UN General Assembly
1987

﻿ At the beginning of this statement. Sir, I would have wished to say at length how pleased the Republic of Panama is at the choice of a person as deserving as you to preside over the forty-second session of the United Nations General Assembly. I would have wished as well to express special appreciation to your predecessor for the admirable work which he accomplished, and to refer in addition to the tireless and constant dedication of the Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, to the cause of peace and the strengthening of the Organization. Similarly, following a tradition that dates back many years, I would have liked to begin this statement with a detailed list of the main world problems, followed by an explanation of the Panamanian position on them, but I find myself obliged to shorten those elements of my statement as much as possible, because on this occasion I speak on behalf of a people threatened and wounded, a nation humiliated and under attack.