UN General Assembly
1968

108. We do not believe that the best way to find a solution to that serious and tragic conflict is to take a stand in favour of one or the other party. We understand humane motives and we support that international morality which is aroused by the war victims. However, we unhesitatingly condemn the organizations and the press whose intention is to side with eastern Nigeria against the Federal Government, using those noble humane motives as a pretext, and thereby delaying the solution of that serious and painful problem. Africa is already balkanized; it cannot be further split up without the risk of perishing for ever. It is hard for us to accept the theses of those who justify secession by ethnic origin, religion or, where need be, tribalism. After all, do the citizens of any nation iii the world all belong to the same race or profess the same religion? Furthermore, as both past and recent history have shown, it is extremely dangerous to state problems in terms of race or religion.