretary-General in bringing all powers together is very essential' and we hope he can succeed, it's not easy of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/ant-nio-guterres-role-as-secretary-general-in-bringing-all-powers/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I would say I need two things: the first one is to be objective in every statement he could make regarding any conflict around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/i-would-say-i-need-two-things-the-first-one-is-to-be-objective-in/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [It's always a difficult time to be secretary general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/it-s-always-a-difficult-time-to-be-secretary-general/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [One of the main lessons I have learned the last five years as Secretary-General is that the United Nations cannot function properly without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/one-of-the-main-lessons-i-have-learned-the-last-five-years-as/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [I take very seriously my responsibility as Secretary-General to make sure that the United Nations is doing everything it can to uphold the universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/i-take-very-seriously-my-responsibility-as-secretary-general-to-make/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [The UN was very media-shy, and its relationship with the press was very controlled; although periodically I spoke to the press, the rule was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/the-un-was-very-media-shy-and-its-relationship-with-the-press-was/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [To understand my feelings — and my conception of the role of Secretary General — the nature of my religious and cultural background must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-thant/to-understand-my-feelings-and-my-conception-of-the-role-of-secretary/) [U Thant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-thant/) > [One of the main lessons I have learned during my five years as Secretary-General is that broad partnerships are the key to solving broad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/one-of-the-main-lessons-i-have-learned-during-my-five-years-as/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Indeed, it is a common goal to create a stronger United Nations able to meet the multitude of expectations placed upon it. To that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-lajcak/indeed-it-is-a-common-goal-to-create-a-stronger-united-nations-able/) [Miroslav Lajcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-lajcak/) > [There is firm support in the Swedish society for the United Nations and, of course, for the Secretary-General Kofi Annan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-persson/there-is-firm-support-in-the-swedish-society-for-the-united-nations/) [Goran Persson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-persson/) > [If the U.N. secretary-general withdraws the inspectors from Baghdad ... this means that the secretary-general has abandoned its own responsibility in maintaining peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naji-sabri/if-the-u-n-secretary-general-withdraws-the-inspectors-from-baghdad/) [Naji Sabri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naji-sabri/) ## More by Bashar al-Assad > [Lebanon was under Israeli occupation, up to its capital, but we did not consider that a disaster. Why? Because it was very clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/lebanon-was-under-israeli-occupation-up-to-its-capital-but-we-did-not/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I never rejected any responsibility, but that depends on the decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/i-never-rejected-any-responsibility-but-that-depends-on-the-decision/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [If you are going to be a mediator or arbitrator you have to be in the middle between the two sides; you cannot take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/if-you-are-going-to-be-a-mediator-or-arbitrator-you-have-to-be-in-the/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ The other thing we did as government is to open gates for the civilians to leave that \[ eastern part\] area \[in Aleppo\], and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-other-thing-we-did-as-government-is-to-open-gates-for-the/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Freedom and democracy are nothing but instruments, just like stability. The goal is called progress and growth. Anyone who puts freedom ahead of stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/freedom-and-democracy-are-nothing-but-instruments-just-like-stability/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ I will tell \[Barack Obama\] very simply : present what you have as evidence to the public, be transparent. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/i-will-tell-barack-obama-very-simply-present-what-you-have-as/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ \[Enemies of Syria\] are the enemies of the people and the enemies of God. And the enemies of God will go to hell. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/enemies-of-syria-are-the-enemies-of-the-people-and-the-enemies-of-god/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The problem is not the occupation, but how people deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-problem-is-not-the-occupation-but-how-people-deal-with-it/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The first question that I ask : do I have public support or not. That is the first question that I asked as President.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-first-question-that-i-ask-do-i-have-public-support-or-not-that-is/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The criteria or the paradigm for us is not the West, not the Western paradigm, because the West has its own culture, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-criteria-or-the-paradigm-for-us-is-not-the-west-not-the-western/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [ \[It is important\] to have stability and to have security, which means humanitarian equals fighting terrorists. You cannot talk about humanitarian aid and supporting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/it-is-important-to-have-stability-and-to-have-security-which-means/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Iran doesn't have any soldier in Syria, so how could Iran help me ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/iran-doesn-t-have-any-soldier-in-syria-so-how-could-iran-help-me/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Conversely, it is correct to say that bringing about peace would be the best way to fight terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/conversely-it-is-correct-to-say-that-bringing-about-peace-would-be/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The hope for an American is different from the hope of a Syrian. For me, I should be the hope of the Syrian, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-hope-for-an-american-is-different-from-the-hope-of-a-syrian-for/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) [Explore all 306 Bashar al-Assad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everybody knows that the United Nations is not the Secretary-General; he has an important position, but the United Nations is the states within this organization, and to be frank, most of the people say only the five permanent members; this is the United Nations because they have the veto, they can do whatever they want and they can refuse whatever they want, and if there's a reform that is very much needed for this organization.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bashar al-Assad" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations-is-not-the-secretary-general/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations-is-not-the-secretary-general/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/bashar-al-assad-1027_can-do_everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations_723744.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everybody knows that the United Nations is not the Secretary-General; he has an important position, but the…” — Bashar al-Assad", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bashar al-Assad", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everybody knows that the United Nations...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations-is-not-the-secretary-general/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/everybody-knows-that-the-united-nations-is-not-the-secretary-general/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```