Letter: UN achievements

Sir: Correlli Barnett is being unfair to the UN (letter, 30 September). While it is true that Yugoslavia and Somalia have been handled badly, we should not forget the important work UN observers do in ensuring that at least some aid gets through to Bosnia (better than no aid at all), and in preventing Iraq from building nuclear weapons.

Yours faithfully,

MARIO LAURENZA

Enfield, Middlesex

1 October