UN General Assembly
1989

While these developments are surely to be welcomed as hopeful auguries for greater global peace and generalized prosperity, we cannot be oblivious of the fact that the international situation is still plagued by unresolved tensions and contention, wanton violence and persistent insecurity. Moreover, the world economy remains caught in prolonged disarray, and relations between developed and developing countries continue to be afflicted by severe imbalances and inequities. Indeed, while it can be said that the political East-West relations have improved, the asymmetries and disparities in the North-South equation have, in fact, been aggravated. If the current detente is to lead to stable peace and balanced progress for all, it has to become wide: in geographical scope and more comprehensive in substantive content. Global harmony cannot be obtained without also eradicating world-wide poverty and injustice, deprivation and disease. Today, international security should be defined as much in economic as in military terms and take into account such non-military threats to security as sharply reduced prospects for economic growth and social advancement, large-scale unemployment, resource scarcity and severe environmental degradation.