From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 01 Oct 92 10:02 PDT
Subject: GA HIGHLIGHTS (AM) 30/9/92
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700568:000:36498
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Oct  1 10:02:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: GA HIGHLIGHTS (AM) 30/9/92

/* Written 12:01 pm  Oct  1, 1992 by peg:unic in cdp:unic.news */

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Forty-seventh General Assembly                        GA/8353
Plenary                                               30 September
1992 18th Meeting (AM)

	PRESIDENT OF SENEGAL ASKS GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO SUPPORT
	CONVENING

		    OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOMALIA


		 Prime Minister of Burundi; Foreign Ministers Of
		Venezuela, Qatar, Sudan Take Part in Debate


     President Abdou Diouf of Senegal this morning proposed that
an international conference on Somalia be held as soon as
possible, under the aegis of the United Nations, the Organization
of African Unity (OAU), the League of Arab States, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference and the European Community

     Addressing the General Assembly, President Diouf said the
objective of the conference, which would be held in Geneva, would
be the cessation of the armed conflict and the establishment of a
framework for a peaceful solution that would be acceptable to all
the parties in Somalia.  President Diouf said he himself would
participate in his capacity both as current OAU President and as
President of the sixth Islamic Summit.

     Taking part in the general debate, Adrien Sibomana, Prime
Minister of Burundi, said that as a result of recent acts of
national unity and reconciliation, his Government had launched a
vast voluntary repatriation programme which to date had
repatriated 250,000 people.  He called on all refugees to return
home.

     Fernando Ochoa Antich, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Venzuela, said that the Southern Hemisphere could become the
Somalia of the twenty-first century, if the northern States
continued to neglect North-South economic links.  Migratory flows
of its impoverished masses could undermine democratic and social
stability in developed countries.

     Also speaking in the debate were the Ministers for Foreign
Affairs of Qatar and Sudan.

     When the Assembly meets again at 3 p.m. today, it will
continue the general debate, including an address by the Prime
Minister of Jamaica.

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     Assembly Work Programme

     The General Assembly met this morning to hear an address by
     President
Abdou Diouf of Senegal, and to continue the general debate.

     Statements

     In his address, ABDOU DIOUF, President of Senegal, said that,
     with the
end of the cold war, the credibility, image and effectiveness of
the United Nations had been strengthened, especially in the area
of peace-keeping.  However, suffering and injustice were still the
daily lot of millions of people in several regions.  Even worse
was the fact that in a time of such overabundance, with
overproduction of dairy and milk products in certain countries,
people were dying of hunger or sicknesses that could be cured.

     Because of structural adjustment programmes, he continued,
the economies of many countries had been affected, and Governments
concerned were almost powerless.  The case of Africa was
particularly serious.  Its rates of economic growth were the
lowest in the world in proportion with demographic growth.  There
was less and less investment and the needs for infrastructure were
growing.  A continent with abundant mining and mineral resources
contained the majority of the world's poorest countries.  Those
facts could be explained partly by the youth of African countries,
but the main reason was that their commodities and other products
were sold at prices set without the consent of the countries
concerned.  The situation had even worsened despite the efforts of
African leaders during the 1980s.

     In 1986, following an appeal by the Organization of African
Unity (OAU), the United Nations had launched the United Nations
Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development
1986-1990 (PAA), he said.  In theory, the Programme was a pact of
solidarity, for African countries had undertaken to carry out
structural changes needed for long-term development and growth,
while the international community had promised to aid Africa in
achieving that goal.  Unfortunately, while Africans had done their
part, the international community had not.  Perhaps what was
needed for the implementation of the new agreement for African
development were frequent progress evaluations involving both
parties.  Africa's situation continued to worsen.  That was
reflected in external debt crisis, the deteriorating environment,
drought in southern Africa and the growing acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic.

     In South Africa, he continued, the black majority still had
not achieved the same rights as the rest of society, while
violence was increasing.  The violence was so widespread that it
raised doubts about the Government's willingness to change.  It if
continued, the recent evolution of the country could be
endangered.  There must be a negotiated solution in South Africa,
and the talks that were to take place in the framework of the
Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) should
rapprochement between the parties concerned.

     The civil war in Liberia was another source of worry for
Africa, he said, particularly because it was continuing despite
the fact that a framework for

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peace had been worked out by the countries of the subregion.  That
framework had been established by the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) only to help its Liberian brothers fund
peace; with the approval of all parties concerned.  There were
difficulties on the horizon, however, because the Economic
Community's Monitoring Observer group did not have the means to
complete its mission of peace.  The United Nations should provide
the necessary assistance, without which the Liberian crisis could
worsen, threaten the stability of the subregion and resulting in a
real catastrophe.

     The civil war in Somalia was the most absurd and devastating
crisis in Africa in recent years, he went on.  Somalia was today a
hell characterized by anarchy, intolerance and violence.  If the
war continued, it would threaten the country's very existence.
Together with regional organizations, the United Nations was
providing assistance to Somalia, but the situation was such that
the country must receive priority assistance in the next few
weeks, or there would be the genocide of a people carried out by
its own children.  An international conference on Somalia should
be held as soon as possible, in Geneva, with the participation of
the United Nations, the OAU, the League of Arab States, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the European
Community.  Its objective would be to negotiate a rapid cease-fire
and define a framework for a peaceful solution to the crisis that
was acceptable to all parties.  the United Nations would take the
initiative, but the modalities of the conference would be
established by all the sponsors.  He himself would participate
both as current OAU President and President of the Sixth Islamic
Summit.

     While waiting for the conference, he went on, the
international community must continue to provide assistance to the
victims of the trauma imposed on the Somali people by the armed
factions.  In particular, it must do everything possible to
enforce the arms embargo imposed by the Security Council.

     The members of the OAU had recently demonstrated their
commitment to peace by deciding to create a mechanism for the
prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, he continued.
The mechanism would function through constant analysis and work to
stop conflicts from beginning or spreading.  In addition to
growing democratization, such a step was proof of Africa's
increasing self-confidence.  Democracy had made great progress in
Africa, and integration efforts were further proof of Africa's
desire to be responsible for its own destiny.  In the same spirit,
Africa was confronting its environmental problems and working to
develop new sources of energy.  If such efforts continued, and
with the assistance of the international community, Africa would
soon be able to change its situation.

     The prevention and solution of conflicts in Africa would be
possible only if the flow of arms to combatants was stopped, he
said. The consolidation of democracy would require economic growth
based on a rationalization of development efforts, which in turn
would involve improved inter-African relations, adequate
structures and the possibility of receiving fair prices for
African products.

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     To carry out the many promises that had been made, there must
be an increase in global solidarity, he said.  A "general
agreement on solidarity" would be a moral contract allowing the
effective application of the United Nations Charter.  it would
mean that all countries would have an equal interest in
maintaining peace, promoting respect for human rights, fighting
poverty and protecting the environment.  Such an agreement would
be the best means of launching a new world order.  There must be
increased collaboration with regional organizations, and a
relaunching of the North-South dialogue.  The latter would be a
new dialogue between developed and developing countries,
undertaken in a spirit of partnership and acceptance of
responsibility for current problems.  The new dialogue would be
easier if the solidarity it sought to promote were already
effective at the regional level.  Various regional efforts now
underway thus required support.  Increased South-South cooperation
would also be vital.

     International gatherings such as the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the 1993 World
Conference on Human Rights, the 1994 Conference on Population and
Development and the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women were all
evidence of growing global solidarity.  In the same spirit,
Senegal would host an International Conference on Assistance to
African Children from 25 to 27 November.  The Conference,
organized by the OAU with the assistance of the United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF), would focus the attention of the
international community on the situation of African children,
whose very survival was threatened by the problems facing Africa.

     HAMAD BIN JASSEM BIN JABR AL-THANI, Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Qatar, said that Qatar shared the desire of all Member
States to rejuvenate the United Nations to make it more compatible
with the new world situation.  The desired stability would be
achieved only by creating effective mechanisms for solving
disputes between States either through diplomatic efforts or
recourse to litigation in the International Court of Justice.

     Arms limitation continued to be one of the main concerns of
the United Nations in spite of the end of the cold war, he
continued.  The burden of military spending weighed more heavily
on developing countries than on industrialized countries because
of the difference between countries in their total resources.  New
developments in nuclear armament made the situation worse by
wasting the resources of humanity needed for development and for
building the future of man, a future which was threatened in turn
by the dangers and catastrophes of nuclear armament.  In the Gulf
region, because of the war of liberation of Kuwait, the countries
concerned had a special interest in prohibiting chemical and other
weapons of mass destruction.

     He pointed to the need for compliance by Israel, and by all
other States of the Middle East region, with the draft on chemical
weapons Convention, as well as the Convention on the
Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the regime of
international inspection.  The failure of any State in the region
to comply with both Conventions, or to accord special treatment to
any one of those States, would render the whole endeavour void of
effectiveness.  The international community must ensure compliance
by Israel.

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     Moreover, the question of the Palestinian people and the
denial by Israel of their inalienable rights were the core of the
Arab-Israeli conflict.  If Israel wanted to live in peace, it
should withdraw not only from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip but
from all Arab occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, the
Golan and southern Lebanon.  He hoped that the resumption of
negotiations in Washington would bring an equitable, comprehensive
and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and to the
question of Palestine on the basis of Security Council resolutions
242 and 338.

     With regard to the island of Abu Musa, he said it was
unfortunate that, at the historical stage through which the region
was passing, such a dispute arose between two neighbours, the
United Arab Emirates and Iran.  The solution of the dispute should
be achieved by peaceful means, through dialogue or recourse to
judicial resolution.

     The disintegration of Yugoslavia had led to dire consequences
that shook the conscience of humanity, he stated.  The acts of
aggression committed against Bosnia and Herzegovina and
characterized by extreme violence, particularly against the Muslim
population with the aim of driving them out of their homes and
country under the slogan of "ethnic cleansing", was particularly
worrying.  It was the obligation of the international community to
stand up to that aggression so that Bosnia and Herzegovina, a
Member State of the United Nations, could preserve its right to
freedom and independence.

     It was self-evident, he said, that the burden of foreign debt
in every indebted country would be at the expense of its social
programmes and its efforts to raise the standard of living of its
people, whereby those poor countries would become poorer.  The
problem of foreign debt must be dealt with decisively.

     The new international order must avoid the negative aspects
of the old order which led to creation of blocs, conflicts and
polarization and which resulted in underdevelopment, poverty,
hunger, ignorance and sickness, he went on.  The concept of a new
international order must be wide enough to embrace international
cooperation, trade exchange, the problems of economic development,
the issues of disarmament, the problems of debt, environmental
protection and social problems.  All States should share equally
in the development and formulation of the new order so that it
would become an equitable international order which represented
the joint will of the international community.

     ALI AHMED SAHLOUL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sudan,
said the international detente which was currently being
celebrated was only a detente between the States possessing large
economic and military capabilities.  The said detente did not yet
address the wide gap between the North and the South.  It did not
yet consider reforming the disparities in the current
international economic and commercial relations.  It did not
address the important issues of the South such as the burdensome
indebtedness, poverty, illiteracy and disease.  In addition, the
developing countries were being subjected to the practices of the
so called new international order, which meant hegemony and
interference in the internal affairs of those countries.

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     He went on to say that the Non-Aligned Movement which had
recently concluded its Summit Meeting, should represent a flexible
mechanism of a new international equilibrium.  The developing
countries of the world should have an effective role in the
realization and establishment of a new international order.  The
Presidents and Heads of Government of the Non-Aligned Movement had
decided to be principal participants in all decisions to be taken
particularly within the framework of the United Nations and the
Security Council.

     He said the international mechanism organizing the relation
between States should continue to be the United Nations and its
agencies.  In order for the Organization to be effective there
should be full democratization of every process and activity
within the Organization.  The General Assembly should have a full
role in the maintenance of peace and security and have equal
importance with the Security Council  Selectivity and double
standards should be abandoned in the implementation of the
Charter.  The Security Council should become democratic and
maintain transparency in its work, and the Secretary-General
should be able to perform his functions, without dictation from
anybody.  The permanent membership of the Security Council and the
right of veto should be reviewed.

     The new world order, he continued, should not violate the
sovereignty, territorial integrity or independence of States.
Preventive diplomacy should embark from a basic principle aiming
towards the complete eradication of regional and international
tension, and the removal of the causes of political, social and
economic conflicts.  Preventive diplomacy accompanied by the use
of military force should not be used only against smaller States.
If preventive diplomacy was used initially for fact-finding, such
a process should collect information from its original sources and
avoid selectivity and the hasty collection of such facts.  Sudan,
among other developing countries, had suffered a lot of grievances
as a result of miscommunication of facts on the part of media or
non-governmental organizations.

     In the midst of changing circumstances, the Sudan was
striving to establish participation in decision-making and
democracy, he said.  Considerable progress had so far been
achieved in solving the problem in southern Sudan, as reflected in
the outcome of the talks which had taken place in May in Abuja
under the auspices of the President of Nigeria.  His Government
hoped that the forthcoming second round of those talks would be
productive.

     He said it was the conviction of his Government that human
rights included the right of individuals and peoples to enjoy
dignity, physical and mental health and freedom to decide one's
own destiny without dictation, as well as peoples' rights to
progress, welfare and access to technology.  However, the
principle of human rights was being exploited and misused as a
vehicle to intefere in the internal affairs of smaller States.

     The crimes and violations by some States were ignored , he
said, while accusations of human rights violations were being
constantly fabricated against such countries that insist on
independent decision-making.  Certain countries had made
themselves guardians of human rights while lacking any

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moral grounds and qualifications for such a role.  They ventured
to establish standards and criteria for human rights derived from
their own culture, social traditions and conceptions and passed
judgement on others accordingly.  It was the right of all peoples
to establish their political and economic systems and institutions
on the basis of respect to the principles of national sovereignty,
self-determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
others.  The basic principles as stated in the Declaration of
Human Rights embodied two balanced considerations.  The first
related to the respect of the individual's rights and basic
freedoms and the other, provided for the individual's duties
towards the society and the State.

     He went on to say that the absence of those considerations
would lead to denial of the rights of the society and also to
instability, particularly in developing countries.  Political,
civil, economic, social, and cultural aspects of human rights were
indivisible.  His Government rejected all endeavours at using the
human rights issue as a condition for the provision of economic
and social assistance.  That exercise would lead to the
marginalization of such rights in all economic, social and
cultural aspects.

     He said the situation in Somalia was another important issue
which required utmost attention.  The countries of the Horn of
Africa had played their role in full, seeking a peaceful solution
between the factions.  The international community should support
the targeted goals spelled out in the Bahr Dar meeting.  Contrary
to that, a decision to send international forces to Somalia was
taken and the number of those forces had grown daily.  Those
forces should have been composed of contingents from the countries
of the region, because some countries from outside the region
might pursue their interests in the region by supporting one
faction against the other factions to win the war.  Stability in
Somalia could not be achieved without a comprehensive national
reconciliation, one faction could not solely control the power.
He hoped that the faction of Ali Mahdi would come to realize that
fact.

     He said the continuing problems of refugees, displaced and
homeless persons clearly manifested themselves in Africa and the
Middle East.  The convening of an international conference on the
Palestinian question under the complete supervision of the United
Nations, was the only way to resolve the situation in the Middle
East.  On the other hand, the attempts to dismember the territory
of Iraq was a negative endeavour exemplifying the improper
application of international criteria.  Those attempts would
eventually disturb the balance of power in the region and enhance
Israeli hegemony.

     Another human tragedy, he said, involved the question of the
Muslim people of Bosnia and Herzegovina who were subject to
genocide and liquidation.  The "belligerent majority" was clearly
being appeased because of its creed and cultural affiliations
against the Islamic faith of a considerable portion of the
population.  The mere handling of that issue was overshadowed by a
selective trend on the part of the major Powers, especially the
five permanent members of the Security Council.  The Council's
resolutions were inadequate, because they did not address the
issue from a wide political and ethical perspective.

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     He expressed concern that the recent crisis between Iran and
the United Arab Emirates over certain disputed islands had moved
from the bilateral level to international for which would only
exacerbate it.  The parties that worked for the escalation of that
dispute in the mass media were actually endeavouring to increase
the tension in the Gulf region especially after the sad events
that had occurred in the area in the past few years.  The Gulf
area had suffered a series of wars that had retarded its
development process.  The sufferings of the people of Iraq from
the unjust economic sanctions and serious attempts to dismember
their territory, were the results of those disputes.

     The international economic situation remained unchanged, he
said, as characterized by the continuous deterioration of the
economies of the countries of the South and the widening gap
between them and the industrial countries.  The major reason
behind that deterioration was the negative and dangerous impact on
the international trade scene caused by the drop-in exports of the
developing countries.  The serious impact of the debt crisis had
escalated to threaten the future economic and social development
of the developing countries and consequently their very existence.
It was important to point out the failure of the industrial
countries to honour their commitments pertaining to the flow of
the development assistance to the developing countries.

     The continent which was most affected by that unbalanced
economic situation was Africa, with its teeming population.
Africa was the only continent that suffers because of its weak
infrastructure, and the diminishing flow of economic assistance
and investment.  Its countries, contrary to any other developing
countries, were subject to unjust conditions.  The attempts to
destabilize some regions in the continent, could lead to a
geopolitical atmosphere suitable to strategies and objectives of
the major Powers.

     ADRIEN SIBOMANA, Prime Minister of Burundi, said that while a
series of events in the world were leading peoples into an era of
economic and political integration, some nations were falling
apart in fratricidal and murderous conflicts.  Somalia was a case
in point.  The world was still filled with tragedies which were
too unbearable to watch.  Ignorance, hunger and sickness still
reigned on a grand scale in the African continent.  More than
ever, determination was needed to preserve and assure peace,
international security, justice and human rights.  The United
Nations must also be capable of promoting social progress and
improving the living standards of peoples all over the globe.  In
that context, Burundi welcomed the Secretary-General's report
"Agenda for Peace".  It deserved the full attention of the
international community.

     He went on to say, ethnic divisions and conflict in Burundi
had, in the past, led to loss of life and the creation of a
refugee problem.  Rancour and mistrust had taken root in the
hearts of brothers and sisters.  But, on 3 September 1987, the
people of Burundi rose up to change their history.  Five years
later, the world witnessed the proclamation of the Third Republic
of

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Burundi -- a society marked by a love of peace, justice and social
harmony.  Quarrels were buried and reconciliation was achieved
through development and democracy.

     He said that was the result of a process which began with the
creation of
a national commission composed of all sectors of Burundi's society
set up to diagnose the disease and deliver the therapy in the form
of proposals for a
better future.  The report of the national commission launched a
national debate on the question of national unity -- a question
which had long been taboo.  Dialogue and joint effort became
eventually a way of government when approximately 89 per cent of
the people voted to adopt the Constitution in a referendum on 5
February 1991.

     Burundi was committed to respecting national unity, he went
on, as reflected in its respect for human life, justice and
security.  Since October 1988, the President had established a new
government of national unity which included representatives of
public bodies and all sectors of national life.  Thus,
responsibilities were conferred on all citizens in all parts of
the
country and at every level of society, without discrimination.

     Those acts of national unity and reconciliation, he
continued, allowed the beginning of the resolution of the refugee
problem.  The Government of Burundi had launched a vast voluntary
repatriation programme for Burundi refugees which, it felt, would
be a best and lasting solution to the problem.  Soon, he said, no
one from Burundi would live in the degrading atmosphere of being a
refugee.

     He went on to call for all refugees from Burundi to return
from wherever they were.  Because of national and international
solidarit,y 25,000 refugees had been repatriated and rejoined
Burundi society, assisted by the Government, with dignity.  And
more refugees were due to return.

     He said that in terms of Burundi's process of
democratization, nothing was more important than to involve all
sectors of Burundi's population, 90 per cent of whom voted in
favour of the new Constitution in a referendum on 9 March

     The Constitution had installed a multi-party system after 26
years of a one-party system, he continued.  Seven political
parties had emerged.  Legislation had been enacted to promote
freedom of the press and freedom of association -- indispensable
supports for a flourishing multi-party system.  A centre for
promotion of human rights had also been set up, and general
elections would be held early in 1993.

     Also, development was an indispensable pillar of national
unity and
democracy, one could not be realized without the other, he said.
The Burundi Government had initiated a programme of structural
adjustment, with the support of the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), to
establish programmes which would meet the basic needs of the
population.  The liberalization of Burundi's economy had led to
the establishment of a free trade zone, and the new political
environment had created a favourable
framework for both peace and investment.

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     FERNANDO OCHOA ANTICH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Venezuela, said the end of communism was already a thing of the
past, and the collapse of the Soviet empire was ancient history.
But the absolute triumph of the West was being questioned, given
the financial and currency problems and the profound social crises
facing the industrialized countries.  Post-capitalism, where the
quest for free competition had turned into a total dehumanization
of the economic model, had led to enormous differences between the
rich and the poor.  The result was not the end of history, but a
lack of leadership, confidence and enthusiasm for the future.  The
industrialized countries, in the midst of their economic
rivalries, could not manage to coordinate actions for peace,
stability and justice.  Deprived of the enemy, which had made them
act together, they now felt a substantial weakening of the bonds
which had united them.

     Those times required strong and democratic international
organizations, he said, where the preventive diplomacy described
by the Secretary-General in his "Agenda for Peace" report could be
implanted.  Venezuela supported the more active role the
Secretary-General envisaged for the Organization, not for the
purpose of intervention, but for prevention.  To achieve that, the
United Nations and the specialized agencies should cooperate.

     The Security Council, which should have been the most
efficient United Nations body, was an anachronism, he went on.  It
still reflected the interrelations of forces at the time of its
creation.  The founders of the Organization had thought that the
major countries would have the means to monitor, arbitrate and
bring order to the world.  However, the two super-Powers had
proved that they alone could lay the bases for the international
order, and the Security Council came to play a secondary role in
the management of world affairs.  With the collapse of the Soviet
system, the Council had begun to recover its original functions,
but it did so under the aegis of the victorious values.  Thus, the
major countries could outline an international scenario according
to their interests.  That situation should be reviewed.

     There was a need for the Security Council to become more
representative, he said.  The Council would not be strengthened
unless an agreement was reached to eliminate the right to veto --
a mechanism that contradicted the spirit of the Charter and
limited the means to promote collective security.  The right to
veto narrowed the consensus among Member States.  The Security
Council must be a representative body, and one of its members
should not be able to reject the majority view of the United
Nations.

     The concepts of State sovereignty and integrity were also
being re-examined, he continued.  Paradoxically, the "champions of
freedom", once victorious, tried to impose a homogenous and
intolerant international order, one in which an independent actor
was seen as a destabilizing and threatening factor.  That was a
matter of serious concern to the countries of the South.  In the
past, those States were relevant to the North in two ways:  as the
natural scenario for the East-West confrontation, and as essential
suppliers of raw materials.  But the confrontation between East
and West was gone and, along with it, the political and strategic
usefulness of the third world.

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     Raw materials had become marginal in the present world
economy, he went on.  The drop in the demand for commodities
became more acute each year.  In the past, when the North grew
economically, so did exports of raw materials.  But the situation
had changed.  Today, traditional export commodities no longer had
the same value.  International markets could almost do without the
South.

     In order to preserve peace, he went on, countries must search
for balanced links between the hemispheres, put an end to
confrontation and strengthen cooperation among peoples.  For its
part, the South must also face its challenge.  The era of
demagogic populism, inefficiency and corruption was over.  If the
South wished to compete in open markets, it must devote itself to
productive work and reward creativity.  Venezuela had recognized
that and was today in a position where it could look to the future
with optimism, provided there was compliance with the rules of
open markets and competitiveness among nations.

     However, while large regions in the South, especially in
Latin America, were striving to internationalize their economies,
by opening up to competition, the North was closing itself into
blocs that turned inward, he said.  If the rigid attitude which
characterized some international financial institutions persisted,
as well as the dangerous protectionism which was again emerging
among the industrialized countries, then the 1990s, which in Latin
America began with severe economic measures and hopeful signs of
growth, could turn out to be a lost decade.

     The North was not contributing in establishing the necessary
economic links between North and South, he said.  What mattered
now to the North was the willingness of the South to submit to
some global rules of the game, as defined by the North in terms of
its own interests.  Yet they failed to understand that those rules
of the game became inoperative under situations of anarchy and
civil strife.  Somalia was a dramatic example of what could happen
to the South in the twenty-first century.  Some wealthy States
might feel they could live unaffected with those realities, but
they were mistaken.  The South had its own capability for an
instinctive response:  the migratory flows of its impoverished
masses to the North.  Such a flow could undermine democratic and
social stability in many developed countries, as witnessed by the
resurgence of extreme-right movements and the outbreak of racial
violence and xenophobia in many countries.

     The persistent imbalance between North and South drew
attention to several essential items which the Assembly would
consider, among them:  the democratization of the decision-making
process in the Security Council, implying a new debate on the veto
procedure and an increase in the number of permanent members.
Emphasis on North-South links, to achieve an equitable trade
exchange enabling imbalances and injustices to be overcome; and to
continue humanitarian aid to all peoples affected by civil war and
violence.

     Among recent developments, he mentioned the completion of the
negotiating process on a Committee of the Whole Convention, and
the resolution of other regional conflicts.  His Government hoped
that the decisions adopted at the Rio Summit would be implemented
early, especially those relating to the financing of Agenda 21.

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