UN General Assembly
1974

119. Although foreign aid can play a vital role in the development of poor countries, its role must be viewed only as supportive. It is the opinion of my delegation that, in order to sustain an effective program of national development, a nation must be able to generate and earn income through its trade. Because of the scale associated with modern productive enterprises, and the need to earn foreign exchange with which to purchase the indispensable capital goods, international trade has become the mainstay of the economies of developing countries, Future progress in these countries depends upon ability to gain free and unhindered access to the markets of the developed countries for their agricultural products and raw materials. However, trade relations between the developing and the industrialized countries are characterized by unstable prices for exported primary commodities, rising prices of imported industrial goods, and restrictive policies of the developed nations in regard to processed and semi-processed agricultural products from the developing countries.