UN General Assembly
1982

mixture of disillusionment and fear. To be frank, much of the blame for the disillusionment can be laid at the door of developing countries themselves. The launching of over-ambitious and prestigious projects has not encour¬aged those who are sympathetic to aid programmes. More important, huge arms expenditures in pursuit of ancient conflicts and animosities against neighbors has crippled economic growth in some developing countries. Much emphasis has lately been placed on economic co-operation among developing countries. The most vital form of co-operation among developing countries is co-operation to maintain peace and stability among neighbors. 228. In this respect I should like to point to the regional grouping of the Association of South-East Asian Nations which has created an area of peace, amity and co-operation among its five members. Its members have therefore been able to derive the maximum benefit from their national economic devel¬opment policies. 229. While we must not ignore the shortcomings in the third world, it is also true that a number of third world countries, in response to Western exhortations that they should trade rather than