UN General Assembly
1968

88. Certain principles are gaining ground and, if properly applied, could bring a greater measure of justice to international relations. My Government is particularly pleased to take note of the document entitled “A general agreement on commodity arrangements", submitted by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in which it is proposed that when provisions for controlling the growth of production are adopted they “should take into account, as far as possible, differences in costs of production of the commodity in question in the countries concerned, and differences in the costs of transferring resources to other lines of production”. We consider it of the utmost importance that this principle should be incorporated in commodity policy, as that would take into account the real burden of each commodity in the economy of each country, instead of applying the same yardstick to all producer countries. It has been known since ancient times that wise justice lies not in arithmetical but in proportional equality, applied in the light of circumstances peculiar to the parties. Thus, we are not inventing anything or discovering a new world; we are simply anxious to ensure that we are treated justly at the international level in accordance with our particular territorial, demographic and economic position; we are asking that careful thought be given to practical and responsible international treatment. That has been and will continue to be our position at the coffee meetings, the trade conferences and all other United Nations forums.