My delegation was very much moved by the sad news, which we heard a short time ago from the Secretary-General, of the loss to humanity in the death of Paul Hoffman. It is a loss to science, technology and experience. Mr. Hoffman, with his unrivaled knowledge, his keen interest in humanity, his zeal in the service of mankind and for the acceleration of the development of the developing countries, was an example to all. To his wife and family, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the United States delegation we express our condolences.
214.	Mr. Hassan Makki, our Deputy Premier and the head of our delegation, has been unable to be here in time and I have been entrusted with the reading of the text of the statement of the delegation of the Yemen Arab Republic on his behalf.
215.	Mr. President, I should like to offer you our warmest congratulations on your unanimous election to preside over this session of the General Assembly. Your unique personality, your wide knowledge, your great experience and your successful and sustained struggle for liberty and development were and will remain the motives that led the international community to entrust you with that important duty. If our sister Republic of Algeria is rightly proud of you it is because you represent also the, noble continent of Africa, that vigorous continent which looks forward to a better future and which is trying to take its proper place in the world community, thanks to its successful struggle to eliminate colonialism and repugnant and condemned racial concepts. We reaffirm that our delegation will do its utmost to co-operate with you in the successful fulfillment of the great task which you are now undertaking.
216.	Our unreserved faith in the Charter of the United Nations and our unconditional support for the principles on which this world Organization is based reaffirm our trust in the choice of yourself to occupy your high post and express the conviction of the international community regarding the great role which is being played by the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria in the field of international cooperation and In the restructuring of world, international and economic relations on a just and democratic basis.
217.	My delegation would like to pay tribute on this occasion to the President of the previous session of the General Assembly, Mr. Leopoldo Benites, who in his presidency combined prudence and ability.
218.	My delegation would also like to welcome and express its warmest congratulations to the Republic of Bangladesh, to Grenada and to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on their admission to membership in the United Nations.
219.	I am very pleased to inform the General Assembly about developments in modern Yemen, which is trying strenuously to emerge from the era of isolationism and underdevelopment, an era in which it was deprived of the benefits of modern civilization, science and technology.
220.	Two weeks ago Yemen celebrated its national day. Thanks to our victories over underdevelopment, reaction and stagnation, we are now harvesting all our potentialities and resources and moving forward in great strides towards a better and more promising future that will restore to this Arab State its ancient glories that were described by the world of the time in terms of the wealth of Saba and Arabia Felix. We have opened wide the doors of Yemen to all that is useful, so that we may take advantage of, and bring to our country and to our sons, the blessings of knowledge and development and all that can lead us to prosperity, while adhering fully to our moral principles and religious precepts. For this reason, we have drawn from modern concepts provisions for the latest type of democratic institutions and progressive constitutions that are in keeping with our religion and faith and our traditions, which are based on consultation and justice. We are now applying the best administrative system that can ensure the attainment of our ideal objectives.
221.	In the field of education, we have built and are building hundreds of schools and institutes in order completely to wipe out ignorance and illiteracy, and we have established a young and ambitious university. We have sent out missions to our sister countries and to other friendly countries in order for them to learn as much as they can, in collaboration with UNESCO, in their particular fields of specialization.
222.	In the field of public health, we have built and are building hospitals and clinics. We are recruiting our own doctors and all doctors coming to our country from our sister countries. In this area we are cooperating with WHO to the extent that we can, with a view to eradicating epidemics and disease.
223.	In the field of social affairs and labor, we have established a special ministry and enacted modern laws for the purpose of developing our society and ensuring social justice in its highest concepts. In this area we are co-operating with the ILO.
224.	Also in the field of labor, for purposes of ensuring communication in all its forms, we have built many roads. Strenuously and indefatigably, we are completing a vast, country-wide network of roads that will link the coast with the hinterland, passing through very lofty mountains exceeding 3,000 meters in altitude, connecting the cities with each' other, on the one hand, and with the countryside on the other. We have also built a modern port on the Red Sea and are engaged in building two other ports. Through telecommunications, we have connected Yemen with the whole world: by telephone and telex and with modern airports and international airlines. In collaboration with ITU, we have built a network that can be considered among the most modern.
225.	In order to develop agriculture and our country is, first and foremost, an agricultural one, cultivating a variety of crops in different areas we have created modern farms and are trying to improve irrigation by both surface and underground water. In this field we are collaborating with FAO.
226.	We are also working in other fields of activity, seriously and arduously, with the aim of ridding ourselves as rapidly as possible of the heritage of underdevelopment by advancing along the road to development and growth, in order to guarantee a dignified life to the 8 million people of our country. I wish to take this occasion to thank our sister countries and the other friendly countries that have extended their assistance to us in generous fashion and with no strings attached.
227.	After a period of stagnation, our co-operation with the technical agencies and various bodies of the United Nations and the international financial institutions has grown, and every year witnesses an increased understanding of the needs of Yemen on the part of these important agencies. This increase in their understanding results in an increase in the credit that can be extended to our country, thus assisting us greatly along the path of growth and development. Yemen also is thankful for the assistance that is being extended to it by UNDP and by other financial institutions that have provided us with assistance.
228.	We all know very well that the object of including the name of Yemen among the 25 developing States is to implement all the resolutions adopted by the international community with a view to pushing forward this group of nations as quickly as possible; and we are sure that the assistance of our friends and the help of the international community will fail in reaching that objective unless we, the peoples and Governments, work hard and exploit all our resources, as we are now indefatigably engaged in doing. We also believe that the inclusion of our country's name in the list of the 25 developing countries is an additional incentive for us to step up our goal of development. We have learned from our own experience and from that of others in positions similar to ours that the development of our economy merits all our care and understanding and an open mind.
229.	There have been developed some limited industrial and economic enterprises that could be successfully undertaken by government. The other enterprises, however, need capital, initiative, experience, expertise and personal effort, and for that reason my Government has enacted the most liberal laws for the purpose of encouraging investment on the part of both national and foreign capital with a view to bringing about a renaissance that will provide prosperity for the country and an honest and dignified living for the increasing numbers of our ambitious youth.
230.	We have recently signed two agreements for investment in, and prospecting for, oil off our shores, and we sincerely hope that this economic co-operation will succeed, so that we can dedicate all the income and revenue from this valuable resource to raising the standard of living of our people and developing our country.
231.	Together with our brothers in the southern part of Yemen, we look forward with great hope to the happy day when the total and natural unification of Yemen, within its historic boundaries, which is the ambition of every Yemeni, can be achieved, so that the Yemeni people as one can fulfill its ambitions and aspirations for development, prosperity and happiness, thanks to the historic unity long cherished by all the people.
232.	Permit me to turn, particularly on the occasion of the mention of oil, to the position of Yemen regarding all the problems and questions which have been referred by the Organization to its Economic and Social Council.
233.	Ir. this Hall the President of the United States dealt with the question of energy and food all over the world. While my delegation shares the United States President's concern about energy and food, I would draw attention to the fact that oil and gas are limited in quantity and are not renewable. For this reason it is the duty of all humanity to do its best to economize and cut down on its consumption of this resource, so that mankind will not soon be deprived of it; and this particularly as oil not only can be used as energy but also, as a raw material, has thousands of derivatives that can benefit mankind, in the form of medicines and other things.
234.	Every scarce non-renewable resource that is of benefit to all must be the concern of all people and they must fix its price in relation to its scarcity, its importance and its value. However, as there are a number of developing States still in need of oil to help them to ensure the quick pace of their development, it has become necessary to help those developing countries facing oil shortages to acquire oil at reasonable prices. This can be achieved through assistance in kind or. by other practical steps which the oil-producing countries are taking now, and for which we thank them. We heard evidence of that a few moments ago from the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
235.	As for food and the vital need for it and the fears resulting from the decrease in food production, I can say that the Preparatory Committee of the World Food Conference has paved the way for holding the Conference this November in Rome in order to deal with this vital question. The Conference may reach practical solutions, such as the establishment of special funds to finance the increase of crops, to facilitate the acquisition of fertilizers at reasonable prices and to supply high-quality seed and other practical measures. My delegation also shares the views expressed on this question by the Foreign Minister of our sister Republic of Kuwait, Mr. Al-Sabah [2249th meeting], regarding the agricultural policy followed by some developed countries which give financial subventions to farmers in return for which they refrain from cultivating large tracts of land, in order to ensure a decrease in food production and a considerable rise in prices. It is worth mentioning that the present corrective change in the price of oil is not the reason for the rise in the prices of foodstuffs and other goods. That has been substantiated by the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom himself in his address before the General Assembly, when he said that "the unprecedented world-wide economic boom of recent years led to higher commodity prices prior to the recent increases in world oil prices". [2240th meeting, para. 219.]
236.	The international community has witnessed during the past nine months that is, since the twenty- eighth session of the General Assembly many events and developments which have given proof of the effective role played by the international Organization in developing international relations and have revealed the growing strength of the non-aligned movement and the new positions gained by this movement along the path taken by the developing countries in reaffirming their political independence and national sovereignty over their natural resources.
237.	The initiative of President Houari Boumediene of Algeria that led to the holding of a special session of the General Assembly to discuss raw materials and development was a true indication of the readiness of the third world countries and their seriousness in assuming historic responsibilities for development, on the one hand, and on the other, in reasserting their independence and their true desire to establish a serious dialog with the industrialized countries on a basis of equality in order to discuss the serious defect in the international economic and monetary system.
238.	Here I must refer to the continued monopoly by a few States of the resources of the sea. We hope that the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea held at Caracas, which dealt with this problem in a practical and realistic manner, will reach at its forthcoming session in March an agreement that will ensure an equitable and just distribution of the tremendous resources of the sea, so that the developing countries, which have been deprived in the past of justice in that distribution, will have a share commensurate with their needs.
239.	We also hope that the eminent personalities of this world will accept the principle of respect for the sovereignty of all States over their territorial waters, including islands and straits, because it is inconceivable and not in the interest of world peace that the fleets of big naval Powers should continue roving the seas of the world without observing or respecting the sovereignty of the small States. In particular those States feel pain when they see the fleets of those Powers approaching their coasts carrying the most lethal weapons of destruction and devastation, including horrendous atomic weapons. We also hope that the seas, including the Indian Ocean, will become zones of peace and security and not zones for dangerous military rivalry. We sincerely hope on this occasion that the Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean, of which Yemen has the honor to be a member, would arrive at proposals that would lead to avoiding this continued military rivalry between the big Powers in this part of the world whose importance is growing as a result of the growing importance of oil along its shores.
240.	After having reviewed recent problems and their positive and negative impact on international relations, we would put on record here the viewpoint of my delegation and the view of my country towards some questions which are before the General Assembly.
241.	The problem of colonialism and foreign occupation remains a factor which causes anguish for humanity's conscience and which hinders the progress of peoples, who have been the victims of the crimes of colonization, towards liberty, independence and prosperity. Depriving more than 20 million people of their inalienable right to live free on their own soil and to take part in building a prosperous society, in which justice prevails, runs counter to the spirit of the modern age and is not in keeping with the great developments that have been achieved by twentieth-century man.
242.	It is to be regretted that colonialism and the colonization of Sakiet El Hamra and Rio de Oro, of the African Arab Sahara, which is erroneously called "Spanish Sahara", has not ended. My delegation would denounce the continued colonization of the Arab land and finds it necessary that Spain and the international community should take the necessary steps to end this anomalous situation at this late stage of decolonization. The international community should not accept any measures which would ensure the perpetuation of domination or colonization, whether overtly or covertly. For this reason we support totally the moderate and prudent step which has been taken to place the case of this African-Arab territory before the International Court of Justice as a measure to put an end to colonization in all its forms.
243.	Although we welcome the spirit of realism shown by the new regime in Portugal and its pragmatic stand on the question of some colonies in Africa, we would appeal to them to end all colonial regimes in all parts of Africa which are still under Portuguese domination, particularly in Angola, by granting it, without delay, its legitimate right to self-determination and independence. What we have heard from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal enhances our optimism and our hope.
244.	The cause of liberty and decolonization in Africa has not come to an end. Namibia is still groaning under the yoke of oppression and barbarism practiced by the racist regime of South Africa. Despite the world's appeals which have been addressed by the United Nations to the minority regime in Johannesburg the intransigence of this minority racist regime and its slighting of world opinion remain unchanged. We have reached the point of no return at which it is useless and futile to issue further resolutions and appeals. In the face of this situation it is the duty of the United Nations, with all its 138 Member States, to take drastic action which would ensure the compliance of South Africa with the resolutions of the General Assembly. We stress the responsibility of Member States to respect and observe their obligations and implement the resolutions on embargoes adopted by the United Nations.
245.	The problem of Southern Rhodesia reflects a particular situation which is identical with what had taken place in occupied Palestine. In both cases, British colonialism had given foreign adventurers and terrorists the opportunity to occupy the two countries and, by encouraging them, to impose their domination over the indigenous peoples of those countries through terrorism and slaughter. We all remember how Great Britain withdrew from Palestine and abdicated its responsibilities as a mandatory Authority. It repeated the same operation in Southern Rhodesia, neglecting its international obligations towards the League of Nations and then towards the United Nations.
246.	The bloody events which have taken place on the island of Cyprus since 15 July last and the regrettable developments which have taken place after the military coup that overthrew the constitutional Government headed by Archbishop Makarios is one of the dangerous negative points in international relationships, Though we do not want to dwell on this problem in detail, we would strongly support the resolutions adopted by the Security Council. We also reaffirm our special concern for and strong awareness of the territorial integrity of the island and the independence of the Republic of Cyprus and its position as a distinguished State among the non-aligned countries.
247.	The world as a whole will not rest until racial discrimination and apartheid as practiced in southern Africa and Rhodesia are completely eradicated. My Government would support all resolutions and measures adopted with a view to ending apartheid and racial or ideological discrimination. How could a man, or a thinker, or an institution, or any Government condemn colonialism and the flouting of people's rights and racial discrimination, without mentioning the noble Palestinian people and their sad fate, and without welcoming the most recent resolution adopted by the United Nations, which has duly recognized this basic and important problem of the world by deciding to deal with it for the first time after a great many years of neglect.
248.	Here in the General Assembly Hall the Palestinian problem will be dealt with. Is the world entitled to continue to remain silent before the oppression and tyranny practiced against an entire people, exceeding three and a half million in number, of sons of Palestine? This Holy Land was chosen by God to be a place of peace and tolerance and not to be a place of tyranny, oppression and injustice. We are sure that the historians of the United Nations will consider this session to be one of the most important sessions ever held by the Organization and that they will call it the session which reinforced the basic rights of the Palestinian people.
249.	Everyone engaged in politics all over the world is now convinced that the noble people of Palestine is worthy of all care and appreciation because this heroic struggling people has proved without doubt and very clearly its genuineness and resolute determination to recover its legitimate rights with unprecedented courage. It has faced and is now facing challenges resolutely and with faith, a fact which has compelled the whole world to admire this people which has risen to its historical responsibilities and has proved its ability to shoulder the heavy burden which has been thrown on its shoulders very recently by the failure of the world community to recognize its basic legitimate rights and the continued injustices of the aggressor. Everybody shares our certainty that there can be no solution to the problem of the Middle East before the Palestinian people has recovered its inalienable and legitimate rights and any sustained neglect of those sacred rights will inevitably result in the further deterioration of the situation in the whole area, a fact which would endanger the whole world.
250.	How can what is called the "Middle East problem" be resolved completely and radically unless a solution is found first to the problem of the Palestinian people whose rights have been denied and who has been expelled from its homeland and has been under the rule of a foreign invader? It is now high time that the world should come to its senses and deal with the cause of the disease, and not be content to avoid its complications and extend its symptoms. For this reason, my Government warmly welcomes the sensible resolution adopted by the United Nations to deal with the Palestinian problem within the proper context and with due care, that is to say, in the General Assembly, and gives the representatives of this noble Palestinian people every chance to explain its cause, to defend it and to put forward practical solutions for it. The bitter experience through which this people has passed has taught it how to contain and deal with the cause of the tragedy facing it, how to defend its legitimate rights and to abide by the concepts and democratic and human principles which have been voiced by it on all occasions.
251.	We are sure that the international community which knows what Zionism is and which fully realizes its dangers, and knows who the Palestinian people is and what are its rights, will listen to the explanations of the Palestinian delegation from this rostrum and will support that delegation as it has done so far in all the various political and non-political conferences and meetings whether held within the United Nations or outside it.
252.	My delegation expects the United Nations to abide by the provisions of its Charter, that is to say, to give the Palestinian people its full untrammeled right to return to its fatherland and to restore to the whole people, regardless of whether they return to their fatherland or not, the right to practice sovereignty and full and immediate independence.
253.	I reaffirm that my Government has unshakable faith in the fact that unless this people is restored to its rights and unless it is given the right to sovereignty and independence in its fatherland, there will never be any lasting peace in the Middle East, and the world's conscience will never be at rest because of the continuation of this tragedy. That is why we call for its radical solution on a just basis. If that is not done the whole area will be engulfed in a destructive war which, in turn, may become a world calamity.


: It is for me a great honor and privilege to address this Assembly in my capacity both as current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity [OA U] and as head of State of the Somali Democratic Republic. It is a happy coincidence for me also to see this historic session of the General Assembly presided over by a great statesman and an outstanding son of Africa, Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
65.	I take this opportunity to extend to you, Mr. President, our warm congratulations on your accession to the important office of President of the twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly. Our satisfaction at your election to this high office arises first of all from the confidence we have in you because of the qualities of statesmanship you have so brilliantly demonstrated in the course of your long and distinguished career in international politics. It stems also from the close political and cultural ties that bind our two sister countries, both of which are members of OAU, the Arab League and the group of non-aligned States.
66.	My sincere congratulations go also to Mr. Leopoldo Benites, whose illustrious and wise chairmanship guided us all so ably in the United Nations during the momentous period of the twenty-eighth session and the sixth special session of the General Assembly held in April 1974.
67.	It is always a pleasant task to welcome newly independent countries to membership of the United Nations, and we are happy to extend our congratulations to Bangladesh, Grenada and Guinea-Bissau on their admission to membership of the Organization. In acquiring these new Members the United Nations has been brought closer to its goal of universality, and it will undoubtedly be strengthened by the additional contributions that will be made to its work for peace, justice and progress.
68.	The ideals which brought OAU into being and which have sustained its vigorous life and growth are those cherished ideals which inspired the Charter of the United Nations. Faithful to those lofty principles, OAU seeks to complement rather than supplant the efforts of, the United Nations to produce an atmosphere of justice, freedom and progress for all mankind. The close co-operation between the two bodies should be intensified even more in the coming years to solve the vexing problems of our times and especially those which concern the twin scourges of racial and colonial domination and economic underdevelopment.
69.	With OAU, as with the United Nations, achievements sometimes fall short of goals. But in working to promote peace and progress on the African continent through political, economic and social cooperation on the basis of African solidarity, and in using non-alignment as the governing principle of its external relations, OAU contributes to the consolidation of international peace and security and the development of co-operation among States.
70.	The evil forces of colonialism and racism still remain the most pressing problems facing both OAU and the United Nations. The struggle against colonialism and racial discrimination in southern Africa and elsewhere has long presented a challenge to all men of good will. The major initiatives taken by the African Members of the United Nations in keeping these issues before the conscience of the world have been an important factor in establishing their prominence in international affairs. But the campaign against colonialism and racial discrimination is a world responsibility, not just an African responsibility, for the evils which the campaign seeks to eliminate run counter to the basic principles of the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
71.	The dramatic developments in the situation in southern Africa brought about by the change of Government in Portugal should elicit the support and sympathy of the world community. These developments have opened the way for extensive progress to be made towards the fulfillment of the long-standing goals of the world Organization in its pursuit of peace, justice and freedom.
72.	The leaders of the new Portuguese regime are to be congratulated on realizing the futility of a colonial war. In recognizing the sovereignty of Guinea-Bissau and promising full and orderly independence for Mozambique in June 1975, and in declaring its commitment soon to grant independence to Angola, Sao Tome and Principe and the Cape Verde Islands, the Portuguese Government has shown political vision and wisdom. It is a matter of great pride for Africa and for the United Nations, which has done much to further the cause of freedom and justice that Guinea-Bissau is amongst us today as a sovereign State. In reality, Portugal has not given away anything it had not already lost, but that does not lessen its credit for averting further bloodshed.
73.	While Africa will reciprocate the good will of the new regime in Portugal by ending decades of diplomatic isolation and centuries of African resentment towards that country, yet we are watching anxiously and with the utmost vigilance the pace of progress towards independence for all the Portuguese colonies in Africa. Thus, our degree of appreciation for Portugal will depend on how far it fulfills its solemn obligations and undertakings in implementing its policy of independence for the remaining African Territories under its control, namely, Angola, the Cape Verde Islands, Sao Tome and Principe. The Assembly is aware of the fact that there are reactionary forces that may try to obstruct and sabotage the progress of emancipation for the African peoples concerned.
74.	In addition, during the crucial period following their independence, the new African States emerging from colonial rule will require material, technical and even military assistance to consolidate their hard-won independence and to promote their economic development and national reconstruction. The United Nations with its special committees on decolonization, apartheid and Namibia should, in co-operation with OAU, prepare a comprehensive plan which will take into account all foreseeable requirements and eventualities. We feel strongly that only thus can we safeguard the newly emerging independent African States and provide them with an opportunity to consolidate their independence and national development.
75.	Having given that solemn warning against undue complacency which might tempt hostile forces to reverse the policy of mutual understanding and co-operation now unfolding in Afro-Portuguese relations, I should like to state for the record, on behalf of OAU, that Africa is ready to extend friendship and co-opera-tion to Portugal and its people. They should have no fear for the safety of their people, property and interests in liberated Africa. It is not in the nature of the Africans to be vindictive. Africa has amply demonstrated to the world that its former colonialists can live in peace and prosperity as long as they are willing to abide by the laws of the country in which they reside. The Portuguese are no exception, and we are confident that they will have greater peace in liberated Africa than they had in Africa under Portuguese colonial domination. We Africans have suffered for centuries from discrimination on grounds of racialism and so we are ever on guard against inverse racialism.
76.	The current events in Africa have demonstrated beyond doubt the effectiveness of the armed struggle waged by African liberation movements against colonial and racist domination. When the colonialists and racists rejected our pleas and peaceful gestures, as put forth in the Lusaka Manifesto, Africa realized that armed struggle was the only avenue open to subjected African peoples to liberate themselves from colonial bondage and racist domination. It was in this spirit that the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU held at Rabat in 1972 endorsed the historic Mogadiscio Declaration.
77.	The present developments in Africa have illustrated also the importance and effectiveness of the United Nations campaign against colonialism and racial discrimination. That campaign elicited from the world community a great deal of moral and material support for the liberation movements, which were given the means and the courage to continue their struggle in the knowledge that they did not stand alone. In this connexion, we would like to express our profound thanks and deep appreciation to the socialist and Scandinavian countries and the countries of the third world for their constructive attitude and support to the cause of African liberation.
78.	The Organization of African Unity can take particular pride in the part its members played in working for United Nations recognition of the legitimacy of the liberation struggle and in making the organization a source of and channel for aid.
79.	It is to be hoped that those lessons are now understood by those who have tended to underrate the effectiveness of the liberation movements, to discredit the international campaign and to question the value of the allegedly unenforceable resolutions of the United Nations. Those lessons should be taken to heart, particularly by the racist minority regimes which continue to operate in the remaining pockets of colonial and racist domination and which are even now attempting to undermine the progress attained in the decolonization process.
80.	The momentum of these times must be used to press home a campaign that will complete the process of decolonization and to end the dehumanizing policies of apartheid. The United Nations must continue to expose South Africa's main trading partners, to condemn the violators of sanctions against Southern Rhodesia, and to identify those Governments and corporations whose activities in Namibia are in direct contravention of the findings of the International Court of Justice and the provisions of relevant resolutions of the United Nations.
81.	There is no question about the extent and urgency of the task that still remains to be completed in southern Africa. In the case of Zimbabwe, the genuine political representatives of the people are either in prison, in exile or muzzled by the tyrannical regime which is steadily increasing the pace of its application of apartheid policies and yet successive British Governments, whatever their political coloring, have not recognized their political, legal and moral obligation to use all means, including the threat or use of force, to end the tragedy that is unfolding in Southern Rhodesia.
82.	The grave escalation of repressive measures against the people of Namibia must be of particular concern to the United Nations because of its special responsibility for that Territory. Here is another area where there must be an intensification of aid to the liberation movements which represent the oppressed people of Namibia, and a universal campaign should be launched to inform international public opinion on this question. In this regard, attention must be directed to those financial and other interests which recognize and support South Africa's illegal administration over the Territory in order to exploit the Territory's natural resources.
83.	We feel that the time has come for more drastic and concrete action to be taken by this world body against the racist regimes of Pretoria and Salisbury. The presence of the South African regime in the Organization is unjustified, and indeed a liability to this world body. It is gratifying to learn that the Credentials Committee at the present session has taken a historic decision in rejecting the credentials of this regime. That decision reflects the state of high political maturity reached by the Members of the Organization, and we trust that the Security Council will accept it as reflecting the general consensus of this Assembly. I therefore appeal to the Member States to support the call for the expulsion of the racist regime of South Africa. This is the only meaningful step which can be taken in view of the chronic refusal on the part of the South African regime to comply with the rulings of the United Nations. This step should be followed up by economic sanctions and by the tightening up of the arms embargo.
84.	We call especially upon the Western Powers to use their decisive influence to induce the racist regimes of Salisbury and Pretoria to accept the implementation of the just resolutions of the United Nations. We feel sure that without the material and economic assistance of those Western Powers the racist regimes of southern Africa would soon be brought to reason.
85.	I take the opportunity to mention other countries that are also being denied their right to freedom and self-determination, namely, Spanish Sahara, Seychelles and French Somaliland. These Territories are retained by the big colonial Powers primarily because of their economic, commercial and strategic value. Both OAU and the United Nations have long pressed for the complete and unconditional independence of those Territories. It is the earnest hope of OAU that the Assembly at its present session will intensify its pressure so as to attain self-determination for these peoples.
86.	Before concluding my remarks on the African liberation struggle, let me also say a few words about those other parts of the third world suffering from imperial domination. The cause of the progressive forces in the pursuit of justice and freedom and their struggle against the evil forces of imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism is a reflection of con-temporary world developments. The trend of world events demonstrates that the struggle of people for independence represents an irresistible force which can never be stopped or weakened. We are observing with admiration the many successes scored by the liberation movements and progressive forces in different parts of the world in their efforts to secure their freedom and human dignity. It is incumbent upon the Organization to support a" subjected peoples in the attainment of their just cause and the fulfillment of their human aspirations.
87.	In this connexion, we call for withdrawal of all foreign troops from Korea, Viet Nam and Cambodia, and we demand that the people in these Territories be allowed to shape their own political future without any foreign intervention or external pressure. The right to self-determination and the fundamental principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of States, both enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, should be strictly observed and given full expression in our inter-State relations.
88.	Another vital issue of immediate concern to us is the Middle East crisis. The Middle East situation is of particular importance to OAU, since it involves the Arab Republic of Egypt, a founding member of that Organization. The OAU has spared no efforts to reason with the Israeli authorities in the hope that they would change their callous negative attitude and comply with the relevant United Nations resolutions calling upon Israel to evacuate the Arab lands it is illegally occupying and to restore the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine. But Israel chose to turn a deaf ear to our appeals, and consequently almost all the OAU Member States have severed diplomatic relations with Israel. With the blessing of some Powers, that country continues to persist with impunity in its defiance of universal public opinion and international morality.
89.	The disengagement of Arab and Israeli forces on the Egyptian and Syrian fronts is no cause for complacency. The situation in the Middle East will continue to be dangerously explosive so long as Israel remains in illegal occupation of Arab territory and so long as the rights of the Palestinian people are ignored and so long as Jerusalem remains in Israeli hands.
90.	The illegality of Israel's occupation of Arab territory is compounded by its active promotion of permanent Israeli settlements on the Golan Heights, the West Bank of the Jordan, in the Gaza Strip and the Sinai peninsula. In a policy of open expansionism, more settlements of Israelis have been established on occupied Arab territory since 1967 than in Israel itself. Israel has also made no secret of its intention to annex Jerusalem and to alter the demographic and Arab character of the City.
91.	But that is not the end of these tragic developments. Israel continues to commit acts of aggression against the neighboring independent Arab States. The frequent military incursions into Lebanese territory, in violation of that country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon's civilian population illustrate how far the Israelis are prepared to go beyond the rule of international law and beyond the norms of civilized behavior between States.
92.	By acknowledging the Palestinian issue as a separate item on the agenda of this session, we are putting the Middle East conflict in its true perspective, and this reflects the mature development of the world body in coming to grips with the heart of the matter. The suffering and injustice inflicted on the people of Palestine for more than a quarter of a century is a tale of woe that defies any description. If there could ever be a crime against humanity in the same league as nazism and apartheid, it is this. What is even more tragic and depressing is that the principal perpetrators of this serious crime happen to be the very people who were themselves the victims of nazism.
93.	The Organization of African Unity recognized long ago that the issue of the Palestinian people is a matter meriting special emphasis, and that is why the Palestine Liberation Organization was given observer status in that Organization.
94.	Confronted by this problem, with all its implications for the countries of the area, we can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand like ostriches. We should recognize the inevitability, indeed the desirability, of a Palestinian State; and once that is accepted in principle by all concerned, including the world Organization, then and only then can we hope to be on the threshold of peace in the area.
95.	The solidarity of African States in support of the Arab cause has always been, and continues to be, solely a matter of principle. It constitutes a clear testimony to the determination of member States of OAU to support peoples fighting for their land, their freedom and their dignity, to support a member of the regional organization whose territory continues under military occupation and to support a cardinal principle of international peace and security.
96.	The recent October war in the Middle East not only brought victory to the heroic Arab peoples, particularly those of Egypt and Syria, but also confirmed the bonds of friendship and solidarity between African and Arab peoples in their just struggle against imperialism, racism and zionism. The basis of Afro-Arab co-operation lies in the pursuit of common objectives by the African and Arab peoples in their commitment to achieve the total liberation of their territories and to speed up their economic development. The bonds between the two peoples have always remained firm and unshakable. Africa and the Arab world have been and are linked by similar experiences; they are committed to the same ideals and principles and are facing a common enemy in their struggle for freedom, peace and justice. There is a special relationship between OAU and the League of Arab States both of which have common aims and principles. It is important to stress here that the two organizations are complementary to the United Nations and that they are firmly committed to the furtherance of the principles of international peace and co-operation set out in the Charter of the United Nations.
97.	The tragic events in Cyprus are yet another major concern to the United Nations. It is significant that we should address ourselves here to the fundamental issues regarding the present crisis in Cyprus. In this connexion, we feel that all the parties concerned should meet under the auspices of the United Nations with a view to seeking ways and means towards an appropriate settlement. To restore peace and stability in the island, we should ensure that the Cypriot people are allowed to determine their own political future.
98.	Regarding the international climate, we are satisfied with the efforts of the Soviet Union and the United States of America to reduce tension and eliminate sources of conflict in the interest of world peace and security. We have been following with interest the major steps taken by the two big Powers to lessen the threat of cold war and to normalize relations as a contribution to peace and co-operation. We also noted with appreciation the recent dramatic events in the international situation, notably China's recovery of its rights within the United Nations, the acceptance of
East and West Germany as full Members of the United Nations, the East/West summit meetings, and the convening of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
99.	While we welcome the progress that has been made towards East/West detente, we are also shocked by the tragic developments occurring in many parts of the world. It is significant to point out here that the accomplishment of peace within the industrialized world alone does not necessarily mean world peace.
100.	I am sure that the Assembly is fully informed about the serious developments in the Indian Ocean where strategic naval bases of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have been established. This is a direct threat to the peace and security of Africa and particularly of those countries adjacent to the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean should remain as it was in the past, a zone of peace, free from any big-Power confrontations. We therefore call upon all Powers that have strategic bases in the Indian Ocean and elsewhere to dismantle those bases immediately in the interest of world peace and security.
101.	Speaking on the role and the functioning of the United Nations, it is important to emphasize the need to review the basic structures and institutions set out in the Charter. The United Nations cannot continue as a static Organization. It is imperative that we assess its current structural weaknesses and suggest remedial measures. The scope of its powers should be widened, some of its basic organs should be made more representative and, above all, it must be vested with more effective authority to satisfy the demands and aspirations of mankind. The role of the Organization in its quest for peace and progress calls for a new approach as well as firm dedication in dealing with pressing international problems. What we urgently need is a genuine world body vested with the powers and authority required for the realization of its declared aims and objectives.
102.	In this connexion, the big Powers have a major part to play. Instead of acting individually or unilaterally in their peace efforts, it would be more desirable if they supported and co-operated with the United Nations in its peace-keeping operations. This would be a major contribution to a more effective discharge of its functions by the Organization.
103.	Despite its legal and practical limitations, the United Nations has on many occasions demonstrated its capacity to deal with major international issues. As an experiment in universal co-operation among nations, its capabilities and potentialities for world peace cannot be underestimated. It is our only hope for survival in our time. I am confident, therefore, that it will continue to be a major source for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind.
104.	I should like now to say a few words on some of the major economic and social problems that are facing not only the African countries but also most of the developing countries.
105.	The important and historic resolutions adopted by the Assembly during the sixth special session on raw materials and development, convened on the initiative of President Houari Boumediene of Algeria, provided an equitable basis for future international economic co-operation. We have high hopes that those resolutions will be fully implemented.
106.	The road to social transformation is long and arduous and the constraints to real development have both internal and external dimensions. Developing countries are fully prepared to tackle their own internal problems. The situation is, however, made all the more difficult and complicated by the volatile nature of certain factors outside the control of the developing countries. These are international trade, inflation, monetary crises, the insensitivity of the world's richest countries to the problems of the poor and, above all, aggression and insecurity. The world's consciousness of these problems has been heightened and the developing countries are completely aware of the causes of their plight. This is a great achievement. Once the true diagnosis is made, the most effective remedy can be prescribed.
107.	Economic and social transformation of developing countries is the responsibility of those countries themselves. That responsibility cannot be delegated. Transfer of resources from developed countries to developing countries can only supplement domestic effort; it cannot supplant it. Only through self-reliance and complete commitment to economic and social transformation can developing countries be the masters of their destiny. It is imperative that agriculture, industry and human development be given top priority in consolidating national economies and in striving to abolish complete dependence on developed countries for markets, technology and manpower.
108.	The unfavorable economic position of the developing countries is the result of the inequitable position in which they have been placed by the capitalist international division of labor.
109.	The developing countries are raw material producers whose prices in the world market have been declining in relation to those of the more sophisticated manufactured and processed goods. Even with today's unprecedented rise in prices for all commodities, the relative increase in raw-material prices in general is far less than the rise for manufactured goods, and consequently the terms of trade of developing countries have deteriorated even further.
110.	The situation is untenable, and in the absence of an international mechanism to solve the problem, it can be redressed only through concerted action on the part of the developing countries. It is only logical that developing countries should form producers' associations and exert pressure jointly for fair returns on their real resources, so that they may achieve equality in international and economic relations among nations.
111.	In establishing a new international order, the method by which the transfer of resources is affected, and its magnitude, should be changed in conformity with the real needs of developing countries. Developed countries have both a moral obligation and a self- interest in participating in the development of developing countries. In order that such participation may be meaningful, the transfer of resources has to be adequate in volume, reliable in supply, and soft in terms and conditions. Aid must be free from military alliance and be completely united to purchases from the donor countries. It is also appropriate to ensure more transfer of resources to areas where needs are felt most acutely. I have in mind here the least developed among the developing countries, and the areas that have been hard hit by natural catastrophes, especially the Sahel, some of the east African countries, Bangladesh and Honduras.
112.	Another major problem is inflation. It is a phenomenon which has arisen entirely in developed capitalist countries and has been transmitted to the developing countries. The dominance of the multi-national companies, their struggle for markets, raw materials and investment opportunities in developing countries, and the high degree of militarism aimed at stifling national independence and social revolution in the third world, have introduced a world-wide inflationary pressure that is robbing developing countries of their real resources. The so-called oil crisis has been projected as the cause of world inflation. This is a calculated move to divide developing countries and to negate their new gains. If the fundamentals are to be tackled, it is imperative that we direct our attention more to the major capitalist exploitations, especially the enormous profits of oil companies; to the introduction of a more equitable division of labor in international trade; to a reduction of militarism abroad; and to genuine reform of the international monetary system.
113.	A major problem that confronts most African countries in their development efforts results from the constraints imposed by the smallness of their markets and by the lack of genuine common markets at sub- regional levels. As a first step towards greater integration, the water tight compartments into which African countries are placed in respect of telecommunication networks, airlines, postal services, banking, highways and sea transport have to be dismantled. We see an urgent need for quick and fruitful action in this direction.
114.	An immediate and pressing task for international action is that of dealing with the effects of the drought that hap been experienced in countries all around the world but which has been a disaster of incalculable proportions in the Sahelian countries and in Ethiopia. African States are grateful for the generous assistance that has been received from many countries and many international organizations. However, since there are strong indications that the drought has become a permanent phenomenon because of fundamental changes in world climatic conditions, it is necessary that this phenomenon continue to be studied, that regional and international machinery for dealing with its effects continue to operate, and that relief programs be established on a permanent basis.
115.	Although positive developments have taken place in Africa and in international affairs as a whole, the difficult problems which lie ahead continue to pose a serious challenge to the Organization. We still live in a world divided between rich and poor; a world where imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism and racism still exist in many of its parts; a world which is still under the threat of nuclear war; a world that is governed by economic systems which are unjust. I am sure that none of us has any illusions about the magnitude of these problems.
116.	In dealing with these pressing issues there is a need for closer co-operation and understanding among nations at both regional and international levels. All countries, particularly the big Powers, should have greater faith and trust in the United Nations as a peace-keeping organ, thereby increasing its strength and effectiveness. In an interdependent world there must be a global approach to the solution of international problems. The Organization of African Unity will continue to make valuable contributions to the United Nations by promoting its international role and increasing its effectiveness.
117.	Before I conclude, I will in the name of OAU and in my capacity as Soman head of State, to pay special tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, for his dedication to the work of this great Organization. Since his accession to the office of Secretary-General, he has exerted determined efforts in promoting the cause of peace, justice and freedom. May I extend to him and his staff our warm congratulations.
118.	I am fully confident that the twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly will bring about adequate solutions to the pressing international problems facing us, thus fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of mankind. I wish you every success in your work and I thank you for giving me this opportunity to address you here.


Mr. President, it is a particular pleasure for me to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly. I am firmly convinced that your great competence and vast experience will make it possible to bring the work of the General Assembly to a successful conclusion. Your election to the important function o* President of this session is not just a tribute paid by the whole world to your qualities but is also a tribute to the heroic struggle of the Algerian people. The bonds of brotherhood and friendship binding the Democratic Republic of Yemen to Algeria stem from our membership in a single Arab nation and our identical experiences of the armed struggle which we waged before independence. In view of the close links which unite us, we are happy and proud to see you, as the representative of struggling Africa, presiding over the General Assembly.
99.	I should like to salute your predecessor, Mr. Leopoldo Benites, who so competently presided over the work of the last session and the work of the sixth special session.
100.	I should also like to express our appreciation for and support of the sincere efforts of the Secretary- General, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, for having intensified the activities cf the United Nations and for making its contribution more effective in the maintenance of international peace and security.
101.	The particular importance of the United Nations today must be constantly confirmed by Member States which should combine their efforts in order to safeguard the Organization, strengthen it and to apply its resolutions in such a way as to permit it to play a dynamic role in the maintenance of international peace and security.
102.	When one takes a close look at recent developments in the international arena one finds that these developments have tolled the death knell of imperialism and foreign domination. However, there are some regions which continue to be under limitations and suffer from foreign intervention. Some peoples do not yet exercise their right to self-determination and cannot themselves dispose of their own destinies. However, we are happy to find some new Members among us this year. This symbolizes the fact that the United Nations is very close to achieving its objective of universality.
103.	My country bids welcome to Guinea-Bissau, a country which has been waging a fierce struggle against foreign domination and has made heavy sacrifices in its attempt to gain its independence and free-dom. We have the greatest possible respect for the people and hope that the delegation of Guinea-Bissau will convey to the people and Government of that country our high esteem of their heroic struggle and also our welcome to it now that it has become an active Member of the international community. We should also like to bid welcome to the Republic of Bangladesh to which we are bound by ties of friend-ship. We should also like to bid welcome to Grenada.
104.	Our people has waged a fierce struggle against imperialism but, thanks to its armed struggle, we have been able to gain independence. However, we have encountered many difficulties since independence. Reactionary, feudal forces have hampered the progressive measures we have adopted in the political, economic and social fields, but we have thwarted those attempts, thanks to the awakening of our people and to its political organization brought about by the national front, and we have been able to rebuff imperialism and neo-colonialism in all their forms.
105.	Our country attaches great importance to economic development. Indeed, colonialism has bequeathed us a very weak economy, based essentially upon services. Even so, since independence we have been able to rectify the situation and, in order to free our economy, we have adopted nationalization measures and created a public sector. We have promulgated a law on agrarian reform, which has been applied for the benefit of the poor peasants who are the lawful owners of the land. We have also set up agricultural co-operatives and State-owned farms. We have created cultural centers, built schools and hospitals and brought about far-reaching economic, political and social changes, thanks to the guidance and leadership of the political organization, the national front.
106.	Our people has made tabula rasa of many out-moded concepts. Many laws have been enacted in order to organize new social relations. A three-year economic plan the first for the country has been put into effect, and that has made it possible for us to lay some of the foundation for our economic activities and to develop our social services. In April last, we began to implement another five-year plan to develop the national economy, in which we are relying on our own efforts and the sincere assistance provided by fraternal countries in the socialist camp.
107.	In spite of our limited resources, in the space of seven years that is, since independence we have been able to do twice as much as was done for our people by colonialism in 129 years of occupation. We have achieved our political independence, and we are struggling for our economic and social independence. To eliminate the remnants of the past, we are attempting to improve the standard of living of our people, and we are sure that our people will be able to attain the noble objectives which it has set for itself in spite of the constraints imposed from, abroad and in spite of the consequences of colonialism.
108.	We are acting sincerely and in concert with our brothers in northern Yemen to achieve the aspirations of the Yemeni people for unity and progress within the framework of the Cairo Agreement and the Declaration of Tripoli. The Commissions working on unification have already made considerable progress, and we are very proud of that, and the Yemeni people is looking for and to the future with confidence.
109.	The inclusion on the agenda of this session of the General Assembly of a separate item entitled "Question of Palestine" [item 108] in itself constitutes international recognition of the importance of the problem of establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. This recognition is, in part, a positive measure in the direction of the firm position the international Organization should take with regard to its historical responsibilities vis-a-vis the problem of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian problem is above all a political one. Although the United Nations deals only with the humanitarian and social aspects of t he problem, .its true solution lies in the exercise by the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination, a right which must be applied to all the national territories of that people.
110.	My country considers the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] to be the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and this Organization has been recognized by important international conferences for example, the Arab Summit Conference held recently at Algiers; the Islamic
Conference held at Lahore; the non-aligned countries summit held at Algiers; and the African summit conference recently held in Mogadiscio.
111.	The Palestine Liberation Organization must be recognized and supported by the international community as one of the national liberation movements, and must be treated in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. If the Palestinian problem underlies what we call the Middle East problem, the expansionist policy and constant recourse to aggression of Israel and support for it from imperialism and world Zionism have added new dimensions to the tragedy in the Middle East.
112.	The occupation by Israel of part of the Arab territories as a result of the aggression of June 1967 represents a flagrant threat to peace in that area and hinders all efforts to establish peace. For that reason, we support the struggle of Egypt and Syria to liberate their occupied territories and to drive out the Israeli invaders.
113.	International relations today have begun to be marked to a large extent by what is known as dialog or international detente. In fact, today our world is witnessing constant efforts aimed at reducing the risks of war and eliminating the dangers of confrontation in a nuclear war, which has conjured up the specter of devastation, and at establishing world peace. Our developing country attaches great importance to peace and security as the basis for a national climate propitious for social and economic development.
114.	However, dialog and detente should take into consideration the concepts of the liberation of peoples and respect for their national independence. When the prerogatives of the imperialist Powers are threatened, those Powers try to violate independence and national sovereignty, and to increase tensions throughout the world. Armaments manufacturers and the companies that serve the imperialists interests hatch plots to undermine national economies and to fan the flames of conflict in the developing countries in order to overthrow progressive national regimes.
115.	The best proof of that is the example of Chile. A democratic regime chosen by the Chilean people was overthrown, if only temporarily, and the noble citizens have undergone torture and have been thrown into prison. That was brought about by the forces of terror and fascism. The' national sovereignty of Cyprus also has been violated, and a coup d'etat was organized to overthrow Archbishop Makarios, whose regime represented the unity of Cyprus and its independence. That implies a great threat to peace in the region. We must therefore put an end to these foreign interventions in the internal affairs of Cyprus. The interference must cease, and the people of Cyprus must decide their own destiny.
116.	How car* we establish a just and lasting peace when the forces of imperialism and neo-colonialism and their ever-present instruments and organizations throughout the world are engaging in acts of sabotage and are every day finding new methods of intervening in the internal affairs of peoples and States and at-tempting to dominate them? World peace can be achieved only if there is respect for the national sovereignty of States, if there is no intervention in the internal affairs of peoples and if peoples are allowed to decide their own destinies and to choose their own path towards progress and development.
117.	Our country borders on the Indian Ocean, and we therefore attach great importance to the military and political developments occurring there. We are very pleased at the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace [resolution 2832 (XXVI)], because we consider that real peace cannot be established unless an end is put to all military bases in all their forms in the Indian Ocean and the countries around it.
118.	If the fierce imperialist war against the people of Viet Nam has calmed down to some extent, nevertheless the signed accords ending this war are still subject to maneuvers and plots designed to deprive the people of Viet Nam of the enjoyment of the fruits of their long struggle. That is why we support the National Liberation Front and the Provisional Revolutionary Government, the sole representative of the people of South Viet Nam, and ask the United States to put an end to its intervention in the affairs of Viet Nam and to cease its support to the agents of Saigon.
119.	We also support the legitimate struggle of the people of Cambodia and the legitimacy of the Royal Government of National Union of Cambodia presided over by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, which is the only representative of the people of Cambodia. We call upon the people of the world to support the heroic peoples of IndoChina fighting for their political and economic independence against the forces of aggression and their agents.
120.	To create a climate favorable to stability and the peaceful reunification of Korea, we must bring about a total withdrawal of foreign troops stationed in South Korea under the flag of the United Nations. We are convinced that those occupation forces will do nothing to reduce tension or to create a propitious climate for effecting a unified Korea. We support the efforts for peace and direct negotiation between the parties without any foreign intervention and we should like to express our support for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which has refused to allow Korea to be admitted to the United Nations as two Korean States.
121.	We also support the just struggle of peoples against colonialism and neo-colonialism; in particular we support the African peoples who are fighting. We condemn the policy of apartheid of the Governments of South Africa and Rhodesia. We should like to express our satisfaction at the serious measures taken by the new Government of Portugal with regard to negotiations with the revolutionaries in Mozambique and Angola in order to permit them to achieve independence and occupy their proper place in the family of nations.
122.	With regard to the liberation movements, we must salute the heroic struggle of the people of Oman, a people which has been fighting to liberate its country from paid agents and enable Oman to find its national identity and discharge its international responsibilities. We support the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman and we condemn foreign intervention in the affairs of that country and the foreign presence in all its forms. We call upon all peace- loving forces to support the heroic struggle of the people of Oman to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination.
123.	In recent years, economic problems have arisen internationally with regard to what is known as the energy crisis. That crisis is nothing but the result of the negative aspects of problems which have afflicted the economies of capitalist countries and which have been exported to the developing countries.
124.	The sixth special session of the General Assembly highlighted the importance of the creation of a new world economic order based upon justice and equality.
125.	We would like to emphasize today that international detente can only be brought about and inter-national peace and security can only be established in a world where the gap between the industrialized and the developing countries is not always widening, and if we take account of the right to a better life of peoples who are struggling against poverty and underdevelopment in all their forms.
126.	Two world conferences have been held recently, the World Population Conference in Bucharest and the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in Caracas. Although the latter Conference did not yield the results hoped for, it did pinpoint the need for creating a new order which would take account of new developments and new conditions prevailing in the world. Account must be taken, therefore, of the rights of developing countries to full sovereignty over their own natural resources to ensure against exploitation. We hope that the World Food Conference to be held in Rome will adopt measures which will reduce the dimensions of the world food crisis.
127.	In conclusion, we hope that this session will be crowned with success and will justify the great hopes placed in it by those who want to see peace, progress and prosperity reigning throughout the world.