UN General Assembly
1982

eradicating poverty in rural areas and maintaining its annual growth rate of between 6 per cent and 7 per cent. 217. However, our export earnings have been ad¬versely affected by the protectionist policies of certain developed countries. In this connection my delegation reiterates the hope expressed by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their fifteenth ministerial meeting, in June 1982, that the GATT ministerial meeting in November 1982 will restore the basic task of GATT in ensuring that the principles of free trade are consistently practiced in the world market. We also hope that the sixth session of UNCTAD, in 1983, will successfully tackle such priority issues as pro¬tectionism, structural adjustment and commodities. 218. We live in an increasingly interdependent world. A global, integrated and comprehensive approach to world problems is essential if there is to be an agreed solution. For this reason, in 1974, the General As-sembly adopted the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order which would ensure the full and active participation of the developing countries in gobal decision-making and