UN General Assembly
1981

147. The efforts of the developing countries to achieve economic independence after winning political independence represent an irresistible trend of our time. The major developed countries, however, refuse to go along with this trend by changing their unequal and unfair relationship with the developing countries. This is the root cause for the ever sharpening economic contradictions between the North and South. 148. The economies of nations are closely interrelated. The developed countries are increasingly dependent on the developing countries for their economic growth. From the longterm point of view, the prolonged impoverishment of the latter will not be in the economic interests of the former. A number of developed countries have come to realize that their own economic "stagflation" may be alleviated as a result of the economic growth of the developing countries. We are of the view that the principle of equality and mutual benefit, which is the norm of international relations, should also apply to the economic field.