The election, as President of the General Assembly, of a dear friend and colleague has been for me a source of great satisfaction. I should like to congratulate you. Sir, and also to congratulate ourselves because I feel entirely confident that your professional ability and proven diplomatic skill will ensure that the discussions in this forum will have the positive results for which we all hope. I also wish to express our gratitude for the work carried out by your predecessor as President, Mr. Peter Florin.
Year after year, as we have debated the important issues on our agenda, we have observed with a feeling of frustration that many conflicts have continued to stagnate just where we left them the year before, and that nothing and nobody seemed capable of staying the sinister hand that wields the scourge of war. To this feeling of impotence was added a feeling of frustration because of a rather widespread tendency on the part of the public to dismiss the United Nations, and multilateralism in general, as an appropriate means of solving the most difficult and complex problems facing mankind.
Today, however, there are reasonable grounds for optimism. The work of the United Nations over the past year has borne fruit in the area of the peaceful solution of international conflicts. The role of our Organization has been strengthened and has gained credibility in the eyes of the public.
My Government has always believed in the need and usefulness of multilateral channels in today's world. Three years ago - on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Organization - Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez reaffirmed Spain's unqualified support for multilateralism, and for the United Nations in particular. A year later, this was also the chief message conveyed by His Majesty King Juan Carlos I when he addressed this Assembly. We have always thought that as long as there is the necessary political will on the part of the Member States, and as long as we are capable of introducing the readjustments that are needed at any given moment, this Organization's potential should be practically unlimited.
It is not only the goodwill of the Member States and the new climate of dialogue among the great Powers - which has been reflected in the recent unity of action among the permanent members of the Security Council - that have contributed to bringing about this encouraging situation; the patience, the tenacity and the skill of the Secretary-General have also been instrumental. His hard work, which is now, quite rightly, winning international acclaim, continues to enjoy the full support of my Government, We trust that we are witnessing the start of a successful period during which the United Nations will be the forum in which everyone's efforts to implement the objectives and principles enunciated in the Charter will converge.
With regard to regional problems, I shall begin with the long and terrible war that has confronted Iran and Iraq. The united action of the Security Council and its co-operation with the Secretary-General have started to bear fruit, with the adoption of resolution 598 (1987), the Security Council had already laid the foundations for a just and lasting solution. With the full and unqualified acceptance of that resolution as a whole by both sides, a process of negotiation has formally begun under the auspices of the Secretary-General and his special representative. Ambassador Eliassen, who, in spite of the many obstacles and difficulties to be overcome, is to secure not only a cease-fire but true peace for these two peoples, worn out by so much death and sacrifice.
In the Afghanistan conflict, the beginning of a solution can also be glimpsed as a result of the signing of the Geneva Accords last April. The determination and tenacity of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, Mr. Cordovez, were also decisive in drawing them up. We must now trust that the different parties involved will abide scrupulously by the agreements, that the withdrawal of Soviet troops of occupation will proceed in accordance with the agreed timetable, and that the Afghan people will be able to exercise their right to self-determination and finally achieve true sovereignty and independence. The setting up of a widely representative Government, and the free and unhindered return of as many refugees as wish to go back to their homes, will constitute the real proof of national reconciliation, to which the international community must contribute all possible aid for the urgent rebuilding of Afghanistan, through the Special Co-ordinator appointed by the Secretary-General.
In southern Africa, together with the hopeful progress towards the solution of the problems of Angola and Namibia, we observe that South Africa's policy of destabilization of neighbouring countries is being maintained and that the hideous and iniquitous system of apartheid is still in force. The repressive measures of all kinds taken over the course of the past few months and the re-imposition of martial law are clear signs of the unwillingness of the Government in Pretoria to engage in dialogue, while it radicalises the situation and makes the solution of the domestic problems more difficult. Once again we repeat our appeal for the immediate liberation of Nelson Mandela and the other political prisoners, as well as the legalization of all political organizations. We are determined to reinforce, together with our partners in the European Community, both the positive actions and the application of pressure necessary to promote peaceful change in South Africa, which would pave the way to a pluralistic, democratic and non-racist society.
However, it appears that there are also signs of hope in the region. On the one hand, in the talks new under way among the Governments of Angola, Cuba and South Africa, with the positive mediation of the United States, we perceive a desire for flexibility and a general political will to overcome the last obstacles that still hinder the attainment of peace and stability in Angola. On the other hand, the implementation of United Nations resolutions, and in particular Security Council resolution 435 (1978) - and, incidentally, today is the tenth anniversary of its adoption - appears to be drawing progressively nearer, after so many years of stagnation. The process of independence for Namibia will undoubtedly require significant effort on the part of this Organization and its Member States. Spain is prepared to co-operate fully with the Secretary-General in this process and to provide, if so requested, support for the human and military infrastructure that may be needed in order to bring it to a successful conclusion.
There are also better prospects for a solution to the problem of Kampuchea. For the first time in many years there is perhaps an opportunity for this unfortunate country, and the entice area of South-East Asia, to enjoy peace, stability and an end to violence. We are encouraged by the dialogue that has begun among the various parties to the conflict and the countries concerned. We support the constructive efforts of the countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations and believe that contacts between China and the Soviet Union on this issue can also be useful. Any lasting solution requires the withdrawal of foreign troops from Kampuchea and the setting up of a Government of national reconciliation, representing the different political parties, thus averting once and for all the danger of a return to the immediate past, which we have all condemned.
In the Maghreb, a region to which my country is linked by innumerable ties. We have also noted over the past few months a significant easing of tension. Spain welcomed with great satisfaction the renewing of diplomatic relations between two of our friends, Algeria and Morocco, as well as the first steps towards progressive regional integration. In this new context, we observe that important steps have been taken towards the solution of a conflict, that of the Western Sahara, about which my country is understandably concerned. The Secretary-General, guided by the resolutions of this Assembly, and in conjunction with the President of the Organization of African Unity, has done some very constructive work here. This consisted in the sending of a technical information mission to the area; the maintaining of constant contact with the parties to the conflict - Morocco and the POLISARIO Front - and the submitting of concrete proposals to both these parties last summer with a view to holding a referendum for self-determination, duly organized and supervised by this Organization. We note with satisfaction that these proposals have received the initial agreement of the parties. Regrettably, the Security Council authorized the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative, who has ahead of him a delicate task in order to conclude the peace plan successfully. Spain is willing to provide all the technical co-operation the Secretary-General may require in this process. Furthermore, we are confident that, through the free and unhindered expression of the will of the Sahraoui people, an end will be put to a painful conflict that impedes this future of progressive integration that the peoples of the Maghreb desire.
We also wish to express our satisfaction at the progress made on the question of Cyprus. The recent talks between the leaders of the two communities, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, are a good omen that perhaps a way has been found to solve another long-standing conflict. My country supports this direct dialogue and is confident that it will lead to a final settlement which will guarantee the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial interest of the Republic of Cyprus in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations, while at the same time making possible peaceful coexistence between the two communities on the island.
Unfortunately, in the case of other regional conflicts we cannot say that there has been significant progress in the past few months.
Last year at this time I pointed out from this rostrum the advisability of not delaying the convening of an international peace conference, under the auspices of the United Nations, to seek a just, global and lasting solution to the conflict in the Middle East. A few months later, the Palestinian population of the occupied territories rose in protest, and this has attracted international attention both in connection with the deteriorating economic and social situation and the injustices being suffered by the Palestinian people and in connection with the repressive measures taken by Israel with a view to stifling the national aspirations of that people.
The deterioration of the situation in the occupied territories makes clear the dangers involved in a stagnation of the peace process My country trusts that, under the auspices of the United Nations, gradual and constructive initiatives will be introduced which will permit an agreement in principle among all the parties involved in the holding of a conference at which a final agreement could be reached. This agreement must guarantee respect for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of self-determination, as well as the existence of all the countries in the region, including Israel, within secure and internationally recognized borders. Meanwhile, the recent decision by Jordan to break off legal and administrative ties between the two banks of the river Jordan has left a void that requires, on the one hand, greater involvement and aid by the international community and, on the other, greater moderation, prudence and realism by all the parties directly involved in this conflict.
 Within the context of the Middle East, we see with great concern the recent aggravation of the political crisis that has been going on for so many years in Lebanon. Spain supports the wishes of the Lebanese people to put an end to the bloody confrontations that have taken so many lives in that country since 1975 and trusts that, through dialogue among all the communities, a strengthening of its constitutional institutions may be brought about which will make possible peaceful coexistence in a sovereign, independent and united Lebanon,
My Government continues to support resolutely the process of the strengthening of democracy in Latin America, although, unfortunately, clear threats and resistance to the progress of freedom still persist. Democracy presupposes pluralism, respect for human rights, and also the right of peoples to determine, freely and without outside interference, their political, economic and social systems. We therefore welcomed the Acapulco compromise for peace, development and democracy, which was signed by the Presidents of eight Latin American countries in November last year, and we hope that Chile will soon return resolutely to its democratic traditions.
With regard to the serious crisis in Central America, Spain greeted with hope the signing of the Esquipulas II agreements as a highly significant step towards the peace, reconciliation, and economic and social recovery of the countries of the region. It is true that since then other significant steps have been taken and that the will of the peoples concerned to find genuinely regional solutions to the problems of the area have remained unaltered; however, in general terms, there is a disturbing stalemate which must be overcome as rapidly as possible.
In this regard, the convening of the long-delayed summit of Central American Presidents, which has gained better prospects recently, can contribute to give a new impulse to the peace process. The national dialogue must continue, respect for human rights must be strengthened and there must be strict observance by all the parties concerned of the commitments in the Esquipulas agreements. There are no alternatives to this peace process, to this peace framework. At the same time, an essential element for the consolidation of the momentum towards peace is the implementation and development of the special plan for aid to Central America, which my country will continue to support fully. As we have incessantly repeated, the grave problems of this region have their roots in underdevelopment and the persistence of unjust social and economic structures.
This Assembly, which has acted as a true catalyst in the process of decolonization, has nevertheless been unable to eliminate certain pending issues from its agenda. With regard to East Timor, we trust that the contacts between Portugal and Indonesia will be continued and that progress will be made towards a just and internationally acceptable solution. As for the Malvinas Islands, direct negotiations should be held between Argentina and the United Kingdom that will enable Argentinean territorial integrity to be restored while safeguarding the legitimate interests of the population.
I cannot fail to mention another pending colonial issue that directly affects my country. The Spanish Government and people continue to remain firm in their determination to find a definitive solution to the problem of Gibraltar that will restore the Rock to our country while safeguarding the interests of the population,. In this connection, we have continued the dialogue with the United Kingdom and we shall continue to do so in the future along the lines of the agreements contained in the 1984 Brussels Declaration and in accordance with the decision taken by both Governments in Geneva in 1985 to deal with and resolve all aspects of the problem, including the matter of sovereignty, through negotiation. During this past year significant progress has taken place in the talks on some technical problems, such as air facilities, and it is our firm intention to continue along this path of negotiation, with the goal of being able to conclude the process of decolonization through the restoration of our territorial integrity, thus implementing the resolutions that were adopted by this Assembly at the time.
Recent positive developments in some regional conflicts and the continued efforts of this Organization and its Secretary-General to bring about a solution for others have brought the United Nations peace-keeping activities to the forefront. As has been mentioned, the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for 1988 is something we all welcome and in which we can take satisfaction. The resolute action by the Security Council in this field is a particularly encouraging factor. The growing containment to the concept and the practice of peace-keeping operations among Member States and, above all, the political will to co-operate in their implementation on the part of those who have shown most reserve in the past provide a solid basis for developing them more thoroughly at a favourable time such as the present.
We feel that the time has come to draw up general regulations on the financial arrangements and the supply of facilities, services and personnel by Member States. My delegation considers that it would be most advisable to revitalize and strengthen the activities of the Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations, whose recent meetings a few months ago, after five years without being convened, strengthen our optimism about its possible future role in this important sphere of the work of the Organization.
The new trend towards peace on the international scene prompted me to the first with regional conflicts. But obviously the task of this Organization does not end with the solution of regional conflicts. There are many other areas in which the United Nations, with less spectacular but nevertheless tenacious and continuous efforts, has been demonstrating for years its capacity for dealing with the major problems facing the international community. I have in mind three areas in which the importance of multilateralism can hardly be denied and in which the Organization's efforts have been especially significant: disarmament, co-operation for development, and the protection and promotion of human rights.
Some three months ago, at the third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, I gave a detailed outline of my Government's views on the many items of the agenda related to this important issue. At the start of this forty-third session, I should like to make some remarks of a more general nature.
Over the course of this year several developments have pointed to the possibility of developing a new pattern of East-West relationships, which had focused on confrontation, with scarcely any margin for dialogue and co-operation.
The Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles - INF Treaty - the slow but sure progress in the strategic arms limitation talks, the advances towards the limitation and ultimate banning of nuclear testing; these are all stages in a new bilateral dialogue between the United States and the Soviet Union aimed for the first time at reversing the arms race on Earth and preventing its extension to outer space. However, their significance is not limited to the field of arms control and disarmament, nor to the strict framework of bilateral relations between the super-Powers.
The satisfactory implementation of the intrusive verification procedures provided for under the INF Treaty is a confidence-building element which will affect other areas. Thus, in the field of arms control and disarmament, a new impulse could be given and new initiatives could also be introduced in international forums.
The fact that it was not possible to agree on a final document at the third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament is soma thing that we regret, but that has not undermined our confidence in multilateralism. In our opinion; the document - which never saw the light of day although it had obtained broad consensus on most points - contained many elements which deserve more thorough treatment in the immediate future and which could provide an excellent working basis for the debates during the present session.
The issue of conventional stability is especially important within the European regional framework. In this connection, within the context of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), it is necessary to proceed without delay to a reduction of the existing imbalances in the conventional field, which will make possible enhanced security with lower levels of forces. At the same time, Spain is in favour of the adoption of new confidence-building measures that will complement and reinforce those adopted at the Stockholm Conference.
Progress in the field of security must be accompanied by substantial advances in other areas of the CSCE process, particularly with regard to human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are following with growing interest the process of greater openness in Eastern Europe, which we hope will have a positive effect at the Vienna meeting. Spain is confident that a substantial and balanced final document will be agreed upon promptly at that meeting, so that negotiations in the area of security can begin as soon as possible.
However, there is a matter of serious concern that I should like to stress. The renewed use of chemical weapons, together with the proliferation of ballistic missiles, gives new urgency to the need to achieve decisive progress in concluding an agreement for the complete and effective elimination of the whole category of chemical weapons.
Economic development is another major issue facing the international community. It is perhaps the major question facing it. The recent economic recovery in the industrialized countries has served to enlarge the gap between them and the developing countries and to make the poverty of the latter more visible. Commodity prices have been another disruptive factor in the past few years. Protectionism is directly related to economic power. Six years of external debt have condemned the majority of those countries to a pathetic and hopeless effort, especially in Latin America, where they are beginning to speak of a lost decade. We are seriously concerned about the grievous situation in Latin America, where the burden of debt servicing and the unpredictability of financial flows for development have turned the countries of the region into net exporters of capital, which is an unprecedented phenomenon in international economic relations.
While addressing the subject of the debt of these middle-income countries, I should like to recall the words of the Spanish Prime Minister a few days ago, when he addressed the Governors of the Central Banks of Latin America and the Philippines:
"Facts show that the present strategy to solve the debt crisis 1 unable to provide for a timely solution of the outstanding problems."
Let us face the truth. We need to reconsider the strategy, now that public opinion and the banking situation are favourable. The problem must be dealt with multilaterally within the framework of the international financial institutions, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a consensus being reached with regard to interest capitalization and the reduction of the debt burden. The resulting financial margins could be used in support of the necessary adjustment policies that must continue to be implemented.
With regard to the least-developed countries, we shall carefully study the proposals of the Toronto summit meeting. We are also ready to participate actively in the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, to be held in Paris in 1990, at which financial issues will undoubtedly be of special relevance.
I have previously mentioned the link between the external debt of developing countries and the evolution of commodity prices. Despite the recovery of some commodity markets, the majority of commodity prices are still below 1980 levels. Here, the foreseeable entry into force of the Common Fund for Commodities could give rise to hope.
In the face of the protectionist pressures that have surfaced in international trade, the progress made in the present Round of multilateral trade negotiations, launched by the Punta del Este declaration in 1986, is also an encouraging sign. Despite present difficulties, we cannot afford to let this Round end in failure. We hope that, with the necessary political will, the review of progress achieved, scheduled to take place at the ministerial meeting next December in Montreal will be a valuable and positive contribution to the ultimate success of the Uruguay Round.
Finally, the efforts and determination of the United Nations to alleviate the most urgent problems have been outstanding. In this connection the funds and specific programmes are especially relevant, among them the United Nations Development Programme, which continues to work effectively in assisting developing countries. Spain is determined to continue to increase its voluntary contributions to the funds for and programmes of operational activities for development.
As we all know, the African continent is now facing one of the most difficult and agonizing development problems in the world. This General Assembly session marks an important turning point in the assessment of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990. The nucleus of the Programme of Action contains the twofold commitment made by both the African countries and the international community. On the one hand Africa must lay the foundations for stable development and sustained growth through structural adjustments and improvements in its economic policies, and on the other the international community must substantially increase its assistance and adopt initiatives in support of the African efforts. Although it is true that in the short term neither commitment has had any visible results, it is also true that with a medium-term programme such as this there must be enough time for it to become properly established.
Spain will continue to assist African countries, both multilaterally through its participation in the conventions and programmes of the European Economic Community, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and the United Nations agencies, and bilaterally through co-operation agreements with individual African countries.
When speaking of development it would be inexcusable not to mention the dangers inherent in ecological imbalances. It is urgently necessary for all of us, but most especially the industrialized countries, to do everything possible to preserve the environment, with a view to ensuring a more habitable world for future generations. The Brundtland report and the measures subsequently taken have been fundamental in this connection.
One of the fields in which the work of the United Nations has been most innovative and successful is the promotion and protection of human rights. Thanks to this Organization's efforts, the international community now has a large number of legal instruments in which basic human rights are defined and the necessary mechanisms established for their control and defence. The initial corner-stone of this imposing edifice is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the fortieth anniversary of which we shall be celebrating in December. Its few brief articles comprise a resounding reaffirmation of faith in the value and dignity of every human being, and of the principle laid down in the Charter that universal respect for human rights is the concern of all peoples and Governments. The best proof of the great moral and legal value of the Declaration is the way it has influenced many constitutions and national legislations, as well as the international legal system that it has been drawing up over the past few decades, from the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to the recent Convention against torture, which my country ratified in October last year.
The Spanish Government is convinced that we must continue to advance resolutely along this path. The situation in many countries shows, regrettably, that we are still a long way from being able to feel satisfied. We believe that from now on our efforts, without forgetting the drawing up of new legal instruments aimed at perfecting the current international system and filling its possible gaps, should be directed above all towards the application and development of existing ones and the effective monitoring of their observance. A good way of making progress is through the world information campaign on human rights, which the Secretary-General has proposed should be launched on the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration.
Three years ago the Assembly took an important step when it condemned unanimously and unequivocally all acts, methods and practices of terrorism where so ever and by whomsoever committed. The bodies and agencies of this Organization must now continue to advance along the path opened up at that time and design a strategy for combating terrorism in their respective fields of action. The initiatives aimed at reinforcing international protection for civil aviation and promoting security at sea have our whole-hearted support. The terrorist threat has acquired universal proportions and the efforts to eradicate it must also be universal.
The Organization's work in the social field also deserves to be mentioned. The process of drawing up an international convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs will no doubt be concluded in December. Its entry into force will enable the international community to deal effectively with a problem of universal dimensions whose repercussions, given the ramifications which link the illicit traffic in narcotics to activities such as arms traffic and terrorism, and whose solution depends on close and resolute international co-operation. The speed and determination with which work is proceeding towards the conclusion of the convention shows the international community's awareness of this issue.
At the beginning of my statement I said that this was a particularly promising time for the United Nations. However, there is a shadow threatening the work of the Organization - that of the financial crisis which for three years now has been hovering over its daily work as a result of the unjustifiable failure of some Member States to fulfil their obligations under the Charter. During that time, significant efforts have been made to make better use of existing resources. Progress has been made also with regard to substantive issues, such as the decision-making process in budgetary matters and the beginning of a review of the necessary, although complex, restructuring of the economic and social sectors. I should like to call on all the countries represented here to do their utmost to meet their financial obligations to our Organization and to co-operate in introducing, at this particularly felicitous time, the adjustments needed to speed up and rationalize its operation and make it more flexible.
Year after year, as autumn comes to New York, we meet in this Assembly in a long-established ritual in which speeches are delivered, meetings are held and agreements are negotiated. This time we all have the impression that this exercise, which goes on quietly throughout the year, can be, and is, successful. We know very well from experience that what is happening is not the result of ineluctable fate, but that, rather, we are facing issues created by men, now or in the past, and that those issues must be solved by men, now or in the future. In any event, we are more responsible than ever before because we are better informed and have more resources than ever before.
Ancient Stoic wisdom consisted in knowing what depends on us and what does not depend on us. Now nearly everything depends on us, both the problems and their solutions. We are finding the solutions, and we shall continue to find them, not with less dialogue but with more dialogue, not with less justice but with more justice and not with less freedom but with more freedom; and, starting with this Assembly, which has now become so encouraging, we shall do so not with less hope but with more hope.


It gives me great pleasure to associate myself with previous speakers in offering to Ambassador Caputo my warmest congratulations on his election to the presidency of the forty-third session of the United Nations General Assembly. I am confident that, under his guidance the work of the Assembly will be carried out efficiently and with authority.
I should also like to extend to his predecessor, the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the German Democratic Republic, Mr. Peter Florin, our gratitude for the exemplary way in which he conducted the work of the forty-second session
Let me also pay a well-deserved tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr, Javier Perez de Cuellar, for the outstanding way in which he has directed the work of the United Nations and for his tireless efforts to achieve international peace and security. Those tireless efforts have resulted in the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the peace-keeping forces and have greatly contributed to the resolution of certain regional conflicts in the period since the last session of the General Assembly. I refer, in particular, to the Gulf, where the event that has been awaited for so long has come about - the cessation of the hostilities between Iraq and Iran. The acceptance by Iran of Security Council resolution 598 (1987) and the opening of negotiations between the two countries augurs well for peace between them.
Mauritania has always worked to put an end to this deadly, destructive war between two fraternal Muslim peoples. We sincerely hope that comprehensive, just and lasting peace will be established between them so that they may at last be able to live in harmony and devote their efforts to progress and well-being. This perseverance has also produced results in Afghanistan, with the signing of the Geneva agreements last April. Mauritania welcomes the signing of those agreements and the withdrawal of foreign troops and hopes that the process that has been started under United Nations auspices can speedily restore peace and concord to the people of Afghanistan and an independent and non-aligned State.
In Western Sahara, the process of joint good offices started by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity has made an important step forward with the submission by the Secretary-General of a peace plan to the two parties to the conflict. Mauritania supports these efforts and particularly welcomes the agreement in principle brought about in this area as well as the progress made thus far towards a just and lasting political settlement of that fratricidal conflict. The final solution of this problem will contribute greatly towards building the Greater Arab Maghreb, to which all the peoples of the region profoundly aspire. It was to that end that the Heads of State of the region met, for the first time since their independence, in Algiers last June to prepare favourable conditions leading to the Greater Arab Maghreb. This was a historic event which established the main guidelines for the integration and construction of a united Greater Maghreb. At the present time, various meetings are taking place to implement this political will which was clearly expressed by the Heads of State.
My country welcomes the relations between Libya and Chad and the good will both countries are showing with a view to normalizing (their relations.
In southern Africa the series of negotiations that have been taking place over the last few months opens new prospects for peace and in particular for the end of the illegal occupation of Namibia, Security Council resolution 433 (1978) remains the only acceptable basis for a just and lasting settlement of the Namibian question, for it embodies international legality and enjoys the support of the Namibian people and their legitimate representative, the South West Africa People's Organization.
In South Africa itself, the apartheid regime insists in its heinous policy and continues to inflict untold suffering on the black majority. It also continues to carry out acts of aggression against the front-line States.
Apartheid, that institutionalized system of racism and racial discrimination, is an affront to human dignity and a threat to international peace and security. It is the duty of all civilized nations to implement the strategy to oppose that system adopted by the United Nations, in particular the imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions.
Mauritania fully supports that strategy and naturally supports the struggle of the people of South Africa, under the leadership of the African National Congress, to establish an egalitarian, democratic and non-racial society, just as it fully supports the heroic resistance of the front-line countries.
It was in that context that my Government was honoured to host, from 16 to 18 June last, the second preparatory meeting for an inquiry into apartheid. That important meeting, which was sponsored by the Heads of State, was attended by eminent personalities of world-wide repute for their devotion to the cause of human rights and democratic principles, and largely contributed to mobilizing international public opinion with respect to the odious system of apartheid and set the stage for entering an active phase to prepare for an international tribunal to be held next year.
In the Middle East, the Palestinian people chose the double anniversary of 40 years of partition and 20 years of occupation to remind the world that it cannot disregard the national rights of a people. Because of its scope and duration, the popular uprising in the occupied territories has shown the world the magnitude of the tragedy of the Palestinian people as well as its fierce determination to recover its land, its dignity and its inalienable rights, no matter what means are used by the Israeli war machine and the acts of inhuman repression carried out by the occupying forces.
The popular uprising has also shown the world that the Palestinian question is the cote of the Middle East conflict and that as long as the Palestinian people is deprived of its national rights, in particular its right to self-determination and the establishment of its own independent State, peace can never be established in that region. Any just and lasting solution requires the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the occupied Arab territories, including the holy city of Al-Quds. But the regime of Tel Aviv disregards all these facts and obstinately follows its policy of aggression and expansion, in contempt for international law.
The convening of an international conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations, with the participation on an equal footing of all concerned parties, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is the sole, authentic representative of the Palestinian people, is the proper framework for finding a just and lasting solution to the conflict. The violence and repression that we witness in the occupied territories make the convening of such a conference increasingly urgent and constitute a new challenge for the United Nations, which must assume its full responsibility with respect to the Palestinian tragedy.
In Kampuchea, the search for a political settlement continues and the ongoing national dialogue holds much promise. The solution to that problem must be in keeping with the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, which reaffirm the need for the withdrawal of foreign troops from that territory and the right to self-determination of the Khmer people. In Central America, Mauritania sincerely hopes for the final restoration of peace on the basis of the recommendations of the Contadera Group and the Contact Group, as well as the Guatemala agreements signed last year by the five Heads of State of the region.
Turning to the question of Korea, my country has always advocated the peaceful reunification of that peninsula in the interests of the Korean people as a whole. We support all efforts undertaken to that end.
The world economic situation is also a major item of profound concern to the international community. The gap between the developing and the developed countries continues to widen. The drop in commodity prices, the increasing debt-servicing burden and the re-emergence of protectionism and restrictions placed on the transfer of technology have had an especially severe impact on the developing countries. The stalemate in the North-South dialogue has prevented us from achieving agreed innovative solutions to ensure the recovery of the world economy and the development of the third-world countries.
Aware that they have the primary responsibility for the economic and social development of their peoples, the Governments of the developing countries have adopted important reforms and made large-scale adjustments but, because of the international economic climate, those actions have not led to the achievement of the goals that were set. Action must be co-ordinated at the international level, Africa, the least developed continent of the world, is particularly affected by the economic crisis. In an effort to confront this situation, the Organization of African Unity held an extraordinary summit conference in Addis Ababa, which undertook a clear analysis of the foreign-debt crisis in Africa, Mauritania is in full agreement with the joint African position on the convening of an international conference on the African external debt.
Only an overall, integrated strategy will enable us to resolve the African debt crisis and to give concrete form, at the same time, to the commitments undertaken by the international community in the context of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, In that regard, we appreciate the positive decisions taken at the last summit conference of the industrialized countries, particularly in regard to relieving the burden of debt of the developing countries, and we hope that these decisions will be extended and strengthened. In particular, we are deeply grateful to the Federal Republic of Germany, which has agreed to defer repayment of the whole of our large debt. We thank also those countries that are prepared to take similar measures to help our country.
The scourges of drought and desertification are still a serious threat to the Sahelian region, of which Mauritania is a part. In October 1978 another disaster occurred. I am speaking of the pilgrim locust, which has great mobility and destroys everything in its paths crops, pastureland, date palms, and so forth. In order to deal with this scourge, which specialists agree will continue to afflict us for several years, various meetings of west African and Maghreb countries have been convened to co-ordinate the policies of the various States and to advocate common action. My country, which is particularly affected by this infestation, has combined its national efforts with the international efforts.	I also thank here the friendly countries and the international organizations for the aid they have already supplied as well as for their sensibility to Mauritania's concerns.
These natural disasters and the international economic crisis require exceptional financial efforts by my country, in a particularly difficult economic situation. Since 1985, despite these conditions, my Government has been engaged in a broad programme of economic reforms and structural adjustments. Significant progress has already been made in economic and financial recovery, but these results cannot minimize the scope of the efforts that must still be made to satisfy our countries. That is why the consolidation of the development strategies and programmes implemented in recent years in conformity with the Lagos Plan of Action and priority programme for African recovery is a major concern. Accordingly, my Government has just adopted a three-year programme of consolidation and recovery, which will be submitted soon to our economic partners. But, basically, we ate relying on ourselves.
Our development policy is based primarily on mobilizing all our energies. In that context, our national leadership, our national leadership, headed by Colonel Maaouya Quid Sid'Ahmed Taya, President of the Military Committee of National Salvation and Head of State, on 12 December 1984 chose to establish a State of law, in which human rights and fundamental freedoms are guaranteed to all the citizens. Thus, a process of teal democratization has been undertaken. The communal experience having been extended to all areas of the country, this year municipal councils will be set up at the local and city levels. The purpose of these elections is democratic participation, which will enable the people to take part directly in development activities. In that connection, the rural sector occupies a major place. That is why the Government has given it priority by allocating 36.5 per cent of public investments to it and encouraging the private sector to carry- out hydro-agricultural projects involving the free distribution of land and a guaranteed return from production.
The major economic and financial problems facing the international community show the great urgency of releasing additional resources for development. It is only common sense that this should be done at the expense of the arms race, given the flagrant disproportion that now exists between resources allocated for military expenditures and those devoted to development assistance. Indeed, it is intolerable that enormous human, financial, natural and technological resources should continue to be consumed by the arms race at a time when poverty is the daily lot of more than two thirds of mankind. That is why we emphasize the need to link disarmament and development - a link that was established by the international conference on this subject held last year.
In that regard, we welcome the conclusion by the United States and the Soviet Union of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, as well as its verification clauses. But it is only a beginning, and international peace and security - that is, the survival of the human race - can be brought about only through general and complete disarmament. Without that, we cannot imagine that mankind can survive on the earth.
Today's world is at a crossroads. It has to meet many challenges, in particular the persistence of armed conflicts and hotbeds of tension everywhere, as well as the arms race and the unfair distribution of wealth. Unfortunately, despite great progress in science and technology, the world is still unable to ensure well being and prosperity for all. That is an intolerable situation.
We must all understand that nations are interdependent. We must understand the magnitude of the problems facing mankind. The United Nations offers us the only multilateral framework in which to channel all our efforts. It is an instrument that is indispensable to peace and international co-operation. The United Nations has an enormous potential that can be mobilized and used to achieve the noble ideals laid down in the Chatter. This is demonstrated by the progress being made in the political solution of major regional conflicts on which until recently no progress had been made. The Member States, particularly the great Powers, have historical responsibilities in that connection.
Mauritania expresses again its faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter and will continue to work to improve and strengthen our Organization's role.


 I should like first of all to express Haiti's deep gratitude to the countries of our region for the invaluable support they have given us, both morally and diplomatically, in recent weeks. We are particularly grateful to the delegation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and our neighbours on the former island of Hispaniola, our brothers of the Dominican Republic, with whom we share not only geography but a common future in our two peoples' constant pursuit of dreams of peace, pluralistic and liberal democracy with a human face, based on social justice, freedom and fraternity.
I am particularly happy, on behalf of the government and people of Haiti, to extend to the President our warm congratulations and wishes for success on the occasion of his election to preside ewer the General Assembly at its forty-third session. We should also like to pay a tribute to the outgoing President, Ambassador Peter florin of the German Democratic Republic,  hose prestige and remarkable talents as a moderator enhanced the proceedings of last year's session.
We are happy also to associate ourselves with the tribute paid to our Secretary-General, His Excellency Javier Perez de Cuellar, for his efforts on behalf of peace and the promotion of the ideals of the United Nations in its role as the conscience of humanity. Is it not, indeed, the vitalising source - even the special source - of the great achievements in the field of human rights in the twentieth century? Does it not also contribute to support for the community of nations as it moves towards a better world where dialogue and agreement will take the place of confrontation? The recent successes that have been scored - successes that augur well for a fruitful forty-third session of the General Assembly - emphasize once again that the Organisation remains, in the bleakest times, the last bastion of the equal sovereignty of States and the right of peoples to self-determination and, finally, the special place where the people's most precious hopes are placed, at this end of the century, for a future of peace, justice and international co-operation.
The course of events has recently highlighted a clear lessening of tensions in certain regions of the world. Nevertheless, there are still many hotbeds of crises and many challenges that are of concern to the international community.
The most striking and most pernicious case is without any doubt, in our view, that of South Africa, where the system of apartheid persists. Once again we raise our voice to say no - a thousand times no - to that regime of infinite degradation, exploitation and misery. It is essential that everything be done to put an end to that unspeakable regime and thereby do away with this serious threat to international peace and security.
On the same subject, we are following with the greatest interest the progress of the talks designed to end the illegal occupation of Namibia. This is a time to reaffirm our solidarity with and support for the courageous Namibian people, who are struggling, under the leadership of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) - their sole, legitimate representative - to break the hated yoke of colonial, racist oppression.
Continuing to refer to Africa, we were very much encouraged by the results of the negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations which led to the Geneva agreement of 30 August 1988. That is clearly a large step in the right direction taken by Morocco and POLISARIO. We cannot but encourage them to continue on that course, because we are convinced that, given the good faith of the parties and the political will, the people of Western Sahara will finally be able freely to exercise their right to self-determination.
In the Middle East, the establishment of the cease-fire between Iran and Iraq and the opening of bilateral negotiations in Geneva give us reason to hope that the peace process has really begun and that it will lead to a mutually satisfactory solution.
On the other hand, we deeply deplore the wave of violence that continues to claim so many victims in the occupied territories. Nevertheless, we feel some optimism about the future because of the prospects for an indispensable dialogue between all the parties, which could finally lead to the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). In that regard, we support the principle of an international conference on the Middle East to lay the foundations for an overall settlement that would take simultaneously into account Israel's inalienable right to exist within secure and internationally recognized boundaries and the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination, including the right to a homeland.
So far as Lebanon is concerned, we endorse anything that can restore peace, beginning with the withdrawal of all foreign forces, which is a pre-condition for the restoration of the Lebanese people's sovereignty and national and territorial integrity.
With regard to South-East Asia, ,e continue to give our full support to the constant efforts by the United Nations to find a negotiated solution in the case of Kampuchea as well as that of Afghanistan. Moreover, we continue to place our hopes in the reunification of the Korean nation and we offer our support to any initiative that could contribute to achieving that peacefully.
The solution to the problems of Central America can be found only by the peoples of the region themselves. That is the real meaning of the Arias plan, which we are pleased to support unreservedly. We regret, however, that the dialogue which has begun has not yet produced all the expected results.
We state again our conviction that there is an indissoluble link between disarmament and development, which are the undisputed bases of international peace and security. Today the expenditure on over-armament activities can be counted only in the thousands of billions of dollars - even after the recent Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles - whereas a part of those resources could have been advantageously reinvested in meeting human and social needs and, moreover, would have increased the security of all.
The Republic of Haiti protests against the practice of making the third-world countries the dumping grounds for toxic wastes from the Northern countries. It strongly condemns this new form of aggression and supports the idea of an international convention on the prohibition of and punishment for such acts.
Finally, in response to the wishes of national public opinion, the Government of the Republic of Haiti intends to struggle tirelessly against the illicit traffic in drugs and is willing to accept any assistance that nay be given by the countries with some experience in this field.
My country, which is classified among the least developed countries, cannot fail to note that, despite the strength of the economic recovery in the industrialized countries, the gap separating the North from the South continues to widen dangerously. In view of that situation, which is of the greatest concern, it appears quite legitimate far our peoples, the producers of raw materials, to wonder how they can again have the conditions of sustained and balanced growth when the fall in the prices of their commodities increases year after year and their external debt weighs heavily on their export capacities and compromises their prospects for investment.
We are convinced that it is urgently necessary to infuse dynamism into official development assistance and make it more accessible. We feel that it is also indispensable to set up a new international order able to respond to the expectations of the least favoured countries through the effective democratization of international economic relations. Finally, we believe that the debtor countries should be given an opportunity, over and above their debt servicing, to meet honourably the obligations arising out of the social, political and economic contract that binds their Governments to their peoples. In that way the right of those peoples to the minimum well-being that Saint Thomas Aquinas said was necessary to the practice of virtue may be effectively taken into account.
We turn now to the situation in our country following the major political events which have taken place recently, and we wish to testify to the hopes that have been aroused by the democratic renewal in all social sectors of our population. The Haitian people has just given striking new proof of its powerful attachment to freedom. Two years ago, on 7 February 1986 , this people clearly indicated to the world the forcefulness of its democratic instincts and its unshakeable courage in the face of the burden of bankruptcy, an economy in ruins and social and political structures un-adapted to the challenges of the end of our century. In the enthusiasm of that time, a powerful desire for national reconstruction was born. Thus in the Constitution of 1987 we adopted a new charter of rights and freedoms that defined the main outline of a new social contract and a legal framework on which the institutions for guaranteeing Haitian democracy were to be founded.
Unfortunately, our hard apprenticeship in the cause of freedom did not go forward uneventfully. Through one upheaval after another the country was plunged once more into a climate of violence and confusion in which suddenly the freedoms achieved and the victories in our struggle were again jeopardized. In that context the already precarious economic situation could not but worsen and social disorder increase. It was clear that we were moving towards the collapse of a regime that was incapable of undertaking the expected reforms and meeting the needs of the rural and urban masses.
From the depths of the abyss, the Haitian army once again, in the face of our national peril, responded on 17 September, to the appeal of our country. It was guided solely by the need to defend the higher interests of our nation and by its faith in the dynamics of lasting structural change in laying the foundations of democracy in Haiti once and for all. Thus a new Government was formed in which the entire country could see its views reflected. It is a consensus Government, desirous above all of the common good and national dignity. It is determined to gather together all political trends, all schools of thought and all Haitians of goodwill, without exception, so as to seize the opportunity of establishing once and for all the foundations of genuine democracy that will put an end to the structural instability of power in Haiti and prevent any return to dictatorship.
The nation has rediscovered its true nature and the State its authority. We see the new Government, in full agreement with the desires of the people, resolutely embarked on the course of necessary change, aiming to bring the people out of its period of transition to assume responsibility for its destiny through elections that at last will be free and honest, in a climate o£ representative democracy irreversibly founded on a multi-party system, respect for essential freedoms, the inviolability of the rights of the human person, and social justice.
To that end the 1987 Constitution, which was adopted by a large Majority, will be restored, with the changes that the people, in its sovereignty, may feel it necessary to make to it. The institutions that it had defined to ensure the proper working of the Haitian society will be re-established to meet a twofold challenge - the modernisation of our political structures and the invigoration of our economy. From now on, Haiti turns a new face to the world. Freedoms - I mean all freedoms - are guaranteed; the political parties are re-emerging; justice is resuming its rights; those who were forced to flee the country are coming back; and, above all and for the first time since 7 February 1986, a democratic dialogue has begun among all political trends and schools of thought and the Government, in a desire for complete national reconciliation, without which the reconstruction battle would be compromised from the outset.
In the present circumstances there is only one possible policy that aimed at giving a lasting foundation to a regime of law and freedom end attacking the structural causes of absolute poverty. Those two courses are closely linked and inseparable. It is clear that it is impossible to exercise political rights in any meaningful way without full enjoyment of economic and social rights, and to that end we must tackle without further delay the major problems which the Haitian economy is now facing and which call for urgent medium- and long-term solutions.
The grave deterioration of the physical environment as a result of the deforestation and erosion compounding the desertification of our country, deficiencies in the machinery of production and the uncertainty of Income, particularly in the rural areas, are factors behind the complete halt in economic growth, while population growth is about 1.5 per cent.
It must also be emphasised that as a result of socio-political troubles during the period 1986-88 the problem of employment has only worsened, making the socio-economic situation of the needy sectors of our population even more difficult in a country that already had a highly alarming rate of unemployment.
Another point to be stressed is the burden of financial difficulties, which have been aggravated by the freeze on international assistance for a year now. That is compounded by the considerable material damage caused by hurricane Gilbert.
In short, the past eight years have been characterised by a serious, constant decline in production, employment and the level and quality of life in Haiti. We fear that the 1980s may be a lost decade for development unless energetic, timely action, strongly supported by the international community is taken to help what is the only least developed country in the Americas to break this vicious circle of underdevelopment. In this regard, the statement of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti on the events of 17 September this year was unambiguous. It reads: "We beg you, the international organisations, to continue the assistance given to this country. But in the present circumstances we address an urgent appeal to you to increase aid for the development of our people,"
In its programme of action the Government has set itself a three-part target - the establishment of a regime of freedom and human dignity, economic growth and social development - in a climate of exceptional economic difficulties. That is why we make an urgent appeal to the whole international community, friendly countries and the specialized agencies of the United Nations to mobilize the necessary resources to permit a return to sustained growth in Haiti after years of stagnation.
In this regard, we believe that the proposals, recommendations and continents in resolution 39/196 of 17 December 1984, concerning a special United Nations programme for assisting Haiti, could be updated and their content could be expanded to enable our country to tackle its most urgent problems, overcome its many handicaps and deal with the structural problems that have all too often been neglected in the past.
We hope above all that with mutual respect and trust Haiti's partners will work to ensure the implementation of that decisive plan of action, which the people of Haiti believes it has a right to count on, if it is to achieve by the year 2000 a level of economic, social and cultural development compatible with fundamental human rights and the requirements of human dignity.
Foe our part, we shall spare no effort. That was the gist of the message of the President of the Republic, Lieutenant General Prosper Avril, when he said at the inauguration of the Cabinet:
"The task is immense and cannot be put off. Let us begin it immediately, making it a point of honour that the true foundation of our legitimacy should be the extent of our services to the community. Today a man of good will is stretching out his hand towards other men of good will; a chain of solidarity must be formed and made longer and longer, stronger and stranger, so that Haiti nay live and make progress."


It gives me great pleasure to congratulate the President on his election to guide the work of the forty-third session of the General Assembly. I am confident that his wisdom and experience will contribute effectively to the achievement of the results we all seek through strenuous efforts to find constructive solutions to the problems of international peace and security through the co-operation of all the peoples of the world. My pleasure is all the greater because the President represents a country with which mine maintains positive and constructive co-operation.
The experienced leadership given by his predecessor at the forty-second session of the General Assembly earned him the gratitude and recognition it is now my pleasure to express.
We also wish to express our appreciation and thanks to the Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, for his distinguished service to our Organization in pursuance of the goals and political objectives of the Charter.
We are now witnessing hopeful international developments in the direction of dialogue and peaceful coexistence after a critical period of tension and confrontation. We join with the international community in hailing these welcome developments. We hope that this new atmosphere will help bring about just solutions to problems affecting many of the peoples of the world, f ere race t among which are problems such as regional wars, foreign occupation, denial of the rights of other peoples, external hegemony, economic exploitation, terrorism end degradation of the environment. It is encouraging to note the new awareness of the impasse reached in the arms race and, as a result, the conclusion of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles between the United States and the Soviet Union. We also welcome the agreement on the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, and the first steps taken towards solving the problem of Namibia, the Iran-Iraq war, and a number of other regional issues. We hope that this new awareness of the futility of military force will pave the way towards the settlement of other conflicts around the world and that the year 1988 will be the gateway to world peace.
My delegation salutes the popular uprising - the intifada - in the occupied territories of Palestine against the Fascist policies, encroachments and depredations of the Zionist entity in the holy places of Palestine, We strongly condemn the violent repressive measures, including deportation and the use of terrorist tactics practised by the Zionist entity against the unarmed Palestinian people, including women, children and the elderly.
The valiant resistance and steadfastness of the Palestinian people under occupation are the measure of its categorical rejection of the status quo imposed by Israel and of that people's Insistence on its right to self-determination, to preservation of its national character and the full exercise of its national rights on the whole of its territory.
The intifada and the new facts it brought to light have negated Israeli propaganda's false claims to democracy. The new facts expose Israel before the whole world and starkly underline its Fascist practices and expansionist policies expressed in such abhorrent measures as deportation, imprisonment without due process, demolition of homes, confiscation of property, the establishment of colonial-type settlements and the continued transgression on the al-Aqsa mosque and other holy places in Palestine.
Israel has to learn the lessons of history and reconsider its policies in light of these new facts which belie the "secure boundaries" argument invoked as a pretext for continued occupation and creeping annexation, in violation of the United Nations Charter and its resolutions, the norms of international law and the Geneva Convention of 1949 on the protection of the civilian population in time of war.
We reaffirm our unlimited support for the Palestinian people's uprising and call upon the world body and all peace-loving forces in the world to shoulder their historic responsibilities and do what is necessary to put an end to attempts at genocide and the policy of expulsion and deportation practised by Israel and aimed at driving out the legitimate inhabitants o£ Palestine and the occupied territories from their homeland.
Just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East cannot be founded on repression, terrorism and killing. It can only be built on a foundation of justice and respect for human rights and international norms of conduct. This can only be achieved by recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among which is the right to self-determination and the establishment of its own State on its national territory.
From this perspective, the Amman summit meeting of Arab States unanimously declared that the only way to solve the problem in a fair and comprehensive manner is the convening of an international peace conference, with the participation of the permanent members of the Security Council and all parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization (FLO), on an equal footing, as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The international community is leaning towards reaching a definitive solution along those lines.
The State of Qatar declares its support for all steps the PLO might take in its capacity as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. We welcome the acceptance by Iran of Security Council resolution 598 (1987), which had been accepted by Iraq when it was adopted. This acceptance carries great potential for the establishment of a just peace between two neighbourly Muslim nations, Iran and Iraq.
We express the hope that Iran and Iraq will be able to resolve all the problems between them in a peaceful, just and comprehensive fashion, thus safeguarding their respective interests and consolidating the peace and stability of the region in the best interests of their peoples and of the whole Arab and Islamic world.
In this regard, we commend the fruitful efforts of the Secretary-General, which were crowned by a cease-fire between the two warring neighbours. We reaffirm our support for his continued efforts to achieve the lasting peace for which we all yearn.
The State of Qatar, together with the other sister nations members of the Gulf Co-operation Council, stands ready to make every effort to ensure the success of the peace talks between Iran and Iraq. Despite all the difficulties, we are confident that negotiations will continue until a real, just and permanent peace is achieved and the stability of the Gulf region restored.
The State of Qatar welcomes the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan and hopes that conditions in that country will be stabilized so that the Afghan people can devote its efforts to rebuilding the country and determining its own course.
The current situation in Africa is one of our main concerns. The South African regime represents the antithesis of what the United Nations was intended to embody, namely, the negation of repression and discrimination. The United Nations should intensify its efforts aimed at putting an end to the inhumane and immoral regime of apartheid. That regime cannot be reformed; it must be dismantled. We condemn the new racist legislation on residential segregation and fully support the just struggle of the peoples of South Africa, Namibia, and the other countries in southern Africa. We call upon the international co unity, especially those countries which can influence South Africa's policies, to support the struggle of the people of southern Africa and compel South Africa's racist authorities to renounce their policies of apartheid and their attempts at destabilising the neighbouring countries.
We commend the efforts of those parties which seek a solution to the problem of Namibia by putting an end to South Africa's illegal occupation and paving the way foe Namibia's independence. We hope that the current negotiations will bring a halt to military operations on the Angolan border, ensure Namibia's independence and eventually do away with apartheid. The ever-growing nuclear arsenals of the two super-Powers are a persistent threat to the survival of the human race. We therefore welcome the initial agreement reached by the United States and the Soviet Union on the elimination of medium-range nuclear missiles. We hope that this agreement is the harbinger of other agreements on radical reductions of their strategic missiles and on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The decision to conduct negotiations on nuclear testing should lead to the early conclusion of a treaty banning all such tests. At the Geneva Conference on Disarmament, the adoption of a convention prohibiting chemical weapons seems now more than ever before to be within ready. That result should speedily be achieved.
Another Important problem is that of international terrorism. It is a complex problem that endangers the stability of States and affects their mutual relations. Moreover, terrorist activities pose a wanton threat to life, limb and property. While international co-operation and the enactment of co-ordinated measures at the domestic level are needed to combat terrorism, it is necessary also to understand the true nature of international terrorism.
We must also condemn terrorism practised by or under the direct supervision of States. Colonialism, Zionism and racist and hegemonist regimes indulge in State terrorism through armed aggression against sovereign States and interference in their internal affairs, and the expulsion from their homes and assassination of Innocent people. Colonialism, Zionism and racism are all sources of widespread international terrorism, which constitutes a threat to peace and security and is condemned by the peoples of the world.
It is of prime importance to draw a clear distinction between evil acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggle of national liberation movements.
The state of the world economy is a source of deep concern. Despite all efforts to assemble the prerequisites for development, the rate of growth in industrialized nations has been less than expected. In the developing world, dwindling returns on the export of raw materials and high interest rates on foreign debts have critically affected the financial resources of developing countries. This situation has a negative impact on economic performance and diminishes the possibility of growth through development.
The indebtedness of the developing world continues to be the main obstacle to growth. It lowers the already low standard of living of the poorest of the poor. The heavy debt burden complicates all attempts at structural improvements in the economic policies of the countries concerned. All efforts at restructuring and at better mobilization of local resources are hampered by the immediate claims of debt servicing and thus fail to produce the expected rapid results. The problem of the effects of debt servicing on developing countries needs to be re-examined in a world-wide context. In allocating financial aid, the needs of the least developed countries should be given the special consideration they deserve.
Against that background, the State of Qatar welcomes the positive achievements of the seventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Implementation of the recommendations in the Final Act of that session could lead to specific progress in co-operation in dealing with the current acute crisis in international economic relations.
In conclusion, I wish to state that, even though changing conditions since the inception of the United Nations may have required changes in the Organization's methods of work, the lofty purposes and principles of the Organization remain as relevant as ever. The importance of the role played by the United Nations on the world scene has been enhanced. It is more than ever necessary for us all to renew our commitment to the Charter principles, for the sake of a better world for our peoples and the future of mankind in general.