129.	  It gives me great pleasure to express to the President, on behalf of the Government and people of the State of Kuwait, heartfelt congratulations on his election as President of the thirtieth session of the General Assembly. His election is a tribute to the high status he enjoys in international circles as a statesman with wide experience. I wish him great success in guiding the proceedings of the present session. I want, too, to pay a tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the President of the twenty-ninth session and the seventh special session, for the wise and effective manner in which he presided over their deliberations.
130.	I should also like to commend the efforts of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, to strengthen the role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, as well as his concern for the problems of the developing countries, for which he deserves our appreciation and thanks.
131.	The previous regular session yielded many tangible results in the field of disarmament and other fields, including the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States. However, we cannot evaluate the role of the United Nations on the basis of the decisions adopted by its principal organs because a wide gap still exists between the adoption and the implementation of United Nations resolutions. It is a cause for great satisfaction that the Assembly at its seventh special session was able to examine the obstacles which hinder the establishment of the new international economic order, agree on a plan of action and approve
the measures necessary to put the provisions of the new order into effect. I should like to commend the constructive spirit which permeated the negotiations between the various geographical groups during that session. Though many of the measures agreed to are inadequate to fulfill the aims of the new order, we welcome them as a first step in the right direction leading to increased co-operation among States in trade, industry, science, technology and other fields of economic activity. The developed countries bear a heavy historic responsibility for achieving these goals and taking the necessary political action implicit in these decisions. No excuses will be accepted in the future for failing to discharge responsibilities and obligations that are prerequisites for the establishment of a new international economic order.
132.	We attach particular importance to the work of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development at its fourth session, which will follow up the work of the seventh special session and continue the dialog between the developing and the developed countries. We also welcome the efforts of our Organization to solve the worsening population problems of the world, provide multilateral food aid, extend emergency assistance to victims of drought and natural disasters, and organize programs to protect the human environment. Such activities had humble origins and are being steadily expanded to meet the needs of our new international community, which is based on interdependence. Naturally this requires concerted efforts by all nations to find common solutions to international problems.
133.	I should like to commend the efforts of the non-aligned countries and the developing countries to make basic changes in the present international systems. If one reviewed the major developments in the United Nations during the past three decades one would realize how much our Organization is indebted to those countries. The declarations adopted by the non-aligned countries and the developing countries during the past months in several conferences held in Algeria, Lima, Dakar and other capitals, clearly reflect the effective role they play in eliminating the remnants of colonialism, putting an end to unfair economic and social conditions, preserving spiritual and human values, solving problems posed by the danger of nuclear confrontation, achieving more democratic international relations and eliminating causes of tension which afflict mankind as a whole The effectiveness of these countries was enhanced by the logic of universality in United Nations membership, which is inescapable for any organization that aims at maintaining world peace and security and at promoting world prosperity and the advancement of mankind.
134 I should like to take this opportunity to welcome the admission of the People's Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe to membership in the United Nations, which is a new victory for the principle of universality and a major contribution to {he effectiveness of the United Nations. We hope hat transition to independence in Ango a will take place n the peaceful and orderly manner in which its sister States have achieved independence in spite of the internal dissensions created by some foreign interests.
135.	Kuwait supported the applications of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam and the Republic of South Viet Nam for membership in the United Nations because it believes that the two countries satisfy the requisite conditions for membership. We hope that the hurdles placed in the path of their admission will be removed, especially after the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 3366 (XXX) by 123 votes to none. Though we uphold the principle of universality in the United Nations, we should like to explain that this only applies to countries which adhere to the Charter, respect its principles and comply with its provisions. There are Member States within our Organization which have violated the Charter, disregarded its principles and flouted its provisions and yet remain Members, I should like to appeal to the international community to put an end to these violations by imposing prohibitive sanctions, including expulsion, so as to compel such countries to respect the will of the international community.
136.	The endeavors of our Organization to improve i ts work in response to the demands of the non-aligned and developing countries were successful in all the principal organs with the exception of the Security Council. Because of lack of great Power unanimity, the Security Council was unable to apply the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter which empowers the Council to take the necessary measures to maintain or restore international peace and security even if that requires complete or partial interruption of economic relations and means of communications, the severance of diplomatic relations and the use of armed forces. In the introduction to his report on the work of the Organization [Al10001IAdd. 1] the Secretary-General admitted that the Council was not able to discharge its primary function and apply the system laid down in the Charter in an adequate manner. Instead, the Security Council evolved a procedure of decision by consultation and consensus which made the parties to a dispute the main factor in reaching a settlement. It is therefore our view that the Security Council has not been able to act in the manner prescribed in the Charter and is content, on the rare occasions in which it deals with questions of international security, to apply procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes without enforcing the measures provided for in the Charter to compel recalcitrant States to respect the wishes of the international community. It is our belief that so long as the Council maintains this attitude its prestige will be undermined and small countries will remain victims of force and aggression.
137.	Conditions in the Middle East will continue to oscillate between war and truce and the region will remain in a state of constant turmoil until the problem is solved correctly and soundly at the root. The principal problem lies in the displacement of the people of Palestine from their land and the occupation of their homeland by world Zionism, which has colonized Palestine and deprived the rightful owners of the land of their right to self-determination and independence.
138.	Peace will not be achieved in the Middle East as long as the people of Palestine remain deprived of the most elementary rights enshrined in the Charter and in numerous resolutions adopted since 1948, the latest of which was General Assembly resolution 3236
(XXIX), which reaffirmed the inalienable human and national rights of the people of Palestine.
139.	Likewise, a just and lasting peace will not be achieved in the Middle East unless there is full respect for the principle enunciated in several resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, which is in fact a corner-stone of the Charter and which emphasizes the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force and calls for the withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Arab territories. I wish to emphasize a truth that cannot b« concealed: that unless the original sin which was perpetrated against the Palestinian people is corrected by the restoration of its inalienable human and national rights there will be no just or lasting peace in the Middle East.
140.	Any step which is taken with respect to the conflict in the Middle East must be measured by its ability to deal with the roots of the problem, namely, the tragedy of the Palestinian people. Kuwait bases itself on the Charter, which stipulates that the territories of others shall not be acquired by force and calls for complete and unconditional withdrawal by any aggressor a principle which has been reaffirmed in repeated resolutions adopted by the General Assembly since 1967 with respect to the conflict in the Middle East. Accordingly, any Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands must not be subject to any conditions.
141.	We have been following with concern Israel's efforts to extort from the United States, as a condition of its limited withdrawal in the Sinai, extensive financial, petroleum, diplomatic, political and military commitments. The totality of American commitments to Israel constitutes an ominous precedent; it strengthens Israel's determination to resist withdrawal from the other occupied Arab territories, hardens its intransigence regarding its territorial expansion and fosters in Israel a conviction of being immune to any measure aimed at compelling it to make further withdrawals.
142.	Israel's acquisition of modern sophisticated weapons will lead to the escalation of the arms race in the region and raise the level of destructiveness of future warfare in the region. These arms which will be given to Israel will only aggravate tensions in the region, increase the elements of instability and prompt the Arab States to seek new weapons to avert the anticipated dangers.
143.	In resolution VIII adopted at Lima the non-aligned countries stated that they were convinced that the time had come to apply sanctions against Israel because it persisted in its refusal to implement United Nations resolutions and in its violation of the Charter [jee Al 10217 and CorrJ, annex]. Kuwait maintains that the time has come for adopting punitive measures against Israel, such as the imposition of economic sanctions and expulsion from the United Nations, in view of Israel's record of violation of the Charter, its failure to implement United Nations resolutions and its exacting a price for its aggression and for the dispersion of the people of Palestine.
144.	The recent Israeli aggression against the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque in the City of Al-Khalil constitutes a danger to Islamic sanctuaries and religious rituals respected and practiced by all Moslems in the world. This flagrant violation, in addition to the desecration of Holy Places in Jerusalem and the annexation of
Arab places by Israel, is not only a flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions but also a challenge to the feelings of the Moslems and the very bases of this Organization. Therefore we request the imposition of stringent measures against the perpetrators of these acts, who have defied United Nations resolutions without punishment by the international community.
145.	The international political climate and disarmament are closely interrelated. I have previously welcomed detente and the improvement in the relations between the big Powers, the latest manifestation of which was the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which we hoped would have a positive influence on solving problems created by the cold war and various other international problems. It seems that detente was not sufficient to end the arms race and lead to speedy measures for more general and complete disarmament. In the introduction to his report on the work of the Organization the Secretary-General said the following:
"In a world increasingly preoccupied with the problems of social justice, hunger, poverty, development and an equitable sharing of resources, global expenditures on armaments are approaching $300,000 million a year. Never before in peacetime has the world witnessed such a flow of weapons of war. Some $20,000 million worth of arms are now sold annually in the international arms trade." [Al 100011Add.1, sect. VUL]
That paragraph is of special significance as it shows the close relationship between disarmament and social and economic development. We believe that lavish expenditures on arms have a marked effect on the deteriorating social and economic conditions in the world today, including world inflation, and may partially account for the reluctance of some developed countries to provide financial, economic and technical assistance to developing countries. Natural and human resources in the world are very scarce and in any case are insufficient to develop and improve weapons of mass destruction while at the same time providing food, clothing and other necessities to peoples. Hence disarmament has become a complex matter which transcends political relations among the big Powers; it includes economic problems in developed countries and their impact on economic and social development plans in the developing countries,
146.	While speaking of disarmament, may I reaffirm the support of my Government for the proposal to hold a world disarmament conference. Kuwait has sponsored this idea because it firmly believes that disarmament is a matter that equally concerns all countries, big or small. Disarmament negotiations were not successful in the past because they were conducted in the form of a dialog between the two super-Powers. We believe that the conference should be mindful of the incontrovertible fact that foreign occupation, colonialism and apartheid sow the seeds of conflict and compel small nations to purchase arms for use in the struggle to eliminate those evils. The conference cannot succeed unless all countries take part in it, including the nuclear Powers themselves. The agenda of the conference should be comprehensive enough to include questions not broached by the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament,
147.	From the outset Kuwait supported the call for declaring the Indian Ocean a zone of peace. The countries of the Indian Ocean have been affected in the past by the conflict between the big Powers and the division of the world into spheres of influence .through the establishment of military bases and the conclusion of, military pacts to promote the designs of the big Powers. I should like to proclaim today my Government's support for the proposal to hold a conference in the near future to study the prospects of concluding an international agreement to make the Indian Ocean a zone of peace. I should, therefore, strongly object to all attempts being made to establish military bases in certain islands of the Indian Ocean and any facilities that may be extended to the big Powers which may be of value to them in their political and military conflict. We believe that the conference cannot succeed without the support of the big Powers and the major maritime users of this ocean. A long time has elapsed during which it has been possible to study this matter in all its aspects and prepare the necessary studies; the time has now come to make progress towards concluding an agreement binding on all countries concerned.
148.	We have closely observed the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction since it was first established and we felt sure that its preparatory work had sufficiently advanced to ensure the success of the United Nations Third Conference on the Law of the Sea. Though the Conference has held more than one session, it has not yet been able to conclude the desired comprehensive agreement the chapters of which will encompass all aspects of the law of the sea and reflect new developments in international society and express the will of States which were not allowed to take part in the process of international legislation in the past. The agreement should also include the new regime which would be applied in the area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction that has been declared the common heritage of mankind as a whole. The process of negotiation is very slow and the major maritime Powers still adhere to obsolete texts and seek to take advantage of their advances in the field of science and technology to deprive the developing countries of their legitimate rights to the resources of the area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. This abnormal situation cannot continue because disputes arise frequently between States over such questions as fisheries, pollution and the resources of the continental shelf. These matters cannot be resolved by unilateral declarations; multilateral agreements are still the main instrument of international legislation. We hope that the next session of the Conference will reflect a true political will on the part of the major maritime Powers to meet the wishes of the developing countries and implement the provisions of the Declaration of Principles Governing the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor, and the Subsoil Thereof, beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction [resolution 2749 (XXV)}.
149.	Portuguese colonialism in Africa ended as a result of the struggle of the peoples who were living under Portuguese rule and thanks to the role played by the developing countries and the United Nations. The victory achieved by African countries which formerly lived under Portuguese occupation should be
an incentive to the international community to support, morally and materially, the struggle of the people of Namibia for freedom and independence. It should also strengthen the determination of the international community to take effective measures against South Africa, which has disregarded the wishes of the people of Namibia and our international Organization and has ignored the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice through its continued occupation of Namibia.
150.	The policy of apartheid pursued by the minority regime in South Africa, which was condemned by the United Nations, is still a challenge to peace and security in Africa and the world at large and a violation of fundamental human rights and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. The racist minority regime in Rhodesia also constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights and the principles of the Charter. It is therefore our duty to do our utmost to put an end to this abnormal situation both in South Africa and in Rhodesia. The cause of freedom is an integral whole; so long as there is one oppressed people in any part of the world, peace and security will remain a far-fetched ideal.
151.	Kuwait sincerely believes in regional co-operation among States; such co-operation helps to reduce tension in any part of the world in which it takes place. The countries of the Gulf believe in this principle and have taken definite steps to express it in a concrete form so as to promote stability in the Gulf and put an end to foreign interference in the affairs of the Gulf, which are the sole concerns of the States in that region. Kuwait believes that responsibility for the security and defense of the Gulf is a matter that should be shouldered by the countries of the Gulf themselves.
152.	Kuwait believes in co-operation based on understanding and dialog. It thus attaches great importance to the Arab-European dialog, which started recently through the medium of the League of Arab States, The main aim of this dialog is to make use of the potentialities of the industrial countries of Europe for the benefit of the developing countries of the third world. We stress the need to organize the transfer of the resources of technology, capital, management and trade to the developing countries within the framework of the Arab-European dialog which we envisage as a manifestation of the new international economic order adopted during the sixth special session of the General Assembly. Hence the spirit of co-operation which has marked the dialog between the two parties is an integral part of the atmosphere which characterized the negotiations during the recent seventh special session. I should like to voice the hope that the Arab-European dialog will succeed because it offers great benefits for the developing countries and the European countries.
153.	The ultimate aim of our Organization is to establish the rule of law in all activities of the international community. The essence of the ideal of the rule of law lies not in technical law as such, although that is of major importance, but rather in the supremacy of certain ethical convictions, certain rules of decency prevalent in the community, and in the psychological fact that those who are at the apex of power share those convictions and feel bound to conform to them.


 Mr. President, it gives me pleasure to convey to you our congratulations on the occasion of your election to the presidency of the thirtieth session of the General Assembly. We wish you every success in fulfilling your task and express our confidence in your ability to guide the Assembly at this session towards the result expected from it.
2.	I should also like to commend the efforts of your predecessor, our colleague Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in presiding over the last regular session and the seventh special session and guiding them to the success they achieved. I should not let this occasion pass without noting with deep appreciation the sincere endeavors of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, to uphold the principles of this Organization and to attain its objectives.
3.	It is also a pleasure to note that this session has witnessed a positive event in the admission of a number of newly independent States to membership in the United Nations: they are the Republic of Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and the People's Republic of Mozambique. The admission of these young States indicates that the long-standing gap between the principle of the universality of the Organization and its limited reality has begun to narrow with the withdrawal of the forces of colonialism and the emergence of the new countries of the third world which have gained their freedom and independence after a long and arduous struggle. In welcoming the new Members, my delegation wishes to assure them of Iraq's readiness to co-operate with them within the United Nations and outside it.
4.	While we note this positive event, we cannot but remember the regrettable fact that there are other States still deprived of membership in this Organization. It is a source of disappointment and bitterness that the United States of America should resort to the use of the veto to defeat the equitable application of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam and the Republic of South Viet Nam for membership in the United Nations. On the other hand, we are pleased to see the legitimate Government of Cambodia occupying its rightful seat in the United Nations.
5.	The thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations provides us with an opportunity to look in retrospect at the distance covered by the international community over the last three decades, at its successes and its failures. Thirty years after the signing of the Charter of the United Nations one must make an appraisal that will determine the areas of success as well as of failure in order to arrive at a deeper understanding of the world's problems and to mobilize collective efforts towards solving them. The world that we inhabit is indeed characterized by violent upheavals, complexities, and conflicting interests, in spite of which the United Nations has achieved a fair measure of success in meeting the world's problems and in comprehending its vicissitudes. The United Nations has also remained, in the view of all States, the appropriate and acceptable instrument for the treatment of deep-rooted problems, as it has remained the greatest hope for the creation of a world in which justice, peace and prosperity will prevail.
6.	The Secretary-General's introduction to his report on the work of the Organization [AllOOOllAdd.l] contains a comprehensive survey of the Organization's work during the recent period of its existence, obviating all that which may be said in this field.
7.	While we recognize the United Nations' numerous achievements which are deserving of praise, we must also refer to the dangerous problems still threatening mankind with dire peril. First and foremost among those perils are the problems which concern the maintenance of international peace and security.
8.	If the steps taken towards international detente  the victory of the peoples of Indo-China, the dissolution of colonialism in the African continent, the United Nations conferences on population, food, the law of the sea, International Women's Year, the non-aligned conference, and the dialog between the developed and the developing countries within the framework of the United Nations if, as I say, all these events represent an aspect of positive developments in the international situation since the end of the last session, there are still certain negative factors which pose dire threats. In the forefront of these problems directly affecting international peace and security, is the question of Palestine.
9.	The question of Palestine is a flagrant example of settler colonialism and perhaps one of the most blatant cases of injustice in the history of mankind. It is without any doubt the problem of a people whose land was usurped and which was exiled by the brute force
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of foreign invaders who had come to establish in that land a racist regime with the support of the forces of imperialism led by the United States of America. The General Assembly adopted its famous resolution 3236 (XXIX) affirming the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine in Palestine, including its right to self-determination, independence, and sovereignty, and the right to return to the homeland from which it was expelled. In spite of the fact that nearly a year has elapsed since the adoption of that important resolution, the Zionist forces of occupation in Palestine continue their occupation of the Arab land and continue to deny the rights of the Palestinian people in defiance of the will of the international community. What should be a cause for censure and firmness is the Zionists' persistence in defying the relevant United Nations resolutions and in implementing a policy of aggression and expansionism aiming at the creation of new political facts transcending the question of Palestine and the rights of the Palestinian people. The Zionists have even resorted to mass killings in order to exterminate the Palestinians, but the will of the Palestinian people and its determination to persevere and to continue in its struggle are stronger than all the attempts made against its very existence  such as barbaric air attacks on refugee camps killing thousands of unarmed, innocent refugees.
10.	The sanguinary tragedy that has been the lot of the people of Palestine for the past 28 years, the scenes of which are being enacted in full view and within earshot of the world, is, above all, the responsibility of the United Nations. It was the General Assembly that voted for the partition of Palestine in 1947 [resolution 181 (II)] in contravention of the provisions of the Charter and the terms of its mandate. Acting under the pressure of the colonialist forces led by the United States of America, the United Nations thereby deprived the people of Palestine of its right to self-determination and turned it into a nation in exile. It is in the light of these facts that the significance of the General Assembly's resolution concerning the rights of the people of Palestine [resolution 3236 (XXIX)] adopted at the twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly, becomes evident.
11.	During the last quarter of a century, the world has witnessed radical changes in the political structure of States. These changes were reflected in the United Nations and were responsible for the initiative taken towards finding a settlement based upon the rights of the Palestinian people and its legitimate struggle. The resolutions of the United Nations, in spite of their importance, are not sufficient in themselves as remedies for a problem which threatens international peace and security. These resolutions must be accompanied by actions which will guarantee their implementation. Hence, the implementation of the provisions of the Charter with regard to Israel, including its expulsion from the United Nations, would constitute the right approach towards the desired settlement of the problem, and the international community will thus have taken a positive step towards rectifying the error it had committed. Within this context, the Government of Iraq reaffirms anew its unswerving determination to continue the struggle, together with the Palestinian people and the Arab nation, in order to liberate the Arab lands from Zionist aggression and to restore to the people of Palestine their inalienable rights.
12.	Among the problems that are still threatening international peace and security is the increasing pace of armament in the world. The arms race, particularly that of nuclear weapons, poses an enormous threat to the future of mankind if no comprehensive and drastic solution is arrived at. In spite of the limited progress achieved in controlling strategic nuclear arms and bacteriological weapons, our world is still in desperate need of regional and international measures to limit the arms race, to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and to limit the use of atomic energy to peaceful purposes only.
13.	We believe the success of endeavors to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons depends on the accession of all States Members of the United Nations to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons [resolution 2373 (XXI 1), annex]. It also depends on the readiness of States possessing nuclear weapons to take effective and immediate measures to fulfill their obligations, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty, and to undertake not to resort to the threat of the use of nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear country. Iraq, as a party to the non- proliferation Treaty, finds that Treaty an indispensable instrument for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons under the present international circumstances. Iraq therefore also warmly supports the appeal of the Soviet Union to stop all nuclear testing, including tests held underground, and considers the Soviet initiative a considerable contribution to the strengthening of efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the creation of a suitable climate for the initiation of the process of general nuclear disarmament. Iraq also considers the proposals concerning the creation of nuclear-free zones in various parts of the world another effective means for making the whole world a nuclear-free zone. Iraq regards the General Assembly resolution concerning the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East [resolution 3263 (XXIX)] as a constructive preliminary measure. We believe that the way to the implementation of this resolution lies through the accession of all the parties concerned in the area to the non-proliferation Treaty.
14.	My delegation considers with concern and denounces the American armaments plans with regard to Israel and the evolution of those plans which seek to make of Israel a nuclear Power that would dominate the Arab States. My Government considers non- alignment a basic pillar of its foreign policy. As those who pursue the policy of non-alignment have reacted positively to events and adopted a progressive approach which distinguishes between good and evil and does not equate the aggressor with the victim of aggression, and as they have in that policy paid serious attention to the problems of poverty and injustice in the world, the non-aligned policy has played an effective role in promoting international understanding and the beginning of the establishment of a world order under the rule of justice, freedom and peace. My country is honored to be an active member of the community of non-aligned States and, hence, we cannot but exert our utmost efforts for the consolidation of the foundations of the movement and its success. We attach special importance to the next conference of Heads of State or Government of non-aligned countries to be held at Colombo next year.
15.	Iraq is part of the Arab nation, which suffers from the fragmentation initiated by colonialism and which has suffered and continues to suffer from injustice, aggression and exploitation. Iraq therefore believes in the unity of the Arab nation and struggles with all the means at its disposal for the realization of that unity in order to build a modern Arab society which would add to the strength of the progressive forces of the world. Taking this principle as a starting- point, Iraq stands by the side of the partitioned nations in their legitimate struggle to unify their countries, as it also stands on the side of all progressive and just causes in the world.
16.	The Western Sahara area in Africa is undergoing developments that call for comment. We call upon the friendly Government of Spain to terminate its rule over the territories of Rio de Oro and Sakiet El Hamra, known as the Western Sahara, and this in agreement with the brotherly Governments of Morocco and Mauritania. We are confident that the Government of Spain will thus strengthen its ties of friendship with the Arab people which is bound to Spain by strong historical ties.
17.	Out of our belief in the peaceful settlement of international disputes, we express our satisfaction with the agreement we arrived at with our neighbor Iran. That agreement settled all the disputes which were pending between our two countries and which almost led to the outbreak of an armed conflict. The agreement which was declared at Algiers on 6 March 1975 has led to the delimitation of the land boundaries and their complete closure to clandestine traffic and saboteurs. The river boundaries were settled in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Baghdad and its protocols signed at Baghdad on 13 June 1975. Those agreements will open up new horizons for fruitful co-operation between the two countries, on the basis of reciprocal respect for sovereignty, and on the basis of their legitimate mutual interests. The agreements serve as an example of the renunciation of the use of force in the settlement of international disputes and respect for the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other States.
18.	The termination of the war in Indo-China with the victory of the peoples of that area over colonialism and the collapse of the puppet regimes is an event of outstanding importance. It signaled the end of the policy of internationally policing the area and perhaps the end of that policy throughout the world. It has thus contributed to the strengthening of peace and stability in that part of the world. This accomplishment was achieved through the struggles of the people of Viet Nam and the people of Cambodia, for which they deserve our highest admiration.
19.	There remains, however, next to that great positive achievement, the problem of Korea: another focus of tension in east Asia threatening peace and stability not only in that area but also in the world at large. Iraq calls for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the territory of South Korea in order to enable the Korean people to exercise its self-determination by itself without any foreign interference. We also support measures aiming at the unification of Korea.
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20.	It is truly regrettable that colonialism should still survive to this day, despite all the efforts of the United Nations to eradicate this evil phenomenon. The African peoples continue their struggle in order to complete the liberation of the African continent from colonialism and racial discrimination. My Government therefore declares from this high rostrum our full support for the aspirations of the African peoples for unity, freedom from colonialism and final deliverance from the racist regimes. We pledge that we shall always remain by their side and co-operate with them with all the means at our disposal for the realization of their legitimate aspirations.
21.	South Africa's violations of the Charter of the United Nations and its constant defiance of the resolutions of its various bodies do not require any proof. In spite of the numerous resolutions adopted by the General Assembly confirming the right of peoples to defend their freedom and independence, in spite of the resolutions calling upon South Africa to end its illegal occupation of Namibia and to allow the people of Namibia to exercise its self-determination, South Africa continues to ignore those resolutions and to defy the will of the people of Namibia and of international public opinion. The acts of aggression committed by the South African regime and its persistence in its policy of apartheid towards the majority of the population, puts that regime in the same category as the Zionist regime, thus deserving expulsion from the United Nations.
22.	In speaking of the liberation of the African peoples, we must commend the progressive approach adopted by the Portuguese Government to end its presence in its colonies. We must also praise the heroic struggle waged by the peoples of those territories for their freedom and sovereignty. We support the struggle of the African people against the racist regime in Southern Rhodesia and salute the struggle of the people of Zimbabwe to overthrow that regime.
23.	The Government of Iraq follows with great interest the development of events in Cyprus, and wishes to reaffirm here its firm support for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-aligned status of the island. We sincerely hope that peace and understanding will be restored in Cyprus. We believe that it is incumbent upon the parties concerned, especially the Greek and Turkish communities, to make greater efforts to arrive at an agreement which will satisfy all parties and guarantee the legitimate interests of the two communities.
24.	Iraq supports the policy of international detente and the substitution of constructive, positive relations for the policy of confrontation and cold war. It should be noted at the same time, however, that the policies of understanding between the great Powers should be in conformity with the right of peoples to independence, sovereignty and progress. Iraq also supports the proclamation of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace.
25.	Allow me, finally, to refer to the effects of economic conditions on international relations. The great gap in the distribution of wealth and the continuing phenomena of exploitation and inequality in the exchange of trade are problems which, if not solved radically, can lead only to disruption of the international situation and threaten peace. Developing countries have endeavored for years, within and outside the United Nations, to rectify these conditions without any noteworthy success.
26.	The resolution adopted by the General Assembly at its last special session [resolution 3362 (S-VII)] on the economic situation was a positive resolution although it does not satisfy all the expectations of the developing countries. What is required now is that the resolution be implemented in a positive spirit of goodwill.
27.	As a developing country, Iraq declares its full support for the legitimate aspirations of the countries of the third world and strives with them, with all the means at its disposal and all its capacity, to implement that resolution and to make of it a beginning for the radical solution of the world's economic problems. We sincerely hope that the forthcoming negotiations at the Paris Conference will bear positive results.
28.	Those are some of the tasks of our Organization to which Iraq attaches great importance. Our delegation will undertake to explain its position on those subjects and other items of the agenda in greater detail in the various committees of the General Assembly. Iraq, which has always had faith in the United Nations and has always supported its endeavors, wishes further success for the Organization, for the benefit of all mankind.


109.	 I should like to extend to Mr. Gaston Thorn our warmest congratulations on his election as President of this session of the General Assembly. These congratulations are an expression of our appreciation of his outstanding personality, which enjoys our complete respect, and which will undoubtedly ensure the success of this session, owing to his wisdom and guidance. Our appreciation also goes to his country, which has a special standing in Europe. I need not remind the Assembly of my country's desire to consolidate and strengthen its relations with all the friendly countries of Europe, which we consider to be the source of modern civilization and technology from which the entire world has benefited. I need hardly say that the Yemen Arab Republic is desirous of developing friendly relations with all the countries of the world on the basis of mutual respect and equality, in an attempt to establish positive and fruitful cooperation that will lay the foundations for world peace and co-operation.
110.	I should like also to express our appreciation of the valuable efforts of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, in carrying out his major tasks with such great sincerity, for which we thank him.
111.	My country would also like to extend a welcome to the three new States Members of our international Organization; their entry renders it more important and is one more step towards universality. On behalf of Yemen, I should like to congratulate the People's Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and extend to them our sincerest wishes for a positive contribution to the work of the United Nations.
112.	The twenty-ninth session and the seventh special session of the General Assembly marked a tangible turning point in international relations. The Palestinian people have regained some of their usurped rights. On the level of economic and constructive co-operation the special session achieved many of its objectives. That special session was convened on the initiative of the President of Algeria, Mr. Houari Boumediene, while the success of the twenty-ninth regular session and the seventh special session was undoubtedly due to the efforts of his brilliant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika who presided over the two sessions and won the appreciation and admiration of us all.
113.	The present session is, like all sessions, dealing with many important topics. However, the Palestine cause is the focus of the attention of the Member States and of world public opinion as a whole because of the dangers inherent in that cause which threaten the Middle East and the entire world with a new explosion whose dimensions and effects it would be difficult to assess. It is well known that the land of the Palestinian people, who number nearly 4 million, is still usurped and that their legitimate rights are still trampled under foot. The majority of these people are suffering horrible repression under Israeli occupation,
while others lead a life of misery in their own lands and in refugee camps scattered in neighboring countries. Still another segment of the Palestinian population remains dispersed inside and outside the area.
114.	Israel, which has dispersed and removed the indigenous people by force from their land and which has usurped their property, continues to deny their rights, to prevent them from returning to their homes, trades and farms, to ignore their legitimate and recognized rights and to defy the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. You will recall that as a result of that defiance the Assembly, in resolution 3236 (XXIX), expressed particular awareness thereof, when it reaffirmed almost unanimously "the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in Palestine", including its right "to national independence and sovereignty". The General Assembly also reaffirmed "the inalienable right of the Palestinians to return to their homes and property from which they have been displaced and uprooted".
115.	We should also like to remind the Assembly that the relevant resolutions of the United Nations last year and in previous years recognized that the Palestinian people is a principal party to the search for a durable and just peace in the Middle East. In order to find such a durable and just settlement of the Middle East question we must give the Palestinian people its full national rights, because in addition to complete withdrawal from occupied Arab territories, this is the core of the problem.
116.	We also note that the aforementioned resolution requested the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth session on the implementation of this historic decision. My delegation will study this report and express its opinion as to the steps it is necessary to take in order to restore the rights of and redress injustice to a people for whose unhappy fate the entire world is responsible, because its present situation contradicts the elementary rules of justice as well as the mores and principles of the United Nations.
117.	What is applicable to the usurped rights of the Palestinian people is also applicable to the usurped lands of three States Members of the United Nations which since 1967 have been under military occupation. Israel continues to ignore and defy all the international resolutions requesting it to withdraw from the territories which it has usurped by force of arms.
118.	It would be fitting for the international community to consider taking the deterrent measures provided for in United Nations documents in order finally to put an end to Israel's intransigence and defiance of United Nations resolutions.
119.	Can the Christian and Moslem worlds forget that the sacred city of Jerusalem is part of the occupied territories—Jerusalem with all its sacred buildings, its history, the position it holds and the spiritual meaning it has in the hearts of millions of Christians and Moslems? Is it possible that Jerusalem should remain occupied or that the occupation of the indivisible parts of the territories of three sovereign States should persist, and that the rights of the Palestinian people, which have been recognized by the entire world, should continue to be ignored without such a position leading to an explosion that would impede any
effort aimed at establishing a durable and just peace, thus threatening the whole region and the entire world with grave dangers?
120.	We must refer on this occasion to the new, advanced, additional weapons which Israel is to receive and with which it will threaten the entire area, weapons capable of carrying nuclear warheads, weapons of mass destruction. I should like to point out that the provision of such weapons, the cost of which runs into thousands of millions of dollars, would encourage Israel to continue its occupation of Arab lands and to ignore inalienable and legitimate rights.
121.	I should like to repeat once more what has been said from this very rostrum by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait. He said that "The totality of American commitments to Israel constitutes an ominous precedent; it strengthens Israel's determination to resist withdrawal from the other occupied Arab territories ..." [2368th meeting, para. 141]. This topic is one of great concern to the Yemen Arab Republic because it impedes the efforts that are needed to find a just solution, encourages the aggressor to cling to the fruits of his aggression and may further encourage Israel to continue the pastime of political blackmail it has specialized in, finding in the Zionist circles that support it a means of acquiring all it asks for, freely, unconditionally and without making any concessions.
122.	This continued response to the Israeli policy of political blackmail at the expense of the national interests of others will deepen doubts and lead to great disappointments, The world, since the beginning of this year, has witnessed many conferences and meetings at various levels, and the policy of detente has made great strides forward thanks to the Helsinki agreement. My country, which believes in the benefits of international co-operation, has welcomed and contributed to many of these regional and international conferences such as the conferences of non-aligned countries. My country has also given particular attention to the noble and human task carried out by the Islamic Conference and we hope that that body will be able to participate in the activities of the United Nations as an observer.
123.	I am happy to state that my Government attaches particular importance to the agenda item concerning the strengthening of respect for the rules of international law in relations between States and the consolidation of the role of the United Nations in this respect because we uphold the principles of international peace and security, which should be respected to enable the entire world to enjoy stability and permit the developing nations to undertake the projects that are vital to ensure their rebirth and development. This development, which the Yemen Arab Republic is exerting every effort to carry out with the necessary speed and sincerity, is the target that our President, Ibrahim Al-Hamdi, has placed at the head of the list of national aspirations he is trying to fulfill. We also hope that the international community will be able to find ways and means to strengthen the role of the United Nations so that it may carry out its task of safeguarding and consolidating peace by obliging those who rebel against and defy its decisions to respect the rules and obligations of the United Nations and of international law.
124.	Yemen joined the other countries of the third world at the Lima Conference. It also participated with great care and attention in the seventh special session of the Assembly, devoted to the search for a new world economic order built on justice and positivity. We welcome resolution 3362 (S-VII) adopted by the General Assembly at the end of the session, as well as the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, which, if respected by the developed and rich countries, will bridge the gap that currently divides them from the developing States.
125.	I turn now to the subject of the law of the sea. When the General Assembly adopted its historic decision which, by its letter and spirit, declared that the sea-bed and ocean floor and the subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction were the common heritage of mankind [resolution 2749 (XXV)], the international community took a courageous step forward. It was one of the most just and equitable decisions taken by the United Nations, in our view, because that was the first time since the inception of the Organization that a decision had been taken whereby 70 per cent of the earth would be subject to new and just concepts of equality for all with respect to rights and equitable distribution of resources.
126.	The Yemen Arab Republic has shown great interest in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of the Sea-bed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of National Jurdisdiction, as well as in the first, second and third sessions of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. Yemen adheres to the principle of the exercise of sovereignty over territorial waters on the basis of the just resolutions adopted by the African States and the non-aligned countries, all of which affirmed that principle to which we all adhere.
127.	Our adherence to the principle of innocent passage basically arises out of our recognition of the right of coastal States to exercise sovereignty over their under-water land, irrespective of whether there is an international waterway through their territorial waters. It is, of course, obvious that our acceptance of this concept does not mean that the coastal States have the right to impede the freedom of trade or other navigation on the contrary. However, military passage through territorial waters must be subject to conditions, some of which are nominal only, that give the coastal State the right to exercise its national sovereignty and the sense that it is doing so. Those conditions will, when necessary, enable it to ensure its peace and security.
128.	We also consider that total ownership by the coastal States of mineral, fish and other resources of the economic zone, whether in the sea-bed, the ocean floor or the subsoil thereof, should be very clearly specified in the provisions of the law of the sea which is currently being elaborated. We are looking forward with great optimism and open-mindedness to the fourth session of the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea to be held next spring. We shall welcome all opinions provided they do not deprive us of our right to exercise sovereignty over our territorial waters, wherever those coastal waters may be, and do
not hinder our freedom of exploitation in waters of our economic zone.
129.	The Yemen Arab Republic was one of the countries which participated with great interest in the first, second and third sessions of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development [UNCTAD]. It continues to devote particular attention to that organization, because Yemen has felt optimistic over the future of UNCTAD ever since its establishment in 1964. Indeed, we consider it an excellent forum in which to draw up practical measures that may eventually narrow the gulf separating the rich, developed countries from the deprived, developing countries. In fact, UNCTAD has, during its three sessions, adopted positive and practical resolutions and, although its decisions have been implemented only partially to date, we feel that the advanced, rich countries will implement the resolutions already adopted and any subsequent ones, because a just distribution of wealth is in the common interests of all mankind; the rich cannot continue to exploit others ad infinitum.
130.	Among the causes occupying the full attention of Yemen, its Government and people are the struggles for freedom and national independence, for the elimination of racial discrimination and for a decrease of spheres of influence. It is therefore my responsibility and duty to deal with the following issues. My Government wishes to express great satisfaction over the end of the cruel and bitter war that afflicted three Asian States, namely the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, the Republic of Viet Nam and Cambodia. We hope those three countries will be successful in rebuilding what has been destroyed by the war and healing its wounds. At the same time, we consider it necessary for the world as a whole to contribute to that noble human task.
131.	We also firmly support the legitimate applications of the two Viet Nam for membership in the United Nations.
132.	The Yemen Arab Republic has taken particular care to exercise its right to membership in the/Id Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean. We did so in the interest of excluding great-Power military rivalry from that critically important part of the world, which has become a natural passageway for the super-tankers that carry a vital source of energy, whose importance is clear to all whether in peace, in disturbances or in war.
133.	Yemen has participated, and will continue to participate in the consultations that began last year on the holding of a conference to consider aspects of the question of peace in that part of the world. It is an area that is gaining in importance with the growing number of weapons that are continually being grouped there, the great fleets and the bases that the great Powers compete with each other to establish here and there in the outlying parts of the ocean and on its strategic islands.
134.	With the same aim of ensuring peace and averting the scourge of a destructive war in our area of increasingly strategic importance, the Yemen Arab Republic favors the adoption of the wise and responsible draft resolution submitted by Iran which would declare the Middle East a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
My delegation will follow this draft resolution with great care and attention.
135.	The Yemen Arab Republic, its Government and its people wholly condemn the racist policy of South Africa which contravenes all principles and concepts of our modern age, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We shall continue to denounce this racist policy from which African peoples are suffering because the Pretoria Government insists on continuing to practise its criminal policies in contravention of basic human rights. Pretoria arrogantly defies all international mores and charters.
136.	The Government of the Yemen Arab Republic and its people affirm that more effective and positive action should be taken to put an end to these unjust acts and to force the Government of South Africa to comply with the many resolutions adopted by the United Nations.
137.	From the same starting point, my country also condemns the illegal racist minority regime in Southern Rhodesia and fully supports the rights of the people of Zimbabwe to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination and sovereignty. My Government also fully supports the effective steps adopted by the General Assembly to terminate the illegal occupation of Namibia by South Africa. More effective steps should be taken to put an end to this illegal occupation and to grant the people of Namibia their full right to independence and self-determination:
138.	Last year we called upon friendly Spain and we do so once again now to put an end to its domination of the Rio de Oro and Sakiet A1 Hamra, which is Western Sahara under Spanish occupation. Such an initiative by the Government of Spain would remove the threat of tension from the area and would strengthen the traditional relationship between Spain and the Arab countries.
139.	In conclusion, I should like to express the wishes and hopes of the Yemen Arab Republic that peace and security will be consolidated in the world through the strengthening of the authority of our international Organization, which, through the 30 years of its existence, has proved to be the best means of avoiding wars and disasters. My Government will support all efforts to enhance the authority and improve the efficiency of the United Nations so that it may be what we have always wished it to be, that is, a practical instrument for ensuring peace built on justice and equality of the rights and duties of all States, in spite of the negative aspects from which the small and developing countries have suffered. Those negative aspects have encouraged and continue to encourage some States to ignore resolutions adopted by the General Assembly either unanimously or by overwhelming majorities. I am referring to racist Governments with Fascist trends, such as those of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia and Israel. In spite of that, the United Nations will remain the means whereby the peoples of the world can solve their problems and find victory for their just causes.


152.	 Let me begin by expressing, on behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, our congratulations to the President on his election as President of this session of the General Assembly. Because of achievements as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, we expect that under his leadership, this session of the General Assembly will continue the momentum which was generated within the United Nations under the leadership of his distinguished predecessor, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, To Mr. Boute- flika I offer my congratulations and thanks on a job well done during what can be truly described as one of the most eventful years in the history of the United Nations.
153.	We wish to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General and the staff on the Secretariat for the continued invaluable assistance we have received in our efforts, which will benefit a great portion of mankind through the maintenance of peace and the application of social and economic justice.
154.	Three newly independent nations the Republic of Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and the People's Republic of Mozambique have now become Members of this Organization, and Jamaica extends to them a sincere welcome. We look forward to the forthcoming membership of Papua New Guinea in the United Nations.
155.	The past year has been one of profound change in international, political and economic affairs, and this session gives us an opportunity to ask the question, "Where are we, and where do we go from here?" In addressing ourselves to that question, let us first look at the United Nations system.
156.	The United Nations, which is becoming truly representative of all the peoples of the world, reflects the conscience of mankind. Today, when travel, communications and the media link all the peoples of the world, more effective dissemination of information on the work of the United Nations could buttress its foundation of universal support and worldwide co-operative action. Already the United Nations has earned the world's respect in its own impartial corporate personality, It has earned that respect by its direct impact on individual men and women of the world.
157.	It is because of that direct connexion between the United Nations and the peoples and the need to strengthen that link that I am going to pose the following questions, through you, Mr. President, to the peoples of the world.
"Here at the United Nations we deal with vital issues affecting mankind, such as war, peace, hunger, human rights and a host of development problems. In respect of those issues, what do you, as citizens of Member countries of the United Nations, know of the policies and positions advanced here by your representatives in your name? To what extent do those policies and positions truly represent your attitudes and feelings?
"The greatest strength of the United Nations must be in its broad-based acceptance by the peoples of the world and not merely by statesmen representing their countries. Mr. Average Citizen, do you know and approve the fact that while the advanced countries of the world spend between $250,000 million and $275,000 million per annum in military expenditure, only $11,000 million is being spent on official development assistance? Do you know and approve that, while you, through your representatives in this Assembly, are speaking of easing international tensions to usher in an atmosphere of peace and prosperity, and while you may be sending tractors to help in planting food for the hungry, you are also sending sophisticated weapons to murder the weak?" It is difficult to say which we deplore the more: the dilemma of the poor nations that purchase swords instead of the ploughshares that they need, or the guilt of those merchant nations that deal in death by the massive sales of armaments.
158.	The major Powers, which share the responsibility for international peace and economic well- being, at the same time manufacture, sell and ship missiles, tanks and guns, sometimes to both sides in an international conflict. The media are replete with pictures of suffering orphans of war and the endless line of distraught refugees whose fields have been defoliated by the modern instruments of war, and those Powers are selling them guns instead of implements for reconstruction. To people who need homes, food and medicine they sell tanks, guns and missiles. A gun has but one use. It cannot build a school or a home; it cannot plough the land for food. It can only kill and destroy.
159.	The trafficking in arms is not limited to areas of overt conflict. It becomes even more clandestine in nature when used for subversion, against the exercise of full sovereignty by States in pursuit of political, social and economic policies which do not find favor with interfering interests. This is of particular importance to developing countries, which are implementing programs for the structural transformation of their societies and which therefore run the risks of internal disturbances fomented by external forces.
160.	Does the ordinary citizen know that after wholesale devastation by war, when the victims offer their hands in forgiveness and attempt to join the United Nations as a haven of peace, those most responsible for the devastation refuse to accept that gesture, by denying them membership?
161.	I agree without reservation with the words of the Secretary of State of the United States, Mr. Kissinger, that: "A world in which the survival of nations is at the mercy of a few would spell oppression and injustice and fear." [2355th meeting, para. 73.] All small nations know that; they believe it, with fear and trembling.
162.	Cyprus is but one example of the tragedy of interference and oppression of the weak by the strong. Belize is another example, and I note with joy that the United States has offered to stand ready to assist in the settlement of regional disputes.
163.	In Belize we have a good example of stagnation  indeed, more festering sore of discontent. We must not accept a stalemate there, even as we reject it in the case of Cyprus. We must keep up the momentum for peace, and we call upon the Powers, especially the influential Powers of Latin America, to remove Belize from its intolerable position. It is now on the threshold of independence, yet unable to accept that freedom which is offered to it as of right because it fears annexation.
164.	One question I wish to ask is this: Why do some trouble-spots, like the Middle East or Cyprus, attract the attention of the great Powers, with massive interference, while the interests of the peoples of Belize and southern Africa seem to pass unnoticed as far as positive action is concerned? As a representative of a small country I must confess to great confusion here as to whether the concern of the great Powers is to protect the rights of people or to secure the rights to property. I am confused as to whether detente means here that the great Powers, ideologically poles apart, have together adopted the same policy of inaction in cases like those of Belize and southern Africa.
165.	Why is it that, although for years the United Nations has been reviewing the trouble-spots of the world, where the security of the world is threatened, millions of dollars have been spent on the conflict in the Middle East and not a cent has been spent by any of the great military hegemonies to restore justice to the millions of blacks in southern Africa, including those in Namibia and Zimbabwe? Is that another question of "kith and kin"? Yet many consistently pay lip-service in the United Nations to the concepts of universality and the indivisibility of justice.
166.	My country joins in congratulating the leaders of Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Botswana and Mozambique on their courage and unselfishness in their efforts to establish justice in southern Africa by all means.
167.	Regarding the Middle East, any action which halts the unnecessary sacrifice of human lives is a step in the right direction, and is welcomed. While we welcome the genuine efforts made towards the achievement of peace in the Middle East, my delegation expresses the firm belief that for a lasting peace a fair and permanent settlement of the just claims of the Palestinian people must be made.
168.	I have commented on some of the major current political issues which affect the lives of millions of people throughout the world. An event of considerable political and economic significance occurred during 1975, a very short time ago; that is, the seventh special session of the General Assembly, Undoubtedly, much discussion will take place during this session about the results of that one. However, in my delegation's opinion it is still too early to make a full assessment; but I will say that the earlier session marked the beginning of a process, and its results will require careful and sober evaluation. It is true to say that it was an advance to have proceeded without acrimony or violent confrontation. It was a success to have had countries of vast ideological and economic differences seated together in deep and long consultation. However, the reservations expressed by some delegations have cast doubt on the value of what may have been achieved. Nevertheless, developing countries have set out to make fundamental changes in the international economic system, and we are determined to continue this process.
169.	It is also encouraging to see that those voices that had ominously spoken about the decline of the United Nations have been converted to a new note of optimism and the question I ask is: Have they become admirers because the United Nations has changed, or have they changed their tune because the United Nations has so far failed to effect a real change? The special session, however, did show that the General Assembly of the United Nations is still the only international forum which acts as a final repository of hope for mankind, and that in the words of a representative of a Member State, "the system works".
170.	A few months ago, at Kingston, Jamaica, a conference was held by the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of nations. This body, ranging alphabetically from Australia to Zambia, comprises some 25 per cent of the Governments of the world. Represented there were the millions of India, as well as the more modest numbers from Barbados. The great leaders from varying backgrounds, bound together by that particular mystique of the Commonwealth, met under Prime Minister Michael Manley of Jamaica, himself a symbol of the possibilities of change; and there they set an example to the world of how free men in a free association can unite in the quest to establish social justice and extend it to the poor of the world, regardless of color, creed or political persuasion.
171.	Let me turn for one moment to the ongoing Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. There have been expressions of dissatisfaction at the rate of progress. This is understandable because the problems are so numerous and complex, and also because there is a real danger that unnecessary delay may cause States to make unilateral and precipitate declarations against the moratorium and against the spirit of the convention itself. My delegation, however, sees some signs of hope: from new ideas, such as a concern for the less-developed countries, including the land-locked, island-developing and others; identification of the treasures of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction as the common heritage of mankind; and deliberate efforts at adjusting the existing economic imbalances.
172.	My delegation believes that there has been evidence of deliberate and unnecessary delay by some of the great maritime hegemonies which are not yet prepared to concede these economic, adjustments during the negotiations. It seems they would rather preserve a system that retains an advantage for the more technologically advanced.
173.	When we consider that the immense wealth, both mineral and organic, of the sea and ocean bed means for some countries not merely an improvement in the quality of life but survival itself, the Assembly will, I am sure, share my hope that the same speed and application manifested during this past seventh special session will be applied to the next session of the Conference on the law of the sea and bring it to its final phase.
174.	With so many experts and specialists, there can be no excuse to the peoples of the world for this issue drowning in the sea of indecision.
175.	In the midst of all these considerations, we must not lose sight of the central core of our endeavors, which is the pressing need for the fullest mobilization of the human resources of developing countries. In this connexion our women must be brought fully into the mainstream of economic, political and social life, contributing as vital elements to the process of development and benefiting equally from that process. This is the imperative of healthy national growth; it is the imperative of social justice. For this reason, Jamaica welcomes the designation of this year by the United Nations as International Women's Year. It has given added inspiration to our national efforts in this area. We have accelerated all of our policies and programs during the course of the past 12 months in the fields of education and skill training; maternal and child health; legislation ensuring a minimum wage to all workers, male and female; equal pay for equal work; social legislation relating to the status of the child and the unmarried mother; and the establishment of a women's bureau in the office of our Prime Minister. These are all instruments which we have developed this year for the more effective elimination of any discrimination or inequalities which inhibit our women from full participation in national life. No nation can afford to be without the contribution of its women in the search for international peace and equity.
176.	The central theme of all developmental policies, whether at the international, regional or national levels, must be the improvement of the quality of life for all the peoples of the world. The Government of Jamaica is particularly gratified by the adoption earlier this year of the Plan and program of Operations for the United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation, which in effect has set the stage for the Foundation to become operational. It is imperative that Human Settlements policies designed to bring about such an improvement be evolved without delay in order that the basic human needs for housing, which continues to assume critical proportions, may be tackled at both national and international levels. Jamaica has participated actively in the work of the Preparatory Committee for the forth-coming Habitat Conference to be held at Vancouver in 1976; and in addition we attended the regional conference recently held in Caracas, Venezuela. It is our expectation that the Human Settlements Conference will mobilize international awareness to the enormity and the urgency of the problem.
177.	The international community faces a tremendous task not only in the field of integrated social and economic development, but also in the political arena. This is essential for the implementation of the former. It is clear that substantial restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system must take place in order to make it more responsive to the requirements of the international community, and in particular in the implementation of the new international economic order. My delegation notes with satisfaction the establishment by the General Assembly at its seventh special session of an Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System. However, restructuring of the system will not bear the expected fruit if the necessary political will does not exist for the implementation of the new order. This political will can be achieved only through influencing the mind of'' the man in the street''. In this regard, all member countries must play their part. In addition, the communications-information media has a crucial role in re-educating the people.
178.	In conclusion, I wish to endorse the statement made by our previous President, Mr. Bouteflika, on this subject, He said:
"Because of its vast facilities and the size of its readership, even in our countries, the Western press, in my view, bears an even greater responsibility in this area. It can and unfortunately it has to some extent done so attempt to counteract the present course of events in the world and take the easy way out of flattering the ego of the wealthy and seeing nothing but ingratitude and incomprehension in the behaviour of the poor. It can also and this is precisely where the greatness of its vocation lies help the mass of its readership to become aware of the real problems of the world and the danger concealed behind an all-too-complacent prosperity to enable it to gauge the magnitude of the suffering all around it."3
179.	It is because we believe in the United Nations and reaffirm our full support that we have directed our thoughts, through you, Mr. President, to the peoples of the world.