UN General Assembly
1989

In that context I wish to recall the sober assessment of the plight of weak and small States presented by His Majesty King Birendra at the recently concluded ninth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade. His Majesty stated: "In fact, the small and the weaker nations among us even in our times staid still exposed not merely to under-development but also to threats regarding security and stability. They are susceptible to many forces beyond their control, be it the onslaught of mass communication or the threat of gun-boat diplomacy. While the strong ones can pursue the goals of economic, technological aid military prowess, the weaker and vulnerable countries have to struggle constantly for bare survival. That is why we feel their voices should be heard, their identities maintained and their survival assured".