UN General Assembly
1988

The signing of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles by the United States and the Soviet Union signalled the beginning of the peace initiatives. I should like to congratulate the leaders of both the United States and the Soviet Union on the positive lead they have given and on showing that problems and conflicts can be solved through negotiation. The improvement in Soviet-American relations fostered the Accords on Afghanistan, which are a great step forward. We hope the Accords will enable the Afghan people to return from the refugee camps to Afghanistan to live in peace. There has also been noticeable progress in other regions such as Cyprus, Western Sahara and New Caledonia. In southern Africa, progress towards ensuring the viable independence of Namibia must include the withdrawal of foreign troops.