UN General Assembly
1967

43. It is in recognition of our own inescapable involvement that Trinidad and Tobago has, since our independence, adhered firmly to the principles of the United Nations Charter. Within the framework of the Charter we have sought to collaborate with all nations and especially with those having similar historical antecedents or social and economic experience. In particular, we have worked closely with our colleagues in Latin America and the Caribbean who are in geographical proximity to us. As a further development in regional collaboration, this year we sought and gained admission to the Organization of American States. 44. We do not accept that regional collaboration is inconsistent with national self-determination. In fact, we are convinced that national self-determination can often be most effectively pursued within the framework of regional groupings. We are firmly of the view that it is through such associations that small nations are afforded the best opportunity to contribute to the solution of the world's problems and their own.