UN General Assembly
1977

317. Among the issues before this session of the General Assembly, that of human rights is of particular importance for my delegation. Our interest in this question stems from the fact that my country was born out of its claims and struggles for human rights. Therefore, no lesson whatsoever on any matter that could help to promoting human dignity can be foreign to us. Our history, like that of other peoples, has known vicissitudes which have sometimes forced us to take exceptional measures to respond to equally exceptional situations. Nevertheless, we have never stopped believing in the permanent place of human rights in the lives of nations. Very few States can declare that they have not at any time in their history experienced difficult moments which have forced them to suspend some articles of their basic Constitutions, which have been restored as soon as the crisis which made necessary the temporary suspension of these constitutional safeguards was ended.