This article, in outlining the evolution of the UN's peacemaking and mediating roles from the immediate aftermath of the Cold War until well into the twenty-first century, seeks to examine challenges and opportunities and suggests possible niches for the organization's role in this field. The article argues that in the present polarized world, there may be more room for the UN in mediating conflicts less affected by the vital security interest of great powers in conflict, and it points to the challenge of competition and rivalry in relation to other candidates as mediators, such as regional organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and entrepreneurial state mediators. It posits that the UN's value as mediator will depend in large measure on its ability to demonstrate usefulness in today's crowded mediation environment.

中文翻译：

---

联合国作为国际调解人：从后冷战时代到 21 世纪

这篇文章概述了从冷战刚结束到 21 世纪期间联合国缔造和平和调解作用的演变，力求审视挑战和机遇，并建议该组织在这一领域的作用可能存在的利基。文章认为，在当前两极分化的世界中，联合国在调解冲突方面可能有更多空间，受冲突大国的重要安全利益影响较小，并指出与其他候选人相关的竞争和对抗的挑战调解员，例如区域组织、非政府组织和企业家国家调解员。它假定联合国作为调解人的价值将在很大程度上取决于其在当今拥挤的调解环境中发挥作用的能力。