  Sir, it gives me particular pleasure to extend to you the heartfelt
congratulations and best wishes for success on your election to the
lofty post of President of the thirty-seventh session of the General
Assembly.
44.	I should also like to take this opportunity to express the
Romanian Government's appreciation for the activities engaged in by
the Secretary-General and to assure him of our Ml support in the
discharge of the mandate of great responsibility entrusted to him.
45.	The General Assembly at this session is called upon to take
up particularly serious problems and questions of vital importance
for the cause of peace and international co-operation and the
independence and progress of all peoples.	,
46.	International life is charged with extreme tension. Conflicts
are raging in various parts of the world. We see an intensification
of the imperialist policy of domination, of spheres of influence and
of violation of the sacred right of nations to freedom and
sovereignty. The arms race, in particular the nuclear arms race, is
being pursued at an unprecedented rate and there is an increased risk
of seeing a nuclear war break out, thereby imperilling the very
existence of human civilization. The world economic crisis has been
exacerbated and the gap between the developed and developing
countries is widening. That gap between rich and poor countries is
ever more acute and wider in scope, thus increasingly becoming the
fundamental contradiction of our times.
47.	On the other hand, there is in international life the growing
will of peoples to put an end to the imperialist policies of force
and diktat, to put an end to the arms race and to proceed to
disarmament, primarily, nuclear disarmament. Never before have the
aspirations of millions throughout the world to lead a life of
dignity, freedom and independence and to co-operate in peace and
goodwill been so obvious and achieved such scope. Never before have
the protests of world public opinion been so vigorously raised
against the arms race, against acts of aggression and interference,
against inequity and inequality between States and, in particular,
against war, which is the most abnormal way of dealing with
international disputes. This awareness of the peoples, their refusal
passively to accept a foreign policy doing great damage to their
interests and eagerness with which they demand their right to life,
freedom, peace and progress constitute a remarkable positive factor,
a source of optimism and hope that a better future will dawn and that
there will be a more equitable and reasonable world.
48.	The solution, in the interests of peoples, of all problems
constituting a heavy burden in international life which have caused
serious tension in inter-state relations requires that all
Governments and peoples unite their forces and co-operate more
closely to halt the dangerous course of events in order to resolve,
by political means, situations of war and tension and resume and
strengthen the policy of detente, co-operation, independence and
peace.
49.	The highest duty of conscience for all heads of State and
Government, for politicians of all persuasions, is to identify with
the vital aspirations of their own peoples and of mankind as a whole,
to devote their energies to serving them, to become faithful and
active interpreters of the peaceful ideals of mankind, to prove
themselves dynamic activists for the attainment of those ideals. That
is the highest reason that should guide the statesman and politician
in their task. It is also their chance to stamp their personalities
on the destiny of our age, to go down in the history of these
tumultuous times as shining examples of humanism and progress.
In the spirit of those major requirements of the contemporary world,
Romania and President Nicolae Ceaugescu himself are persevering to
improve the international climate, to resolve by political means, in
the interests of all peoples, the enormous problems confronting
mankind, seeking to establish relations between States on the basis
of new, democratic, equitable principles. The frequent meetings and
talks by the head of our State with the leaders of other countries
and politicans of all persuasions, and Romania's whole foreign
policy, are constantly aimed at achieving better co-operation and
understanding among States, at combining the efforts of all nations
to eliminate force completely from relations among States, and at
defending the freedom and independence of peoples and the fundamental
right of and nations to live in peace in a world of co-operation and
understanding, free from weapons and wars.
33. The course of events has clearly shown that the outdated policy
of the use of force and the threat of force, of domination and
diktat, of "might is right', is the cause of phenomena which have led
to and now maintain the present state of tension in the world, as
manifested in various aspects of international affairs. Resort to
force is the origin of hotbeds of tension and conflict, of all
actions which disregard the legitimate rights of other peoples and
the independence and sovereignty of States. It is one of the main
reasons for confrontation and armed conflict and for the
intensification of the arms race, and one of the main obstacles in
the way of economic and social progress and the establishment of a
new international economic order.
54.	Resolving the major problems of mankind, ending existing
conflicts and preventing new ones, therefore demands firm action to
eliminate from international life the use of force or the threat of
force, and the establishment of a new system of inter-State
relations. Any strategy for tackling the problems of today, for
striving to establish peace and bring about a new international
political and economic order, must be based on the requirement that
the use or threat of force must be completely renounced.
55.	The complete rejection of the policy of force for the
solution of international problems is deeply rooted in the traditions
of the Romanian people. The great Romanian diplomat Nicolae
Titulescu, Foreign Minister of Romania between the two world wars,
whose centenary is being celebrated in many countries this year,
said: "War is never, absolutely never, the solution to a conflict."
That conviction led him to urge that the "force of law" replace the
"law of force".
56.	Today more than ever the use of force is a double- edged
weapon. Apart from the human losses and material damage that it
causes, as well as the opprobrium of world opinion and the vigour
with which peoples unite in solidarity with the victims of acts of
aggression, the very results of the acts of force turn against those
who have perpetrated them. It is true that no people will any longer
allow itself to be oppressed and that the brutal external policies of
a State and the violation of the norms of international law and of
the Charter of the United Nations in the end redound against the
nation concerned. Therefore, the saying that a people that oppress
other peoples can never be free is still valid, always and in all
circumstances.
57.	Today, in a period of profound revolutionary transformation,
of broad changes and the reshaping of relationships on a world scale,
of the establishment of a new balance between States and groups of
States, the new system of international relations must be based on
the principles of equality, of respect for national independence and
sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of other
peoples, and the settlement of all international problems and
disputes by exclusively peaceful means. We firmly believe that there
are no problems, however complicated, which cannot be resolved by
peaceful means, by negotiation, if the starting-point is respect for
the right of each people to develop in full freedom and independence
and in accordance with the general interests of world peace and
security. The Romanian Government also advocates, and acts resolutely
in favour of, the settlement of all disputes and states of tension
and conflict between States solely by political means, through
negotiation; the total elimination of the policy of force and
interference, and efforts by the States concerned to stifle a
conflict as soon as it emerges in order to avoid new military
confrontations likely to increase the dangers to world peace and
security. As President Ceausescu recently emphasized, no matter how
difficult and hard the negotiations, those are the means, and no
others, that must be used to solve problems, completely renouncing
military solutions and acts of force, which always bring about loss
of human life and material damage, causing heavy losses and great
suffering to peoples.
58.	The talent and genius of statesmen in this field should be
proved at the negotiating table, in the subtle and rational analysis
of ways to eliminate conflict and promote understanding among
nations, in seeking mutually acceptable solutions; there should be
compromise between the parties, elimination of factors that provoke
confrontation, and the safeguarding of understanding, friendship and
co-operation between peoples. That was, is and always will be the
great vocation of the real politicians who are destined to go down in
history. Negotiations are preferable to even the smallest military
conflict, and we must therefore everywhere and in all circumstances
follow the normal path of starting negotiations with a view to
preventing military actions, not begin peace talks after force has
already been used, after blood has already been shed and after
serious human and material losses have already been caused.
59.	At this period so crucial for the fate of mankind, and for
peace, the United Nations should carry out the task entrusted to it
by the Charter and make good use of the possibilities open to it in
terms of its purposes and principles and its universal character. It
should support with its full authority the independence and
sovereignty of States and the right of each people to decide its own
destiny, as a central pillar for building new international
relationships in which the non-use of force or threat of force should
become an effective rule in international life.
60.	In the light of these considerations, we believe that we must
act without further delay, and as resolutely as possible, to resolve
all conflicts between States by political means, through
negotiations, in order to prevent new disputes and military
confrontations.
The grave situation in the Middle East, in particular that resulting
from the aggressive actions of Israel against Lebanon and the
Palestinian population in that country, is a cause of the utmost
concern. The Romanian Government has strongly condemned the military
invasion of Lebanon by Israel, and in particular the atrocities
committed against the civilian population in the refugee camps of
west Beirut, following the occupation of that part of the city by
Israeli troops. We are strongly in favour of the prompt withdrawal of
Israeli troops from Lebanon, of the guaranteeing of that country's
independence and national sovereignty, and its unity and territorial
integrity, and of a broad-based reconciliation of all political
forces in Lebanon, in order to permit the reconstruction of the
country and to bring about peace and tranquillity.
61.	It is now imperative that we step up political and diplomatic
efforts to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement
of the situation. in that area, on the basis of the withdrawal of
Israel from the Arab territories occupied as a result of the 1967
war; the solution of the problem of the Palestinian people through
the recognition of its right to self- determination, including the
establishment of its own independent State; and the guaranteeing of
the integrity, independence and sovereignty of all the States of the
area. In view of its conviction that the settlement of the
Palestinian problem is the key to peace in the Middle East, Romania
considers that a Palestinian State must be created alongside the
independent Israeli State, and that everything must be done to ensure
the peaceful coexistence of those two States and of all the countries
of the region, each of them enjoying appropriate guarantees of its
security and independence.
62.	Romania and its President believe that it would be necessary
and useful to convene an international conference under United
Nations auspices and with the participation of all interested States
and parties, including the PLO as the legitimate representative of
the Palestinian people, as well as other States which could make a
positive contribution to the establishment of peace in that region,
including a contribution to the solution of the Palestinian problem.
63.	A series of proposals has recently been made for the
resolution of the conflicts in the Middle East. These contain new
elements and positive approaches and set forth a basis for the
intensification of political and diplomatic activity in order to
achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the situation
in that region.
64.	Romania, which maintains relations of friendship and
co-operation with both Iran and Iraq, considers that it is necessary
to put and end to the fighting between those two neighbouring
countries, which has already caused great losses of human life and of
property for both parties, and that their troops must be withdrawn to
the international boundaries which existed before the outbreak of the
war. It is necessary to move on to a political solution of the
problems between the two countries.
65.	I take this opportunity also to reaffirm Romania's solidarity
with and active support for the position and initiatives taken by the
People's Democratic Republic of Korea aimed at the peaceful and
independent unification of Korea.
66.	While working for the elimination of existing conflicts, it
is necessary to act resolutely and to adopt measures to forestall the
appearance of new conflicts States must renounce all acts of force
and settle all their disputes by peaceful means; the United Nations
must make a greater contribution in this field. In this connection we
have followed with interest, and we support, the Secretary-General's
efforts to strengthen the role of the United Nations in the
maintenance of international peace and security, which is an
objective of vital interest for all States.
67.	At this session the General Assembly is to take a decision on
a draft declaration on the peaceful settlement of international
disputes, which has been negotiated over the last three years. We
believe that the adoption of that text by consensus would constitute
an important concrete step towards strengthening the ability of the
United Nations to make an effective contribution to the prevention of
conflicts and to the peaceful settlement of disputes among nations.
68.	Romania considers that, in order to prevent the appearance of
new military confrontations and to find viable solutions to existing
conflicts, it is necessary to create in the United Nations framework
a special body for good offices, mediation and conciliation, which
would act closely with the Security Council to organize talks and to
resolve differences among States, exclusively by peaceful means.
69.	Romania's initiative regarding the strengthening of
good-neighbourliness between States is aimed at the same goal of
consolidating international peace and security by stimulating the
development of relations of co-operation and understanding between
neighbouring States. We hope that the consideration at this session
of the Secretary-General's report on ways of strengthening
good-neighbourliness will constitute a step forward towards the
attainment of this important goal.
71. Three months ago it was my honour, on instructions from President
Ceausescu and on the basis of the mandate handed down by the Grand
National Assembly, to stand at this rostrum, at the 22nd meeting of
the twelfth special session, and set forth Romania's position and
proposals regarding disarmament problems.
72.	That second special session of the General Assembly devoted
to disarmament highlighted the demand of the world's peoples to put
an end to the arms race and to proceed to specific disarmament
measures. Halting the arms race and moving towards disarmamentóin the
first place, nuclear disarmamentóare the central problem facing
mankind. The very existence of life on our planet, and of a
civilization which has been built up over thousands of years, is
threatened. Never before has the burden of the arms race weighed so
heavily on the shoulders of all peoples, on the economies of all
States, including the most powerful and highly developed; never
before has the impact of the incredible military expenditures on
economic development been so sorely felt.
73.	Weaponry is a tragic and absurd waste of the resources of our
plane and of the work of mankind, a terrible factor in the
impoverishment of peoples, and an obstacle on the path of
civilization, at the very time when two thirds of mankind can barely
subsist. Nuclear catastrophe has become a world-wide obsession, a
source of terror for all, and has left its gloomy imprint on future
generations. It is high time for all men of conscience throughout the
world to unite to put an end to this anomaly, this absurdity.
Although at that special session the representatives of States came
of strongly against the danger looming over mankind, the Assembly was
unable to adopt decisions leading to concrete measures for
disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, on the basis of a
comprehensive programme. We consider that especially important
proposals were put forward during the special session and that those
proposals should be taken into consideration to identify common
elements which could form the basis for the elaboration of the
comprehensive programme of disarmament and which should be taken up
by the working bodies on disarmament.
73. Romania is expressing the unanimous will of the Romanian people,
which has taken and continues to take broad action for disarmament
and peace, by continuing to struggle for the achievement of the vital
aspiration of mankind to live in a world free from weapons and free
from war. At the special session, my Government for its part put
forward a set of specific proposals on disarmament, the stronger for
being subscribed to by 18 million of its citizens.
76.	We believe that the highest priority must be given to nuclear
disarmament and, first and foremost, to halting the manufacture of
nuclear weapons and to moving forward to the gradual reduction of
existing stockpiles to the point of their total elimination, and to
banning completely all nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction. That process should begin with the significant reduction
of nuclear weapons by the two great Powers, for example a 30 per cent
reduction in an initial phase, as a step towards the total
elimination of nuclear weapons.
77.	in order to halt the arms race, Romania has proposed a freeze
on military expenditures at 1982 levels, and their subsequent
reduction by 40 to 13 per cent by 1983. A portion of the funds thus
released would be used to support the efforts of developing
countries, the remainder being devoted to the economic and social
development of the countries which have made those reductions.
Romania intends to act in that direction at the present session, to
encourage efforts towards the freeze and reduction of military
expenditures and towards the enunciation of principles which could
govern the activities of States in this field.
78.	Also of particular importance for the maintenance of
international peace and security would be the adoption of effective
measures for the substantial reduction of conventional weapons and
for building confidence among States. Romania is in favour of the
establishment of a common agreement on the part of the two blocs and,
in general, between the two sides, on as low a ceiling as possible
for the principal weapons: aeroplanes, tanks, warships, missiles,
heavy guns, and so forth.
79.	The implementation of a set of measures for halting the arms
race and proceeding to disarmament should be carried out in
conditions of reciprocal trust and equal security for all countries,
through the achievement of a military balance at levels as low as
possible and under suitable international control.
80.	To this end, we are in favour of the creation within the context
of the United Nations of an international body having the right to
inspect and monitor the implementation of agreed disarmament
measures. To make real progress towards disarmament it is necessary
to do everything to dismantle opposing military blocs.
81.	Given the particularly serious situation in Europe, we are
resolutely in favour of a halt in the stationing of new medium-range
missiles in Europe. We favour the withdrawal and destruction of
missiles already installed and the elimination from the continent of
all nuclear weapons. In this spirit Romania welcomed the negotiations
between the Soviet Union and the United States of America on
medium-range nuclear missiles as well as those on strategic weapons
and expressed the hope that those negotiations would yield positive
results. Since the problem of medium- range missiles is of direct
concern to all European nations, we expressed the opinion that in one
way or another all States of the continent must participate in the
Geneva negotiations. The bringing about of urgent agreements on these
questions is of vital importance for all States, since missing this
crucial opportunity would mean the opening up of a new long phase of
military competition, with incalculable consequences for Europe as a
whole and indeed for all mankind.
82.	As a European country Romania is constantly endeavouring to
bring about security and co-operation on the continent so that when
it resumes its work the Madrid session of the Conference can proceed
fruitfully and constructively and agree on the convening of a
conference on confidence-building and disarmament in Europe and thus
contribute to the full implementation of the provisions of the Final
Act of Helsinki and ensure continuity in the proceedings of the
Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
83.	As part and parcel of its policy of peace, security and
disarmament in Europe, Romania is striving for the comprehensive
development of relations among the States of the Balkans so as to
transform that region into a zone of friendship, co-operation,
good-neighbourliness and peaceful coexistence and a
nuclear-weapon-free zone.
84.	By its very structure and functions, and because it is a
forum for all States, the United Nations must play a particularly
important role in an authentic disarmament process. In view of the
primary responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of
international peace and security its role and its contribution to
disarmament must be strengthened by bringing about, under its
auspices negotiations and the adoption and monitoring of disarmament
measures.
The extensive demonstrations for peace and disarmament that have
taken place recently, and which continue to take place in a number of
countries, including Romania, eloquently prove the strength of
peoples and their ability to bring about, by acting in increasing
unity, the transition to effective measures of disarmament that would
stave off the nuclear danger. We believe that these movements must
enjoy full support, including support from the United Nations,
because in the present circumstances the role of the peoples of the
world as a whole is really decisive in the bringing about of
disarmament, in guaranteeing the national peace and independence of
all States. In this regard a particular role and responsibility
devolve on scientists, who know better than anyone the destructive
capacity of modem weapons and the catastrophic consequences of a
nuclear war. Through United Nations studies and research on
disarmament, and conferences, symposiums and seminars organized with
the broad participation of non-governmental organizations and the
mass media, and with the help of scientists representing world public
opinion, the United Nations can make a signal contribution to
ensuring effective support for the struggle for disarmament.
85.	Broad dissemination, within the framework of the World
Disarmament Campaign, of the latest report of the Secretary-General
entitled economic and social consequences of the arms race of
military expenditures will help to emphasize the extremely harmful
consequences of the increasing stockpiling of weapons for the
economic and social life of all peoples and for world peace and
security.
86.	Still within the framework of the World Disarmament Campaign,
Romania recently hosted at Mamaia an important meeting of
representatives of public opinion with the participation of
representatives of non-governmental organizations from the majority
of European countries, the United States and Canada. They had a
constructive and fruitful exchange of views on specific ways to halt
the arms race and to bring about disarmament. In the same spirit,
Romania proposed the convening of a world conference on the role of
the mass mediaóradio, television, the pressóin promoting a climate of
understanding, confidence and co-operation that could contribute to
peace and disarmament.
87.	The present division of the world into rich and poor
countries, a result of the long policy of imperialist and colonialist
domination, and the persistence of unjust and inequitable economic
relations among States have engendered grave economic anomalies and
tension in international life and have reduced, sometimes to nothing,
the results of efforts at the economic and social level made by
developing countries, worsening the economic gap between the
developed countries and the developing countries. Unfortunately, the
conferences and meetings that have taken place in recent years on the
new international economic order have yielded virtually no result.
Urgent actions are necessary to bring about the adoption, through
international negotiations of effective measures to speed up the
economic and social progress of the developing countries, to
revitalize economic activity at the world level and to bring about
new relations among States on justice and equity and mutually
advantageous economic trade through ensuring that the developing
countries have broad access to modem technology.
88.	In this regard Romania believes that it is particularly
important to embark on global negotiations without delay within the
framework of a United Nations conference to examine and resolve basic
problems concerning international economic cooperation. This is
especially important and necessary since the world economy is now on
a particularly dangerous slope.
89.	The arms race and the economic policies followed by certain
developed countries, far from opening up prospects for the overcoming
of crisis phenomena and instability, which are proliferating, merely
aggravate the situation, with extremely negative consequences for the
developing countries. The recession in the capitalist developed
countries, the high cost of energy, the excessive interest rates, the
protectionist policies
and the drop in the price of raw material, coupled with increased
prices for manufactured goods, have created obstacles in
international economic relations and severely damaged the developing
countries, thwarting their efforts to develop their human and
material resources.
90.	Given the growing interdependence that characterizes the
world economy there is a real danger of being plunged into a crisis
of devastating proportions. In one way or another, all the peoples of
the world are affected by the world economic crisis. All nations are
paying for the upheavals which have taken place in the world, and the
effects of the continual slide of the economy are unforeseeable. It
is in the interest of all States, irrespective of size, social system
or degree of development, to act together in joint efforts to
eliminate factors that artificially heighten the crisis, to find
reasonable solutions to economic conflicts and contradictions, to
bring about new and equitable relations among States so that the new
international economic order may be established.
91.	This present session of the General Assembly must also be
availed of to launch comprehensive negotiations, and the sixth
session of UNCTAD must be used to translate into reality the
programmes of action adopted under the auspices of the United Nations
and in general to produce a radical change inthe state of affairs
that characterizes the world economy. Proceeding to disarmament is a
major imperative in the maintenance of international peace and
security, and the establishment on a new basis of economic relations
among States is just as vital in the safeguarding of the prospects
for progress of all the peoples of the world.
92.	In recent years we have witnessed the intensification of the
developed countries' practice of recruiting qualified personnel from
the developing countries. The exodus of skilled people to the
developed countries, which in fact represents an important transfer
of human resources, only perpetuates and aggravates the imbalances
and difficulties in the economies of the developing countries, with
grave economic and social implications. Since it deprives these
countries of an important part of their skilled labour forceóan
essential factor in economic growth, for the training of which those
countries made great efforts, expending important material and
financial resourcesósuch an exodus of skilled people acts as a brake
on economic and social development and thus contributes to widening
further the gap between the developed and the developing countries.
That is why Romania considers it necessary that the United Nations
assume a greater role in extending international co-operation aimed
at stopping this practice, encouraging the return to their countries
of origin of qualified personnel settled in developed countries,
compensating the developing countries for the expenses they have
incurred and assisting the developing countries in training and
retaining qualified personnel in accordance with the requirements of
their national economies.
In present circumstances, we believe that we must expand and
intensify efforts staunchly to defend the supreme fundamental right
of peoples and nations to life, peace and a free and independent
existence. This right should be more forcefully and more Clearly
reflectea in the debates and documents of the General Assembly.
Priority attention should be given to the solution of problems as
important to the human condition as the guarantee of the right to
work for all members of society, the effective exercise of the right
to education and the assurance of living conditions which permit the
full flowering of the human personality.
93.	Romania, the Romanian people, affirm their active solidarity
with the Namibian people in their struggle under the leadership of
the South West Africa People's Organization [SWAPO] to accede to
complete national independence, and act consistently to ensure the
elimination of the policy of	and racial discrimination in South
Africa, condemning acts of aggression committed by that country
against neighbouring States. We must most resolutely combat the
activities and ideologies which foster hatred and violence, while
taking every care to protect the younger generations from their
baleful influence.
94.	The problems facing youth will be thoroughly examined by the
General Assembly in the framework of the preparations for
International Youth Year, which will be celebrated id 1985 under the
motto "Participation, Development, Peace". At its second session, the
Advisory Committee for International Youth Year made substantive
recommendations concerning the implementation of the Specific
Programme of Measures and Activities to be undertaken prior to and
during that Year. It is our view that activities undertaken during
International Youth Year should be directed at strengthening
international co-operation in the solution of the specific problems
which are today of concern to the younger generations. We attach
great importance to the proposal to draft a declaration on the rights
and responsibilities of youth.
95.	An important role will also be played by the Organization in
1983 in five regional meetings devoted to youth, including a meeting
that the Romanian Government has offered to host in Romania. We
believe that all these meetings will provide opportunities thoroughly
to consider the specific problems of the younger generations on all
continentsand will make a valuable contribution to the preparation
for and successful celebration of International Youth Year. The
Romanian delegation, aware of the ever greater interest of States in
problems relating to youth, expresses its conviction that the General
Assembly will approve all the recommendations drawn up by the
Advisory Committee for International Youth Year at its second session.
96.	If the complex problems confronting mankind today are to be
solved it is more than ever necessary to strengthen the role that the
United Nations is called upon to play in the maintenance and
consolidation of peace and security, the promotion of international
law in relations between States and the democratization of
international life.
97.	In the view of Romania and of President Ceausescu, the United
Nations can and must play a more active role in resolving the major
problems of the contemporary world in the interest of the peoples. It
must act resolutely to establish relations between States on new and
democratic bases which guarantee the participation in conditions of
equality of all
States, irrespective of their system, size or potential, in solving
the problems confronting mankind. It is particularly necessary to
ensure conditions that will enable small and medium-sized countries,
the developing countries and the non-aligned countries to play an
increasingly active role in the debate on and the settlement of all
problems arising in relations between States. We must not forget that
the balance of power has changed radically, that a diversification of
the centres of power has occurred, that the so-called third-world
countries represent the great majority of the world's population and
that, consequently, they must have an important voice in all world
policies, in the consideration of controversial issues and in the
search for new solutions which meet the interests not only of a group
of States but of the international community as a whole. In this
respect, we attach particular importance to the drafting and adoption
of a universal code of conduct concerning the fundamental rights and
obligations of States.
98.	In order to obtain those goals, it is necessary to improve
the activity of the United Nations, democratize its organs,
structures and functions, increase its effectiveness and adapt it to
the present and future requirements and realities of the
international community. The United Nations must become a dynamic and
effective forum for the political settlement of international
problems, conflicts and situations of tension among States and for
holding multilateral negotiations.
99.	In order to enhance the role and the contribution of the
United Nations in resolving international problems, it is imperative
that each State strictly respect the decisions of the Organization
and that the obligations and commitments undertaken during the
negotiating process be fulfilled in good faith.
100.	In conclusion, the Romanian delegation wishes to reaffirm
from this rostrum its determination to co-operate closely with all
other delegations in the search for the best way of achieving all
those objectives, so that the present session may by its results
discharge the great responsibilities with which the United Nations is
entrusted in the fulfilment of the aspirations of all peoples to
peace and progress.


The delegation of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
cannot remain silent in the Assembly regarding its profound concern
at the grave problems beclouding the &ea of international relations,
which by their very gravity are imperilling the security of the world
and threatening peace and solidarity among nations.

197.	Today more than ever before the peoples of the world want to
live in dignity and freedom, but they are threatened. They are the
victims of barbarous aggression, intolerable interference and covert
blackmail by those whose vocation and nature it is to sow grief,
pain, suffering, terror, poverty and destruction wherever people are
proclaiming their right to self-determination, wherever people are
fighting and dying for freedom.

198.	We cannot fail at such a time to be conscious of the heroism
of the Palestinian people, the courage and determination of the
Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] and its brave fighters, who,
in the face of a deluge of fire and steel, have taught Zionism and
its allies a masterly lesson in popular resistance.

199.	It is almost unbelievable that so much horror and barbarism
should have b en committed at the threshold of the twenty-first
century by an imposter State protected by guilty accomplices, a State
which has now reached the last stages of paranoia. These atrocities
demonstrate clearly to responsible mankind the dangers which lie in
wait for it and which can only be dispelled by a greater
determination in our

common defence of the ideals and cardinal principles cherished by the
peoples of the world and by forging a network of unbroken solidarity.

200. The plot aimed at exterminating the Palestinian people must be
denounced, condemned and resisted, vigorously and with determination,
by the international community. The appalling pictures of the
holocaust in west Beirut and the most recent massacres in the
Palestinian refugee camps have stirred the conscience of the millions
of men and women who have identified with the Palestinian cause and
firmly refuse to take refuge in blindness and amnesia in the face of
the most monstrous crimes in the history of the struggle of peoples
for self-determination and independence.

201. What crime is it that Zionism and the imperialist forces hold
against the Palestinian people and the PLO? The Palestinian people
has quite rightly proclaimed its right to a homeland, to the
establishment of the State of its .choice and to the recovery of its
territories occupied by force. What is that people to do, that people
robbed of its land for 35 years, condemned to exile and murder, other
than fight for' the recognition of its inalienable rights, which
others affect to ignore.

202. Israeli barbarism in Lebanon, the occupation by the Zionist
forces of part of the territory of that sovereign State, a Member of
the Organization, and the' systematic use of the right of veto by the
United States to prevent any unanimous condemnation of these criminal
acts and the application of sanctions under the Charter lead us to
the conclusion that law and international practice governing
relations between States are being scornfully disregarded by some in
order the better to preserve their unnatural alliances.

203.	Sao Tome and Principe supports the Palestinian people and the
PLO, its sole representative, because we also cherish honour, dignity
and national independence as high values which no one will ever
succeed in destroying.

204.	The invasion of Lebanon and the occupation by force of the
Arab territories by Zionist troops lead us to mention the invasion of
the People's Republic of Angola and the occupation of parts of its
territory by the racist and terrorist troops of the apartheid regime,
which is another shameful phenomenon of contemporary life. Those
actions illustrate the identity and the complementary nature of the
views and actions of Tel Aviv and Pretoria.

205. To link the independence of Namibia, under the aegis of SWAPO,
with the withdrawal of the inter-nationalist Cuban forces from
Angolan territory is intolerable interference inthe affairs of a
sovereign State, a Member of the United Nations. Furthermore, no one
can claim to be unaware of the reasons which led the Angolan
Government to appeal for the solidarity of friendly countries the
better to defend the sovereignty and integrity of its territory, so
seriously threatened by the massive presence of terrorist racist
South African troops. Those troops are illegally occupying part of
the territory of the People's Republic of Angola and once again the
international community seems to be acquiescing in a situation where
inter-national rules are being flagrantly violated. This passivity is
of the greatest possible benefit to South Africa, which is able with
total impunity to massacre the innocent civilians, destroy
socio-economic infrastructures and maintain its illegal occupation.

206.	In spite of the existence of a recognized political and
juridical framework for conducting the negotiations on the
independence of Namibia in accordance with Security Council
resolution 435 (1978), those negotiations are at a standstill and all
possible pre-texts, even the most threadbare, are being presented as
pre-conditions for any settlement of the Namibian problem. Certain
Western countries which have economic and strategic interests in
Namibia want to prevent that Territory from becoming truly
independent and the Namibian people, represented by SWAPO, its sole
and legitimate representative, from being able to live in peace,
freedom and dignity .

207.	In South Africa, in Western Sahara, in East Timor and in
Puerto Rico, heroic struggles are being waged by their peoples to put
an end to apartheid illegal occupation, colonialism and foreign
oppression.

208. The presence of foreign troops is preventing the peoples of
Cyprus and Korea from realizing their legitimate aspirations.

209. The delegation of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and
Principe wishes to reaffirm from this rostrum its unswerving support
for and Its active solidarity with the people of East Timor and
express the hope that the statements of the administering Power on
the subject of the decolonization of East Timor will lead to recourse
being had to the machinery provided under the Charter to permit the
Maubere people to express its views freely on its own future.

210. Our delegation also wishes to express its militant support for
the peoples of Western Sahara, Puerto Rico, Cyprus and Korea in their
struggle to preserve their national sovereignty, self-determination,
independence, national unity and peaceful reunification.

211. A vast plot by the imperialist and reactionary forces is
threatening the peoples and Governments of Africa, Latin America,
Asia and elsewhere. An infernal

machine is being unleashed against us in order to destabilize regimes
freely chosen by our peoples and all possible means are being
used-the creation of puppet movements and armed gangs, the
dispatching of mercenaries, the establishment of military bases, the
persistent refusal to make the necessary changes in the structure and
machinery of international economic relations, the stopping of
investment credits, aid blackmail, and so on. These actions have one
purpose in common: to safeguard the economic and strategic
neo-colonialist and imperialist interests in the region.

212. Furthermore, armed border conflicts are being fanned into flame
and fuelled among the developing countries to weaken our human and
material resources and prevent our using our strength and solidarity
in true programme of national reconstruction.

213.	In this vast plot, international and regional organizations
are not spared. Those bodies are threatened with paralysis and may
very we)), in this context, cease functioning. It is as if the forces
of

evil want to prevent the peoples of the third world from gaining
access to credible forums where they can denounce and condemn the
plots, the manoeuvres and the massacres and diminish the historic
role of those bodies, that is, to defend the struggle for
emancipation of the peoples of the world against every kind of
exploitation and discrimination.

214. It is because the United Nations, the OAU and the non-aligned
movement have remained faithful to their original vocation that
serious threats are posed to their future and their capacity to take
just and courageous decisions enabling responsible mankind to
undertake commitments of solidarity and jointly to meet the challenge.

215. In this context the task of the new Secretary-Charter, they are
offered only resolutions which remain General are not an easy one. A
son of the third world, renowned for his qualities and his
experience, General is not an easy one. A son of the third world,
renowned for his qualities and his experience, he will through his
enlightened leadership enable the United Nations to succeed in
defending international order, justice, peace and the progress of the
peoples of the world so that the Organization can continue to deserve
the confidence of all peoples and in particular of the peoples whose
human dignity has been diminished. The United Nations, in particular
at the sessions of the General Assembly, must not become a kind of
confessional, where we all find ourselves under the spell of words
and exorcise the evil spirits, thus relieving our conscience, because
in sanctioning the practice of the use of words without accompanying
action the Organization is likely to become the graveyard of the
hopes of the peoples.

216. Our delegation is among those that whole-the many complex
political problems on the agenda  of  heartedly endorse the idea that
the United Nations the General Assembly for the establishment of a
new international order in which dignity, freedom, wellbeing, peace
and progress can become a reality and not a mirage for mankind.

217. The delegation of Sao Tome and Principe wishes to assure the
Secretary-General that the people and Government of the Democratic
Republic of Sao Tome and Principe will make a constructive
contribution to the performance of this honourable task.


95.	 I should like to join those who have preceded me in placing one more flower in the bouquet of congratulations that the President has received and with justification. I do so with the confidence that the vast experience and skill that he possesses will be put to the service of this parliament of nations which he now heads. Upon his shoulders now lies the mantle worn by many distinguished statesmen, the latest being his worthy and immediate predecessor, Mr. Kittani, who led the Assembly safely through the turbulence of the thirty-sixth session.
96.	The universal character of this body is no more exemplified than in the fact that a distinguished son of another region our region, the Latin American and Caribbean region has been honored and with him the entire region to hold the office of Secretary- General during this most crucial and exacting period in the history of the Organization. The delegation of Saint Lucia not only congratulates Mr. Perez de Cuellar upon his election to that high office, but notes with commendation the imprint of his dedicated personality, which is already in evidence on the Organization.
97.	The Secretary-General has assumed office at a time when peace-makers the world over need the consolation that they are called blessed and we all hope that by his efforts and those of other peace-makers, man will continue to inherit the earth. The report on the work of the Organization produced by the Secretary-General in so short a time and in times punctuated with such anxiety for the process of peace amply justifies the confidence that was placed in him when he was chosen as Chief Executive of the Organization. It is the duty of all of us who are dedicated to the cause of peace to ensure that the guidelines laid down in the report are followed and that the conclusions of so excellent an analysis do not lose their fragrance in the desert air of barren rhetoric.
98.	Throughout the world the war drums continue to throb. Throughout the world the production, stockpiling, sale and distribution of weapons of war and destruction continue at an ever-escalating pace. The hungry furnaces of armaments suck in and consume enormous and ever-increasing proportions of the world's treasures. While the specter of famine is a constant and ever-present companion of millions in the Sahel and in sub-Saharan Africa, the weapons of war pour into the Horn of Africa. The arms trade between the industrialized nations and the nations of the third world now reaches the obscene proportions of billions of dollars annually and much of that trade is with the poorest of the poor nations, to whose relief much of the work of the specialized agencies of the United
Nations is directed. The arms bazaar teems with merchants of death, eager to place sophisticated weapons in the hands of mere children. Generous credits are extended to the purchasers of weapons, while such agencies as UNDP are left short of funds to support programs designed to lift the poor out of the bondage of poverty. What a saH harvest we sow for our children.
99.	But what are the immediate consequences of this widespread irrationality? The economies of the world are so burdened with the cost of arms, so starved of resources that are deflected to the purchase of weapons of destruction that we are now faced with the looming spectacle of a depression which shows signs of being wider and deeper than that of the 1930s, and for scores of nations and hundreds of millions of people nothing short of catastrophe looms. While nations continue upon this irrational course, while the treasures and the blood of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq are poured out upon the desert sands, while the refugee camps of Africa swell with the ever- increasing tide of human misery, the arms race continues and the merchants of death prosper.
100.	As so much of the world's resources are sucked into this insatiable vortex, the economies of the world stagger drunkenly under the excessive burden of armaments. Countries are forced to borrow not for development, but to pay interest rates that have now risen to unprecedented heights; inflation rages through economies with the speed and destructiveness of forest fires; the debt burden of nations reaches staggering proportions; the lines of the unemployed cast an ever-lengthening shadow; and nations producers of primary products are pushed to their very knees as the value of their exports reaches its lowest levels since the 1930s.
101.	With all these warning signs of economic collapse and with the instruments and devices for averting this catastrophe within our control, we nevertheless appear to stand transfixed and helpless waiting for the collapse, waiting for the new depression before we take action to avert it.
102.	Saint Lucia is convinced that nothing short of a halt to this senseless expenditure on arms and armaments can avert the severe economic crisis which faces us, as we hold most steadfastly that therein lies the root cause of our current economic difficulties. The Government of Saint Lucia will therefore support with zeal any initiative to bring the World Disarmament Conference to a successful conclusion. And we note with joy that the crown of honor has been placed upon the work of one of the most persistent workers in the cause of peace, Mr. Garcia Robles, the Permanent Representative of Mexico, for his efforts in the Committee on Disarmament.
103.	Within recent times, members of this body, in violation of their obligations under the Charter, have resorted to or threatened to resort to the use of force in the settlement of disputes; in some instances, as in the case of the Falkland Islands, while the dispute was under the mediation of the Security Council and within sight of a peaceful solution. Such action will find no support from the Government of Saint Lucia but on the contrary will be visited with swift condemnation. On the specific case of the Falkland Islands,
the position of the Government of Saint Lucia is that there must be the right of self-determination, as has been frequently restated in resolutions of this body, and further, that international disputes should be settled by peaceful means. From this position we shall not waver.
104.	This means of mediation and restraint we commend to all Member States and in particular those within our hemisphere. Although the territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has not yet been satisfactorily resolved, the Government of Saint Lucia notes with approbation that both countries have been most restrained in the pursuit of their competing claims and have expressed their willingness to seek resolution through mediation. We urge them to continue on this course of conciliation.
105.	This restraint is not apparent, however, in the claim by Guatemala against the territorial integrity of Belize. The Government of Saint Lucia notes with regret the bellicose attitude which Guatemala continues to exhibit with reflect to the sovereign State of Belize and urges other States to give no aid, comfort or assistance concerning such intentions against a State Member of the United Nations.
106.	In the very bosom of the Americas, a region for over a century protected by the ocean from great- Power conflict, there are now ominous rumblings and this must cause us some concern. The problem of unequal distribution of land and wealth, a legacy of the colonial past, cannot be solved by the introduction of armed conflict into the region. But the social order of "the rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate" can no longer be tolerated in our hemisphere. It must be accepted, too, that social and economic problems are not amenable to military solutions. Nations in which such manifestations of social and economic injustice exist must seek through structural changes in the society to deal with this by conciliation and mediation within their own societies, and no nation should seek, by the introduction of arms and military advisers into the region, to extend its sphere of influence by taking advantage of this tragic situation. Any assistance to the region should be directed, rather, into avenues which assist in the removal of the root cause of the problem; instead of being channeled into arms, training camps and military advisers to fuel the conflict and exacerbate human suffering, it should be used to replenish the resources of the International Development Association and for financing land reform and other measures for the restructuring of the economy of the countries concerned.
107.	But, while some countries hold the footlights of the world stage, the center stage and the spotlight are still occupied by the events in the Middle East. The tragic and savage events in Beirut and the continued hemorrhaging of Lebanon cannot but arouse the righteous indignation of the civilized world and the condemnation of the Organization. There can be absolutely no justification for this savagery. These events are the more lamentable in that involved in them, however indirectly, is a nation whose centuries of suffering have introduced into the languages of the world the words "diaspora" and "holocaust".
108 The right of Israel to exist and to live within secure and defensible boundaries is a right which the Government of Saint Lucia has and will continue fervently to support. The bloodletting in the region we have always deplored, the indiscriminate killings of civilians we have always condemned, but these brutal acts against the conscience of humanity will always continue unless Israel whose people through centuries of tribulations and Diaspora, throughout the holocaust, kept their faith alive by the hopeful greeting, “Tomorrow, in Jerusalem" understands another people's longing for a homeland; until the intense desire of the Palestinian people for a homeland is satisfied, there will be no peace in this troubled land because there will have been no justice. The Government of Israel should realize that the iron bars of a prison cannot confine an ideal, nor the mass burial grounds of Beirut inter a dream. The dream of the Palestinians will continue to haunt the corridors of this Organization until their search for justice is successful. The Government of Saint Lucia hails the valiant effort of Mr. Philip Habib to end the conflict in Lebanon and looks forward to the day when that troubled land will be free of foreign troops and its people permitted to live in peace under their own vines and fig trees.
109.	The racist regime in South Africa cannot, however, be permitted to live in peace by segregating itself from the rest of the civilized world. How long can this racist and oppressive regime continue to thumb its nose at the Organization? How long will it be permitted to occupy the United Nations Trust Territory of Namibia and impose upon its people the abhorrent doctrine of apartheid? These are questions which cry out for answers^ answers that the contact group of Western States is slow to provide. South Africa not only has subjugated its people by oppression, legislative acts and naked police terror but, like any outlaw, has sought to extend its reign of terror beyond its boundaries, threatening the stability of States in the region. Until the activities of South Africa can be brought within the pale of civilized conduct neighboring States will harbor uneasiness regarding their own security and seek appropriate measures in this regard. South Africa cannot be permitted to impose conditions for Namibian independence, and the Government of Saint Lucia awaits with eagerness the long-delayed admission of this country to the community of independent nations.
110.	I believe that I voice the sentiment of all third world and developing countries when I say that we are tired of conflict, tired of wars and rumors of wars, and we look forward to the time when nations will beat their swords into ploughshares, and when the rich products of man's mind, the products of science and technology, will be put to man's service in the fight against his ancient enemies, poverty, hunger and disease. We look forward to the time when such technology, now so triumphant in the exploration of space, will be extended to the exploration of the riches of the sea-bed. It is a tribute to the statesmanship of Members of the Organization that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, after years of patient negotiations, is now within our grasp. This act of statesmanship is intended to prevent the kind of rapacious colonialization and exploration of the
sea-bed and exploitation of the resources of the sea which, when applied to other spheres, brought to the African continent a legacy of suffering suffering which has yet to be helled. As island States, we in Saint Lucia and in the Caribbean have an intense and abiding interest in this Convention, and although some points of detail remain to be resolved, the Government of Saint Lucia looks forward to the signing and ratification of the final act, in another Caribbean island State, Jamaica, in December of this year. In the encircling gloom of the world economy, this is a tiny ray of hope that shines like a beacon.
111.	But no such light can be seen on the horizon of the global economic negotiations. The so-called North-South dialog on the new international economic order is now stalled. What we have instead is a rising tide of protectionism that threatens to stifle world trade and economic co-operation. As the economic storms lash our shores, nations now tend to seek refuge within their fortress of economic isolation, erect strong tariff walls against each other and pull up their drawbridge behind them. Such devices, simple and politically attractive though they may appear, cannot work in a world where economies are so intricately intertwined and interdependent. Such action is but an admission of powerlessness, of an erosion of confidence in the conventional wisdom and of orthodoxy recently so fashionable, of a sense of being overwhelmed by forces beyond national influence or international control. That there can be so abject a surrender to economic forces renders all our statements here but empty rhetoric.
112.	But not only is our economic well-being threatened; our political structures may well be convulsed, if the international community does not face up to the need to provide mechanisms for global management of the world economy and assist in its recovery. The mechanism for recovery was adequately analyzed and documented in the Brandt Report, and it should form the basis for urgent negotiations. The procedural objections being used as delaying devices should be beneath the contemplation of some of the major countries of the North, but unfortunately this is not the case. In the three or so years since the Brandt Report was published, and in the many months since the International Meeting on Co-operation and Development, held in 1981 at Cancun, there has been no discernible progress or meaningful discussion on this initiative.
113.	Here again we stand transfixed without will, huddled in our own igloos, hoping that the more rabid manifestations of world economic disorder will pass us by. But we live in one world. The vast majority of the consumers of manufactured goods live in the South, and unless this vast potential is mobilized all our efforts at economic readjustment, all the aid to keep the teeming multitudes from starvation, will be no more effective than putting a band-aid on a cancer. What is necessary, and what the Brandt Report urges, is to restructure a system created many years ago to satisfy the needs of a few industrialized countries so as to meet the present-day realities of the emergence on the international scene of a hundred or so new nations, which are now the majority in this world Organization.
114.	No country, no nation, wants to suffer the indignity of being for ever on the bread line of the world. But countries* emergence from this condition is not helped by the attitude of some Member States which seek to avoid their humanitarian obligations to provide multilateral assistance through United Nations specialized agencies by advancing the specious argument that all the ills of the third world countries are but the legacy of colonialism, and that therefore the obligations for relief and assistance must be borne only by the former colonial Powers. This argument the Government of Saint Lucia unequivocally rejects as spurious and untenable, since no such argument is used when bilateral aid is offered as an extension of foreign policy and in the extension of spheres of influence. These multilateral agencies have been specifically designed to assist poorer nations to extricate themselves from the bonds of poverty, and it is by the support of these programs that the righteousness of one's utterances can be judged.
115.	We live in one world, the frontiers of which are being shrunk daily by the advance of science, a world which now demands an answer to the question “Am I my brother's keeper?"" It is because it sees it as being in keeping with that question and as a tentative attempt at an answer that the Government of Saint Lucia welcomes the Caribbean Basin Initiative outlined by President Reagan. Some aspects of this initiative still require refinement and qualification, but in principle it affords the countries of the Caribbean covered by the proposal a unique opportunity to help themselves. It is by giving people an opportunity to develop themselves and contribute to the world's stock of resources, by initiating and supporting programs that give people that sense of participating, that sense of ownership, that sense of belonging, that an era of peace can be ushered in an era when the war drums will throb no longer and the battle flags are furled.
116.	We in our part of the world, in the blue and placid Caribbean Sea, wish to be no one's satellite or ideological appendage. Left out of the ideological struggles, we wish to devise an economic system uniquely our own, and to live in peace under the protective mantle of this unique organization, of which we are a proud member and a staunch supporter.


We have gathered together here, as we do every year at this time, in
the supreme body of the United Nations system, the General Assembly,
to think about and exchange views on the important problems which
concern the international community as well as our respective States.
151.	First of all, I should like to discharge a most pleasant
duty-to extend our warm congratulations to Mr. Hoilai, on behalf of
the delegation of the People's Republic of Benin, and express the
great satisfaction we feel about his election to the presidency of
the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. We regard his
unanimous election as a tribute to his great merits and outstanding
qualities as a statesman and seasoned diplomat and at the same time
as eloquent testimony to the respect in which the international
community holds his country, the Hungarian People's Republic, for its
active participation in our common task of peace and co-operation
among all nations. Our delegation is convinced that under his
enlightened leadership our deliberations will lead us to important
decisions that will help to bring about concrete action designed to
establish a new international order based on principles of justice
and solidarity among peoples and for the maintenance of international
peace and security. Our delegation would also like to take this
opportunity to express its gratitude and admiration for the masterly
way in which his predecessor, Mr. Kittani, of Iraq, guided our work
and the good will he displayed during the thirty-sixth regular
session of the Assembly as well as the second special session devoted
to disarmament and the seventh emergency special session, on the
question of Palestine. We would also like to express once again to
the Secretary-General the appreciation of our country, the People's
Republic of Benin, for the thought he is giving to ways to make the
working of the United Nations system more effective and to enable it
fully to shoulder its responsibilities in the face of the serious
problems facing the world. We would also like to take this
opportunity to welcome the action the Secretary-General has taken
with vigour and determination since his election in dealing
resolutely with the delicate task of making the voice of the United
Nations heard amidst the clamour of passions and injustices of every
kind.
152.	The international situation is extremely distressing. The
world is in a state of crisis at all levels -political, economic,
cultural and social-and we feel powerless when we see that, despite
our efforts, the resolutions and recommendations we have managed to
adopt in this Hall have not had the results we had hoped for in
settling the grave problems with which we and mankind as a whole are
faced.
153.	The self-same problems thus re-emerge in a more acute form.
The serious events that have recently shaken the world and that
continue to persist show the extent to which the international
situation has deteriorated. Indeed, we are witnessing a sudden
increased level of tension in the sensitive areas of the world that
defies reason, and the exacerbation of conflicts is moving the world
swiftly towards an explosion fraught with unforeseeable consequences.
154.	.We are extremely concerned-how could we not be?-when we note
that some Powers employ force with disconcerting ease as a means of
settling disputes. Flouting international rules and conventions,
those colonialist, imperialist, expansionist, racist Powers have
systematized their irregular, illegal, immoral, amoral practices.
Armed aggression, military intervention, the occupation of the
territories of other States, the use of mercenaries and open
interference in the internal affairs of other independent States have
become their favourite means of imposing their domination and of
achieving the triumph of their selfish and hegemonistic interests, to
the detriment of the rights of other peoples.
155.	With the exception of the problems connected with general and
complete disarmament and periodic crises, the majority of the world's
political problems are centred in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The
agenda of the present session of the General Assembly, like the
agendas of preceding sessions, merely reflects this situation. Hence,
the delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes that the
poor countries, which an unjust international economic system
continues to make poorer with each passing day, are the very same
countries as are being subjected to the most despicable policies and
in which situations that no longer exist in the northern hemisphere
have become everyday practice, although their peoples seek only to
live in peace and understanding with others in an international
community in which rules of conduct are respected.
156.	In Africa, we must once again stress the importance of the
problems of Namibia, Western Sahara and apartheid. It is not our
intention to go back over the origin of those questions; rather, we
wish to emphasize that the efforts of the Organization are being
flouted by a coalition of powerful States Minded by sordid short-term
interests, to the detriment of justice and the protection of the
vital interests of the African peoples.
157.	The situation in southern Africa can be explained only on
those bases, and we have no hesitation in saying that the key to the
solution of the Namibian problem, for instance, like that of the
apartheid and the racist South African regime, is being held by those
Powers friendly to the white racists of South Africa. In that region,
where the voice of reason has been stilled and where relevant
resolutions of the United Nations, particularly Security Council
resolution 435 (1978), have been Routed by an oligarchy of criminals
and racists, the oppressed populations have been constrained to
resort to the only solution still open to them, namely, armed
struggle. It is time for the reactionary supporters of colonialism
and racism in Pretoria to realize that there can be no peace,
stability or security in southern Africa as long as Namibia has not
regained its true independence and as long as the abhorrent system of
apartheid has not been completely eradicated. It is time for the
Pretoria clique to abandon the easy resort to delaying tactics and
temporising and to Ml into line with the course of history by
participating in the process of negotiations on Namibia's
independence.
158.	That is why our country, the People's Republic of Benin, has
supported and will continue to support the Namibian people and its
leaders, SWAPO, headed by our brother Sam Nujoma, until the
achievement of total victory and independence without any political
or territorial restriction. For the same reason we categorically
reject the claim that there is a link between the presence of Cuban
forces in the People's Republic of Angola and the process of
decolonization of Namibia.
159.	Likewise, the South African combatants struggling for the
establishment of equality Justice and the eradication of racism in
their homeland have always enjoyed the support of the People's
Republic of Benin and deserve a greater degree of support from the
Organization. In this connection the People's Republic of Benin has
always advocated and will continue to call for the cessation of the
organized murder of South African nationalists and for the liberation
of Nelson Mandela and all the South African patriots and nationalists
imprisoned or arrested by the Pretoria clique for having spoken out
loudly against a system of government founded on racial
discrimination and for having taken vigorous action to put an end to
the anachronism and the scourge of our century, must be denounced and
condemned by the international community.
160.	Caught up in the spiral of a policy which seems to embody
human folly those who practise apartheid attempt to export to
countries of the region the violence and desolation which they
inflict every day upon the people of many districts which for them
are nothing but Bantustans. States Members the United Nations are
daily attacked by South Africa, and with impunity. Angola, Botswana,
Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are constantly diverted from
their task of national reconstruction and development in order to
defend themselves against an enemy financed by and under the
protection of international imperialism. In the face of these
intolerable acts of the so-called South African Republic, the
Organization must make greater efforts to prevent its decisions from
being cynically flouted and treated with derision. We owe it to
ourselves to condemn the acts of aggression and destabilization
perpetrated by the South African racists against Angola and the
front-line States, and we must also disapprove of the use of
mercenaries, a particular scourge of our century.
161.	The international community must remain firmly behind SWAPO
and support its just struggle for self-determination, national
liberation an independence of a united and prosperous Namibia. The
Security Council must take all necessary measures to ensure respect
for its resolutions and decisions. It must consider undertaking
global sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter, including an oil
embargo, against South Africa, to make it see reason. Resolution 435
(1978) remains the basis for the settlement of the problem of
Namibia, and any other approach must be rejected.
162.	In the same context we deplore the paralysis of the Committee
of the Security Council established under its resolution 421 (1977),
entrusted with the supervision of the mandatory embargo on arms for
South Africa. Our delegation hopes that the report of the Committee,
which is at present before the Council for discussion, will be
adopted in order to strengthen the means of surveillance of the
mandatory arms embargo.
163.	We must with the same determination consider the situation in
Western Sahara, which we mention with sorrow because the colonial
invasion in this case is African and does not come from outside. The
United Nations, in co-operation with the OAU, has adopted bold
resolutions aimed at achieving the self-determination of the martyred
Sahraoui people. Our country condemns the obstructionism and the
refusal of frank and open collaboration displayed by the invader in
the face of all the constructive proposals designed to find a
solution to the illegal occupation of the territory of another
country, an occupation which threatens the peace and security of the
region, with increasing risks of internationalizing the conflict.
164.	The People's Republic of Benin supports the just cause of the
Sahraoui people and condemns most strongly the colonialist and
expansionist policy which continues to deprive that courageous people
of the exercise of its inalienable rights. The People's Republic of
Benin reaffirms its solidarity with the Sahraoui Arab Democratic
Republic in its heroic struggle against foreign occupation. The
desire to restore peace in the region demands that the Sahraoui Arab
Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco consider forthwith the
ways and means of bringing an end to that conflict.
165.	Regarding the situation in the Middle East, no one should
underestimate the dangers of the tension in the region. The
aggression perpetrated by Israel in its invasion of Beirut and its
policy of genocide against the Palestinians constitute a
characteristic aspect of the policy of global Zionism of the Tel Aviv
authorities in the Middle East. The stubbornness of the Zionists of
Tel Aviv in pursuing this policy of aggression, occupation and
extermination is encouraged by the unconditional and massive support
of international imperialism, which provides them with logistic
support, the arms and the finance-which is no secret to anyone. The
barbaric aggression and genocide perpetrated by Israel, such as the
recent massacres of Sabra and Shatila, deserve nothing but
indignation and strong and unequivocal condemnation.
166.	Israel must withdraw its occupation forces forthwith and
unconditionally from Lebanese territory and all Arab territories
occupied since 1967. Israel must return to the strict practice of
international morality for the right to one's own life does not imply
the right to exterminate others.
167.	The Palestinian people have the right to a national life, a
country with recognized, secure and guaranteed boundaries and their
own territorial entity. The People's Republic of Benin will always
join in bilateral and multilateral efforts effectively to achieve
that objective.
168.	The international community must become increasingly aware of
the grave situation in the Middle East and find the means to make the
Zionist aggressors understand that they are placing international
peace and security at risk, for peace in the Middle East necessarily
involves the proper settlement of the Palestinian problem. The
People's Republic of Benin condemns the Zionist policy in the Middle
East and supports the struggle of the Palestinian people and their
right to their own homeland. The People's Republic of Benin reaffirms
its political and diplomatic support for the PLO, the sole
representative of the oppressed people of Palestine.
By the same token we should like to reaffirm our support for the
people of Cyprus in their legitimate struggle for the reunification
and integrity of their territory, for peace between the two
communities, and against foreign interference.
170.	In Asia, although the echo of gun fire seems to have
diminished lately, political and military tension is nevertheless
high. Hence our delegation stresses its condemnation of all
imperialist manoeuvres in that region designed to revive those crises
that the determination of the peoples involved is gradually
resolving. The Kampuchean and Afghan peoples alone have the right to
choose their own political systems and we condemn any interference in
the internal affairs of Kampuchea and Afghanistan. The peoples of
those two countries must be left free to decide their destiny, and
threats to their security and foreign occupation must cease. This is
a meaningful massage for real peace in the region.
171.	The People's Republic of Benin has recognized and will
continue to recognize the People's Revolutionary Council of Kampuchea
and supports all its efforts to achieve the political unification of
the country and oppose foreign aggression and interference by
international imperialist factions.
172.	The people of Korea aspire to peace and to the peaceful
reunification of their homeland free from foreign interference. This
is the feeling in both the south and the north of the peninsula. The
People's Republic of Benin welcomes the efforts of the North Korean
authorities to bring about the peaceful reunification of the great
Korean country. In order to achieve this objective the Korean people
must be free to decide their future. Thus we call for the withdrawal
of all foreign troops from the peninsula. This is the only way to
ensure a definitive and viable settlement of the Korean crisis. The
People's Republic of Benin affirms its firm and unswerving support
for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in its valiant efforts
to put an end to the artificial and arbitrary division of Korea by
the satisfaction of the legitimate aspiration of the entire Korean
people, that is, independent and peaceful reunification and the
establishment of the Confederated Republic of Koryo.
173.	We also support the people of East Timor in their legitimate
struggle for freedom.
174.	The People's Republic of Benin supports those peoples in
Central America and the Caribbean that aye courageously extricating
their countries from the grip of international imperialism and
striving to take their destiny into their own hands. AH peoples
aspiring to independence in that region should be able freely to
express their views on their future. In this context, my delegation
believes that the relevant resolutions of the United Nations must be
borne in mind and respected by all. Blackmail and military plots of
all kinds are constantly used to ensure the failure of the
revolutionary experience of the countries of the region. The heroic
resistance of the Latin American peoples, whose political maturity
grows stronger every day, deserves our full admiration and support.
Peoples that cherish peace and justice must continue to support the
peaceful cause of independence and freedom of Cuba, Nicaragua, El
Salvador, Grenada and others.
175.	The Indian Ocean has become an area of competition where the
great military Powers are building their own gigantic arsenals for a
possible future confrontation. Gigantic observation, control and
communications complexes rise above the peaceful waters of that
immense Ocean and there are huge stocks of the most modem and
sophisticated weapons on those floating bases. All these means of
destruction stockpiled on that Ocean constitute a threat to
international peace and to the security of the coastal States. The
People's Republic of Benin, concerned at this race to militarize the
Indian Ocean, reaffirms its support for all measures and decisions
aimed at transforming the Indian Ocean into a zone of peace. In this
context, the bold proposals of the President, Didier Ratsiraka, of
Madagascar should be accepted and given concrete form.
176.	The subject of the demilitarization of the Indian Ocean
brings us to the problem of disarmament. It is by now no secret that
when we bear in mind mankind's problems of life and survival the
exorbitant expenses involved in the arms race are truly scandalous,
if not utter madness: $450 billion are spent on it each year, when
$20 billion would suffice for development assistance. Apart from the
fact that this accumulation of increasingly dangerous equipment
heightens the risk of general confrontation, it is also a heavy
burden for the major Powers that prompts them to shirk their
international responsibilities. We in the People's Republic of Benin
are convinced that this arms race threatens not only the survival of
mankind but also the economic development of the world. For the
limitation or complete elimination of the arms race would enable the
Powers which now engage in that arms race to channel more money into
development assistance and the improvement of the living standards of
their own citizens.
177.	My delegation regrets that at the second special session
devoted to disarmament the General Assembly failed to make any
progress, despite the many proposals from all sides. The Organization
must continue its efforts to achieve general disarmament, which at
this time of chronic economic crisis could permit the enormous
financial resources that are today squandered on destruction and
death to be reallocated to the fulfilment of the noble ideals of
preserving life and promoting international peace and security.
178.	We make a most urgent appeal to the conscience of both the
Soviet and American peoples to induce their respective Governments to
engage in sincere and decisive negotiations to put an end to the arms
and to achieve a balanced arms reduction so as to release large
quantities of resources which could then be devoted to the promotion
of the well-being of peoples and to assistance to developing
countries.
179.	Those, in our opinion, are the main political concerns of the
international community. They are not new, and the Organization has
continually been adopting resolutions to deal with them. But we must
note that a great number of Member States flout United Nations
decisions to such an extent that we must wonder whether the
Organization would not gain from a restructuring-particularly the
Security Council. It must be recalled that the Charter not only
stipulates rights: it imposes duties upon States, as well. Legally
adopted decisions must be implemented. At this juncture we would like
to pay a sincere tribute to the Secretary-General for his commendable
efforts to preserve international peace and security.
180.	The critical situation in the world not only political in
nature; it is also economic. Indeed, the international economic
situation gives us growing cause for concern. The persistence of this
economic crisis, which has lasted more than a decade and continues to
deteriorate, brings to light a long-term structural phenomenon:
monetary upheaval, galloping inflation, constantly soaring interest
rates, unbearable instability in the balance of payments, and
increased indebtedness are its main characteristics; they have
harmful effects upon the economies of the developing countries.
181.	The development of those countries is seriously handicapped
by that situation. Their investment capacity is reduced. The acute
deterioration in the terms of trade dangerously decreases their
expected export revenues. Their production effort is affected and
economic stagnation is compounded by social stagnation because of the
increase in unemployment.
182.	Until recently we have devoted our efforts only to the
external manifestations of this economic crisis and have attempted to
solve them with stopgap measures, but to no great avail. Is not the
fundamental question really the problem of development itself and the
establishment of new relations in the system of co-operation among
nations based on international solidarity, justice and equity?
183.	Since the holding of the special sessions devoted to the
problem of development and to the establishment of a new
international economic order, and the various North-South dialogues
in Paris, followed by the global negotiations under the aegis of the
United Nations and the Cancun meeting, there has certainly been an
evolution, in terms of vocabulary, if not of ideas. But the facts
have changed little. The intransigence of certain rich countries
blindly attached to the privileges and advantages they have unjustly
acquired prevents the appeal for solidarity from being heard and in
no way fosters the establishment of a new international economic
order.
184.	The failure to restructure international economic life has
resulted in a continuing, alarming deterioration of the world
economy, which is not likely to reduce international political
tension, since the economically weaker countries have come to realize
that the economically stronger countries have deliberately been
contributing to keeping them in the status of marginal States. If we
want to strive for international peace and security, it is clear that
this intolerable situation cannot be allowed to go on much longer.
185.	International co-operation is obviously adversely affected by
the situation. Indeed, we note a deteriorating spirit of multilateral
co-operation, the principal cause of the stagnation in international
negotiations. There is also a discernible disproportionate
indebtedness in the developing countries.
186.	How can those developing countries honour their foreign debt
commitments, which amount to hundreds of billions of dollars, we know
that they are undergoing an economic recession which seriously
affects their budgets, when we know that their populations are
suffering hunger, malnutrition and disease, when we know that 25 per
cent of the people proceeds from their meagre exports is sacrificed
to pay the interest on the various loans needed for their investments
in the public sector? The gap, the imbalance, between the rich
countries and the poor countries is continually increasing.
187.	The rich countries alone monopolize 70 per cent of the
revenues from world trade, 80 per cent of industrial activities and
90 per cent of technology. They are doing all they can to block the
process of co-operation through the selfish practice of protectionist
measures; we have seen an emerging and growing tendency towards
selectivity in aid, accompanied by its progressive decline.
188.	Rather than accepting the idea of global negotiations, which,
in our view, could improve the chances of emerging from the present
economic stagnation and promote justice among nations, the countries
of the North are clinging to palliatives, to caricatures of
solutions, which hardly conceal their desire to maintain their
long-standing domination and economic exploitation of our countries.
189.	The delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes
that the present economic crisis is extremely serious and deserves
our full attention, and that no viable and lasting solution can be
found without understanding among all parties, and without a spirit
of solidarity. It would be pointless to think that a national or
sectorial search for solutions could solve the problems.
190.	Only global negotiations, bringing together both developed
and developing countries, are likely to improve the situation, in the
framework of the establishment of a new international economic order.
191.	In the short term, we believe that the developed countries
must try to reach the level of 0.7 per cent of their gross national
product in aid devoted to the development programmes of the
economically weak countries. Multilateral assistance must be revived;
in that connection the rebuilding of the financial resources of
institutions such as the International Development Association is of
high priority, and there is an urgent need for a far-reaching reform
of international assistance machinery and the establishment of a code
of conduct for transnational corporations, which must cease to
plunder the wealth of the host countries with impunity.
192.	It is appropriate now to bring to the attention of the
international community the inadequacy of the Resources of UNDP and
the great needs of the countries that benefit from its assistance.
The People's Republic of Benin associates itself with the appeals
launched from this rostrum that UNDP be granted the necessary means,
to enable it to carry out successful its activities for the benefit
of the developing countries.
193.	Our country, the People's Republic of Benin, suffers the
consequences of the economic crisis all the more intensely not only
because it is among the least-developed countries, but also because
the consequences of the armed aggression to which it was victim are
still being felt.
194. My country thanks the United Nations for the programme of
special economic assistance established at that time and for the
measures which are to be taken by the Assembly at the present session
to complete the achievement of the goals of that programme. L would
also like to thank all the States which have contributed to the
implementation of that programme to assist the people of Benin.
195.	That demonstration of solidarity constitutes support for our
country at a time when it is making enormous sacrifices to build the
foundations of its economic development. A round-table of the
partners in Benin's development will be held in June 1983 at Cotonou.
We earnestly hope that the States which have been invited and the
United Nations bodies concerned will respond positively and massively
to our appeal for broad participation. My delegation would be
grateful to the Secretary-General for any steps he might take to that
end.
196.	We thank the Secretary-General in advance, and through him,
Mr. Farah, the Under-Secretary-General, who personally worked to
establish the special programme for the benefit of the People's
Republic of Benin. His report, which will be considered at this
session by the Second Committee, will make it possible to continue
efforts for effective international assistance in support of the
development effort of the courageous people of Benin.
197.	We should also like to express our gratitude to Mr. Bradford
Morse and, through him, to Mr. Doo Kingue, for UNDP assistance in
organizing the round-table which is provided for in our 10-year
social and economic development programme.
198.	We should like also to reiterate the gratitude of the
People's Republic of Benin to all the friendly countries and
organizations which have tangibly demonstrated their solidarity with
the people of Benin, who have been stricken by the recent floods in
the south of our country.
199.	The People's Republic of Benin, which is among the
least-developed countries, is waging a courageous national struggle
Car economic development. The People's Republic of Benin, its people,
its party, its Government and its President, Mathieu Kerekou, hope
that our appeal from this rostrum will not be a voice crying in the
wilderness. We rely on international solidarity and co-operation for
the success of the round-table planned in our country and for the
achievement of the objectives of our programme of special economic
assistance.
20C. Despite the accusations of ineffectiveness so often levelled at
the United Nations, the Organization is an indispensable instrument
for the protection of peace and security. Thus, it is the historic
duty of Member States to overcome their national selfishness to make
the Organization better able to function by granting it means
commensurate with its purposes and its universality. Member States
must act to ensure that the United Nations is not merely a gadget to
gratify their selfishness; further, we must turn it into a real tool,
operating full time in the service of peace, freedom, justice and the
development of the people. Member States, large and small, rich or
poor, must resolve to turn the United Nations into a real centre of
consultation and action to promote understanding and co-operation
among peoples and to bring about peaceful coexistence between States
with different political systems.
201.	May that thought inspire the representatives at this
thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly to guarantee the
success of the Assembly, a success to which the delegation of Benin
pledges itself to contribute by means of dynamic and constructive
participation.
202.	Ready for the revolution, the struggle continues!