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i have the pleasure of congratulating you, sir, on your election to the presidency of the general assembly at its sixty-sixth session. i assure you of the full and sincere collaboration of the holy see. i also congratulate the secretary-general, mr. ban ki-moon, who during this session, on [number] january [number], will begin his second term. i would also like to cordially welcome the delegation of south sudan, which became the 193rd member state of the organization last july. every year, the general debate offers the opportunity to address the principal questions that concern humanity in search of a better future for all. the challenges facing the international community are many and difficult. they bring ever more clearly in focus the profound interdependence within the family of nations, which sees in the united nations an important agent, despite its limitations, for identifying and implementing solutions to major international problems. without attempting an exhaustive survey, my delegation wishes to reflect on a few of the priority challenges so that the concept of the family of nations can increasingly take shape. the first challenge is a humanitarian one. it calls the whole international community or better, the family of nations to look after its weakest members. in certain parts of the world, such as the horn of africa, we are, sadly, facing grave humanitarian emergencies that force millions of people the majority women and children to leave their homes, large numbers of them being victims of drought, famine and malnutrition. the holy see renews its appeal to the international community, expressed many times by pope benedict xvi, to amplify and support humanitarian policies in those areas and to work to concretely address the various factors that amplify their vulnerability. [number] [number]-[number] these humanitarian emergencies make clear the need to find innovative ways to put to work the principle of the responsibility to protect, at the base of which is the recognition of the unity of the human family and the innate dignity of every man and every woman. as is known, that principle points to the responsibility of the international community to intervene in situations in which governments on their own cannot or do not wish to comply with their primary responsibility to protect their populations against grave violations of human rights and the effects of humanitarian crises. if states are no longer capable of guaranteeing that protection, the international community must intervene with the juridical means foreseen in the united nations charter and other international instruments. however, it must be recalled that there is a risk that that principle may be invoked in certain circumstances as a pretext to use military force. it is good to recall that even the use of force in keeping with the united nations rules should be a temporary solution, a true emergency measure, accompanied and followed by a concrete commitment to pacification. for that reason, in taking up the challenge of the responsibility to protect, we must engage in a deeper search for the means to prevent and manage conflicts, exploring all possible diplomatic avenues through negotiation and constructive dialogue, noting and encouraging even the weakest signs of willingness to negotiate or desire for reconciliation on the part of the parties involved. the responsibility to protect must be thought of not as military intervention alone which should always be the last recourse but above all as a requirement that the international community be united in facing crises. it must create forums for genuine, sincere negotiations, support the moral force of law, seek the common good and encourage governments, civil society and public opinion to find the causes of and offer solutions to crises of all kinds. i must act in close collaboration and solidarity with the affected populations and place above all else the integrity and security of all citizens. it is therefore important that the responsibility to protect, understood in that sense, should be the criterion and motivation that underlies all the work of states and of the united nations to restore peace, security and the human rights. moreover, the long and generally successful history of peacekeeping operations and the more recent initiatives in peacebuilding can offer valuable lessons for conceiving models for implementing the responsibility to protect in full respect for international law and for the legitimate interests of all the parties involved. respect for freedom of religion is a fundamental factor in peacebuilding, the recognition of human dignity and the safeguarding of the human rights. this is the second challenge i would like to reflect on. the situations in which the right to freedom of religion is violated or is denied to believers of different religions are unfortunately many. we have witnessed rising intolerance for religious reasons. christians are the religious group that currently suffers the greatest persecution because of their faith. the lack of respect for freedom of religion threatens security and peace and hinders authentic integral human development. the particular weight of a given religion in a nation should never mean that citizens of other faiths are discriminated against in social life or, worse still, that violence against them is tolerated. in that connection, it is important that a common commitment to recognize and promote the religious freedom of every person and every community be promoted by engaging in sincere interreligious dialogue, encouraged and supported by governments and international bodies. i reiterate the concerned appeal made by the holy see to authorities and religious leaders to adopt effective measures for the protection of religious minorities, wherever they are threatened. in that way, believers of all faiths everywhere will be able to live in security and continue to make a contribution to their society. in thinking about the situation in some countries, i would like to repeat in particular that christians are citizens like any other citizens, connected to their homeland and faithful to all of their national duties. it is natural that they should enjoy all the rights of citizenship, freedom of conscience and worship, freedom in teaching and education and freedom in the use of communications media. moreover, in some countries, although much importance is placed on pluralism and tolerance, paradoxically there is a tendency to consider religion as something foreign to modern society or even as a [number]-[number] [number] destabilizing force. various means are sought to marginalize religion and prevent it from having any influence on social life. but how can anyone deny the contribution of the world s great religions to the development of civilization? as pope benedict xvi stressed, the sincere search for god has led to greater respect for human dignity. for example, christian communities, with their heritage of values and principles, have contributed much to making individuals and peoples aware of their own identity and their dignity, as well as to the establishment of rule-of-law institutions and the recognition of human rights and their corresponding responsibilities. from that standpoint, it is important that believers, today as yesterday, feel free to offer their contribution to the promotion of a more just human order, not only through their responsible involvement in civic, economic and political life, but also through the witness of their charity and faith. a third challenge that the holy see would like to bring to the attention of the assembly is the continuing global economic and financial crisis. we all know that a fundamental element of the current crisis is the deficit in ethics in the economic structures. ethics are not an external element of the economy the economy has no future if it has no moral element. in other words, the ethical dimension is essential in addressing economic problems. the economy does not function only through market self- regulation, and even less through agreements that are limited to accommodating the interests of the most powerful. the economy needs an ethical raison d tre in order to work for humankind. the notion of producing resources and goods that is, the economy and of managing them strategically that is, politics without seeking to do good through those same acts that is, without ethics has proven to be a na ve or cynical illusion, and always fatal. moreover, every economic decision has a moral consequence. the economy therefore needs ethics to function properly not just any ethic, but a people-centred ethic that can offer prospects to new generations. economic and commercial activities oriented towards development should be able to effectively reduce poverty and alleviate the suffering of the most disenfranchised. in that regard, the holy see encourages strengthening official development assistance in accordance with the group of eight commitments made at gleneagles. my delegation hopes that the debates on this theme at the forthcoming high-level dialogue on financing for development will bring the expected results. furthermore, the holy see has repeatedly stressed the importance of new and more in-depth thinking on the meaning of the economy and its objectives, as well as a forward-looking review of the global trade and financial architecture to correct its dysfunctions and distortions. this review of international economic rules must form part of wider efforts to forge a new global development model. indeed, the state of our planet s environmental health, and above all the cultural and moral crisis of humankind the symptoms of which have been evident around the world for some time demand this. these considerations should also inspire the work of the forthcoming united nations conference on sustainable development, to be held in june, on the conviction that human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development , as stated in the principle [number] of the [number] rio declaration on environment and development. the sense of environmental responsibility and preservation should be guided by our awareness of being a family of nations. the idea of family immediately evokes something more than merely functional relationships or a simple convergence of interests. a family is by nature a community based on interdependence, mutual trust, mutual aid and sincere respect. its full development is based not on the supremacy of the strongest, but on the attention paid to the weakest and most marginalized, and its responsibility extends to future generations. respect for the environment should make us more attuned to the needs of the most disenfranchised. it should create a development strategy centred on the individual that promotes solidarity and the shared responsibility of all, including future generations. this strategy can only benefit from the united nations conference on the arms trade treaty, planned for [number]. an unregulated and non-transparent arms trade has significant negative repercussions. it hampers integral human development and heightens the risk of [number] [number]-[number] conflicts, especially internal conflicts, and instability. it fosters a culture of violence and impunity, which is often linked to such criminal activities as drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings and piracy. these are becoming ever more serious international problems. the results of the current arms trade treaty process will test the true willingness of states to assume their moral and legal responsibilities in that regard. the international community, conscious of the great numbers of people affected by the illegal trade in arms and ammunition and aware of their suffering, must focus on concluding an arms trade treaty that is effective and enforceable. indeed, the primary objective of the treaty should be not only to regulate the trade in conventional arms and obstruct the black market, but also and most importantly to protect human life and build a world more respectful of human dignity. indeed, the united nations contribution to building a world more respectful of human dignity will demonstrate its ability to effectively carry out its mission, which is to help the family of nations to pursue the common objectives of peace, security and integral development for all. the holy see is also concerned about the events unfolding in some countries of north africa and the middle east. i would like to take this opportunity to renew the appeal made by the holy father benedict xvi, who called on all citizens, particularly young people, to do their utmost to promote the common good and build societies in which poverty is overcome, in which every political choice is inspired by respect for human beings and in which peace and harmony will triumph over divisions, hatred and violence. a final observation concerns palestine s request for recognition as a member state of the united nations, made here on [number] september by the president of the palestinian national authority, mr. mahmoud abbas. the holy see views this initiative as an attempt to find a definitive solution, with the support of the international community, to the question already addressed by the general assembly in its resolution [number] ii of [number] november [number]. that fundamental document sets down the legal framework for the existence of two states. one of them has already been born, while the other has not yet been established, although nearly [number] years have passed. the holy see is convinced that if one desires peace, brave decisions must be taken. it hopes that the competent bodies of the united nations are resolved to help effectively implement the final objective, that is, achieving the palestinians right to have their own independent and sovereign state and the israelis right to security, both states with internationally recognized borders. the response of the united nations, whatever it may be, will not be a complete solution. lasting peace can be achieved only through good-faith negotiations between israelis and palestinians, avoiding actions or conditions that contradict declarations of goodwill. the holy see therefore urges the parties to return to negotiations with resolve. it urgently appeals to the international community to increase its commitment and stimulate its creativity and initiatives in order to reach a lasting peace, in respect for the rights of the israelis and the palestinians.

mr. president, may i be permitted first to express to you the warm congratulations of my delegation on your brilliant election to the presidency of the twenty-seventh regular session of the general assembly of the united nations. these congratulations go equally to all the other members of the general committee. [number]. this tribute, which is paid to your country through you as evidence of its attachment to the ideals of the united nations charter, is a matter of gratification to us particularly since our two peoples and governments maintain extremely friendly relations. [number]. we are convinced from the very outset that, through your distinguished qualities and your great experience in international life, the work of the present session will be conducted with wisdom and skill. [number]. furthermore, i should like to take advantage of this pleasant occasion to thank very sincerely the outgoing president, mr. adam malik, who conducted so well the work of the last session. [number]. our acceptance of the charter of the united nations implies for all our states an obligation of loyalty to its principles and its ideals. consequently, it is our duty to join our efforts in order to bring about a world of peace and justice in which the negative forces of hatred and domination will give way to those of understanding and comprehension among peoples, based on the respect of our individual characteristics. [number]. last year i had an opportunity to dwell on certain of the positive aspects of our joint action. however, at the same time, i had occasion to speak out against the persistence of colonialism, the principle of settling conflicts by sheer armed force and the organization of human society on the basis of racial or religious differences. at that time i also deplored the reluctance shown by the international community to meet the elementary needs of the majority of the world's population. [number]. if we wish to respond to the profound aspirations of our peoples, we must promptly eliminate from our practices those principles which run counter to international ethics and at the same time we must strengthen the universal nature of our organization. [number]. undoubtedly history will remember the political courage with which we have honored the charter and thus put an end to the conflict caused in our consciences by restoring the lawful rights of the people's republic of china in the united nations. encouraged by that victory, the international organization will justly be able to create other opportunities for redress of this sort so that in coming years the voice of all peoples can be heard in this hall in the same fraternal spirit. [number]. the opening of the twenty-seventh session of the general assembly is marked by a series of noteworthy events. [number]. europe which, twice in less than a generation, has seen the outbreak of conflagrations which have sorely tried humanity, is preparing for a conference on its security and economic integration. the treaty on questions relating to surface transport, which was concluded between the two germanys, on [number] may [number], in our view constitutes an encouraging sign of a reconciliation between those two states. the ratification by the bundestag, on [number] may [number], of the treaties concluded firstly between the federal republic of germany and the soviet union and, secondly, between the federal republic of germany and poland, leads us to believe that the desire to work for peace and international security has definitely triumphed over mistrust and suspicion. [number]. undoubtedly, the threat of what philosophers have called our "cosmic suicide" still exists. our horizon is not yet totally free of the atomic clouds which have darkened it since the end of the second world war. although it is unreasonable to draw any final conclusion about arrangements whose nature is not yet known to us entirely, we would note, as an important contribution to detente, the interim agreement on certain measures with respect to the limitation of strategic offensive arms, which was concluded at moscow on [number] may [number] between the government of the united states of america and the union of soviet socialist republics. the arms race has not stopped nor has it slackened either in the soviet union or the united states. these agreements, however, serve as an example and unless there is a misconception as to the role which each of these states must play in the harmonious evolution of international relations, they will have opened up the way to other forms of agreement and to the possibility of using atomic power for the benefit of mankind. [number]. our constant concern to abide by the noble ideals of the charter and to preserve mankind from the scourge of war has led us during the past session to adopt the convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological biological and toxin weapons and on their destruction see resolution [number] xxvi , annex , which [number] states signed on [number] april [number] in moscow, london and washington. [number]. this series of important events proves that a minimum of political far-sightedness can lead to results which bring us closer to the ideals of the charter, to which, as i said, we have all freely subscribed. we need only refer to the holding of meetings of the security council in africa and the important decisions taken by the ninth ordinary session of the assembly of heads of state and government of the organization of africa unity oau , held at rabat in february [number], and the last conference of foreign ministers of non-aligned countries, held at georgetown. guyana, in august [number]. [number]. the improvement of international relations, which is the bounden duty of each of our states, is one of the major concerns of the present day world. the division of the world into two antagonistic blocs seems to be giving way to a certain multi-polarity, which may lead us progressively to democratize relations among states. unfortunately, this encouraging turn of events has been marred by reactions which have been dictated either by false concepts of national honor or by philosophies and policies that are backward and dangerous because they attack the fundamental values of human civilization. [number]. this explains why the government of the republic of mali was indignant at the deterioration of the situation in the indochina peninsula why we refuse to sanction the law of the force of arms in the settlement of disputes among states and, finally, why we shall never compromise with colonialist and racist regimes. [number]. we had sincerely believed that political wisdom would have prompted us to consider realistically the heroic struggle of the people of south viet-nam for its genuine independence and for the enjoyment of the rights attached to the sovereignty of a people which continues to confront the forces of imperialist aggression by a united will and resistance never before equaled. this people more than any other knows the price of peace because it has long suffered from unjust wars, and the seven-point proposals of the provisional revolutionary government of south viet-nam illustrate this will to build a just and peaceful society in a world free of bombs, napalm and defoliants. the government of the republic of mali cannot tolerate the idea that such proposals have been responded to by actions of systematic destruction of south vietnam, by the intensification of indiscriminate bombings of the economic infrastructure of the democratic republic of viet-nam, and by attempts to strangle this country by mining, against all legal norms, its ports and its territorial waters. [number]. the courage of a people which is resolutely struggling for its freedom is only equaled by its wisdom. the provisional revolutionary government of south viet-nam has demonstrated this once again by its declaration of [number] september [number], proposing the creation of a tripartite provisional government of national reconciliation, representing the political, administrative and military reality of the country. [number]. it cannot be over-emphasized that it is up to the vietnamese people, and up to that people alone, to choose the political, economic and social framework in which it intends to live. all countries which love peace and justice must help that people to achieve unity so that reason may prevail over brute force, [number]. we are witnessing on the same asian continent a positive turn in the korean situation. the koreans, mindful of their national identity and their common destiny, have begun, in accordance with their joint communique of [number] july [number] a [number], annex i on the reunification of their country, talks for whose success the international community must give its full assistance. our organization, which has been illegally involved in the war of aggression of which the korean people is the victim, must bring to bear all its political and moral force to achieve the peaceful unification of this country. the koreans have taken a significant step towards the solution of their internal crisis. let us not delay events by continuing to impose upon them the presence of military forces which use our emblem for purposes of prestige and hegemony. that is precisely why my delegation regrets the postponement of the discussion of the korean question to the twenty-eighth session of the general assembly. [number]. the device by means of which certain states have deferred from year to year the examination of this agenda item deceives no one. however, we dare to hope that our worthy assembly has not been fooled by this and will not follow them in their fraud. it must take the opportunity offered by the device begun between the two parties to speed up, by concrete actions, the process leading to the solution of this unfortunate crisis, which for more than [number] years has tried the heroic korean people. the three-point proposal of marshal kim ii sung, the well-loved and respected leader of revolutionary korea, at least opens up the way to this. [number]. peace is therefore within reach in korea. in order to safeguard it, it would be sufficient for us to help the parties to accelerate the process of peaceful reunification which is going on. we, for our part, remain convinced that our organization will no longer shirk its responsibilities in korea. [number]. the continuing improvement in international relations means that no provision of the charter may be violated with impunity. hesitations, delays in taking decisions and tongue in cheek commitments at the time they are implemented have created areas of extreme tension in the world. the middle east gives us a disturbing example of this. the announcement by the secretary-general on [number] july that the jarring mission had been resumed created a certain optimism, which the latest israeli raids against lebanon and syria soon dispelled. only the full application of security council resolution [number] [number] can lead to a just and lasting peace in this sorely tried region of the world. the elimination of israeli aggression against the arab peoples and of its consequences demands firm and energetic action by the international community. our organization cannot leave in frustration those thousands of palestinians, who, like everyone else, are entitled to live in their own home and to participate fully in the political, economic, social and cultural evolution of their homeland. israel, which continues to block the process of the settlement of the crisis, must understand that the united nations, which it challenges with such arrogance, cannot indefinitely remain indifferent to the illegal occupation by israeli troops of the arab territories of golan, sinai, gaza and trans- jordan, which it has practically annexed. we should like to assure our arab brothers of the arab republic of egypt, the syrian arab republic, lebanon, the kingdom of jordan and palestine of our total solidarity in the struggle they are waging with such determination to defend the territorial integrity of their homeland and to affirm their national identity. [number]. the struggle against the injustices characteristic of our society is a global one. it has no limitation in time or in space. those political leaders who would be satisfied with maintaining a balance while bombs and napalm are churning up and burning the lands of asia, the middle east and africa, have understood nothing about the aims and the objectives of the charter. putting an end to colonization is one of these priority objectives. if we refer to the introduction to the report of the secretary-general on the work of the organization, we read "the full and complete implementation of general assembly resolution [number] xv on decolonization remains a major goal of the united nations. " a [number] add. l, p. [number]. [number]. in the opinion of the delegation of mali, there will be no independence or freedom in africa as long as the peoples of guinea bissau , angola, mozambique, namibia, rhodesia and south africa remain under colonialist and racist domination. [number]. with reference to the hysterical portuguese colonialism, mario soares has aptly written in his work le portugal baillonne "in fact, the only specific feature of portuguese colonialism in comparison with other european colonialisms derives essentially from the financial and mental poverty of the settlers and the economic underdevelopment of the metropolitan country, which itself is a colony of the great powers. " [number]. the portuguese government is not competent to teach freedom and the values of any civilization whatsoever for otherwise, it would have applied those principles to portugal itself. africa is not deceived about the true intentions of the powers members of the north atlantic treaty organization nato which provide it with weapons. [number]. the report of the united nations special mission of inquiry which was sent to guinea bissau a [number] rev. l, chap. x, annex i has enlightened the world as to the scope of the barbarous acts carried out by the portuguese colonial army. this session of the general assembly should focus its full attention on two aspects of the questions raised in that document. first, it should be noted that vast areas of the territory have been liberated and that the victory of the freedom fighters over the portuguese army is irreversible. secondly, we must determine the specific nature of the help to be given to the people of guinea bissau , which should be both political and material. [number]. the illegal regime of ian smith and the racists of pretoria are warring openly against the international community. the salisbury rebels have drawn closer to portugal and to south africa in order better to inculcate racial hatred and methods of repression. [number]. however, despite the threats, the brutalities, the imprisonments and the assassinations perpetrated by the illegal regime of ian smith, the overwhelming majority of the rhodesian population has pronounced itself against the home-smith agreements, which were only intended to formalize the domination of the white racists in zimbabwe. [number]. the united nations, for its part, guided by the principles of the charter and specifically by the provisions of general assembly resolution [number] xv , should henceforth direct its action in rhodesia in the light of the most recent proposals made by the african national congress, namely, the convening of a constitutional conference on the political future of the british colony of southern rhodesia. that is the only initiative which can possibly put an end to the chain of violence in which the rhodesian rebels wish to involve the country, in order to dominate it further. [number]. the responsibility of great britain, as administering power in the rhodesian question, remains unimpaired. [number]. we are not unaware of the fact that the moral, political, economic and military assistance which certain powers give to the portuguese colonialists, to the rebels in rhodesia and to the racist government of south africa is utilized to put down the nationalists and to strengthen white power in southern africa. is it not with the weapons which are provided under these alliances that the government of south africa has brutally repressed the demonstrations by theologians and university students directed against the odious regime of apartheid? nato, of which south africa is a vassal, has thus become a system of aggression against africa. we need only refer to the belligerent statements of the government of pretoria and to recall its attacks against zambia and the united republic of tanzania and its pacts with the government of portugal and the illegal regime of southern rhodesia to be convinced of this. [number]. not content with oppressing and humiliating the colored people in south africa, the pretoria regime has extended the abscess of apartheid to namibia, which it continues to occupy despite the advisory opinion of the international court of justice. this illegal occupation, which is an insulting challenge to our organization, is the fruit of the plan for hegemony which has always been nurtured by that retrograde regime. [number]. the impotence of the united nations in the face of the arrogance of those who preach apartheid is inadmissible. it must act promptly to see to it that the sacred right of the namibian people to self-determination is upheld. in this way it will shoulder its responsibilities towards the international community. [number]. the lack of co-operation of certain major powers in the implementation of united nations decisions against the white racists of southern africa is not such as to make our task easier. [number]. the coalition of the racists and of those who support colonialism must be met by a permanent aggressive front consisting of those who believe in the value of human dignity and who refuse to let the world be pushed to the brink of the abyss. [number]. the recognition of the legitimacy of the struggle against colonialism so often proclaimed by our organization should finally cease to be a mere declaration of intention and should become a fact. [number]. the assembly of heads of state and government held by the oau, which unanimously decided at rabat to double the budget for liberation movements, wished thus to show what could be done to quench the murderous flame which portugal has lit in southern africa and which it continues to fan in collusion with the racists of south africa and rhodesia. [number]. the conference of foreign ministers of non-aligned countries, which met in georgetown, after having stressed the indivisibility of peace, adopted a position on the question of giving assistance to liberation movements, which, we are convinced, will have a certain impact on the united nations. [number]. the year [number] undoubtedly has been rich in events which might be attributed to our organization, whose purpose it is to bring men and peoples closer together. [number]. in point of fact, the great nuclear powers have for some time now demonstrated a certain desire, if not to put an end to the arms race, at least to hold it in check. but the progress achieved in the limitation of nuclear arms would be completely pointless if it were not followed up by general disarmament measures. [number]. the objectives set for the disarmament decade are far from being achieved, and we can only note with some disquiet the observation of the secretary-general "neither has the arms race been halted nor perceptibly slowed down. in fact, the armaments race has spiraled to a level higher than ever before. " a [number] add. l, p. [number]. [number]. international security, we have stated, is indivisible. disarmament concerns us all, and it is regrettable to note that the composition of the united nations committee entrusted with this matter does not take into account the evolution of the forces prevailing in the world. [number]. furthermore, the present formula of co-chairmanship of that body should be replaced by a more democratic formula which would fully involve all its members in the responsibility for its work. today more than ever the need for a world disarmament conference is being felt. in order for such a conference to achieve any results, it must be carefully prepared by inviting all states to it. [number]. the present trend marked by the frenzied arms race should be reversed so that the astronomical sums absorbed by arsenals can be released and devoted to the economic, social and cultural progress of man. it is the welfare and stability of the world which are at stake. [number]. the democratization of international relations affects the future of the world as a whole. it applies both to the political as well as to the economic areas. in the particular case of trade, it may well open the way to undreamed-of possibilities of co-operation for the well-being of our peoples. [number]. unfortunately, neither the discussions in the general agreement on tariffs and trade gatt , nor in the first and second sessions of the united nations conference on trade and development unctad , held in geneva and new delhi respectively, have led to any concrete measures to improve relations between the industrialized powers and the developing countries. [number]. the third session of unctad, which- was held in santiago, chile, in april and may of [number], has brutally revealed this fact to the world. the results of the work were so far below expectations that mr. tibor mende, referring to the reluctance of the rich countries to contribute to the solution of the problem of under-development, wrote recently "henceforth it is less a question of resolving the problem than of learning to live with it. " [number]. despite the resolutions adopted by the international community to overcome under-development, it is still true that the combined gross national product of the developing countries, which is on the order of [number], [number] million, continues to decline whereas that of the industrialized countries, estimated at [number] million million, is progressing by approximately [number], [number] million per year. [number]. the net earnings of international trade could have reduced this unfortunate trend towards the excessive impoverishment of the technically backward countries but, unfortunately, here also they are hampered by the continuing deterioration of the terms of trade. their immense mining resources are thus outrageously exploited by the industrialized countries solely to, benefit international capitalism. therefore it is imperative to prepare a code for international trade relations which would ensure that we could manage our own resources as we saw fit. [number]. the first efforts of the countries of the third world, therefore, should be directed at the exploitation of our mining resources and potentialities in order first and foremost to serve our populations. this implies necessarily that our sovereignty should be effectively exercised over our natural wealth. [number]. the assistance of the industrialized countries to the developing countries, which was far from achieving percentage-wise the figure recommended by the various resolutions of our organization, is still tending to decline while the conditions for repayment of debts are set very strictly. this has reached such a point that the developing countries are now faced with a situation of indebtedness which does not allow them any possibility for development. [number]. the negative effects of these facts on our economies are further aggravated by monetary tensions and, as if it had not been sufficiently proved that establishing an international order would require the co-operation of everyone, solutions to monetary crises are at present being sought without the effective participation of the developing countries. international monetary reform can be viable only if it is established on the basis of a world indicative plan in accordance with general assembly resolution [number] xxi on the first united nations development decade. [number]. the solutions which have been advocated within the context of the second united nations development decade will have little effect if there is no political will, without which no planning is feasible. [number]. the over-all analyses made of the economies of the developing countries, unfortunately, do not enable world public opinion to grasp the serious human realities and social problems of the countries which are considered among the least developed of the low-income countries. the models which were generally put forward to stimulate the economic growth of the developing countries do not take into account the specific nature and the tremendous scope of their needs. [number]. over and above the reinforcement and intensification of the measures already taken for their benefit, the international community should hold free and open discussions with these countries in order to establish precise programs which would make possible the attainment of the goals set in the various resolutions and recommendations. [number]. i should like now to take up a very timely question which the general assembly, acting on the initiative of the secretary-general of our organization, has decided to examine. some have already stated that this question will constitute the central focus of our discussions. undoubtedly it cannot be denied that this is an important issue which is of concern to all mankind, but let us not forget that it is, above all, a particularly complex question, with multiple ramifications, whose examination should, therefore, be taken up in a spirit of absolute serenity and great objectivity. [number]. we should like to put stress on this final wording of the title of the item and thus on the need to study first and foremost the underlying diverse causes of this phenomenon before trying to determine at all costs measures to eliminate it. [number]. no one can approve of violence, wherever it may be practiced, particularly if when it is unleashed it endangers or even takes innocent human lives, but it must be realized that we will oppose any attempt thus to jeopardize by this means the actions undertaken by various liberation movements, whether in africa, in asia, in the middle east or elsewhere. [number]. those are the few comments my delegation wished to make about the international situation. we have no doubt that we share these views with most of the delegations present here, which are themselves concerned over the deterioration of the internal relations of contemporary society in the political, economic, social and cultural areas. in point of fact, man, after having revolted against the injustices continuously inflicted on him, has assumed the role of judge. this explains the recrudescence of violence which characterizes the world and the resultant climate of total insecurity facing mankind. hence for us it is much more a matter of seeking to remedy this state of affairs than of condemning or stigmatizing the phenomenon, which is simply growing because iniquities continue to exist. [number]. we realize today that the world is so interdependent that no individual and no country can be sheltered from the consequences of acts of despair and hysteria. indeed, we have never felt so much as today that the destiny of mankind is a common one. therefore, let us pool our resources in order to hasten the transformation our society so sorely needs. [number]. we must resolutely engage in a great crusade against injustice and against all causes of insecurity which daily jeopardize peace and human lives and which are called imperialism, colonialism, apartheid, hunger, disease, illiteracy, poverty and selfishness, to cite only the most familiar ones. we would thus be contributing to the achievement of a world of peace and happiness to which all our peoples so strongly aspire. mali is determined to work for the realization of this great project when is, furthermore, in full accord with the historic mission of our generation. [number]. therefore, mr. president, let us see to it that the twenty-seventh session of the general assembly of the united nations, over which you are presiding with such perspicacity and wisdom, will mark the point of departure of this great transformation. the interest of peace and the survival of humanity should stimulate our efforts to this end. let us act therefore before it is too late.

the election of the foreign minister of uruguay as president of this general assembly is very gratifying to our delegation and we are sure that his enormous talents and experience will guide us effectively through this critical session. we also wish to acknowledge the contribution of his predecessor for the admirable guidance he provided the assembly over the past year. the inspired work of the secretary-general, mr. kofi annan, has brought new life and meaning to the united nations, and we are grateful to him for his dedication to the task of modernizing the organization. the commitment to ongoing reform and renewal in this organization and the new vision and energy injected by the secretary-general have resulted in a revitalized institution that offers new hope. in like fashion, the belizean people demonstrated their political maturity when they turned out in record numbers a month ago to elect a government committed to setting a new and higher standard of governance to take them through to the next millennium. we regard the overwhelming mandate given to our new administration as a directive to transform our institutions and political culture into more democratic, open and just instruments for the welfare of all our people. the work of reform and renewal is never-ending. with regard to the reform of the security council, while [number] we agree that this is urgently needed, we wish to urge all members to make every effort to ensure that the working group produces a final package for the consideration of this assembly. it is to the credit of the united nations that many more people in today s world benefit from a culture of democracy and the rule of law. the united nations has set the pace in providing the support necessary to build and consolidate the institutions of democracy. central to this achievement has been the fact that the economic, cultural and social aspects which underpin democracy have not been ignored. perhaps the most powerful instrument for promoting democracy has been the universal declaration of human rights, whose fiftieth anniversary we celebrate this year. this basic document has been fortified over the years by other commitments relating to second-, third- and fourth- generation rights and to the rights of children, women and indigenous people. taken together, these commitments constitute a challenge which we are all called upon to live up to. belize is committed to pursue policies that lead to an economic and social climate which nurtures the development of our children and offers real opportunities to our young people to be creative and productive and to develop self-respect, self-reliance and a sense of belonging to a community. our government recognizes the value of education in promoting gender awareness and improving the economic situation of women, upon whom poverty casts a disproportionate burden. our policies for greater employment, education in non-traditional areas and microcredit facilities will all be driven by gender awareness to foster greater access and opportunity for belizean women. the international decade of the world s indigenous people has served to raise public consciousness of the plight of peoples who for centuries have been disadvantaged, exploited and marginalized. our government takes seriously its duty to tangibly improve the quality of daily life for indigenous people and will engage in respectful negotiations with them in regard to their concerns about land, natural resources and other matters. the united nations decolonization programme has been hailed as one of the most successful of the organization s undertakings over the past decades. however, enjoyment of the fundamental right to self- determination is still denied to the people of western sahara and east timor. belize will continue to support the work of the special committee on decolonization to ensure that these people are afforded opportunities for the full expression of their will. this year presents us with a telling irony even as we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the declaration of human rights, we are painfully reminded that it is also the fiftieth anniversary of the dispossession of the palestinian people. we continue to press for the full recognition of the rights of the palestinian people to self- determination and to establish an independent state, respecting the independence and security of all the states in that region. we are likewise concerned about the fact that a sister caribbean nation continues to suffer from a policy designed to isolate it, even as it continues to be the target of terrorist attacks. the most fundamental human rights of the cuban people are thus being violated, and we urge all concerned to work together with us in caribbean community caricom and in the association of caribbean states to bring an end to this situation. belize supports the efforts of the republic of china on taiwan to participate fully in the work of this organization and its organs, as well as in international financial and developmental institutions. the time has come for us to respect the sovereign will of that population, in conformity with the universalist principles of our charter. we all know that it is meaningless to talk about human rights without addressing the fact that millions of people are falling into poverty even as incredible advances in science and technology make possible the eradication of poverty. this tells us that something is terribly wrong about the way the world economy is managed. if some resisted this conclusion before, the instability of the present world financial markets is surely proof enough that unbridled globalization can have serious negative effects on developing and developed countries alike. we must move resolutely to create a new and fair management regime for the world economy. we support the proposed united nations conference on financing for development, which should include consideration of social factors and should seek to bring about comprehensive reform of the international financial system. [number] i speak for a country which has seen its prospective base of prosperity whittled away over the past few years by misguided economic policies, predatory politics and financial mismanagement. our administration has inherited a country where some [number] per cent of the people live in poverty, where almost half of its children do not complete primary school and where preventable diseases and infant mortality are on the rise. we have committed ourselves to an intensive integrated programme aimed at the elimination of poverty, based on growth economics that will restore investor confidence, stimulate economic activity and employment and bring about more revenue for development. but the stark reality is that no matter how hard we try, we cannot do it alone. we are, therefore, especially encouraged by the words of the british prime minister, tony blair, spoken to this assembly a week ago, at the 7th meeting if we want to eradicate poverty, we also need to ensure that the least developed countries benefit from this global economy . . . by letting them sell their goods without imposing tariffs on them . . . actively helping them benefit from globalization . . . and rejecting any false allure of protectionism . . . we also have to ease the debt burden on the poorest countries. in this connection, we emphatically endorse the call of the durban summit of non-aligned countries for new concessional financial flows to debtor developing countries, in addition to debt cancellation and other debt relief measures. we are also witnessing progressive decreases in the amount of aid flowing to the developing countries. and too often we are victims of a trend in international agencies of spending millions on endless studies and consultancies, when what we need are concrete actions to solve the problems we long ago identified. we certainly welcome the work being done by the united nations development programme undp for the protection of our environment. our population depends on its forests and clean seas to survive. the pristine condition of our natural resources affords us a competitive advantage as a prime destination for eco-tourism, and their rational management and use is the only guarantee for our sustainable development. yet we have witnessed the wanton destruction of forests by transnational corporations and the depletion of marine life by galloping consumption that is heedless of the fragility of our ecosystems and of the social consequences. the [number] human development report concludes that gross inequalities in consumption have prevented over [number] billion people from meeting their basic consumption requirements, a conclusion which led the report s coordinator, richard jolly, to call for patterns of consumption that are socially responsible, are not destructive of the well-being of others, are sustainable and do not degrade the natural resource base and environment for present and future generations. as if the uneven effects of the globalization of the world economy were not enough to try us, we are faced with the even more destructive phenomenon of the globalization of crime and mindless violence, especially as manifested through the increased use of and trafficking in drugs and money-laundering. my country is in the unfortunate position of being along the way of the transit trade to the country of greatest demand, and we daily suffer the consequences in the ruined lives of our youth and the increased incidence of crime. we are doing everything possible to fight this scourge of mankind and will cooperate fully with all regional and international efforts aimed at the effective curbing of the drug trade and its insidiously corrupting effects on our institutions and way of life. a world free of the curse of drugs, liberated from the affliction of poverty, blessed with freedom and democracy where people s human right to a full and dignified life can be pursued in peace this, surely, is what we are all striving for. belize pledges to play its part in that glorious struggle, even as we ask the united nations to continue to support the independence and territorial integrity of our nation, whose people, like human beings everywhere, seek only to assert their absolute and inalienable right to human dignity. in this search, we all need a vital and effective united nations this unique expression of our common humanity.

we are pleased to note that the annual sessions of the general assembly are increasingly each year not only a special forum for discussing international affairs, but also and in particular an opportunity for the democratic expression of our shared experience, a time for each member state of the organization to freely state his or her views. in this context, cameroon is particularly pleased that the presidency of the general assembly at its fifty-fourth session has been assumed by a fraternal country, namibia. we regard it as highly symbolic that this role, at this delicate time of a bridge between two centuries and two millenniums, has been entrusted to you, mr. theo-ben gurirab, worthy representative of namibia, the last state in africa to recover its sovereignty. my country fully associates itself with the praise addressed to you and we assure you of our full support as you exercise your difficult and lofty duties. i hardly need recall that your country's attainment of independence, just like the end of apartheid in south africa, demonstrates what the united nations and the international community are capable of. cameroon wishes also to reiterate its full appreciation to your predecessor, mr. didier opertti, for the skill, devotion, effectiveness and open-mindedness he demonstrated throughout the fifty-third session. finally, we wish to pay tribute to the secretary- general, mr. kofi annan, for his continuing work to consolidate peace and combat poverty, and for his special attention to the problems of the african continent and the poorest regions or those in crisis. his outstanding report on the work of the organization illustrates again this year the intelligence and determination that are his constant guides as he performs his duties. the work of the secretary- general, carried out with an acute sense of the common interest of all member states, deserves our support. cameroon welcomes the new members of the organization kiribati, nauru and tonga. their admission reinforces the universality of our organization. despite great progress in many areas, this last decade of the twentieth century has been marked, and continues to be marked, by less positive events in the world. more than ever before, therefore, we need to react, act and even act preventively, constantly and vigorously, in order to rectify an inappropriate course of events. there are still too many conflicts. too much human blood has been shed. too many men and women have their fundamental rights and freedoms flouted. there is too much poverty, even destitution, which is in stark contrast to an unparalleled opulence too many inequalities and too much interference and domination persist in inter-state relations. this succession of dangers is accentuated by the problems of epidemics and illiteracy, and recalls the vital need for greater solidarity between prosperous countries and developing countries, given the growing globalization of economies and the universal need for peace, democracy, prosperity, justice, the guarantee of fundamental human rights and the effective sovereignty of states. cameroon therefore welcomes recent positive steps on the path to peace. i refer to the middle east, with the signing of the israeli-palestinian agreement in egypt. the resolution of the kosovo crisis, and particularly the establishment of an administration guaranteed by our organization, also deserves recognition. cameroon encourages all actors in the balkans and the middle east to continue to advance resolutely towards lasting normalization. we are also very mindful of developments in east timor, and we hope very much that wisdom will prevail that is, that everyone will respect the process initiated under united nations auspices. we welcome the holding in maputo, mozambique, of the first meeting of the states parties to the ottawa convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction. that meeting made it possible to continue the campaign to heighten the international community s awareness of the need to ban these ghastly weapons for ever. these weapons continue, particularly in africa, to indiscriminately mutilate children, women, the elderly, civilians and military personnel every day. cameroon, in confirmation of its commitment to this great struggle, recently ratified the convention. we welcome the results achieved in sierra leone, guinea-bissau and northern ireland. these and other advances cannot, however, make us forget either the deadly conflicts that continue to destroy lives or the threats of holocaust that persist because of the lack of significant progress in the field of nuclear disarmament. [number] in this overall context, which remains full of elements, the proliferation of hotbeds of tension and conflict in africa, particularly in central africa, is a major source of concern for cameroon. that particular situation deserves more attention from the international community than ever before. unfortunately, as the secretary-general notes in his report, these african crises, no matter how grave, have basically been ignored. is it conceivable that somalia, fragmented and disorganized, with its helpless, starving, sick people, and now bereft of any viable state structure, could be purely and simply forgotten, abandoned and allowed to perish? could the situation in somalia today not be the fate of other countries on our continent and elsewhere? should the international community abdicate its duty of solidarity with and assistance to western sahara, to the sudan or in the conflict between ethiopia and eritrea? we deplore the continuing bloody destructive crisis in angola. that disastrous civil war directly or indirectly destroys thousands of lives and systematically obliterates infrastructure every day this, too, seems to have been forgotten by everyone. since the withdrawal of the united nations observer mission in angola monua , the states members of the united nations standing advisory committee on security questions in central africa, which for a year now has been chaired by cameroon, is trying to do the impossible in order to prevent angola from permanently locking itself up behind fratricidal closed doors in the face of this kind of widespread indifference. together with some other regional and international diplomatic actors, the standing advisory committee has also made many efforts to try to restore peace in burundi, the republic of the congo, the democratic republic of the congo and rwanda, particularly through the resolute dissemination of a culture of peace. in this respect, cameroon and all states members of the committee welcome the peace accords on the democratic republic of the congo signed in july in lusaka, zambia. this came as a result of the doggedness and tenacity of african mediators, and it proves, if any proof is needed, that africa, with the support of the international community, is able to overcome its difficulties. we wish to reiterate the solemn appeal of the standing advisory committee to all signatories of these accords to see to it that the peace process is carried through. cameroon is convinced that their determination to consolidate peace will be supported by the international community, in particular through the speedy and effective establishment of the peacekeeping force that the united nations is planning to deploy in the democratic republic of the congo. no matter what the cost, we must eradicate wars and conflicts in africa, particularly in central africa. we must halt the spiral of bloody confrontation and fighting in that subregion, which pits ethnic group blindly against ethnic group, political group against political group. it is not true that love of and devotion to one s own people or faith in one s own ideals must be proved by one s hatred towards others. these grim tragedies, as we know, are not inevitable. fundamentally, they are the result of practices to which africa must put an end otherwise, the continent will be for ever left out of humankind s majestic march towards modernity. the diagnosis of the causes of this situation is already apparent poverty, destitution, ignorance, the absence of good governance, the fragility of the nations and states concerned, and acts of interference of all kinds are at the heart of the problem. together we can combat them and overcome them. this is why one of the priorities of cameroon s diplomacy, promoted by president paul biya, with the full endorsement of his peers, is to help guarantee peace, security, stability, democracy and prosperity for the [number] million women and men of central africa. this determination has guided our action as we head the united nations standing advisory committee on security questions in central africa. as we prepare to hand over the chairmanship to another fraternal country, we would like to recall the progress that member states have made together over the last [number] months in our quest to strengthen peace, security and stability in central africa. the most significant initiative undoubtedly was the threefold decision taken at the meetings in yaound , on [number] february [number], and in malabo, on [number] june [number], by [number] of the [number] heads of state of central africa, to establish the council for peace and security in central africa copax to adopt the yaound declaration on peace, security and stability in central africa and to integrate copax into the structures of the economic community of central african states eccas . through this threefold decision, those heads of state have given our subregion a politico-diplomatic organ and ethical framework, as well as a code of conduct to meet the challenges of prevention, management and the lasting settlement of crises and [number] conflicts. the practical modalities for the functioning of copax are now being worked out in the secretariat of eccas. since crisis and conflict prevention remain absolute priorities, the states of central africa have continued their efforts to establish an early warning mechanism. this structure has just acquired premises that serve as its headquarters in libreville, gabon. a number of other initiatives mark important progress for the establishment of peace and stability in central africa. i refer first to the decision taken in june at the malabo summit by the heads of state of central africa to lend their prestige to the establishment of a subregional centre for the promotion of human rights and democracy. with the support of the united nations high commissioner for human rights, this centre will be both an observatory of realities and trends and a kind of think tank to produce recommendations on human rights and democracy. i wish, on behalf of the peoples of central africa, to welcome the encouragement shown by mrs. mary robinson for this project, as well as the steps she has taken to follow up on the resolution adopted on this subject by the general assembly at its fifty-third session. i also wish to refer to the establishment of a network of parliamentarians of central africa an initiative that should lead to the establishment of a subregional parliament which will be both a democratic forum and a subregional platform for cooperation and harmonization of laws dealing with questions of peace, security and integration. i would also mention the establishment of the central african court of justice, the seat of which will be in n djamena. i would like to refer to the high-level seminar held in yaound from [number] to [number] july this year on the report of the secretary-general on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in africa, proceeding from the desire and determination of the leaders of central africa to build peace and progress in the subregion. this high-profile meeting which brought together parliamentarians, seasoned experts, civilians and military, men and women with experience representing civil society and non-governmental organizations and whose report was published by the united nations made it possible to identify ways and means for the specific implementation in central africa of the recommendations of the secretary-general. the main actions recommended by the seminar to follow up the very frank diagnosis of the situation seek to promote effectively human rights, participative democracy, methods for the peaceful settlement of disputes, good governance, transparency, international humanitarian law and accelerated national and regional integration. the proliferation and illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons in the region is another major concern for the member countries of the committee because they threaten their stability. a subregional conference will be held on this subject at the end of october in n djamena under the aegis of the committee and with united nations support. it will make it possible for member states to assess the scale, causes, mechanisms and consequences of this phenomenon and to envisage specific steps to be taken. all of these actions in particular the establishment of copax, the early warning mechanism, the subregional human rights centre, the parliament and the central african court of justice are challenges, not merely for central africa itself, but clearly for the entire international community. they will be priority areas for fruitful bilateral and multilateral cooperation at the threshold of the new millennium. that is certainly the wish of the peoples of central africa. the design of a subregional policy for peace, stability, democracy and development in central africa is partly related to the domestic policy of cameroon. the head of state has always believed that there is no crisis that cannot be resolved peacefully through dialogue, pooling of efforts and especially through respect for the law. it is this conviction that prompted cameroon to stress the search for a settlement through legal means of the dispute with the federal republic of nigeria regarding the land and maritime border. in this year which marks the closing of the united nations decade of international law, we must forcefully reaffirm our total support for the rule of law in inter-state relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes, including through jurisdictional means when other mechanisms have proved to be ineffectual. that is why we urge the international community to continue to help our two countries, cameroon and nigeria, to adopt effective measures to strengthen peace and the climate of [number] confidence which has emerged following the contacts at the highest level which have taken place this year. pending the verdict of the international court of justice in the hague, three of these measures could be taken right now a solemn declaration of commitment to abide by the court s decision, withdrawal of armed forces from the battlefield to positions which they held before the outbreak of fighting, and the lifting by nigeria of its recent reservations about the optional clause regarding binding jurisdiction of the international court of justice, reservations which negate an international society based on law. the positive winds of change now blowing across nigeria, following the coming to power of the democratically elected civilian regime, give us enormous hope. through the work it did last year, cameroon, like other states in central africa, is resolutely committed to saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war. but we did more than that. we also determined for the sake of future generations to protect the environment and to safeguard the natural resources. an example of this was the summit on conservation and sustainable forest development organized last march in yaound in the presence of heads of state and government of the subregion and a distinguished host, his royal highness prince philip, the duke of edinburgh of the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, who is past president of the world wide fund for nature. four resolutions were adopted by the heads of state and government of central africa to preserve and extend the millions of hectares of forest in our subregion. they undertook to conserve and manage the forests of central africa in a sustainable manner to safeguard our rich biodiversity. they then undertook, in particular, to protect new transnational forest zones in the congo basin. then the major partners and donors agreed to provide financial and technical assistance to implement the resolutions and commitments adopted at the yaound summit. finally, the summit participants agreed that good forest management is an important part of work for sustainable development in central africa. however, in the areas of the protection, conservation and sustainable management of forests and biodiversity, a profound dilemma has arisen. central africa is, after the amazon region of south america, the second largest forested area of the world whose natural characteristics are decisive for the balance of the biosphere and the ecosystems of the entire planet. the accelerated and mindless destruction of this forest would in fact be a direct way to prepare for the disappearance of all life on earth. in a word, the forests of central africa are the lungs of the world. following the yaound summit, the senior officials of central africa and the peoples concerned became clearly aware of their duty to all humankind, a duty that should be reflected in the sound conservation and management of forests and the diverse resources they contain. but at the same time, the experts rightly noted that this would involve extremely heavy and increasingly higher costs. the costs of protecting species, reforestation and reintroducing animals, as well as the administrative costs involved in the functioning of the institutions needed to do those jobs, will be an additional burden on the already meagre resources of the countries of our subregion. this is why we believe that it would only be right for the whole of humankind for which we are making this vital sacrifice of forest and biodiversity conservation to find the ways and means to support us in this work for the common good. this could be done by providing matching funds or, better yet, by bringing about genuine global action under the guidance of the united nations and financed by a fund for the preservation and sustainable management of forests and biodiversity in central africa. that fund would support all the important preliminary work to be done in this essential area of globalization. we will be submitting a draft resolution on this subject for the kind consideration of the general assembly. when cameroon campaigns with other states for the protection of the environment and for the safeguarding of natural resources, we do so very mindful of the long term, which has meaning only in relation to the future of mankind, and of younger generations in particular. we are all the more conscious of the importance of the legacy we will leave for the adults of tomorrow because more than [number] per cent of the population of cameroon will reach adulthood at the beginning of the twenty-first century. the proportion of our children who are today under [number] years of age, like all men and women of the world in the next century, have a legitimate right to demand of us, as the most important part of our legacy, peace, security and stability in freedom and development and in a healthy environment. that is why, in conclusion, i wish to [number] address our partners in the prosperous countries, particularly the group of eight. i wish first of all to say how much we appreciate the steps that have been taken this year to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries, particularly those in our continent. according to the secretary-general, the african debt burden represents more than [number] per cent of the value of goods and services exported from the region. therefore, the spirit of solidarity in the group of eight, which is a good sign, must be pursued and consolidated while taking into account the situation of the so-called medium-income countries. that spirit of solidarity must be resolutely continued and take root in all other developed countries. the secretary-general's in-depth coverage of many subjects in his report calls for us to reflect on them. i will take up just one of these subjects aids. like other pandemics, aids not only jeopardizes the future of millions of african men and women, it is also a mortal danger for all humankind. to show a lack of concern for its ravages in africa, no matter what part of the world one comes from, would be suicidal indifference. the future of the world is more indivisible than ever before. the choice can no longer be postponed the choice between the universal common good and the chaos caused by poverty, destitution, ignorance, injustice, the absence of good governance, interference, wars, et cetera. the end of this century shows every sign of serving as a loud and clear call to the whole of mankind, but first and foremost to the leaders of nations. the end of the century has made hope possible and has brought about the global advancement of the values of peace, democracy, solidarity and the struggle for human rights. these principles must not merely guide each nation we believe that they should also inspire the relations between nations. the staunch resolve of all countries to promote these principles together is the only guarantee of a better future for humanity. in order to bring this about, mankind as a whole increasingly more united and in solidarity under the banner of the united nations has a duty to provide speedy assistance wherever the life and dignity of the human being have been seriously undermined or threatened. accordingly, it is clear that the international community, assembled within the united nations, has an inalienable, inviolate and sacred right to act. this universal right to act, whose letter, spirit, legality and legitimacy come from the charter itself, is the reflection and the inevitable consequence of the changes occurring in the world today. clearly, it excludes any form of interference. a new world has thus been born we must acknowledge this from now on. the millennium assembly and the millennium summit, to be held in the year [number], should embody the spirit of that new world and set it in order.