The honor and the duty of presiding over the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly have been entrusted to you, Mr. President, and, through you, to your country, Cote d’Ivoire. Burkina Faso and all of Africa are moved by this signal honor.
Beyond the legitimate pride experienced by my delegation, I should like to reaffirm our full readiness to assist you. Your wealth of diplomatic experience, together with your professional and human qualities, will ensure the success of our deliberations.
You have succeeded Ambassador Samuel Insanally of Guyana, who, with discretion and professionalism, determination and logical organization, guided a forty- eighth session that was rich in ideas, initiatives and various kinds of fruitful contacts. We thank him for this.
The Secretary-General	of	our Organization,
Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali,	has	consistently and
courageously continued both in word and in deed to chart a course designed to reaffirm the mission of the Organization and to participate in defining the present and future spheres of action of the international community.
Indeed, vision, courage and patience are virtues of which our world is in dire need. We have moved from the static certainties of the international environment of less than a decade ago to the daily, fluid and dangerous uncertainties that surround us and sometimes overwhelm us, and there is an urgent need to find, or to recover, a reliable compass and collective will and solidarity.
However, we have been witnessing a disintegration of the old order. We must indeed note that the post-cold- war period has been characterized by the simultaneous emergence of heated conflicts that pit nations against each other or rend apart their integral elements. From Bosnia and Herzegovina to Rwanda, the causes and means may differ more or less noticeably, but the immediate consequence is always identical: the enormous suffering of peoples.
During the forty-seventh session of our General Assembly, Burkina Faso stated:
"In their millions, people are cast out into a life of wandering; children are robbed of their childhood, and of their adolescence too; a future without hope is already the lot of a growing number of people caught in the crossfire between one world that is dying and another that is being bomb". (Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh Session, Plenary Meetings, 21st meeting, p. 86)
Africa continues to be shaken by upheavals and crises of all sorts, and particular attention should be paid to them. With regard to Angola, Burkina Faso welcomes the present efforts aimed at implementing the Peace Agreements and supports Security Council resolutions 864 (1993) and 932 (1994). We urge UNITA to negotiate with greater firmness and thus allow the Lusaka meeting to yield the hoped-for results for peace and the well-being of the people of Angola as well as of the subregion.
As to Mozambique, it is our hope that the holding of free and democratic elections this month will put an end to so many years of confrontation and will further commit this brotherly country to a course of reconstruction and national reconciliation for development and peace.
We hope that a solution can be found in Western Sahara within the framework of a referendum whose terms of reference will be accepted by all.
We welcome the fact that in Burundi progress is being made in the process begun and supported both by the United Nations and by the Organization of African
Unity (OAU), and we hope that the election of the President of the Republic on 30 September 1994 will make possible positive developments in this situation very soon. Burkina Faso, within the framework of the OAU, is making its contribution to this process.
In Liberia, because of the lack of confidence among the parties, neither the demobilization nor the disarmament provided for in the Cotonou Agreement has fully taken place. These measures had been advocated to bring about an atmosphere propitious to the establishment of democratic institutions. Burkina Faso continues to support the Cotonou Agreement of 25 July 1993 as well as the Akossombo agreement of 12 September last.
In Somalia, far from the cameras and the media, the tragedy that was so widely reported by those media two years ago continues. The same players are pursuing the same conflict just as chaotically and relentlessly, without any sign of the will to put an end to it through dialog and negotiation.
In Rwanda, the unspeakable tragedy that has combined genocide with intransigence has showed the international community its limits and the procrastination of which it has been guilty. After having hastily decided on a withdrawal during the first weeks of April 1994, the international community, responding to the clamorous indignation of public opinion, was forced to review its position and find a way to return to the scene of the tragedy and attempt to limit its shameful and disastrous development. We should like here to thank those who have wished to confine the irreparable and immeasurable damage within the limits of the restored human conscience. Without an active policy of reconciliation and national reconstruction, it is difficult to envisage a calm and stable future for that brotherly country. In this task, which is enormous in all respects, the Government of Rwanda will need all the assistance that can possibly be given it in a clear-sighted, responsible and committed manner. For its part, Burkina Faso, insofar as it is able, will tirelessly continue to make its contribution to Rwanda.
Annoyance, irritation and understandable fatigue now hold sway in the Security Council in its consideration of the questions of Liberia and Somalia; indeed, it is even thinking about leaving those two brotherly countries to their own devices. The reasoning put forward for this is that in an environment marked by a plethora of requests for material, financial and human resources, it is impossible to continue to deal with protagonists who prefer war to the
loss of a power that has not yet truly even been achieved. It is true that peace cannot be imposed anywhere.
Burkina Faso is aware of this and experiences it every day as President Blaise Compaore, putting these convictions into practice, engages in subregional mediation and thus makes his contribution to the great African plan for the necessary and indispensable integration of our continent.
Peace thus must be unremittingly pursued. And the task of diplomats is to work to find acceptable and viable terms.
Should we then leave all those areas of conflict to their own devices? The answer to this question will tell us more about all of us than about the protagonists of those crises.
In Asia and Latin America, the conflict situations with which our Organization is dealing are moving in a direction which gives us reasonable hope to see a settlement very soon. We encourage Kuwait and Iraq to respect resolution 833 (1993) of the Security Council. We are also encouraging dialog between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, as well as negotiations between the United States of America and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on the nuclear issue.
Burkina Faso has welcomed and hailed the signing on 13 September 1993 of the historic agreement on the Declaration of Principles between President Arafat and Prime Minister Rabin, and also the signature on 4 May 1994 of the Agreement on Gaza and Jericho. Burkina Faso urges that this policy be pursued.
The first democratic elections have taken place in South Africa. The South African people now have leaders that they have freely elected. We once again hail the eminence of President Mandela, as well as the merits of Vice-President De Klerk, for having been able, together with the people of South Africa, to lead South Africa towards a democratic and non-racial society. Here among us at last in the United Nations, South Africa will be able to play and fully shoulder its role in the community of nations, thus strengthening that principle of universality that we supported in a recent initiative concerning the Republic of China.
All of this indicates the extent to which political upheavals affect, sometimes in an extraordinary fashion
the haves of men, women and children on all continents. However, to use an expression that was used four years ago during the World Summit for Children, the world continues inexorably to witness a "silent emergency" that is still going on and is growing.
The global economy has experienced a recession that has more brutally and heartlessly affected the developing countries. This state of affairs has exacerbated situations of injustice and flagrant inequality. The improvement of the economic climate of the developing countries hinges on the growth of financial investment flows, on the transfer of technology, on the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers, on just remuneration for commodities and raw materials. This is not new, and it will be reiterated as long as the developing countries do not have a greater say concerning the processes and machinery for decision-making relating to all these questions.
This is why an agenda for development is now urgent and of the highest priority. This agenda should put forward specific measures for implementation focused on growth and development, and integrate the strategies and plans for action negotiated and adopted during the United Nations conferences. From Rio to Cairo, it has been possible to obtain consensus, but what is still missing are the new and additional resources with which to implement the decisions taken. In this connection, we hope that the implementation of the International Convention to Combat Desertification, signed in Paris on 14 and 15 October 1994, will not also suffer from this lack.
While the developing countries are fulfilling their share of commitments, the developed countries are balking at making their contributions. This is notably affecting the concept and the implementation of global partnership, which was so highly praised at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
We fear that, as regards the use made of their results, these Conferences have only been understood in terms of their theme, without taking account of development. If these comments are harsh, reality is even more so.
Problems build up while financial resources dry up. The eradication of poverty, in such a context, will be difficult to bring about and will have fewer chances for success. The commitment undertaken by the developed countries to allocate 0.7 per cent of their GNP to public assistance for development has not always been respected, except by a few of them.
Africa, more than the other continents, is in a situation that is critical and recognized as such by the United Nations. However, from the Program of Action of the United Nations for the Economic Recovery and Development of Africa in 1986, to the New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s, adopted in 1991, nothing concrete has given concrete form to that commitment by the international community.
Over the last ten years, the African debt has been discussed ad infinitum, without, however, being reduced or eliminated to an extent likely to allow Africa to relaunch its economy and structure its markets. Several of our partners have made efforts, and we note the decision of the Group of Seven in Naples to expand the Trinidad Conditions to the performing African countries.
If this is a step in the right direction, it is not sufficient in a context where, as I said earlier, the deterioration of the terms of trade and the loss of preferential markets are increasing the burden of the debt. We therefore support the efforts of the Secretary-General aimed at establishing a fund for diversification, and we call upon the partners of Africa to play an active and positive role in establishing this fund.
In April 1994, the signing in Marrakesh of the Agreements of the Uruguay Round opened a new chapter in international trade relations, more or less establishing the marginalization of Africa, which had already been evident throughout the negotiations. We hope that the recently created World Trade Organization will be able to participate in the creation of a multilateral system of trade based on applicable, non-discriminatory relations, and that in particular it will take account of the interests of the developing countries.
On the basis of a concern for independence and for the integration of the global economy, access to resources, markets and technology, preferential assistance and compensation measures must be open to the developing countries. The spirit of this new configuration should not be motivated by charity but rather by the awareness that certain measures must be taken to ensure that the development of the world in partnership and solidarity takes place harmoniously. It is in the interest of all of us.
The forthcoming World Summit for Social Development, therefore, should emphasize man's needs and put man at the center of development and of international cooperation in drawing up the objectives and specific commitments which we shall be undertaking. So
too, the World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing will have to continue that work of intensification begun in Cairo during the International Conference on Population and Development: woman, the best agent for development.
For half a decade, the Member States of the United Nations have been involved in a series of Conferences that culminated in an acknowledgment of the following facts. The right to development exists. It must be reflected in reality. It is part of human rights. Development is possible only in peace, and peace itself can be maintained only through development. Democracy and development, therefore, are linked.
One after the other, the representatives who have spoken have emphasized the role of the United Nations. The Organization is the most valuable multilateral instrument available to nations. It is important that we give it the means to fulfill our ambitions and our projects.
The times have compelled us to confine ourselves to finding the answers that must be found for the urgent situations threatening the lives of human beings. Peacekeeping operations currently face unprecedented complexity and difficulty. We salute and thank the 73 nations that are offering their sons and their resources for the purpose of extinguishing flames kindled throughout the world by man's intransigence and madness.
Apart from the question of urgency, there are priorities. If these are understood and dealt with, the emergency situations of tomorrow and beyond will be eased, and we shall come closer to having a more stable, less unjust and more harmonious world.
A review of the United Nations system - the role, nature and place of the Security Council and of the General Assembly - is one of the urgent priorities that must be addressed if we are not to harm the future. It will become ever more difficult to wish for democracy in the world if democracy is avoided in the functioning and activity of the United Nations.
A year from now we shall be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of this Organization. The profusion, complexity and simultaneousness of problems relentlessly assail societies and nature. Mankind will be able to face these challenges and difficulties only by assuming and accepting our complementarity and our interdependence. It is that initiative and that momentum which will renew our bond with the ideals proclaimed 49 years ago in a
document signed in San Francisco, which we call the Charter of the United Nations.
Let us, therefore, be an Organization of truly united nations. This is possible only if there is a spirit of justice, peace and solidarity.


 It
is with pleasure that I warmly congratulate Mr. Amara
Essy on his election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its forty-ninth session. In his election I see
a recognition of the role that Côte d’Ivoire, a friendly
African country, has played on the international scene as
well as an appreciation of his personal qualities and
experience.
A word of recognition is also in order for the
outgoing President, Ambassador Samuel Insanally, for his
dedicated and positive service during the last session of
the Assembly.
To the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros
Boutros-Ghali, I renew my homage for the secure and
committed manner in which he is carrying out his
mission. As he already knows, Portugal can be counted
on in the pursuit of the objectives of peace and
development and in the consolidation of a substantial
reform of the United Nations system.
15

My German colleague has already addressed the
Assembly on behalf of the 12 member States of the
European Union, expressing positions to which Portugal
fully subscribes. Nevertheless, I would like to reflect on
certain issues which are of particular importance to my
country.
The end of the bipolar era has created, somewhat
perversely, greater unpredictability and uncertainty in the
system of collective security, which has most visibly led to
a rebirth of extreme nationalism and new focuses of
conflict. In this perspective, I would like to underline the
importance we attach to cooperation between the United
Nations and regional organizations and mechanisms. Such
cooperation implements the concept of complementary
actions and allows for more agile solutions adapted to
concrete circumstances.
The road to stability and the progressive development
of a new concept of security also passes through the
stimulation of political institutions capable of guaranteeing
respect for universally recognized values. Similarly, greater
international control of the use of force will require not
only the best and most adequate means but also a
constantly renewed political legitimacy in order to wield
them. In my view, this legitimacy is tied to the goal of
building an international society based on ideals which
promote peace, democracy and human rights.
We must also keep in mind the socio-economic
dimension of the issues that threaten international stability
and security. More than ever, we need an integrated
approach within which the preventive dimension is given
priority, both in its purely political and diplomatic aspect
and in its development-aid aspect.
In this context, we underline the importance of the
committed participation of all nations in an Agenda for
Development, as the Secretary-General has invited us to do.
Today more than ever, the portentous words of the Pope
ring true: "Development is the new name of peace."
In this regard, we need to rethink, not only the role of
development aid, but also the very concept of development.
It should become more comprehensive, including respect
for democratic values and human rights as well as social
and economic issues and other issues related to the
preservation of the environment, demographics, the
prevention of endemic diseases and the fight against the
traffic in drugs.
Here we must also underline the importance we
attach to helping countries that are truly committed to
implementing social and politico-economic reforms
conducive to sustainable development. However, such a
process must be complemented by an increasingly liberal
international system and by a set of measures that seek to
reduce the burden of external debt and create the
conditions for a reactivation of private investment in their
economies.
In this context, I welcome the signing in Marrakesh
of the Uruguay Round agreements and the forthcoming
start-up of the World Trade Organization, which will
allow for freer trade, with the simultaneous strengthening
of rules and disciplines.
As a member of the European Union, Portugal
firmly defends the enlargement of the Union and the
strengthening of ties with other countries of Central and
Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin. For the
entire continent, the European Union is undoubtedly an
immense consolidating force of democratic ideals,
stability, prosperity and respect for human rights.
Other organizations, such as the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO), the Conference on Security
and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the Western
European Union (WEU) and the Council of Europe
contribute equally to the same ideals. If the
democratization of Eastern Europe has created the
possibility of future adhesions to the European Union, it
has also led to a new relationship as regards security on
the continent.
We understand the desire already expressed by many
countries of Central and Eastern Europe to join the
defence and security organizations, and we are ready to
consider, in due time, a gradual and balanced enlargement
of NATO to include those States that share with us the
same democratic values and respect for human rights and
the rule of law. The question of the enlargement of
NATO to the east cannot, however, overshadow the
essential transatlantic dimension which must remain the
cornerstone of European security. On the other hand, any
increase in the membership of NATO must not create
new divisions in Europe. Therefore, Portugal affirms that
all the possibilities of the Partnership for Peace, a
mechanism aimed at uniting countries of the Eurasian
region in activities of military cooperation, must be
pursued.
16

Last year, I stated here that Portugal considers the
nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty fundamental for
international security. As we approach the 1995
Conference I should like to reiterate the intention of my
Government to support all efforts that will lead to the
unconditional and indefinite extension of that instrument.
While referring to security, I should like to welcome
and support the initiative announced here yesterday by
President Clinton to reach an agreement on reducing the
proliferation of anti-personnel mines. Such an initiative
could not be more timely and, for our part, I can announce
here that Portugal is in the process of preparing legislation
to outlaw the commercialization of those weapons and their
production.
In the context of Europe, I cannot avoid referring to
the situation in the former Yugoslavia and, in particular, to
the terrible conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite all
the efforts applied towards bringing an end to that situation,
war goes on with its tragic fare of death, destruction and
suffering.
The international community has demonstrated that it
possesses a common interest in the search for a political
solution to the conflict. We must, however, recognize that
this progress is insufficient and that, without real political
will shown by all parties directly involved, a stable and
long-lasting solution will never be found.
Portugal has actively participated in the efforts of the
international community with both men and matériel, and
will continue to remain on the ground for as long as it is
useful and necessary. We are, in fact, reinforcing the
Portuguese contingent in the area within the activities of the
Western European Union (WEU).
Sub-Saharan Africa, to which my country is linked by
particularly strong cultural and historical ties, continues to
be the region of the planet with the most worrying levels of
development. Portugal has defended the idea that the
international community should grant Africa first priority,
commensurate with the unparalleled magnitude of the
problems that need to be overcome. But firstly, Africans
themselves must prove that underdevelopment is not
inevitable. And the greatest contribution that they can
make in this direction is a determined commitment to
search for peaceful solutions to both existing and potential
conflicts, and a continued deepening of the process of
political and social democratization on the continent, as
well as the adoption of indispensable economic reforms.
The first free and democratic elections in South
Africa and the investiture of Nelson Mandela as its Head
of State, as well as the formation of a Government of
national unity, represent historic achievements not only
because they have left apartheid behind but also because
they have proved the viability of finding in Africa
peaceful solutions to complex situations. Portugal, which
actively participated in all efforts to support the process
of democratic transition in that country, warmly salutes
the new South Africa, a country which is host to an
important Portuguese community. We believe that the
human, economic and technological potential of that
country can undoubtedly constitute an important factor for
economic recovery in all of southern Africa.
In Mozambique also there are signs that the hopes of
its people with regard to the peace process will not be
disappointed. The completion of the cantonment and
demobilization processes, the formation, despite some
delays, of the new armed forces and the peaceful manner
in which the electoral campaign has been conducted are
all crucial achievements to be recognized, and foretell the
coming elections of 27 and 28 October 1994 as being a
crucial moment for the future of Mozambique.
We appeal to the main Mozambican political forces
to find the forms of dialogue and understanding
conducive to guaranteeing a true national reconciliation
with full respect for democratic principles.
Portugal was an observer at the negotiations and is
represented in all the commissions created by the peace
accord, playing a major role in the formation of the new
army, as well as participating significantly in the United
Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ).
Portugal will remain committed to following this
process closely in the context of the accords and we
consider it important that the international community
support Mozambique not only during this particular phase
but also in what we hope will be the following stage of
national reconstruction and reconciliation.
In southern Africa, one of the longest, and surely
deadliest, conflicts the world has ever known rages on.
Angola continues to be the stage for a war that has
already claimed hundreds of thousands of innocent
victims.
Portugal, as a member of the troika of observer
countries, will continue to do all it can in actively
supporting the United Nations mediation in the person of
17

the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, whose
efforts I take this opportunity to salute, in the search for a
definitive solution to the Angolan conflict.
The international community cannot and must not
forget the origins of the current conflict, which frustrated
the hopes of the Angolan people created after the Bicesse
accords and the elections of September 1992. Beyond
attributing blame, it is now more important not to give up
the efforts to bring this terrible conflict to an end.
The Lusaka negotiations, which seek to promote -
within the context of respect for the peace accords and
relevant resolutions of the Security Council - a genuine
reconciliation in Angola, have reached a crucial stage.
The complete acceptance by the Angolan Government
and UNITA of the set of proposals of the mediation on
national reconciliation constitutes an important step.
UNAVEM II must be given the necessary means to
complete its mission. For this to happen, appropriate forces
must be placed on the ground immediately following the
initialling of the accords and the correct dimensions of that
peace-keeping operation must be defined.
In any case, peace will not be possible unless there is
a genuine will on the part of the Angolans themselves.
I appeal here to the Angolan Government and UNITA
to do all in their power so that this opportunity is not lost.
I also appeal to the international community to
redouble its commitment and support.
Despite the continuation of the conflict in Angola, the
historical changes under way in southern Africa offer
possibilities which must be consolidated and developed.
Portugal has from the very beginning supported the
project for a dialogue between the European Union and that
region of Africa, an idea that has just been expressed in the
recent Berlin Conference between the European Union and
the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
As was stated in the Berlin Declaration, the aim of this
dialogue is, inter alia, the promotion and development of
trade, investment and cooperation, in order to stimulate a
balanced development of that region which may, in turn,
provide an engine for progress in the rest of the continent.
The dramatic situation in Rwanda shows how
important the role of the Organization of African Unity is
in the prevention of similar situations, namely through the
implementation of its mechanism for the prevention,
management and resolution of conflicts created last year
on 29 July at the Cairo Summit. From the very
beginning, Portugal has supported the creation of this
mechanism and, in conjunction with African and other
like-minded countries, is prepared to participate actively
in the search for means that will permit the empowerment
of such an instrument.
I cannot end this reference to Africa without
welcoming the way in which the first democratic and free
elections were held in Guinea-Bissau and expressing
satisfaction at the peaceful and orderly climate that has
characterized the campaign for the elections in Sao Tome
and Principe, to be held in a few days.
One of the current priorities of our foreign policy is
the convergence of efforts with those countries which
share with us the Portuguese language. With them we are
building a community which I am sure will come to
represent a new and exemplary political reality.
We are also seeking to deepen the political dialogue
and cooperation between Europe and Latin America.
That cooperation is institutionalized in its own
mechanisms, among which I single out the dialogue
between the European Union and the Rio Group as well
as the Ibero-American Summits. These in turn have
allowed open and profound discussions of political
questions of common interest to countries united by close
historical and cultural ties and by shared sensitivities.
This is what happened, once again, at the Summit in
Cartagena, Colombia.
I am glad to be able to acknowledge here the clear
evolution towards democracy and respect for human
rights that has occurred in all of Latin America and the
Caribbean. That very positive evolution contrasts even
more strongly with such shocking situations as that of
Haiti, a country where conditions are being created for
the re-establishment of democratic constitutional order
following the intervention of a multinational force
authorized by the United Nations Security Council.
Portugal continues to devote special attention to the
evolution of the situation in North Africa. To that end,
we have advocated a rapprochement with the countries of
that area in accordance with the Lisbon Declaration of the
European Council, which, I recall, defined a new concept
for a political, economic, social and cultural relationship
between the European Union and the Maghreb.
Following the Corfu meeting of the European Council,
18

which attached particular importance to stability and
security in the Mediterranean, we reaffirm our dedication to
a dialogue and a deepening of ties with the countries of the
region. Nor can we defend any other approach when we
consider the geographical proximity and close historical ties
that unite Portugal and North Africa.
In fact, it is important that the countries of both sides
of the Mediterranean deepen their dialogue so that we can
avoid the spread of an idea which we reject - that of
conflict between civilizations. On the contrary, we should
value the concept that countries with different political
ideas and whose populations espouse diverse religions are
able to establish ties of trust and true cooperation.
It is my opinion that we have today well-founded
reasons to believe that a comprehensive peace in the Middle
East will be a reality in the not-too-distant future. The
accords already signed between Israel and the Palestinians
on the one hand and Israel and Jordan on the other testify
to their determination in seeking a comprehensive, just and
lasting peace. The achievements already made will
certainly serve as a catalyst for new initiatives. From this
perspective, the decisions and resolutions of the United
Nations should reflect the positive developments already
registered.
It is also necessary that the international community,
and in particular the countries of the region, support the
efforts under way. We hope that progress in the peace
process, in both its bilateral and multilateral aspects,
foreshadows the capacity to generate a new era of stability
and development in that part of the world.
Universalism has always marked the ideas and
behaviour of the Portuguese. In Asia Portugal has
centuries-old ties with a number of countries which we
wish to maintain and develop. It is with great admiration
that we look upon the development of some areas of that
continent. We are certain that the countries of that region
will have ever-increasing importance in the determination
of the fate of our planet.
Portugal attaches the greatest importance to respect for
human rights, so much so that this respect can be
considered to be a major pillar of its foreign policy. Our
action has as a fixed reference point the results of the
Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, which rejected
any regression or reduction of the established norms. We
support the work of the High Commissioner and the Centre
for Human Rights, both of which should be granted the
necessary financial means for an efficient exercise of their
functions.
We defend with particular commitment the principle
of universality when applied to respect for human rights
and their indivisibility, and we oppose any attempt to
subordinate their strict observance to other objectives. On
this issue, we cannot and must not yield. We believe that
democracy, respect for human rights and development are
mutually reinforcing.
We attach the greatest importance to the
international conferences to be held in 1995: the World
Summit for Social Development and the World
Conference on Women. We consider promising the
positive results recently achieved in Cairo by the
International Conference on Population and Development,
which we welcome.
In the context of human rights, among which this
Organization has always included with special distinction
the right to self-determination, I feel duty-bound to touch
upon a question to which the international community has
been giving growing attention. I am referring to the
Non-Self-Governing Territory of East Timor. I reaffirm
before this Assembly that Portugal has no specific
objective concerning the question of East Timor beyond
the defence of the rights of its people and the conclusion
of the process of decolonizing the Territory in accordance
with international law and with full respect for the
legitimate rights of the Timorese people. For this reason,
we remain committed to talks that, under the auspices of
the Secretary-General, are being held with the Indonesian
Government with the aim of finding a just,
comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution.
Undoubtedly, progress has been slow and we have
not advanced on the substance of the matter. But, as a
reading of the progress report of the Secretary-General
reveals - and I must express here a word of appreciation
to him - some steps have been taken, not only through the
so-called confidence-building measures, but also with the
involvement of the Timorese themselves in the search for
a solution to a problem in which they are the principal
interested party.
East Timor has recently ceased to be an almost
forgotten Territory. We sincerely hope that the growing
attention that has been granted it will contribute
decisively to an improvement in the concrete situation of
its people and to the adoption of a more coherent attitude
19

in the recognition and defence of their legitimate and
inalienable rights.
On 16 November the Convention on the Law of the
Sea will come into force, culminating a long and important
process which will open new and determinant channels of
action and cooperation. The importance of this area will
clearly justify the General Assembly’s adopting by
consensus the draft resolution of the Economic and Social
Council on the proclamation of 1998 as the international
year of the oceans. We are confident that its proclamation
will contribute in an effective manner to a wider debate and
a greater enlightenment of world public opinion on the
importance of the problems which we face in this area, thus
enabling the adoption of solutions that will permit their
resolution at a global level. Portugal actively participates
in this debate, seeking with the holding of Lisbon
Expo/98 - the last great exposition of the twentieth century,
the subject-matter of which is directly related to this area -
to provide an important instrument for the achievement of
the goals we have set.
In conclusion, I should like to reflect upon the
institutional reforms that are so necessary for adapting the
Organization to the new international context, its challenges
and the greater possibilities of global cooperation. These
reforms, which we believe to be essential and urgent,
should be carried out with transparency and on a consensual
basis. They must be realistic and be aimed at increasing
efficiency.
Although we are still at a preliminary stage, we
consider it useful to state here the aim of our thinking on
this matter. First of all, we believe that it is necessary to
reinforce the efficiency and responsibility of the Security
Council. We maintain that a third category of members
should not be created beyond those of permanent and
non-permanent members. A pragmatic and reasonable
solution to ensure greater representation on the Council
would be to increase the number of non-permanent
members by one for each region. We are also of the
opinion that the number of permanent members should be
increased, but such an increase should not be achieved at
the expense of the number of non-permanent members.We
encourage regional agreements which, through increased
rotation, will permit greater representation on the Council.
It is crucial that permanent members of the Council should
have the ability and the political will to assume fully the
responsibilities that come with that status as regards the
maintenance of international peace and security.
Some States have declared themselves ready to
assume greater responsibilities in regard to the
achievement of the objectives of the Charter. The
Portuguese Government declares - here today - its support
for the inclusion of Germany and Japan as permanent
members of the Security Council. Both the unified
Germany, a country that provided a notable incentive for
the construction of the European Union, and Japan, a
great Power of the Asia-Pacific region, are in a position
to make an effective contribution towards increasing the
weight and the efficiency of the Security Council. It
would however be difficult to comprehend if an increase
in the number of the permanent members did not also
include the southern hemisphere of our planet. In this
context, and among the eligible countries, we point
naturally to Brazil, a founding Member of the United
Nations, the largest country in Latin America and a State
that has unequivocally abided by the principles of the
Charter.
Portugal is a candidate for a seat on the Security
Council for the biennium which begins in 1997. Our
candidature reflects a position of profound commitment to
the main objectives of the United Nations as set out in the
Charter. It reflects also our desire to contribute fully to
the maintenance of international peace and security.
Thus, Portugal reaffirms its commitment with regard
to the objectives of the United Nations, which my country
has supported with increasing responsibility as an active
participant in the different areas of the Organization and,
particularly, in the United Nations peace-keeping
operations.
We are approaching the fiftieth anniversary of the
United Nations Charter. Portugal will seek to emphasize
this commemoration and to ensure that its significance is
understood by the public at large and, in particular, by
young people.
In this celebration, we wish to contribute to
renewing our ideals and sparking people’s conscience in
order to promote increased participation in the objectives
established by the Charter of the United Nations.
In short, this means the creation of a greater
sensitivity to the irreplaceable role of the United Nations
in the resolution of the major issues faced by humanity at
the turn of the century.


Costa Rica hails and congratulates you most
warmly, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the
General Assembly. We also wish to thank the Secretary-
General, whose untiring efforts have made this an
Organization which is daily playing a more dynamic and
effective role in the advancement of peace, security and
development.
We are Members of an Organization whose name
bespeaks hope and dreams - the United Nations; not aligned
or groups of nations but one single family of peoples,
united in the struggle for peace, human rights and
development.
In those dark days of 1945, filled with suffering,
hatred and ruin, those who forged the United Nations
created an Organization with medium- and long-term
objectives. Rather than setting up a transitory league of
victors, their vision was to look to the future in unity.
They thought not only of themselves; they thought as well
of their children and their grandchildren. They also
thought of the children of their former adversaries, and
thought as well of those who had stayed on the margins
of the tragedy.
My country is proud to have been a founding
member of this fraternity. It is also proud to say that the
ideals of the United Nations live on in the spirit and in
the daily lives of our people. And although my country
is not wealthy, not powerful, not big, we feel we have
honourably served the cause of this Organization both
within and beyond our borders.
Despite the limitations inherent in our small and
poor country, the Costa Rican people have proved they
are capable of dreaming bold dreams and of making those
dreams come true. Forty-six years ago, when the United
Nations was about to take its first steps and the world
was just beginning to emerge from the horrors of the
Second World War, a group of men and women of vision
in our country began to pursue the dream of a world

without wars and armies, and decided that the dream should
begin to be made a reality right at home. We thus
abolished our army and began a long period of economic
growth, accompanied by social well-being and political
stability. We became a model of human development in a
developing country and a force for the abolition of war and
violence in our region. It is through our commitment to
making this dream a reality within our own borders that our
country has made its most important contribution to the
cause of the United Nations.
Today, as humanity stands at a decisive crossroads,
the need to build new utopias has become of the utmost
urgency. As human beings, we are at our creative best
only when we are in pursuit of a dream, when our eyes
shine with the gleam of that dream. Given the magnitude
of the dangers we face, the international community, now
perhaps more than ever before, needs to muster all its
energies in pursuit of renewal.
As a people living at the centre of the Americas, we
are deeply concerned by the threats hanging over mankind.
We are especially concerned about growing tensions
between the proponents of social progress and those of the
natural environment that supports it. At times, the
countries of the world seem to be playing out a macabre
global compact for self-destruction. While the production
and consumption patterns of the industrialized world are
wreaking havoc on nature, poverty in the third world is also
causing serious environmental damage. The end result is
a rapid deterioration of the natural resource base upon
which all of life and society depends, to the point where the
very survival of humanity is in jeopardy. With every
passing day, awareness is growing of the fact that this
absurd path the world has chosen to follow is not
sustainable.
Given such a formidable threat, the United Nations
once again shines like a beacon of hope for the world. As
a forum pooling the energies of the international
community, it has already acted resolutely in dealing with
the environment. From a variety of vantage points, many
of its agencies have launched efforts to preserve and
conserve the world’s resources and to establish norms of
social organization that are compatible with the life cycles
of the planet. At the Rio de Janeiro Summit, that decades-
long effort of the United Nations in this area was clearly
expressed, and the adoption of Agenda 21, along with the
conventions on biodiversity and climatic change, which my
country has signed, is to a large extent the fruit of the work
of the United Nations.
As the community of nations tackles new common
challenges, Costa Rica once again affirms its commitment
to play a useful role. Aware as we are of our limitations
as a small and poor country, we can but offer the best we
have. We pledge our land and our collective
determination as a contribution to building utopias and
keeping hope alive.
We wish to assume our role in these global causes
with two reasons in mind: we are committed to the
world-wide struggle to ensure the existence and well-
being of mankind, and we feel it is urgent for us to
provide our people with the kind of development that will
make of nature an ally and not an enemy.
Today, we acknowledge that the social and economic
progress made in Costa Rica in recent decades was
achieved at the expense of a serious deterioration in our
environment. Our polluted rivers, our eroded soil and our
rapidly disappearing forests are the unfortunate proof.
For the future, only sustainable development can offer us
continued abundance and growing well-being, generation
after generation.
All too often throughout history, human beings have
opted for the easy way out - only economic growth,
superficial and fleeting change and an irrational
exploitation of the environment. Aware as we are of the
deplorable results of such an approach, we Costa Ricans
wish to rid ourselves of such self-deception. We envisage
sustainable development as one that is mindful of the
macro-equilibrium that in turn makes long-term
development possible - I refer to political stability, social
equity, economic balance and harmony with nature.
The enjoyment of peace, democracy and stability in
Costa Rica is in large measure because of the sustained
investment we have made for decades in education, health
and other services to ensure the well-being of our people.
By abolishing our army, we have been able to convert
military expenditure into expenditure on social
programmes and to avoid the threat of stunted
development such as often occurs under military
dictatorships. Building on these traditions, we are now
attaining new and ambitious goals.
To achieve sustainability, major changes are in store
for us in our way of life, and to make these changes we
will have to set free the energies and the determination of
our citizens. That is why we are shifting away from
representative democracy and moving towards more
complex forms of participatory democracy.
2

Since we have chosen to pursue sustainable
development we are committed to finding medium- and
long-term solutions to the cyclical economic imbalances
from which we have suffered over the years.
Desirous as we are of changing the ways in which we
interact with the natural world, we in Costa Rica have
undertaken an ambitious programme based on social
consensus, the work of the scientific and technological
community and the historical ability of new State
institutions to promote development. Decades ago, when
the topic of environmental conservation was not yet a key
item on the agendas of Governments or international
organizations, my country was already working to set up a
system of nature conservation areas which today cover one
fourth of our national territory and provide protection for
virtually all our animal and plant species. Today we are
taking yet a further step and endeavouring to arrive at an
integrated scheme to combine nature conservation with the
productive use of tropical biodiversity. Our goal to live in
harmony with nature has helped us to realize that our land
was for the most part meant to be forested. The objectives
of our programme include improving the net absorption of
carbon dioxide through forestation programmes carried out
in conjunction with developed countries, the exportation of
plant trees and the development of technologies for tropical
reforestation. These and other projects are part of a
national plan designed to implement all the elements of
Agenda 21, adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
In the pursuit of these and other, similar goals we
intend to make Costa Rica into a model of sustainable
development. Indeed, we hope to become the first
developing country to make the leap to sustainable
development. Like other dreams we have cherished and
realized in the past, through our own efforts and with the
help of the international community, this dream is bold and
ambitious.
Costa Rica cherishes this aspiration for all of Central
America as well. We are committed to our region’s efforts
to achieve sustainable development, efforts that are today
being carried out under a common programme that was
agreed to at our recent meetings of Presidents.
During the tragic years of the Central American crisis
Costa Rica did not suffer the ravages of war or dictatorship,
nor did it see any of its freedoms taken away.
Nevertheless, our national development was hampered by
the backwardness, injustice and violence that held sway
throughout the region. Today, we Costa Ricans reaffirm
our conviction that our destiny as a nation is indissolubly
linked to that of the other nations of the Isthmus.
Costa Rica vividly remembers and continues to be
grateful to the United Nations for its valuable support in
bringing peace to our region. We recall the exceptional
efforts the Organization made. Its action of solidarity,
mobilizing substantial resources and devising specific
programmes, was at that time of great benefit to Central
America.
Today, the situation is very different. In our region
we have put an end to the fratricidal conflicts that bled us
for decades and we have ushered in an era of
reconciliation, peace and democracy. Today, Central
America offers much more fertile ground for ever-higher
levels of human development. Today, our peoples are
more capable of building a better future for themselves
and therefore of establishing mutually beneficial and
cooperative relations with international organizations and
friendly countries.
Today’s watchword is "interdependence". The
industrialized countries will be able to maintain their
standards of living and levels of production only if they
can foster development in the rest of the world. This is
why we invite them to forge closer ties of cooperation
with us so that Central America’s goals can be shared and
more easily attained by our countries.
Notwithstanding innumerable difficulties and despite
40 years of cold war and a multitude of conflicts, the
United Nations has a record of accomplishment
unprecedented in history.
We derive great satisfaction from the imminent
fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. Never before
in the history of mankind has any joint effort for peace
managed to endure so long, and never before has any
international effort taken on such universal proportions.
We nevertheless hope that this universality will
become total as soon as possible, without any exceptions
whatever. Today, Costa Rica would like to reaffirm its
strong support for the legitimate aspirations of the
Republic of China in Taiwan to take part in the efforts of
the United Nations. We believe that the people of that
nation must be represented in this family of nations. It is
a reality, and it is also an issue that the Organization
cannot continue to sidestep.
3

The impending anniversary is also a good time for us
to set a new course for the United Nations so that we can
successfully meet new challenges. We consider the ideas
on this subject contained in the Secretary-General’s
"Agenda for Peace" to be of the utmost importance, and we
hope that we will be able to contribute to making them a
reality.
"An Agenda for Peace" is a particularly important
guide for the international community. Its natural
complement, the agenda for development, optimistically
reflects mankind’s new concerns and offers us great
opportunities to work dynamically in building the new
millennium.
Indeed, there is a great deal of work before us.
Although there is no longer a cold war, although many
States have rejected totalitarianism, it is still true that we
are faced with the horror of the unfolding tragedy of
Rwanda, the aggression being pursued against Bosnia and
the resurgence of ethnic and religious fanaticism. We are
frustrated to see that the best efforts of the organized
international community have not been sufficient to find a
way out of the Cuban crisis, in our America.
We feel indignation in the face of the violence and
exploitation to which women and children continue to be
subjected and alarm at the steady increase in drug
trafficking and its occasional ally, terrorism. We are sad to
see that hunger and poverty continue to be a daily reality
for millions in Africa, Asia and our own Latin America.
These painful realities must not, however, weaken our
resolve. Recently we have seen hopeful and bright signals
to the effect that things can and should be different. We
have witnessed the Republic of South Africa peacefully
putting an end to a shameful regime and becoming the
mother of all its children, regardless of the color of their
skin.
We have seen Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians
together plough furrows of peace through the Holy Land.
The first steps have been taken towards reconciliation in
Northern Ireland. There are signs of lessening tensions on
the Korean peninsula, and we trust that, through
negotiations, there will be effective control of North
Korea’s nuclear programme.
Just a few days ago we saw how the efforts of the
international community had finally provided the people of
Haiti with a chance of real peace and democracy. Costa
Rica would like to make a proposal that it considers basic
for human development in Haiti. To this end we ask the
United Nations to work with others on a democratization
programme, with the gradual and irreversible abolition of
the army in that country. The time is ripe for such an
initiative; by carrying it out we would protect this long-
suffering nation from many future injustices.
Having for many years been committed to the
struggle against poverty and underdevelopment, Costa
Rica has strong hopes of the World Summit for Social
Development, to be held in Denmark next March. My
country shares and supports its objectives and will
enthusiastically participate in activities at the Summit and
afterwards.
We optimistically hail, as part of the restructuring of
international relations, the establishment of the World
Trade Organization. We are confident that its creation
will lead to greater legal consistency in international trade
relations, a new era of global economic cooperation and
a greater dynamism in trade, as well as higher volumes.
For countries such as the banana-producing countries of
Latin America, today facing serious problems because of
reduced access to markets in the European Union, this
new forum will be of particular importance. We are glad
that its priority topics include the links between trade
policies, environmental policies and sustainable
development.
Costa Rica was present in San Francisco to declare
its faith in the future of the world. We have been here
for half a century, bearing witness to our trust in the
United Nations. Today Costa Rica is present again to call
on all Member States to continue to look forward, firmly
committed to working with still greater dedication for the
attainment of the common goal of securing the well-being
of our peoples.
We must have faith in the future, but we must work
to build it. Let us forge a new spirit in our minds and fill
our hearts, and this Organization, with a new kind of
feeling. Let us adopt as our own the attitude embodied
in the lessons of an old proverb:
"Fear less and hope more; complain less and breathe
more; speak less and say more; hate less and love
more; and all good things shall be yours."


I would like to congratulate Mr Amara Essy,
Foreign Minister of Côte d’Ivoire on his election as
President of this important Assembly
I should also like to extend to Ambassador Samuel
Insanally the congratulations of Ecuador on his brilliant
performance during the last session.
13

Equally, on behalf of the Government of Ecuador, I
should like to extend our congratulations to the Secretary
General,
Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his work in carrying out his
important duties.
During these last few years, the world of international
relations has undergone a swift and profound
transformation. Several problems which divided nations
have disappeared, while other have emerged, as have forces
and elements whose existence invites careful reflection.
The most serious ideological differences have been
overcome and we have witnessed with satisfaction the
holding of free elections in South Africa; however, in other
parts of the world, other evils have reappeared - racism,
xenophobia, civil wars - and problems such as hunger and
poverty have become more acute. Bosnia, Somalia, Haiti,
and Rwanda are just some of the names which now move
mankind’s moral conscience.
At the same time, the historic role of the United
Nations has acquired a unique and far-reaching meaning,
and the near future of the planet appears linked to the
directives and decisions adopted in the General Assembly
and in the Security Council.
The fact that the United Nations is about to celebrate
50 years of existence is truly pleasing, because it means
that this forum of mankind has consolidated its leading role
in history. At the same time, this anniversary leads us to
reflect on ways to improve the Organization. This process
will inevitably involve reconsidering some United Nations
structures in order to adapt them to the new demands of
development which will be discussed at the social summit
soon to take place in Copenhagen. The social summit must
enable nations, taking account of the many decades during
which trade and financial matters have played against less
developed countries, to commit themselves to more direct
action to face the problems of inadequate education, illness,
violence and poverty.
The United Nations is approaching its fiftieth year at
a time when building a new international order has become
imperative. Ecuador wants this new international order to
be marked by unconditional respect for the principles of the
Organization’s Charter, by the international economic
restructuring which for many years has been one of the
main aspirations of the developing world, and by effective
and continuing solidarity and interdependence among all the
nations on our planet.
The changes on the international scene have brought
about a new and growing interest in the United Nations.
The international community turns to the Organization
more often and with more confidence when it needs help
in solving its problems. The Organization’s structures
must be revised and strengthened so that its responses can
meet the needs that have been put to it.
To carry out this endeavour, it will be necessary to
address statements that have been made regarding the new
composition of the Security Council and to consider the
need to revitalize the General Assembly, giving it
functions and responsibilities in keeping with its status as
the highest forum of the Organization. An international
order based on and designed for the human person must
have at its disposal an adequate tool for carrying out
programmes needed for the economic and social
development of our peoples. From that point of view, it
is imperative for us to undertake a process of
strengthening the Economic and Social Council.
Furthermore, we have to create conditions that will
provide the indispensable motivation for States, given the
new circumstance of the world, to place their full trust in
the International Court of Justice.
Ecuador, a country that has the deepest respect for
fundamental human rights, appreciates and assumes with
the utmost responsibility the trust of the international
community, granted through this Organization, enabling
it to contribute to the work of the most important forums
devoted to the promotion and protection of all human
rights.
The Government of Ecuador echoes the expressions
of support to the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights. It trusts that his difficult task will be
based on the frank understanding of the international
community. It also expresses its conviction that the
Assembly will commit the necessary administrative and
financial resources to facilitate the duties of the High
Commissioner.
Human rights and social development are
inseparable, indivisible. In daily reality we cannot
separate respect for human rights from fair economic
relations. As stated by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), quality of life is a subject which
cannot remain at the entire mercy of the game of
macroeconomic statistics.
We developing countries are affected in our foreign
trade by the gradual deterioration of the terms of
14

exchange, a phenomenon which generates serious social
consequences and which forces us to export greater
volumes of raw, finished and semi-manufactured goods.
We also face non-tariff barriers, and many other measures
that block access by our products - such as bananas and
flowers in the case of Ecuador - to the markets of those
very developed countries where the principle of free trade
is designed and developed. This protectionist policy
contradicts the goals of general welfare sought by the
international community.
The countries of Latin America, including Ecuador,
have launched a great effort of adjustment and economic
restructuring which must be properly understood and which
offers a framework more conducive to international
cooperation and to foreign investment.
At this stage of history, neither the developed nor the
developing countries can neglect the so-called social
question, a product of the socio-economic inequities that
dominate the world. The solution to this problem can be
achieved only by international cooperation at all levels.
The development of poor nations must depend on their own
efforts, on cooperation based on smooth, effective and
profoundly human mechanisms of integration.
We believe in the fundamental right to life.
Therefore, we cannot and will not accept the
implementation of programmes conditioned on population
control and abortion, which are what Pope John Paul II has
called "the culture of death". These are the bases that
should inspire solidarity and international cooperation.
Environmental problems, and those linked to the
dangerous use of nuclear weapons, have shown that we
humans are all voyaging in the same boat and that our
destinies are intertwined. Thus, the prosperity of some
cannot result from the exploitation or damage of the
environment of others; the accumulation of weapons in one
country is nothing but a boomerang that country is throwing
at itself.
I want to recall the words of the Constitutional
President of Ecuador, Mr. Sixto Durán Ballén, in this
august forum, when he said:
"I must emphasize that although the developed
countries, which are mainly responsible for the
deterioration of the environment, have a particular
obligation, it is other countries that are being asked to
make the sacrifice of restricting the exercise of their
legitimate right to use the wealth that nature has given
them. It is necessary to seek due compensation
jointly, especially in the shape of financial aid and
technological cooperation". (A/47/PV.12, p. 18)
Inevitably, all our peoples must join forces to
safeguard and restore the environment. In the ecological
field, we have completed the stage of formulating rules
and international conventions. Now we must join our
resources and technical efforts to put those solutions into
practice as soon as possible. That is why it is important
to develop greater linkage between institutions such as the
World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and
the International Monetary Fund on the one hand, and
programmes of the United Nations and the Global
Environment Facility on the other. Therefore, genuine
transfer of clean technologies is of great importance.
It is especially worrisome that nuclear testing for
military purposes continues to be carried out. Ecuador
condemns these tests, which damage the environment,
endanger the countries of the test area and ignore the
right of all the peoples to peace and security.
Furthermore, Ecuador is worried by the fact that in the
post-cold-war era some countries have attracted
significant numbers of technicians and nuclear scientists
in order to develop their military power. Resolution
48/70, approved last December, opens the way towards a
comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty, which all States
should support.
We believe in the need not only to extend the Treaty
on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but also to
improve it and establish it forever. At the same time, we
support the declaration of new nuclear-weapon-free zones,
similar to those established by the Latin American Treaty.
In this regard, it is a matter of serious concern that,
while we are trying to limit and even eliminate nuclear
arsenals, there has been an increase in the manufacture of
conventional weapons and in the traffic in them.
Accordingly, there is an imperative need, as the Holy See
proposed through its Council for Justice and Peace, for
the creation of an international authority to reduce the
trade in weapons and to achieve the goal of a
comprehensive ban on all kinds of weapons.
Ecuador welcomes most warmly the agreements
arrived at and the progress made in the Middle East in the
process of establishing peace and normalizing the
relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours.
Ecuador firmly supports this process, which is an example
for the solution of other, perhaps less complex, problems.
15

We also condemn the actions of extremist groups who,
through terrorism, attempt to prevent the consolidation of
peace in that important part of the world.
We were particularly enthusiastic over the
reinstatement of South Africa in this world Organization.
With the victory over apartheid one of the United Nations
longest and most difficult struggles has now come to an
end.
We must however reiterate our profound concern over
the ongoing ethnic and religious clashes in the territories of
the former Yugoslavia. Ecuador supports the actions taken
by the international community in seeking a political
solution that would ensure an end to the tragedy in Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
And now my country would like to issue a plea to the
international community to provide generous humanitarian
assistance for the victims in Rwanda.
Recently, there has been a proliferation of United
Nations peace-keeping operations. Notwithstanding all its
shortcomings, the international effort in this regard is
praiseworthy, but we believe this Organization should,
basically, use preventive measures to deal with the
underlying causes of civil, international and inter-ethnic
conflicts, and along with thIs, it should also address the
problems of injustice, inequality in economic and trade
relations, and the persistence of prejudice and age-old
enmity. The road to peace lies through programmes to
provide help in practical and urgent terms, to those
countries most affected by hunger and extreme poverty.
There must be a prompt review of programmes of
cooperation. There must be a more fruitful effort on the
part of the specialized agencies of the United Nations
system to develop a true culture of peace and the respect
for the rights of others.
The fundamental obligation of the United Nations -
one might even say its real raison d’être - is not only the
maintenance of international peace and security but also the
raising of the economic, social and cultural standards of
peoples. This is the only solid basis for progress and
development.
I believe it is time for this Assembly to adopt
pragmatic resolutions so that we may spend less on paper
and bureaucracy and more on technical and cultural
missions and specific programmes that would reach those
people that face the greatest problems, areas afflicted by
war, plague and starvation.
Ecuador has advocated a solution to the complex
Haitian crisis that takes account of the principles of non-
intervention and the peaceful settlement of disputes and
that involves the participation of all sectors of Haitian
society, with the broadest respect for human rights and
taking account of the relevant resolutions of the
Organization of American States and of the United
Nations.
Ecuador trusts that democracy will be established
permanently and as soon as possible in Haiti. To that
end, it is offered all the diplomatic and political support
that it can. At the same time, we would wish to
participate in the humanitarian efforts to contribute to the
rebuilding of the Haitian economy, once constitutional
order is restored.
Ecuador would also be in favour of continuing the
Cuban-American dialogue in that same constructive spirit
and with good will. We fervently hope that our sister
nation of Cuba may be able to become fully involved
again in hemispheric cooperation. It will be necessary to
make great strides along the road to broadening and
strengthening democracy and pluralism, and at the same
time an end must be put to the unilateral blockade to
which Cuba has been subjected for many years.
In keeping with our constant desire to contribute to
a climate of peace, understanding and cooperation among
peoples, Ecuador has been seeking some means of dealing
with its age-old controversy with Peru and strengthening
its ties of friendship and cooperation between the peoples
of Ecuador and Peru. As we said earlier, Ecuador
attaches very special importance within this process, to
the intervention of His Holiness the Pope, in seeking a
definitive solution to this problem. This is in view of the
high moral authority of His Holiness, which is recognized
by both our peoples.
It is increasingly clear to our two nations that the
way to development is to be found in working together in
harmony.
We wish to deepen and broaden our far-reaching
common interests. This is to the mutual benefit of our
two countries and would enable us to become efficient
partners as we develop together.
All the nations represented in this Assembly are
called upon to build a better world, a world free from the
horrors of war, hunger and environmental destruction.
May we, through our work, respond to this historic
challenge.


Let me, on behalf of the
Bulgarian delegation, congratulate Mr. Amara Essy on his
election to the presidency of the forty-ninth session of the
General Assembly. I should also like to extend my
appreciation to his predecessor, Ambassador Samuel
Insanally, for his proficiency in presiding over the
forty-eighth session.
Diverse, often conflicting trends and events
characterize the present year, which has marked the end
of apartheid in South Africa, a significant breakthrough in
the Middle East peace process and steps towards a
settlement of the problems in Northern Ireland. We have
also witnessed, however, the incredible human tragedy in
Rwanda and the continuing bloodshed in Bosnia. New
hotbeds of tension have emerged in some parts of the
world.
What are, in our view, the parameters of the political
situation in the world, and Europe in particular? Efforts
to build a new world based on the idea of developing the
collective security system envisaged in the United Nations
Charter have received additional impetus. Universal
standards for human rights and international mechanisms
for safeguarding them are being devised. The problems
of population, poverty and the global ecosystem are being
addressed with increasing attention. A concept for
renewed cooperation for development is being considered
in which peace, the economy, the environment, social
justice and democracy are viewed as aspects of the same
movement towards a better world.
At the same time, the elimination of the
contradictions between the East and the West has been
followed by destabilization - temporary, we hope - in
some regions of the world. Acts of aggressive
nationalism and xenophobia, of violence and terrorism,
are becoming more frequent. The numerous conflicts
based on national, ethnic and religious intolerance are
difficult to manage. Among other things, this has
disturbed the balance between the efforts to maintain
international security and the activities in the social and
economic sphere, against a background of spreading
20

hunger and poverty and the aggravation of economic and
environmental problems.
These global problems have left their mark on
relations in Europe as in other places. On one hand, new,
historic possibilities for wide cooperation between all
European States have opened up in the process of
promoting a common European identity. On the other
hand, new, as well as reawakened, national interests and
policies are taking shape, and these are interacting with and,
at the same time, counteracting the integration processes.
The end of the ideological and military confrontation
on the old continent has not yet led to the removal of all
barriers. Europe is still divided into zones that differ in
terms of security and economic welfare. It is desirable that
this division be overcome, as the problems of the zones
with less security could be transferred to those with greater
security.
The global political dimension of the ongoing
transition to democracy and a market economy in Central
and Eastern Europe has been largely recognized. Despite
the serious decline in living standards and rising
unemployment, the Bulgarian people voted for transition.
The process of market-orientated reform that started about
five years ago is irreversible. Our association with the
European Union is a manifestation of the European
orientation of my country’s policy and an expression of the
political will to adhere to the universal values of
democracy. We are adapting our economic, social and
trade mechanisms to those of the European democracies
and are actively participating in political dialogue with the
European Union. Though slower than we anticipated, the
economic reforms in Bulgaria are moving ahead.
As a participant in the Partnership for Peace initiative
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and as a State
with associate status in the Western European Union,
Bulgaria will contribute to the improvement of cooperation
between the Euro-Atlantic and European security
institutions and the relevant United Nations structures.
On the eve of the session of the Conference on
Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in Budapest
later this year, Bulgaria is confident that the high-level
representatives of European countries will come up with
new ideas to improve the functions of the CSCE, including
cooperation with United Nations.
The Council of Europe - one of the oldest of the
international organizations in Europe - has won recognition
as an organization capable of responding adequately and
in a timely manner to the challenges of our time by
promoting pluralistic democracy, the rule of law and
respect for human rights.
As Bulgaria currently holds the chairmanship of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, I
should like to refer briefly to this body, which already
comprises 32 members. Nine States have joined since
1989, and nine others are involved in a process of
accession. Cooperation between the Council of Europe
and United Nations institutions and between the Council
and some of the specialized agencies has been developed
over many years and has produced concrete results. This
cooperation has now become triangular - combining the
efforts of the Council of Europe, of the CSCE and of the
United Nations. In addition, there is a developing
partnership with the European Union.
In this complex and interdependent environment the
United Nations must increase its capacity to confront the
new challenges if it is to be effective in peace-making
and in the development of social and economic
cooperation between countries. In this context, important
views and concepts are contained in the
Secretary-General’s report "An Agenda for Peace", in his
report on new dimensions of arms regulation and
disarmament and in his agenda for development.
Bulgaria values highly the role of the United Nations
in solving problems directly related to the strengthening
of regional and international security. We support a
peaceful and equitable solution of the conflicts in the
Caucasus region, the Caribbean, Africa and other places.
We are particularly concerned about the conflict in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has become one of the
most serious challenges facing European States and
institutions, the entire civilized world and the international
organizations. We call for an immediate end to the war
and the suffering of the population. A political solution
in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be based on respect for
the interests of all parties. There must be compromise
and realism on all sides. In our view, concerted action by
the participants in the Contact Group is the second
prerequisite for the achievement of a lasting and just
solution to the conflict.
Let me once again reaffirm the position of Bulgaria
on the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. My country will
not participate, directly or indirectly, in any military
21

activities on the territory of the former Yugoslavia - not
even under the flag of the United Nations - and we call
upon the other Balkan States to do likewise. "Restraint"
should be the key word for the Balkan region. Bulgaria
will continue to pursue a constructive and balanced policy
and will not take part in any one or other grouping of
Balkan countries. Thus it will maintain its stabilizing role
in the region.
Bulgaria subscribes to the view that in the current
circumstances it would not be appropriate to lift the arms
embargo against Bosnia and Herzegovina. This, in our
view, would make the conflict even more uncontrollable.
We welcome the adoption of Security Council
resolutions 941 (1994), 942 (1994) and 943 (1994), which
reflect in a balanced way the current developments in the
region. We hope that the easing of the sanctions against
Serbia and Montenegro will be followed by the adoption of
a responsible policy by the party concerned, thus leading to
further normalization of the situation in the region. We
appeal to the leadership of the Bosnian Serbs to accept the
proposed peace settlement and to act in accordance with the
norms of civilized behaviour.
The crisis in the former Yugoslavia is directly related
to yet another important problem - that of equitable burden-
sharing, not only in implementing the sanctions imposed by
the Security Council but also in overcoming their adverse
effect on the economies of third countries. The decision to
abide strictly by the sanctions has not been an easy one for
us. We joined in the sanctions against Serbia and
Montenegro - sanctions mandated by the United Nations -
in the conviction that they are one of the peaceful means by
which the international community can contribute to a
solution of the conflict. The sanctions have, however,
caused significant direct and indirect losses to my country.
On three occasions since 1991 - as a result of the sanctions
against Iraq, Libya, and Serbia and Montenegro - Bulgaria
has requested consultations with the Security Council
regarding its special economic problems. Let me point out
that the adverse effects of the sanctions have came at a
time of major economic transformation. They distort trade
seriously and hence have a significant negative impact on
the economy, affecting primarily the emerging private
sector.

At a time of reorientation of foreign trade within our
European integration policy, the implementation of the
sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
(Serbia and Montenegro) has cut off our normal trade
routes to European markets. The lack of adequate
alternative transport corridors makes our export activity
much less competitive and sometimes even impossible.
The sanctions are far from being the only source of
our problems and difficulties, but they definitely have a
considerable negative impact on the overall political,
economic, security and social situation in my country. I
would say that the burden of the sanctions exceeds the
point of reasonable economic and social tolerance in
Bulgaria, given the lack of adequate financial, economic
and trade assistance. Urgent measures are imperative to
overcome all those negative effects. Bulgaria would
welcome a more active involvement of international
institutions and the developed countries in, for example,
financing projects for improving the transport
infrastructure of the country as part of the alternative
road, railroad and communication links in Europe.
Another measure could be the provision of better market
access for Bulgarian goods and services. We also hope
that the sanctions Committee established under resolution
724 (1991) will give favourable and timely consideration
to the applications submitted by Bulgarian companies,
especially those for providing humanitarian aid to the
Bulgarian minority in eastern Serbia, whose situation is of
primary concern to us.
The United Nations has shown considerable
understanding of our difficulties and has given us moral
support. I would like to recall the adoption by consensus
of General Assembly resolution 48/210, initiated by
Bulgaria and sponsored by a number of countries. We
now look forward to constructive discussions on the
Secretary-General’s report on this resolution. This should
lead to the General Assembly’s adoption of further
recommendations for practical steps aimed at assisting
third countries in alleviating their special economic
problems.
Bulgaria is of the view that in the process of
restructuring the United Nations account should be taken
of the new political and economic realities of the world,
as well as the specific problems of countries in transition
to a market economy and of small States, while at the
same time observing the principles of international law
and equality set forth in the United Nations Charter.
The improvement of interaction between the General
Assembly, the Security Council and the
Secretary-General, as well as the restructuring of the
22

major United Nations bodies in the social and economic
sphere, will contribute to reinforcing the role of the United
Nations in the pursuit of the necessary balance between
preventive diplomacy, promotion of sustainable
development and protection of human rights.
Bulgaria is following with great interest the ongoing
discussion on the question of equitable representation on the
Security Council and increasing its membership while
preserving its effectiveness. Our country is ready to
participate actively in the search for consensus decisions.
We believe that the Security Council’s work would be
much more effective if, in the decision-making process on
regional issues, the positions of neighbouring countries and
States concerned, as well as those of the respective regional
organizations, were taken into consideration. This is
particularly important in cases where the Security Council
considers the imposition of economic sanctions. It would
be useful to prepare and examine in advance a complex
evaluation of the negative effects sanctions would have on
the economies of neighbouring countries.
There is also a need for greater transparency in the
activities of the sanctions Committees. We therefore
suggest that their meetings should be open to interested
States. The respective Chairmen could also conduct
briefings after each meeting to inform the States of the
decisions taken.
The States willing to provide contingents for
peace-keeping operations should also be involved in the
Security Council deliberations regarding these operations.
In addition, the recently established practice of holding
regular meetings of the heads of current operations, the
member States of the Security Council and representatives
of other interested States should be institutionalized,
especially in cases where the Security Council considers the
mandate, composition and nationality of the contingents
involved in a particular peace-keeping operation.
Bulgaria supports the efforts of the international
community aimed at preventing the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and at their elimination. At
the forthcoming Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT) review and extension conference, we will
advocate an indefinite and unconditional extension of the
Treaty. We are also happy to announce that this year
Bulgaria ratified the 1993 Convention on the Prohibition of
the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of
Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction. The
Republic of Bulgaria will continue to support regional and
global initiatives on conventional disarmament and arms
control.
In today’s world, peace and security, democracy and
sustainable development are inseparable. We therefore
support the strengthening of the United Nations role in
the social and economic field.
The further liberalization of world trade is an
important factor in development. The successful
conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade
negotiations provides favourable prospects for wide
liberalization and stable growth of world trade. The
World Trade Organization will be of paramount
importance for the efficient functioning of the global trade
system for the benefit of all countries. We expect that
Bulgaria will be able to finalize its negotiations on
accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT), including the results of the Uruguay Round,
within a time-frame that will allow us to become a charter
member of the World Trade Organization.
Bulgaria is interested in taking all possible measures
aimed at achieving economic stability through sustainable
development. Regional cooperation has a considerable
role in this regard. We hope that the Conference of
Ministers of the Environment of the European countries,
which is to take place in 1995 in Sofia, will contribute to
reinforcing the positive trends in the solution of regional
environmental problems.
The promotion and protection of human rights and
cooperation in the humanitarian field has an especially
important place in Bulgaria’s domestic and foreign policy.
We support the strengthening and promotion of the
United Nations monitoring mechanisms in the field of
human rights, the establishment of the post of United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the
increased public awareness regarding human rights in all
parts of the world and the activities of the
non-governmental organizations. The World Summit on
Social Development in Copenhagen and the Fourth World
Conference on Women in Beijing are expected to give a
major impetus to the development and protection of
human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Next year we will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary
of the United Nations. We await it with a sense of
responsibility and hope. I am confident that the efforts of
the international community to build a new world security
23

system based on the effective maintenance of world peace
and stability, respect for human rights and promotion of the
market-economy principles and of universal democratic
values will dominate the future of the world Organization.
Bulgaria is prepared to contribute to the achievement of
these goals.