Never since the Assembly began to meet have we witnessed in the space of one intercessional period so many important events and exceptional political and economic upheavals. The revolution that has just occurred has worked a fundamental transformation in the geopolitical make-up of Europe and of the world. The cold war is over. We stand at the beginning of a new era.
While subscribing to the statement made last Tuesday by my colleague Gianni de Michelis, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy, who spoke on behalf of the twelve countries members of the Community, I should like today to deal with a few subjects that I feel are most significant.
Never has an event so directly threatened peace as has the conflict that broke out only last month in the Gulf region. By its brutal invasion of Kuwait,, a sovereign and independent country at dawn on 2 August Iraq flagrantly violated the fundamental principles of our Charter and in particular the principle of the non-use of force in the settlement of differences between States.
The people of Luxembourg joined in condemning that unjustifiable and unacceptable act of aggression, one reminiscent of the darkest moments in their own history. On 6 August our Government banned any trade with Iraq and Kuwait. It decreed a freeze on both countries' financial assets. It has begun to provide emergency assistance to refugees in the countries most affected by the crisis and is participating fully in the efforts being made by the European Economic Community (EEC). Furthermore/ it will contribute to the financing of military operations conducted in the region by certain of its allies within the framework of the United Nations mandate.
We welcome the unanimity and determination the international community has shown in expressing its disgust at this violation of international law. The speed with which the Security Council acted demonstrates that. The Council has developed a new ability to act. The unreserved implementation of Security Council resolutions should lead to a solution of the conflict through the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait and the release of all nationals of third countries. Meanwhile/ all Member States of the Organization must scrupulously implement the comprehensive and binding embargo against Iraq.
Above and beyond the resolution of this conflict, what is at stake is respect for the principles of our Organisation and even, I would go so far as to say, its credibility. We must unite to deter anyone who might in the future be tempted to venture upon a similar adventure.
The conflict has created extreme tension and has exposed the Gulf region, already sorely tested by eight years of war, to a terrible catastrophe. We must focus attention on the suffering of the people of Kuwait and of hundreds of thousands of foreign workers who have fled Iraq and Kuwait, most often in tragic circumstances. Incalculable economic damage has been inflicted, or Kuwait in the first instance and on the other countries in the region as well. The entire world has been effected. The Iraqi leaders have to assume a very weighty historical responsibility. After all, did they not play a decisive part 10 years ago in unleashing another war? Did they not without hesitation use chemical gases to eliminate in cold blood thousands of Kurds in their own country? They are intransigent and their only concern is to get us to accept a fait accompli. The constant violations of embassies in Kuwait are unprecedented in history. The detention of thousands of foreign nationals as hostages exceeds all acceptable norms.
This violence, this cynicism remind us of the fascist practices that went on throughout the 1930s. Let us not forget that they were tolerated for too long and finally led the world into the Second World War. History will not pardon us if this mistake is made again. The United Nations must therefore emerge victorious from this test of strength.
The restoration and the maintenance of peace naturally raise other questions. The first is that of security in the Gulf region, which has been jeopardised by the presence of dictatorial regimes that profess exclusive ideologies and that are backed up by powerful armies. This proves once again that the accumulation of military arsenals does not enhance security; quite the contrary. We should give fresh impetus to our efforts at disarmament and international arms transfers.
Iraq's act of aggression cannot be justified by the impasse in which the question of Palestine finds itself, nor by the frustrations - that we understand - to which it has given rise in the Arab countries, particularly among the Palestinians. No linkage between the two questions can be allowed. The explosive character of the general situation in the Middle East forces us, nevertheless, to intensify our efforts to move towards the solution to the problem of Palestine.
However, the collapse of the Berlin wall last November caught the imagination of the entire world. It was the death knell to the European and world order defined in Yalta and based on confrontation and ideological antagonism, accelerating the dynamic of change brought about by the policy of glasnost and perestroika. That event sent out shock waves to the borders of the most far-flung parts of Europe, and even beyond. One by one, the old non-representative regimes crumbled, giving way to the pressure from the man in the street and aspirations to liberty and democracy.
For the first time in 40 years there were free elections in most countries of Central and Eastern Europe that led to the establishment of new, fully representative governments. Political and economic reforms of unprecedented magnitude were brought about to put an end to this dominating ideology and an ineffective economic system.
I am delighted that Germany will be reunited in a few days. At long last the division of Europe has been ended. For the first time in their history all the peoples of Europe that share the same cultural heritage are able to organize their relations on a basis of common values, political pluralism, the periodic organization of free elections, the primacy of law, respect for human rights, and respect for the principles of the market economy.
An historic occasion has thus been given to the continent of Europe, an occasion which should lead to the establishment of an era of peace and prosperity. It is up to the summit of the Group of 35 in Paris to usher in this new chapter in European history.
However, to ignore relations with peoples on other continents would be for us Europeans a serious mistake. Mindful of their responsibilities in this decisive phase of its history, the European Community and its member States decided to speed up and deepen the process of unification. The single internal market will be achieved in 1992. It will be beneficial not only to the member countries but also to third countries. Two rounds of intergovernmental negotiations will get under way at the end of this year and will be continued during the nest quarter under the chairmanship of Luxembourg. The first round will seek to work out the final stages of economic and monetary union; the second will seek to strengthen the political structures of the Community and its member States.
We believe that it is by this increasingly tight integration in all fields that the Twelve will build a solid nucleus for a future stable, peaceful European order for the future. But this integration cannot stop at the member countries of the European Community alone. This intra-community process is inseparable from a structural reinforcement among all the European States, a new economic space has to be established between the member countries of the Community and the member countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Hew economic and trade agreements have been negotiated or will soon be negotiated between the Community and the other countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
We do not underestimate the difficulties that the transition from a bureaucratic centralized economy to a market economy occasions for all these countries. These are in addition to the frustration and insecurity felt by peoples who, more often than not, have to confront a worsening of the employment situation and their standard of living. It is in order to overcome these difficulties that the Twelve have taken the initiative, within the Group of 24, to set up major aid programmes immediately. Furthermore, the negotiation of association agreements of an entirely new type will highlight the new potentials of these countries.
At a time when ideological rivalries of the past are giving way to new relationships based on a shared conception of society, on trust and a spirit of partnership, the maintenance of powerful armies has become irrelevant in Europe. The events of the past few months have quite naturally accelerated the disarmament movement. A first agreement will soon be concluded in Vienna on the reduction of conventional forces in Europe as veil as on a significant set of confidence- and security-building measures.
At this very moment, foreign troops are leaving the territories of countries in which they were stationed against the will of the people. Seductions in troops and military expenditures - at times drastic - have been decided upon, or are being envisaged. Additional considerable funds could thus be used to solve social, educational, health, environmental and development problems.
The Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), of which the States of Europe, the United States and Canada are participants, has played a fundamental role in the future of Europe. Its structure, its rules and its action should set an example for other regions of the world. The compelling aspiration o£ peoples to freedom and to control of their own destiny does not stop at the borders of Europe. In Asia, Latin America and Africa it is mobilising more and more people every day and encourages them to demand the same rights and freedoms. Thus we welcome the return to democracy in Chile, the holding of free elections in Nicaragua, and soon, it is to be hoped, with the assistance of the United Nations, in Haiti. The Namibian people, which is finally free, has chosen a pluralistic democratic system. Mozambique and Angola are preparing to follow suit. Others are giving serious thought to it.
Likewise, it is with satisfaction that we are following developments in South Africa. Considerable progress has been made, thanks to the now policies of President de Klerk, has kept his promise by legalising the opposition movements and by releasing Nelson Mandela and lifting the state of emergency. We also take note of the promise of the Government to release all other political prisoners and to declare an amnesty for those in exile. We hope that negotiations with a view to a new constitution creating a united, democratic and non-racial South Africa will got under way soon.
A month ago the five permanent members of the Security Council agreed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cambodian problem. That agreement offers a real and unique chance for the restoration of peace in that country, too long torn apart by war. We must avoid any return to the practices of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, which were responsible for the extermination of several hundred thousand Cambodians. I am delighted that, allowing the Djakarta meeting, the Cambodian parties were able to accept that agreement, which is to be ratified at the next Paris Conference.
Neither democracy nor the market economy is a miraculous panacea. The painful experience of certain democracies undermined by violence, guerrilla war, socio-economic disorders and persistent under-development is proof of this. The establishment of political institutions guaranteeing pluralism and a democratic transition requires great effort and tenacity. Apart from the organisation of periodic fair legislative elections, structures must be established allowing for the real participation of all in development and an equitable distribution of national resources.
There is close interaction between democracy and development. It is not possible to have one without the other; the one strengthens the other. At its special session in April the General Assembly reached an important consensus on the new contours of international economic co-operation. Using a more realistic, more balanced approach, it stressed, in particular, in a novel and encouraging way, the need for better use of human resources and respect for human rights. Mindful of the importance of increasing assistance for co-operation and development, my Government decided to double the volume of its aid by 1994.
The Government of Luxembourg continues to attach great importance to respect for human rights. It is still concerned by the flagrant violations of those rights throughout the world. It is up to our Organisation to be increasingly vigilant in monitoring the strict universal implementation of existing instruments. Particular attention should be given to the rights of minorities, the rights of women and the rights of children.
A problem of another kind is threatening the survival of mankind. I refer to the destruction of the natural environment, which makes life on Earth possible. The question of the protection of the environment is central to the daily concerns of us all. Major international conferences have been devoted to this question. They have all contributed to the preparation of the world Conference on the Environment and Development, which is to be held in Brazil in 1992. This Conference will seek to face up to the enormous challenges posed by damage to the biosphere and to ecosystems, and by degradation of the environment, the effects of demographic pressure, the depletion of resources, and the extinction of species. Tropical deforestation is increasing. The area affected this year is 17 million hectares, as against only 11.3 million hectares in 1980. The capacity of forests to absorb carbon dioxide, which is a function vital to our planet, is diminishing rapidly.
The world population, which is now more than 5 billion, will increase by about 960 million this decade, compared to 842 million during the 1980s. How will we be able to feed these new people? The food capacity of the planet is already stagnant or is actually decreasing. In Africa and Latin America, per capita food consumption is now lower than it was 10 years ago. Each day about 250,000 children are born, but about 40,000 die of hunger or malnutrition. All countries represented here, especially the richest, must constantly try to remedy this scandalous situation. It is for the World Summit for Children to propose the necessary measures. Fresh impetus must also be given to population policies to be conducted at the national and international levels. The rich countries must help those with high birth rates to Implement these policies.
The depletion of the ozone layer and the accumulation in the atmosphere of gases that produce the greenhouse effect could gradually increase temperatures, with the obvious disastrous consequences. Given this alarming picture, now is the time to take action. The European Community must establish an agency for the environment, and that agency must be open to other European countries also. The Ministers of 93 countries who met in London at the end of last June decided to go beyond the objectives o£ the Montreal Protocol and to ensure that the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions that destroy the ozone layer are stopped before the end of the century. I welcome in particular the agreement to establish a fund to assist the developing countries to acquire the necessary technology to stop these emissions.
Energy efficiency and energy savings in general must be at the very heart of a new strategy, which is justified also by recent events in the Gulf. I hope that the next world conference on climate, to be held next November, will be able to agree on this objective and on guidelines for a framework convention on climatic change. This convention, with the necessary protocols, will be open for signature at the 1992 Conference. In this regard, the industrialised countries, which account for the consumption of 70 per cent of world primary energy and fossil fuels, must shoulder special responsibility. National accounting systems should be adapted to reflect, in the national product, the cost of conservation or replacement of natural resources, such as forests, water and fertile land. They should also reflect the devaluation of natural resources as non-renewable assets.
I welcome the new spirit that we see in international relations. There is no doubt that this Organisation is a direct beneficiary. Its credibility and its ability to act have been reinforced to a considerable extent. Never has the United Nations been so sought after to resolve the world's problems.
In Namibia, the United Nations concluded, in exemplary fashion, a process leading the Namibian people to independence. The flawless organisation of free elections was the key to that enormous success.
In Central America the United Nations has contributed greatly to calming the situation by sending observers of the United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ОGСА), by monitoring elections in Nicaragua and by demobilizing contra forces.
In the future it will have a special task in Cambodia, and after that perhaps in Afghanistan. In Western Sahara there is new hope that a referendum can be organised.
The United Nations provides a framework for the needed intensification of international co-operation to fight drug trafficking and poverty and to protect the environment.
The Organization's universality has been buttressed by the admission of Namibia and Liechtenstein, which I warmly welcome, and soon, I hope. South Korea.
Certainly, we would not be at this point were it not for the Secretary-General and his decisive action. I wish once again to pay a tribute to his qualities and his tireless mediation efforts in the service of peace.
I wish in conclusion warmly to congratulate you. Sir, on your unanimous election to the presidency of the General Assembly at this session. I am sure you will guide our work to success.


On behalf of the Mongolian delegation, I should like to offer Mr. De Marco our sincere congratulations on his unanimous election to the lofty post of President of the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session and to wish his every success in the performance of his important duties. His election is a tribute to his personal qualities as an outstanding statesman of Malta, and also to the widely recognised and active contribution of his country to the work of the United Nations.
The Mongolian delegation also pays a tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Garba of Nigeria, for his skilled guidance of the work of the forty-fourth regular session and the three special sessions of the General Assembly, which dealt with very important problems of our day.
We warmly congratulate the delegation of Liechtenstein on the accession to the United Nations and we wish them every success in their noble work.
The work of the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly has begun at a most significant moment in history. The year drawing to a close has on the whole fostered the positive breaks that have emerged of late. This year's historic events have made it a watershed. The cold war is over, a new era in international relations, based on the active, peaceful co-,existence of States in conditions of interdependence, has began, following the United States-Soviet Union summit meeting in Malta, the global confrontation between those two countries has virtually given way to an enlightened partnership. The level of confidence and Mutual understanding between East and Nest has been raised to new heights. Europe has made great strides towards unification. Positive results can be observed in the settlement of some regional conflicts, k constructive search is continuing in various areas of the disarmament process.
The role of the United Nations as a major instrument of peace, collective security and international cooperation, is ever-expanding. Namibia has gained the independence for which it fought so long.
Despite these radical changes, we must however note the lack of tangible progress in resolving а number of global and regional problems such as underdevelopment, the external debt ecological imbalance and the crisis in the Middle last among others. Moreover, a new and highly dangerous source of tension has emerged. In short, today’s world is quite contradictory and an intensification of efforts to reinforce the positive trends and find optimal solutions to existing problems, still remains an urgent task of the world community.
In Europe, the normalisation of international relations on the regional level is continuing. Events of historic magnitude have taken place recently. The countries of Eastern Europe have taken a decisive step towards democratisation and renewal of their societies, λ united Germany has emerged. The Helsinki process is gaining new momentum. The Mongolian People’s Republic welcomes the convening in Paris, in November, of the summit meeting of the countries participating in the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. We expect that one of its most important results will be the conclusion of an agreement on the reduction of conventional armaments on the European continent.
The successful advancement of the all-European process and the changing nature of the relations between the two largest military and political groupings are bringing about an improvement in the overall political climate and are helping to prepare solid ground for new and concrete steps towards disarmament.
We are encouraged by the recent statements of the leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States to the effect that they will put forth new efforts with a view to completing, as early as this year, the agreement on the reduction of strategic offensive armaments.
Mongolia would also like to see the early conclusion of the convention on banning chemical weapons.
The Mongolian delegation shares the concern over the lack of progress towards an agreement on the complete prohibition of nuclear-weapon tests. The strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and the cessation of the technological arms race are assuming ever greater importance. The Mongolian Republic believes that disarmament measures, including those relating to conversion, should be carried out in close conjunction with development efforts.
The Asia-Pacific region has been attracting increasing attention from the world community, especially of late. Though the development of events is quite complex, we view the general political situation in the region as positive. This is reflected, in particular in the growing willingness of the countries of the region to engage in dialogue and co-operation, and in the increasing trust and mutual understanding among them. In other words, the times when ideological and other differences stood in the way of greater co-operation are fading away.
New and earnest steps are being taken to resolve some of the regional conflicts. Mongolia welcomes the steps taken towards a final settlement of the Cambodian conflict, namely, the agreement reached by the five permanent members of the Security Council on the framework for its settlement, the acceptance of relevant documents by the Cambodian parties, and the formation of the Supreme National Council of Cambodia. In this regard, the efforts made by the United Nations and all the countries concerned are highly commendable.
Certain encouraging signs can be discerned on the Korean peninsula as well. We are hopeful that the inter-Korean dialogue, launched at the level of Prime Ministers, will create favourable conditions for enhancing mutual confidence, reducing confrontation on the peninsula and attaining the ultimate objective of the reunification of Korea.
Mongolia continues to favour the earliest possible solution of the Afghan problem. An immediate end must be put to the continuing bloodshed in that country and international efforts to that end should be intensified. In our view, the policy of national reconciliation and unity pursued by the Afghan Government paves the way for the opening of the inter-Afghan dialogue.
To our great regret, the situation in another area of the Asian continent - the Middle East - has been seriously aggravated by Iraq's open aggression against Kuwait. Mongolia fully supports the measures taken by the Security Council and a number of States to restore justice and the rights of the Kuwaiti people, which have been trampled upon. We consider that this problem should be resolved exclusively by political means.
The current explosive situation in the Persian Gulf has again clearly shown the need for an early settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East. A just and comprehensive settlement of this problem can be achieved only on the basis of the recognition of the rights of all the peoples and countries of the region to exist and the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations.
Apart from specific regional problems, there are a number of regional issues of common concern in Asia.
There is a great disparity in the level of the development of the countries of the region. The process of integration among them is uneven and is, to a great extent, underdeveloped. Many countries of the Asia-Pacific region suffer from economic backwardness and from ecological and other serious problems.
The existing problems and conflicts can be resolved, first, through joint efforts on the part of interested parties and States of the region. In our view, therefore, it is highly important for the countries of the Asia-Pacific region to formulate their owe pattern of interaction, while taking into account the positive experience of other regions. Here, we should like to express our support for the Soviet idea of holding a widely representative forum of Asian States.
The resolution of a specific problem would, apparently, call for a specific approach - a specific group of participants and so on. Meanwhile, it is important to have a general, constructive background based on mutual confidence and understanding on a regional scale and, in our view, this involves mutual confidence and understanding on a regional scale. This would call for a display of good will and the development of broad co-operation on both a regional and a subregional basis.
9fe therefore welcome the emergence of various regional structures for co-operation. It is important that they should be open-ended. The establishment last year of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Organisation with the participation of 12 States was, in our view, a very important step in the development of Asia-Pacific integration. Mongolia is most interested in participating in the activities of that Organisation.
Believing in the importance of a regional approach to the solution of common problems, Mongolia last year made a proposal that, together, we should seek a mechanism for dialogue among the countries of the northern part of the Asia-Pacific region. I would emphasise here that we are not talking about the establishment of any kind of new organisational structure. We are merely suggesting the organisation of periodic meetings of representatives of the countries of the subregion at various levels. Such meetings would help, in our view, to identify the problems existing in the region and would suggest ways and means of resolving them. We view the implementation of our idea in the context of other initiatives put forward by other countries of the region and we will be glad to co-operate with interested parties.
The proclamation of a new and independent Namibia bas undoubtedly been one of the most important event, of this year. This was a major achievement of the United Nations and of all democratic and anti-colonialist forces. It is symbolic that the elimination of the last major colonial stain on Earth coincides with the thirtieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and People, which will be celebrated at this session of the General Assembly. We believe that this anniversary gives the entire international community a timely opportunity to sum up the activities of the United Nations on decolonisation.
Positive changes are also taking place in South Africa itself. He hope that the negotiations between the South African authorities and the African National Congress of South Africa will lead to positive results and to the ultimate elimination of the system of apartheid and the creation of a new democratic, non-racial State in the southern part of Africa.
The Mongolian People's Republic shares the deep concern expressed in the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organisation in regard to the difficult economic situation in the overwhelming majority of the developing countries.
We favour, above all, the intensification within the United Nations of a global dialogue on all the main components of world trade and economic relations. The convening this year of the special session of the General Assembly on economic issues and of the Second United Nation, Conference on the Least-Developed Countries we, of great importance.
In our opinion, the Declaration adopted at the special session and the global consensus, reached thereby on way, and means of developing international economic co-operation lay the foundations for a constructive dialogue with a view to the solution of world economic problems, above all those problems confronting the developing countries. The International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade should greatly facilitate the solution of the problems outlined above.
One important task is the creation of an international environment for accelerating economic growth and securing the sustained development of the developing countries. In this context I should like to underline the importance of giving the developing countries broader access to the achievements of scientific and technical progress.
An early settlement in a spirit of justice and solidarity of the problems of external indebtedness and international trade would greatly help the developing countries to overcome the economic crisis. The Mongolian delegation shares the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the South Commission of the Group of 77.
The deterioration in the world ecological situation constitutes a serious international problem, one that requires close co-operation on both a global and a regional level. The Mongolian People's Republic hopes that the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, to be held in Brazil in 1992, will become an important landmark in the efforts of States to preserve the ecosystem of our planet.
Mongolia welcomes the outcome of the World Summit for Children held recently at the United Nations. In our country appropriate measures will be taken to translate into practical action the spirit and provisions of the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children and its Plan of Action for the 19908, as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Mongolia today is experiencing a dynamic period of democratisation in its political, economic and spiritual life, a multiparty system has been established and is functioning. The first democratic and free elections have been held, a permanently functioning parliament has been set up. The presidential form of government has been introduced. Freedom of the press is being ensured. The right to emigrate freely and the right to freedom of religion and the performance of religious rites are being guaranteed. Many lost traditions and customs are being revived.
In its economic policy ray Government is placing primary emphasis on the social aspect, a programme is being drawn up for the transition to a market economy. The equality of various forms of property, including private property, will be guaranteed by law. An open economic policy is being pursued, a law has been adopted on foreign investment.
Mongolia has recently become a member of the Asian Development Bank. We are taking steps to join the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other international financial and economic institutions.
The country's foreign policy has been freed from ideological prejudices, a policy of non-alignment, a policy of maintaining friendly and equitable relations with any country, is being actively pursued. We advocate the principle of the non-deployment of troops and military bases on foreign territories. In accordance with a bilateral agreement, the withdrawal of the remaining part of Soviet troops from Mongolia will be completed by the summer of 1992.
We have undertaken the work of bringing our national legislation into conformity with our international obligations and of withdrawing reservations made earlier in regard to some multilateral treaties and conventions. I believe that this is in keeping with the task of ensuring the primacy of law and the objectives of the United Nations Decade of International Law proclaimed last year.
In conclusion, the Mongolian delegation expresses the hope that this forty-fifth session of the General Assembly will make its own contribution to the solution of the pressing issues of today and to the consolidation of positive trends in the world. We wish to pay a sincere tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Peres de Cuellar, for his untiring efforts and outstanding public service in enhancing the peace-making role of our Organisation. We wish him all further success.


It gives me pleasure to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session. Your election to this high office is in recognition of your ability and your experience. We have every confidence that, under your direction, the General Assembly will consolidate the gains it made at its last session under the leadership of your predecessor, Mr. Joseph Garba of Nigeria. I should like also to convey the support of the Sultanate of Oman and the States member of the Gulf Co-operation Council, of which, this year, Oman is president, far the efforts of the Secretary-General in carrying out the tasks entrusted to him by this Organisation. We commend his endeavour to strengthen confidence in the effectiveness of the United Nations as a body capable of assuming a positive and effective role in the maintenance of international peace and security and in defending the inviolability of the enlightened principles and standards of this community of nations.
On behalf of my country's delegation, I should also like to take this opportunity to welcome the admission of the Principality of Liechtenstein to membership of the United Nations.
Even when the credibility of the United Nations was most widely doubted, my country declared its faith in the effective role that the Organisation could play, given a readiness to be bound by its purposes and principles. We would like to reiterate that the foreign policy of the Sultanate of Oman, as laid down by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, is constantly guided by the high purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and remains committed to the international and regional treaties to which the country has acceded.
Among the most important components of our policy as prescribed by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos since our modern resurgence began on 23 July 1970, the 20th anniversary of which we are celebrate this year, have been the strengthening of bonds of friendship with all other States without distinction and the maintenance of relations with them that are built on a foundation of mutual respect for sovereignty and independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of others, and the settlement of disputes between States through dialogue and by peaceful means. Those are the principles by which we are guided in our relations with our neighbours and every other State with which the Sultanate of Oman maintains relations and links of co-operation.
In the course of this year, the international community has witnessed important developments that have led to the emergence of the first genuine detente of its kind since the end of the Second World War between the two camps of East and Hest. That détente has had helpful consequences for many international and regional issues, and we are hopeful that its positive results will also of necessity reinforce the role of the United Nations, and enable it to adopt practical measures for the implementation of its resolution and the achievement of its goals, in particular those relating to the maintenance of international peace and security and the promotion of sound relations and co-operation among Member States.
On 2 August this year, Iraq's armies invaded and occupied by force the sister State, Kuwait. The invasion and forcible annexation of a neighbouring State is a dangerous precedent the likes of which the international community has not witnessed since the establishment of the United Nations. The Organization was founded and the purposes and principles enshrined in its Charter were adopted with the specific purpose in view of preventing such an occurrence. What Iraq has done constitutes a flagrant violation of all the principles of the Organization and is the sort of conduct that is inadmissible under international legitimacy.
The Sultanate of Oman has strongly condemned the invasion and occupation, as have the Gulf Co-operation Council, the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the League of Arab States, the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, the Extraordinary Arab Summit Conference and the United Nations Security Council. We commend the decisive international stand that has emerged from Security Council resolutions 660 (1990), 661 (1990), 662 (1990), 664 (1990), 665 (1990), 666 (1990), 667 (1990) and 670 (1990).
We also welcome the positive role played by the friendly and fraternal States in responding to the legitimate appeal made by Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the grounds of self-defence. There can be no doubt that that response is an expression of the readiness of the international community to preserve peace and to defend the legitimate interests of States, particularly small ones.
We are grieved by Iraq's failure to comply with the resolutions of the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the United Nations Security Council calling for complete withdrawal from Kuwaiti territory and the restoration of the legitimate Government of Kuwait. We hope that Iraq will comply with all the aforementioned resolutions so that the Iraqi people can once again enjoy the benefits of peace and stability, channel their enormous human and natural resources to the task of building and reconstruction, and resume their constructive role in the Arab world and in the family of nations.
The current Gulf crisis has clearly shown that the Middle East region is one of an extremely sensitive character owing to the convergence of international interests there. The international community must therefore take decisive action to solve the political problems of the region, chief among which is the question of Palestine.
We support all the international efforts which aim at a peaceful and just solution to the cause of the Palestinian people, and it is our view that resolving the problem will be in the interest of all parties concerned. The time has come for the Middle East region to enjoy a situation of stability and for all efforts in the region to be directed towards development.
Israel's open occupation of parts of Lebanese territory is a primary and insurmountable obstacle to the restoration of that country's unity, security and stability. We reiterate our solidarity with Lebanon in its efforts to achieve national reconciliation and regain its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In Afghanistan, the horrors of war and bloodshed and the plight of the refugees persist, after more than two years since the signing of the Geneva Accords. We are confident that the two super-Powers, as guarantors of the Accords, will provide all necessary support and assistance to international efforts to form a national Government embracing all the factions of the Afghan people. Afghanistan will thus be able to preserve its neutrality and its Islamic identity, and the plight of the refugees will be brought to an end, allowing them to live in dignity in a homeland linked as it must be by relations of good-neighbourliness to all contiguous States, including the Soviet Union.
After more than 20 years of division and relentless wars and disruptions, there are signs of a solution to the question of Cambodia on the horizon. The Sultanate of Oman welcomes the progress made in that connection, and in particular: the agreement reached by the five permanent members of the Security Council in the last week of August this year, which has been accepted by the coalition Government and all other parties. It hopes that concerted efforts will be made in the light of that agreement with a view to reaching a just and comprehensive settlement of the issue that will take account of the aspirations of the Cambodian people and its desire to choose for itself the system of Government that it deems appropriate.
We had hoped that the optimism which has come to permeate international relations would play an important and decisive role with regard to preparations for the convening of the Conference on the Indian Ocean this year. While commending the position adopted by certain States of the Western Group that participated in the work of the Ad Hoe Committee on the Indian Ocean, my country calls upon other Western States to follow their example and to respond to the spirit of conciliation and flexibility shown by the States of the Indian Ocean area so that the Conference may be held as rescheduled with the participation of all States concerned.
United Nations efforts which have led to the independence of Namibia were a splendid example of what this Organisation can achieve if concerted international efforts are made to solve regional problems. We welcome the admission of Namibia to the Organisation, and hope it will play the positive role expected of it in the search for peace and security throughout the region to which it belongs.
The Declaration adopted by the General Assembly at its sixteenth special session, on apartheid and its destructive consequences in southern Africa, makes it clear that lasting peace and stability in the region can be achieved only with the dawning of a new era in which no one suffers under the yoke of apartheid. The Declaration, which was adopted by consensus, illustrates the fact that peace does not simply mean the absence of war, but that it also involves rejecting the denial of rights of any kind. Thus, while welcoming the reforms instituted by the Government of President De Klerk, my country wishes to make it clear that those reforms should not be seen as an end in themselves but only as a step towards the complete elimination of the racist regime.
We hope also that efforts being made for the solution of the Angolan problem will be crowned with success so that peace and security can be achieved in that important part of the African continent.
The situation in Cyprus continues to be characterised by a lack of movement, despite the sustained efforts of the Secretary-General. The Sultanate of Oman calls upon the two parties to exercise self-restraint and to pursue their dialogue in a spirit of conciliation, so that Cyprus may surmount its ordeal and so that the members of its two communities may once again live together, as before, in security, peace and concord.
In Central America, the international community has begun to reap the harvest sown by the efforts made to achieve peace there. At the time, the Sultanate of Oman supported the Esquipulas and Tela agreements, and it can only support and view with satisfaction the efforts towards national reconciliation now under way, which herald the beginning of a new peace process to which the peoples of the region have so long aspired.
The situation on the Korean peninsula continues to be a source of tension in East Asia. We hope the progress achieved thus far in the ongoing negotiations between the two States and in the contacts between the Governments of the Soviet Union and the Republic of Korea will establish a basis for understanding between the two countries. We shall support any international effort for the admission of the two Koreas as Members of the United Nations.
Environmental issues such as climate change, hazardous-waste disposal, the depletion of the ozone layer and environmentally sound development have become the object of increasing world interest, as is clear from the results of the London conference on Saving the Ozone Layer, the Hague Declaration and the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
Under the guidance of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, my country was among the first to enact legislation and establish mechanisms for environmental protection and the conservation of nature both at the domestic and the regional levels. Oman is thus engaged at present in identifying chemical substances used in its various industries which might affect the ozone layer, with a view to bringing the use of such substances into line with the levels established by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Along with fellow members of the Gulf Co-operation Council, my country is also studying the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Additional Protocol with a view to acceding to them.
Environmental pollution does not recognize political frontiers. While we concede the world-wide character of the ecological problem, it must nevertheless be acknowledged that all States are not equally responsible for it. The industrially advanced countries, as the major source of pollution, must bear a special responsibility for dealing with this serious threat. In that connection, my country is of the view that the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, to be held in Brazil in 1992, will afford the best opportunity for the international community to act in concert to discuss worsening environmental problems and to devise appropriate solutions taking account of current development needs without jeopardising the destiny of future generations.
The international community's aspiration to a world safe from the nuclear threat will remain unfulfilled if States that possess nuclear weapons persist in retaining them. The positive developments in the field of disarmament produced by the recent Washington summit of the two super-Powers must therefore be but one step towards ridding the world of those overkill and other weapons of mass destruction.
We appreciate the role played by the major Powers, particularly the United States of America and the Soviet Union, the responsibility they have taken upon themselves and the efforts they have made towards disarmament, but the United Nations must also play a significant role in this regard. The Organisation must address an issue that could pose a threat to the continued existence of mankind on this planet.
The impact of the recent positive political developments in the international arena has yet to be reflected in international economic co-operation. The gap between the industrially advanced countries and the developing countries continues to widen. The causes of imbalances in the world economy and in trade have not been remedied. Average annual rates of real growth in the developing countries fell from 5.5 per cent in the 1970s to less than 3 per cent in the 19808. Terms of trade for most of those countries have deteriorated as a result of a fall in the prices of the basic commodities that are the mainstays of their exports. At the same time, many developing countries are suffering from problems of indebtedness, the burden of which continues to weigh heavily on their economies. In 1988 alone they lost some $50 billion in debt servicing and interest payments.
The regrettable events in the Gulf have demonstrated that whenever complex political issues arise in the international arena the economic difficulties of the developing countries tend to be aggravated. There is a pressing need for the international community, and particularly the industrially advanced countries, to adopt positive initiatives - such as the Brady initiative - and to enact other measures in keeping with the scale of the problem until such time as the developing countries can reverse the net flow of financial resources and thereby establish the basis required for their development and the realisation of real growth.
The deliberations of the special session of the General Assembly devoted to international economic co-operation and, in particular, to the revitalisation of the economic growth and development of the developing countries, which was held here last April, as well as the deliberations of the Second United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries held at Paris in recent days have made it clear that the prevailing political climate might be most propitious for making a start on the elaboration of an international development strategy for the fourth United Nations Development Decade, one that would take into account, inter alia, the adoption of a new trade mechanism to help enhance the opportunities of access of exports from developing countries to the markets of industrially advanced countries.
The United Nations and its institutions have made important achievements and, as a consequence, the confidence of the international community in the role of the Organization and its satisfaction with the performance of that role has increased. The United Nations will remain the indispensable refuge of all States, a refuge to which, guided by the purposes and principles of the Organisation and protected by its Charter in the maintenance of peace and security, they may have recourse to review their problems and differences and co-ordinate their efforts for a better future.


We are delighted that the forty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly is being presided over by a distinguished personally fro, Malta, an island whose active involvement in international affairs is well known and which, like Mauritius, has been the crossroads of many civilisations.
I AM confident, Mr. President, that the experience end wisdom you bring to this high office will enrich our deliberations and help us uphold the principles of our Organisation during these trying times when the security of swell nations is being threatened.
Addressing the Assembly for the first time, I am personally pleased to say how proud we are to belong to an Organisation which today commands respect and authority. As a representative of a small, open, democratic and multiracial State without any defence abilities I find cause for satisfaction in the knowledge that membership in this Organization is not a vain hope and that the United Nations has the capacity to safeguard international law. It is comforting to note that our Organisation, besides having the duty to assert the law, has also the ability to enforce it and to uphold respect for the right of States, small and large and from the North and the South, to exist in peace and harmony.
It cannot be sufficiently emphasised that this newly found ability will bring to small Member States - which, after all, form the majority of the membership of this Organisation - a sense of security based on the right to exist peacefully, as enshrined in our Charter. I do not think it unfair to recall that such a situation is relatively new. Recent history abounds with examples where the international community was sadly incapable not only of clearly enunciating the law but also of assuming its obligations and ensuring that these rules, approved by all, were respected,
Freer now of these past constraints, of which snail States were often the unwilling instruments, our Organisation, with its new-found unity, its new cohesion, has today the means to fulfil its primary objective.
On the other hand let us not forget that the apparent cohesion of the international community and the will displayed by the United Nations are still precarious. We might ask ourselves whether the unprecedented demonstration of international solidarity in the present Gulf crisis is not motivated as much by vested interests as by respect for international law.
It is imperative therefore that we display a renewed sense of our attachment to our fundamental principles wherever and whenever the law is infringed. Let it be recorded that the United Nations has already to its credit the efficient settlement of serious conflicts, and here we should like to pay a tribute to the Secretary-General for the seal, dedication and vision he displays as head of our Organization.
Unfortunately, unresolved crises still cast a shadow on the good faith of our Organisation. Inequality among peoples still abounds across the world. The Palestinians, Lebanese, Fijians, oppressed by brutal and inhuman forces, certainly deserve the same solidarity as we are today expressing towards the Kuwaiti people.
Imbued with this ideal, Mauritius has firmly condemned the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq and we join in the appeals that have been made for the restoration of the territorial Integrity and sovereignty of Kuwait. We have entertained good relations with both countries. Kuwait used to supply us with half our petroleum needs. Our political and diplomatic relations with Iraq have been friendly. Although peace appears illusive, we nurture the hope that reconciliation will avert say breakout of military hostilities. Let us give diplomacy a chance and thus avoid the dire consequences for the Hear East and the rest of the world.
The conflict in the Gulf region seemed even more aberrant at a time when momentous events in Europe and elsewhere towards peace and reconciliation were occurring. The new bonds of friendship that have been woven between the USSR and the United States of America, inspired by President Gorbachev and President Bush, the end of the cold war era and of ideological conflicts, the triumph of liberty and democracy around the world have raised hopes for a new phase of development based on peace. Poorer countries, relieved of the burden of prosy wars that diverted much of their slender resources, will now be more able to address priority tasks in the struggle against underdevelopment and poverty. Alas, the Gulf crisis rudely brought us back to reality. The end of the East-West conflict could well be succeeded by an era of lawlessness jeopardising the security of small States in the face of ambitious designs of powerfully armed neighbours and adversaries.
All too often our desire for global solutions has not been matched by political will. Up to now international negotiations on economic and development issues, on trade, the debt problem and the environment have resulted in protracted debates but few genuine breakthroughs. As the world is overtaken by the pace of history, nations seem to fall back on old reflexes.
Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the field of disarmament and security, where the threat of war and aggression remains. In the emerging multipolar world, smaller States are especially vulnerable to such a threat. The capacity of some States to acquire huge and modern arsenals for use in regional conflicts will constitute one of the greatest threats to the security of smaller States.
Positive development such as the conclusion of the 1987 Treaty on Intermediate range nuclear missiles, the talks on strategic arms reduction, and the decrease of conventional forces in Europe are encouraging. She international community should not overlook the real dangers to peace posed at a regional level and should address the, in a concrete way.
In this regard my delegation wishes to reiterate its commitment to the creation of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace. My government regrets the withdrawal of the major Western Powers from the Ad Hос Committee on the Indian Ocean at a time when real progress was at hand, and we express the hope that recent events in the Gulf region will convince them of the urgent necessity of working towards the establishment of a zone of peace in the Indian Ocean.
Those who appeal to world solidarity and support in tines of trial cannot afford to ignore the just aspirations of smaller nations to peace. Countries of the region should recognise that a degree of flexibility might be necessary to overcome controversial issues and advance the cause of peace and security in our part of the world. The efforts of the Ad Hoc Committee at this juncture should not be undermined, and all avenues for progress must remain open.
Genuine negotiations on a zone of peace would lead to significant progress in other areas, such as that of naval disarmament. Confidence- and security-building measures would reduce the risks of incidents and confrontations at sea and would enhance the security of coastal States and contribute to a safer regional environment.
While we are addressing the issue of the Indian Ocean, we wish to reiterate our just and rightful claim to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, and express our deep appreciation of the whole-hearted support of the members of the Ron-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of African Unity, as well as that of other friendly countries.
We also attach great importance to current negotiation, within the Review Conference on the nuclear-non-proliferation Treaty and its eventual extension in 1995. At a time when Modern armament is increasingly multidimensional and technologically advanced, the proliferation of nuclear weapons constitutes a Major threat to the security of all States.
Nuclear-weapon States should therefore demonstrate greater willingness to reduce their arsenals and commit themselves to a process of disarmament by offering, in addition, specific security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States. Similarly, restraint and control should be exercised for other weapons of arms destruction. The conclusion of a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty at the forthcoming partial test-ban Treaty amendment Conference next year should be encouraged to the full.
The most remarkable event on our continent was the achievement of the independence of Namibia after years of relentless struggle. We extend to Namibia a warm and brotherly welcome. Another equally important landmark was the liberation of Nelson Mandela. His historic address from the rostrum, of this Hall displayed the conviction of his long and heroic struggle against the evils of apartheid.
The situation in South Africa has remained precarious despite genuine progress towards a negotiated peaceful political settlement. It is our view that we should give cautious encouragement to further such progress until it becomes permanent and irreversible, leading to the total eradication of apartheid. There is therefore at the present time no occasion for undue haste for the relaxation of international pressure. Violence and the temptation to exploit internal divisions could easily jeopardise the chances of peace and stability. The agreement concluded in August between the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) and the South African Government represents the best hope for the complete eradication of apartheid and the establishment of a democratic and non-racial society in South Africa. All parties that are really committed to a peaceful solution should work towards the preparation of a new Constitution that will meet the hopes and aspirations of the people of South Africa as a whole. The emergence of a strong, united, multiracial and democratic South Africa will bring peace and stability to the region and contribute significantly to world economy.
At a broader level, 1989 and 1990 have witnessed events which have led to a fundamental restructuring of the world political system. Today, more than ever, the interdependence of nations is the basis for fruitful international relations. At both international and regional levels, this unique Organisation, which is the United Nations, is the right vehicle for collective action, especially in moments of crisis and distress.
St has thus far mounted successful operations in Namibia and Central America. I am positive it could play a crucial role in resolving major regional conflicts, for example in Cambodia, whore certain encouraging developments have taken place at the Jakarta meeting.
In the Middle East, we welcome the new dialogue between the United States and the Soviet Union on the issue. We are more than ever convinced that an international peace conference on the Middle East, under the auspices of the United Nations, constitutes the only prospect for a comprehensive settlement recognising the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, and for enduring peace in the region.
We also hope that meaningful dialogue and consultation in response to the legitimate aspirations of the Korean people will pave the way in the not too distant future for the peaceful unification of Korea.
In this context my country will give favourable consideration to the admission of the Republic of Korea as a Member of the Organization without jeopardising the objective of unification and without excluding the simultaneous membership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
We should not lose sight of the relationship between disarmament and development. It is known that developing countries spend some $200 billion a year, representing some 20 per cent of their budget, on armaments. Admittedly, the security needs of States vary considerably according to geopolitical factors, but this expenditure still represents a staggering figure. It is a waste of resources when one considers that there is a negative outflow of some $50 billion a year from developing nations for debt servicing alone. Such a situation cannot be allowed to continue. The solution is as much a political as an economic one.
Earlier this year, at its eighteenth special session, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on International Economic Co-operation, in particular the Revitalisation of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, which we believe should provide the appropriate guidance for the drawing-up and adoption at the Assembly of an international development strategy in the context of the fourth development decade.
As the world economy becomes more integrated, the international community needs a cohesive framework within which to address global economic issues. In this regard the outcome of the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Paris is particularly important. He welcome the adoption of a new programme of action for debt relief and the other concrete measures taken to alleviate the economic plight of the least developed countries.
The least developed countries require, in addition better opportunities for trade diversification and preferential access to markets and accrued capital Investments. That is the only way they can overcome severe structural problems, develop their human resources and achieve a sustainable rate of growth.
The United Nations also hosted in June this year a meeting on island developing countries organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UHCTAD). Small island States belonging mostly to the category of least developed countries have intrinsic disabilities which severely contain their already limited range of development options in an unfavourable economic climate. This fact has unfortunately not been fully acknowledged yet. We must therefore pursue our efforts in this direction through closer exchanges and co-operation between various island groups, whose importance in different regions of the world have so far been under-estimated.
I am aware that your country, Mr. President, has taken the initiative of organising another meeting of this kind for next year, and is playing an important role in improving contacts between small, island States hampered by remoteness and isolation.
Free trade is the cornerstone of co-operation. For small, island nations which are economically interdependent and extremely vulnerable to external factors, the development of a more open, viable and durable multilateral trading system is essential. So too is a stable economic environment. The Uruguay Sound was launched to address serious concerns in this area. The general liberalisation of trade in recent years has been persistently undermined by protectionism and a weakening of regulations of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Developing countries is particular have suffered from this kind of instability and lack of discipline in the trading system. Their efforts to implement the policy of trade and not aid are being thwarted by new forms of protectionism. Trade in sectors such as textiles, clothing, footwear and agriculture, where developing countries have a comparative advantage, have been particularly subject to discriminatory treatment. Such practices have impaired to a large extent the ability of developing countries to overcome their external-debt problems and promote their economic growth and development.
The economies of the developing countries have further worsened in the wake of the Gulf crisis. To avoid a catastrophic situation, the international community needs to make special efforts to come to the assistance of developing countries adversely affected by spiralling oil prices. In this connection, we make a special appeal for a multilateral relief fund to be set up to help offset the additional economic problems being suffered by these countries.
Another, equally vital series of negotiations will take place in 1992, during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. We hope that the obstacles we encounter will be overcome. The Preparatory Committee of the Conference has already made extensive proposals to ensure fruitful discussions of a comprehensive agenda.
There is a limit to the degree of ecological stress that our planet can endure. The irreversible damage inflicted every day on forests and in the atmosphere, the problem of marine pollution caused by excessive dumping of toxic industrial waste, and the overexploitation of fishery resources should help us draw the necessary lessons before it is too late. The success of the Conference in drawing up strategies to stop and reverse the effects of environmental degradation will require political will and sacrifice, but on this depends the fate of our only planet Earth.
The United Nations has in recent years faced increasingly daunting challenges, we are confident that, with the emergence of this era of historic challenges and changes, our Organisation will continue to play an active role in achieving the objectives of our Charter.


Mr. President, on behalf of my delegation, I should like to congratulate you whole-heartedly on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session. Your personal qualifications as a seasoned diplomat bode well indeed for our work, and my delegation assures you that we stand ready to co-operate to the fullest.
Allow me likewise to convey our deep appreciation, through you, to your distinguished predecessor. General Joseph Garba, and to express our pride in the remarkable way he guided the work of the forty-fourth session.
My delegation pays very special tribute to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Javier Peres de Cuellar, for helping to strengthen our Organisation and enhance its prestige and for his constant efforts to safeguard international peace and security.
The international community has grown by the admission to the Organisation of two new Members, namely, Namibia and Liechtenstein. My delegation welcomes those two countries, which will help to bring us closer still to the universalist ideal of the United Nations.
The reunification of Yemen and that of Germany unquestionably reflect the emergence of a new era in international relations and an encouraging development in contemporary thinking. To both those countries, I should like hers and now to express the most sincere and warm friendship of the Malian people. Their two examples should spur the international community to encourage divided peoples and nations to regain their unity.
The whole world has had objective reason to welcome the profound changes that occurred in international political relations during the first six months of this year. The process of détente, under way for several years, has gone forward. That new climate has made it possible to approach disarmament matters from a fresh perspective and to seek negotiated solutions to certain regional conflicts.
In Africa, the accession of Namibia to independence on 21 March 1990 was the culmination of long years of sacrifice made by the valiant people of their country.
It is fitting, in this connection, to rejoice at the eminently constructive role played by the United Nations in the effective conduct of the process of decolonizing Namibia.
In South Africa, the freeing of Nelson Mandela, the unbanning of the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), of the Communist Party and of numerous other anti-apartheid movements, the dialogue initiated between the ANC and the Government of Frederick de Klerk, the partial lifting of the state of emergency and the freeing of political prisoners are unquestionably very positive developments. While encouraging the ongoing process, we none the less call upon the international community to remain vigilant, so as to induce the Pretoria Government to abolish apartheid totally and thus to speed the advent of a democratic, non-racial and united South Africa. We must not consider lifting the sanctions until the goals embodied in the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa, adopted by the General Assembly at its sixteenth special session, have been attained.
With regard to Western Sahara, my delegation has taken note of the Secretary-General's report summarising the implementation of the peace plan devised jointly by the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations, which provides, in particular, for the holding of a general, free and orderly referendum on self-determination.
As to the territorial dispute between Chad and Libya, my delegation welcomes the decision of the two parties to bring the matter before the International Court of Justice and expresses the hope that they will thus arrive at a definitive settlement.
For several months now the Hest African subregion Liberia has been the scene of bloody turmoil in a fratricidal conflict. This civil war has already taken a toll in thousands of lives, including those of nationals from my country. It has done enormous damage to the economic infrastructure and triggered a massive exodus into neighbouring countries.
Mali, always in favour of dialogue and working things out in concert, backed the decisions taken by the Economic Community of West African States (BCOHAS) to settle this tragic problem. He strongly appeal to all the parties to the conflict to show tolerance and a sense of patriotism in striving together to put an end 'co their dissension and to come to grips with the real problems of the country - national reconstruction and development.
Elsewhere, the people and Government of Mali are delighted at the favourable trend towards a truly peaceful resolution of the crisis that had developed between two fraternal neighbours and partners, namely, Senegal and Mauritania. My delegation is fully aware of what this means and, keen to preserve harmony, cohesion and co-operation in our subregion, reaffirms the readiness of Mali to help further the felicitous outcome to this dispute.
Beyond the African continent the high-level meeting of delegations from North Korea and from South Korea in September bears witness to their manifest determination to achieve the peaceful reunification of the Korean nation. My delegation encourages them to pursue their consultations so as to attain that end, which is in keeping with the spirit of the United Nations Charter and with the evolution of the world political climate.
My delegation notes with satisfaction that the efforts set in train to resolve the Cambodian problem have brought the five permanent members of the Security Council to work out the framework for a peaceful settlement of that conflict. We welcome the acceptance by the various parties directly concerned of the settlement plan and the, establishment of a Supreme National Council. We exhort them to go on negotiating so as to be able to put an end to almost two decades of tragedy.
Turning now to the question of Afghanistan, my delegation encourages the Secretary-General of the United Nations to continue to bring his good offices to bear with a view to arriving at a negotiated settlement within the context of the Geneva agreements entered into on 14 August 1988.
The problem of Cyprus is still of concern to Mali. My delegation urges the parties to pursue dialogue so that the modalities of settlement already agreed upon in the 1977 and 1979 agreements, as well as in Security Council resolution 649 (1990), might indeed be implemented. For our part we believe that the sovereignty, unity and non-aligned status of that country must be safeguarded.
The relative calm that had characterised international relations was suddenly upset at the beginning of the month of August by Iraq's aggression against Kuwait. My country, which has always rejected resorting to force in international relations, condemned the invasion of Kuwait and demanded the unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi troops from that country. Mali has endorsed all the decisions taken by the Security Council and welcomes the climate of co-operation that has prevailed within the Council during the consideration of this painful issue.
The Gulf crisis has made it possible to highlight the dedication of the international community to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. For the first time the members of the Council have agreed in condemning aggression, invasion and annexation. This unanimity is a positive reflection of the new climate of confidence now prevailing in international relations. A new page has thus been turned in the history of the United Nations. We sincerely hope to see the effects of this new wind of change continue in the Security Council. Thus, in the name of the principle of non-aggression and respect for the territorial integrity of States, the Security Council will with the same vigour and determination be able to take the appropriate measures to put an end to Israel's occupation of South Lebanon, the Syrian Golan Heights, the Hest Bank, the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem.
It is high time for all the States Members of our Organization to abide by the pertinent resolutions of the Organization so that the International Peace Conference on the Middle East can be held. That Conference, which the international community is so urgently calling for, will enable the peoples of the region at last to know peace. The Palestinian question, which is at the core of the problem of the Middle East, can be settled in a just and lasting way only by the free exercise of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independence.
My delegation is aware of the full significance of the progress made in disarmament. In fact, the agreements on chemical weapons entered into at Washington last June came on the heels of previous treaties on the elimination of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles. We hail the agreement in principle won in Vienna on conventional arms and encourage the two super-Powers to pursue their negotiations with a view eventually to entering into a full-fledged agreement on the subject. The considerable resources that could be made available as a result of general and complete disarmament should promote the restoration of growth and development in the developing countries.
The Gulf crisis will have extremely adverse economic and financial consequences for the developing countries that do not produce oil, countries already badly stricken by previous shocks and crises. This will unquestionably mean a further constriction of financial markets and, above all, a considerable cut-back in terms of aid for development.
The consequences of those events, compounded by the upheaval that took place in the countries of Eastern Europe, which are now plunged into sweeping structural transformations as they seek better to integrate themselves into the global economy, might lead to exacerbating the marginalisation of developing countries in general but especially those in Africa. In most developing countries the debt burden is a major obstacle in the way of development, and there must be a comprehensive approach to the debt crisis.
The various measures taken to lighten external indebtedness, though significant, should be expanded and revised in such a way as to take into account the need for growth and development in the debtor countries. If there is to be a real way out of the external debt problem of developing countries, the international community will have to strengthen solidarity within its ranks in the context of shared responsibility.
Urgent measures must be taken to reverse the massive negative transfer of resources from developing to developed countries, for these transfers have contributed to reducing in real terms the volume of official development assistance, thereby creating a serious shortfall in resources earmarked for development programmes.
The drop in commodity prices is yet another source of concern for developing countries. It brings in its wake unpredictability and a steady decline in their export revenues. It reduces the capacity for internal financing of development and exacerbates the difficulties related to debt servicing. It thus becomes a matter of urgency to apply the appropriate solutions to deal with these problems in keeping with the pertinent provisions of the Integrated Programme for Commodities.
The improved international climate, notwithstanding the Gulf crisis, should prompt the community of States to think further about the establishment of an economic order that would be both equitable and transparent and more compatible with the profound reforms undertaken by the developing countries. The international community should spare no effort to ensure the success of the Uruguay Round of negotiations. These negotiations must overcome the inertia obstructing the transfer of technology and know-how and create the appropriate framework within which to promote the export of manufactured products from the developing countries to the developed nations.
The Preparatory Committee of the Whole, which was entrusted with the preparation of an international strategy for the United Nations fourth development decade, has submitted its report to the General Assembly. The strengthening of multilateralism should enable the international community to give effective expression to the full meaning of the pertinent proposals embodied in that document.
The Declaration adopted at the eighteenth special session, on international economic co-operation, in particular the revitalisation of economic growth and development in the developing countries, was a signal event in the annals of our Organization.
It is therefore important that the pertinent provisions of the Declaration, which was adopted by consensus by all States Members of the United Nations, not remain a dead letter. This constructive consensus must lead to a global charter of solidarity, thereby reducing the disparities between the developed and developing countries.
The second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which was just concluded, commands the attention of the international community as a whole. The United Nations system and all the partners to the development of the least developed countries must make a substantial contribution to the attainment of the five priorities spelled out in the Programme of Action aimed at stopping the spread of poverty and creating a powerful surge of renewed growth and development in the least developed countries.
By the same token, in their implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Children, just solemnly adopted by the Heads of State or Government, the attention of all States and international and non-governmental organisations must be focused particularly on the proposals regarding the survival, protection and development of children. The future of the world indeed depends on what the present generation is willing to invest in the physical, intellectual and moral health of the generations to come, and the unprecedented success of the World Summit for Children truly augurs well for the future.
Notwithstanding the special programme adopted by the United Nations in 1986, economic and social conditions on the African continent have steadily deteriorated year after year. In point of fact, the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990, has been seriously hampered by an adverse international economic environment. The plummeting prices of Africa's export products, the exacerbation of the external debt crisis, the lessening of capital flows in terms of official development aid, and the inverse transfer of financial resources from Africa to the developed countries have deprived Africans of the wherewithal needed to implement their development programmes.
Moreover, despite the positive results recorded in terms of structural adjustment programmes, the application of these policies and programmes has contributed in many countries to increased unemployment, decreasing expenditures in such essential sectors as health and education and the marginalisation of a large sector of the population, thereby heightening social tension.
Far from being reversed and overcome, the marginalisation of the African continent is becoming entrenched, given the new configurations in the international economic structures and the emergence of huge economic entities in Europe and North America.
Hence, Africa's stark economic situation calls for a specific response from the international community and for efforts by the African countries themselves with a view to speeding up their economic integration in line with the 1980 Lagos Plan of Action.
The systems of production and consumption that have so far prevailed in the world, especially in the industrialised countries, have brought our planet to the verge of an ecological catastrophe. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, to be held in 1992, will give the international community an exceptional opportunity to resolve the serious environmental problems. Mali, a country hard hit by the adverse impact of drought and desertification, attaches great importance to the success of the Conference. Mindful of this circumstance, my country will be hosting in December the African Conference on environment and sustainable development.
In conclusion, I should like to reaffirm that our Organisation is duty-bound to strive tirelessly to strengthen international peace and security, to work towards the revitalisation of growth and development in the developing countries, to eradicate hunger and poverty in the world and to preserve the environment, the common heritage of mankind. Our generation has already become aware of all the harmful and diverse pressures man has exerted on nature and of the need for a new social interaction the world over.
If peace, harmony and a ¡readiness for greater mutual understanding and co-operation among all nations throughout the world are indeed permanent priorities, there can be no doubt that we can in fact give tangible expression to that noble ideal of the United Nations: the well-being of all mankind.