UN General Assembly
1989

I am not saying that the future is without dangers. Regional conflicts - such as those in the Middle East and southern Africa - pose a threat not only to the peoples of those regions but to us all. But the general trend of positive change must be seized to tackle the problems before us. We must intensify our efforts to solve the various serious regional conflicts. We must encourage the trend towards democracy in many parts of the world and undertake all possible endeavours to promote and protect human rights. We must spare no effort to solve the economic Problems of the developing countries. We must pool our resources to eliminate poverty and illiteracy. We must accelerate the process of disarmament, not only in Europe but in all parts of the world. We must fight the scourges of terrorism and narcotic drugs. We must act swiftly - before it is too late - to save our environment for future generations. We must do all this - and much more.