UN General Assembly
1987

In the Middle East few would wish to contemplate the horrors that an expanded war in the Persian Gulf would entail. The Secretary-General's call for a cease-fire between Iran and Iraq must be heeded, and other interests would do well to reduce their military presence as one means of allowing United Nations diplomacy to take hold. Every effort must be made to encourage the process of dialogue in other Middle Eastern affairs. It continues to be our hope that an international peace conference will be able to reconcile the need for a Palestinian homeland with the right of Israel to exist within secure borders. The attention of the General Assembly shall remain focused on Afghanistan so long as the situation in that tragic country continues to create tensions that threaten international peace. Again, we call for the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and for genuine attempts at national reconciliation.