UN General Assembly
1966

174. An order based on void instruments is no order at all; sooner or later — unless a peaceful way to international justice is found — it will crumble under the tide of events. Instead of safeguarding peace, all that such instruments have succeeded in doing is to lay the foundations for permanent conflict, since they perpetuate the original duress. Among the lofty principles enshrined in the inter-American system are the invalidity of territorial agreements imposed by the use or threat of force and the commitment, on the part of the American States, not to recognize gains acquired by such means. In reality, however, these positive norms remain at the mercy of injustice and pressure unless they are complemented by the machinery necessary to make them viable. The deplorable fact is that, through the play of interests, situations involving conflict are allowed to continue in being even though they are known to be contrary to right and justice. Thus is demonstrated the paradox of enunciating principles, reducing them to rules and then, in practice, violating them, Ecuador, which has itself suffered the impact of such circumstances to the detriment of its territorial heritage, will continue consistently to advocate the restoration of law and the search for peaceful means to remedy injustice.