A/35/PV.12 General Assembly

2 Mr. President, please accept my congratulations on your elec- tion to your office, which is both a high and responsible one. I wish you and Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim suc- cess in your functions and I assure you of the assistance of the German Democratic Republic in all endeavours to strengthen international peace and co-operation. 67. The outgoing President, Mr. Salim, also deserves credit for his work over the past year. 68. My greetings and good wishes go likewise to the new Member of this world Organization, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 69. In the 35 years of its existence the United Nations has helped to make peace more secure and international co- operation more fruitful thus meeting the wishes and hopes of peoples, after the bitter experiences of the war and the first post-war years. 70. In these times of a strained international situation full of complications and tensions, the United Nations is once more rightly expected to oppose those who are again toying with war behind a veilof rhetoric about peaceful intentions, and to encourage all those who are defending peace as their most precious asset. 71. Therein reside the obligation and the responsibility of this General Assembly. 72. The ultimate purpose of peaceful coexistence is to preclude war as an instrument of politics. And that means more than merely the silence ofweapons. Peace, as the first and most fundamental of human rights, is to be made dependable and enduringfor all time, and conditionsshould be such as to permit peoples fully to develop their creative power for their own good. A peace ofthat kind can rest only on the reduction and elimination of the physical means of warfare, on strict mutual respect for the basic rights of peoples and on the readiness ofall States to settle controver- sial issues dispassionately, with a sense of political reason and in a constructive manner, along the lines of the Charter of the United Nations. Those are the objectives underlying the foreign policy of the German Democratic Republic, which will at all times unswervingly steer that course both in its bilateral relations and in its activities within the United Nations. 2 Mr. Fischer spoke in German. The English version ofhis speech was supplied by the delegation. 74. Readiness to seek both dialogue and political solutions has played a substantial part and all have benefited from that. In the face of the worsened international situation, constructive dialogue is now more urgent than ever. The socialist States are ready for it. There is no other way, except that of renewed dangerous confrontation. 75. The German Democratic Republic has always been aware that global and regional measures to strengthen inter- national security are closely interrelated. That interrelation- ship also explains the world-wide interest in the forthcoming meeting at Madrid of the States parties to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. The German Demo- cratic Republic is working jointly with the other socialist countries to ensure that the meeting willabove all encourage concrete moves to add military detente to political detente. 76. One move of this kind should be the convening of a European disarmament conference. With their declaration adopted on 15 May this year [A/35/237-S/13948, annex I/j, the States parties to the Warsaw Treaty have submitted a realistic and forward-looking programme for continuing the dialogue and for new agreements to strengthen peace. Arms limitation and disarmament steps are ofcrucial importance for the peaceful evolution of Europe. Time and again, the socialist States have taken initiatives to that end at the Vienna Talks on Mutual Reduction of Forces, Armaments and Associated Measures in Central Europe. The unilateral withdrawal of Soviet contingents and combat equipment, which was agreed between the Soviet Union and the Ger- man Democratic Republic and has since been concluded, shows how seriously the socialist countries pursue military detente in Europe. It is now urgently necessary to enter into negotiations on the problem of medium-range nuclear mis- siles and of the forward-based nuclear systems ofthe United States. 77. The German Democratic Republic seeks good- neighbourly and mutually advantageous relations with all Western countries too. It is aware of the great weight that a relationship of peaceful coexistence between itself and the Federal Republic ofGermany represents for European secu- rity. This derives cogently both from the geographical situa- tion of the two German States and from their historical and legal obligation to do everything so that never again will a war originate on German soil. This justified expectation of peoples establishes a responsibility with which the deploy- ment of ultra-modern American nuclear missiles cannot be reconciled. The interests of Europeanpeace require political realism. Attempts to call in question the post-Second World War order in Europe, which are again and again noted in J Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. signed at Helsinki on 1 August 1975. 78. There can be no return to the past. The existence ofthe German Democratic Republic in the centre of Europe is in the interest of all peoples, because it impedes any design to push the peoples into the vortex ofanother world war. The existence of two German States and the normalization of their mutual relationship have a stabilizing effect on our continent. 79. The German Democratic Republic has displayed and is displaying goodwill so as to continue expanding its rela- tions with the Federal Republic of Germany on the basis of the treaties, agreements and accords, that is to say, of inter- national law. 80. , To strengthen detente and to diminish the danger of war is the overriding concern of our time. It requires all our attention and maximumefforts, But it likewise requires clarity of vision as to the causes of the tense international situation, all the more so since there is indeed no lack of misrepresentations of them. The deterioration in interna- tional relations has not come overnight; it has a prior his- tory. The preparation and the step by step implementation of the long-term programme of May 1978 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] can be reconstructed point by point. A modified nuclear targeting strategy has been officially proclaimed which calculates the possibility of waging nuclear war. 81. Time and again official Government statements have declared entire regions of the worldto be zones of influence of certain Powers, and rapid deployment forces have been set up to guard so-called vital interests. The latest news confirms such plans for Europe too. Shows of military strength, particularly in the Indian Ocean andin the Carib- bean, are becoming more and more frequent. The installa- tion of new bases in foreign territories, chiefly in the Indian Ocean .and Red Sea areas, is being hastily pursued. 82. All this is being done in order to upset the existing sensitive balance of power and to regain military superiority-in short, to obtain the dominance of imperial- ist and hegernonist forces. The threat and use of force-a policy of strength-have, again, been conceived to replace endeavours for the peaceful accommodation of interests, and political diktat backed up by huge weapon arsenals is calculated to supersede the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Those policies are directed against the vast majority of States. They must be stopped for the sake of the peace and well-being of peoples. 83. Socialist foreign policy is marked by consistency, dependability, prudence and action. This goes for timexof peaceful relationships and much more so for times of ten- sion and danger, such as we are experiencing at present. The socialist. States have pointed out what needs to be done so that the international situation may rapidly change for the better. 84. Indispensable is a firm struggle against the arms race. Ongoing negotiations, should be 'intensified and all useful 85. Indispensable is the will of all States to settle political controversies or conflicts peacefully and with mutual recog- nition of legitimate interests, and to refrain from any action that could have an exacerbating effect. 86. Indispensable is the definitive liberation ofall peoples from colonialist and racist oppression. 87. And indispensable, finally, is an equitable and non- discriminatory co-operation among States. It isthe only way to ensure prosperity and security for all nations. It isthe only way to alleviate the global problems of mankind and to resolve them in the end. 88. The socialist countries will pursue their policy consis- tently in order to achieve arms limitation and disarmament. Efforts to resolve this vital question for humanity must not fail because of the drive for hegemony and profit. We share with the non-aligned countries an insistence on practical steps to check the arms race. We reject any policy aimed at enlarging the existing military blocs or creating new ones. We are confident of the growing strength of the public movement for peace and disarmament, as exemplified by the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women at Copenhagen," the World Parliament ofthe Peo- ples for Peace, held last September at Sofia"and the Confer- ence of the Inter-Parliamentary Union which has just come to an end in the capital of our country [A/35/570]. 89. Even though disarmament is not a human ideal for all of those in whom government authority isvested. the aware- ness of the unbearable and incalculable consequences of escalating armaments ought to promote readiness to lower the level of armaments. with due regard for the principle of equal security. Concrete steps against the arms race are an attainable objective in international politics. The agree- ments reached so far, no matter how limited they may be, are practical evidence thereof. Therefore, the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session should take decisions calling for the speedy conduct of negotiations directed towards tangible results. Here, one cannot calculate in terms of years; here, quick action is imperative. 90. Arms limitation and disarmament in the nuclear field are clearly of priority importance. Weagain callattention to the proposal of the socialist States forthwith to enter into consultations and negotiations on the prohibition of the manufacture of nuclear weapons and the reduction oftheir stockpiles. The conclusion of a treaty on the cessation of all nuclear-weapon tests must no longer be delayed. We sup- port the proposal made by the USSR on 23 September [6th meeting] that the nuclear-weapon States announce a one- year moratorium on nuclear explosions. 91. Given a constructive approach, it ought to be possible to draw up an international convention on the strengthening 4 World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality. Development and Peace. held at Copenhagen from 14 to 30 July 1980. 92. At this session the General Assembly will have to adopt the programme for the Second Disarmament Decade. The climax of the Decade could be a world disarmament conference. 93. The 1970s are justly called the decade of political detente. Let us take that high appraisal as conferring a mandate for.the 1980s. May they become the decade ofarms limitation and disarmament. 94. The most urgent measures for reducing the danger of war have been proposed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the USSR, Mr. A. A. Gromyko, from this rostrum [ibid.]. Their implementation would be the reliable guarantee of stable international detente and fruitful international co- operation. Only someone who has other interests can refuse that. 95. If peaceful coexistence is to be consolidated it is neces- sary to eliminate international conflicts. Consequently, the States parties to the Warsaw Treaty called, at their recent meeting, for the settlement ofall controversial issues peace- fully, that is, politically. 96. Gunboat diplomacy, so-called pumnve actions or threats with mobile strike forces are outside the law,justice and morality; they are a relapse into an era when the right of the stronger was the only thing that counted. 97. The history of international relations and the genesis of the United Nations, as wellas current international devel- opments, confirm that the use of force to suppress the sovereign rights of States and peoples has been and remains a major source of international tensions and conflicts. The German Democratic Republic therefore urges that the prin- ciples of the Charter of the United Nations that States shall not resort to force be strengthened and that a world treaty on the non-use of force in international relations be con- cluded without delay. 98. There has been no progress towards establishing last- ing peace in the Middle East. On the contrary, with increas- ing armed attacks on southern Lebanon and its decision to annex all of Jerusalem, Israel has drastically and danger- ously aggravated the situation. The Camp David agree- ments" permit all this, and everything proves, once again, that lasting peace requires a comprehensive settlement and the participation of all sides, including specifically the PLO. 99. The core ofthe Middle East conflict remains the attain- ment and exercise by the Palestinian people of the right to self-determination, including its right to establish its own sovereign State. This was confirmed by the seventh emer- 6 A Framework for Peace in the Middle East. Agreed at Camp David, and Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel. signed at Washington on 17 September 1978. 100. Developments in the Middle East region call yet greater attention to the global problems of securing peace, because that hotbed of tension has expanded territorially. The military intentions of the United States of America leave no doubt about its design virtually to encircle the Middle and Near East in a pincer-like operation, with the support of those in other reactionary and hegemonistic quarters. 101. It is for this purpose that the system of military bases is being enlarged. The peoples will resist that because their sovereignty and independence and their right ofcontrol over their own natural resources are becomingendangered. Also, the conflict between the United Statesand Iran is, in the final analysis, the result of an attempt to reverse the Iranian revolution and to make that country again a tool of the United States. Here, too, a solution can only .come about through negotiation and respect for the Iranian people's right to self-determination. 102. The German Democratic Republic reiterates its posi- tion that the question of Cyprus should be resolved in accordance with the Charter and the relevant decisions of the United Nations in the interests of the people of Cyprus and of international security. 103. Another region where a long-simmering conflict imperils world peace is southern Africa. The people of Zimbabwe, which we congratulate from this high rostrum in a spirit of long-standing active solidarity, has won indepen- dence and is strengthening its position. Its victory has given new courage to the fighters in Namibia and South Africa. They can be sure of support from the people ofthe German Democratic Republic. The United Nations has recognized SWAPO as the legitimate representative of the people of Namibia [resolution 3 III (XXVIlI)]. This decision must remain undisputed. There must be no Namibia which is a , protectorate of the South African racist regime. 104. The Namibia issue cannot be isolated from develop- ments in South Africa. As long as it is in power, the racist regime threatens its neighbours and terrorizes the people of South Africa. Therefore we demand stringent sanctions against that regime. Above all, the nuclear collaboration of some States with the representatives of the policy of apart- heid must be ended. 105. History teaches that whenever people exercise their right to self-determination, destroy the old exploitative order and strive for national and social independence, that is, for social progress, they encounter the fierce resistance of reactionary quarters. This is also the case in Afghanistan. But the Afghan people has good and faithful friends. Its Government is working successfully for a peaceful life in the country and is defending the gains ofdemocratic revolution. It is offering its neighbours friendly relations and the region its contribution to peaceful coexistence and stable security. When outside interference ceases and its termination is guaranteed, the Governments ofAfghanistan and the USSR 106. The German Democratic Republic disapproves of attempts to misuse the United Nations for interference in Afghanistan. Similarly, it opposes all designs to obstruct the great efforts of the people of Kampuchea to overcome the aftermath of the criminal Pol Pot regime, and it insists that the legitimate Government of that country should occupy its rightful seat in this Organization. The German Demo- cratic Republic supports the initiatives of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the Lao People's Democratic Repub- lic and the People's Republic of Kampuchea for a solution of the problems in South-East Asia. Their realization would be a step towards security in the region. We second the proposal to consider the question of peace, stability and co-operation in South-East Asia as a separate agenda item at this General Assembly session. Likewise, we support the proposals of the Democratic People's Republicof Korea for the solution of the Korean question, including the with- drawal of the United States forces from South Korea. 107. We speak up resolutely against the expansion of mil- itary presence and activities in the Indian Ocean, and we support the initiatives suggesting the conversion of the Indian Ocean area into a zone of peace. 108. If it is to endure, peaceful coexistence needs a climate of mutual understanding and the cultivation and dissemina- tion of the great humanist ideals of international under- standing and peace. The United Nations has outlawed instigation to war and to national and racial hatred and all other forms ofpoisoning of the human mind and perversion of human thought. Yet those things have not been uprooted. On the contrary, manifestations of Fascist and neo-Fascist ideologies are increasing and partly growing into organized terrorism. For this reason, the German Democratic Repub- lic believes that concrete action should be taken to check that danger to peace and human rights. In this case, too, there applies the dearly learnt historical lesson that if an evil is to be avoided it has to be nipped in the bud. 109. World-wide implementation of the principles of peaceful coexistence encompasses the democratic restruc- turing of international economic relations. TIle 1960s and 19705 have distinctly confirmed that international political crises tend to develop and become aggravated where and when States are denied their rights to conduct their eco- nomic relations on a basis of equality and to exercise full sovereignty over their natural resources. 110. Extortion and the threat of force to secure raw mate- rial supplies constitute gross violations ofinternational legal norms. They arc sources of dangerous political tensions fraught with the risk of large-scale military conflicts. The same goes for all attempts to abuse economic relations for political blackmail against socialist States. The time is ripe for eradicating discrimination and restrictions,'ending exploitative relations, containing the disastrous influence of transnational corporations and thus laying the foundations 111. This General Assembly session has before it a heavy work schedule indeed. Yet, regardless of how different the issues are, their consideration mustultimately help strength- en peace and peaceful coexistence. All forces of peace and democracy are called upon to co-operate in solving this difficult task. The problems oftoday's world demand a clear commitment to peace and detente and, above all, action by each individual State and the United Nations as a whole.

I should like first of all, Sir, to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly. I am all the more pleased to do this because I am convinced that you will do everything to ensure that our work shall be as effective and well organized as possible and that the General Assembly will scrupulously fulfil its eminent role under the Charter of the United Nations. 1l3. Before going any further, I should like also to thank the President of the thirty-fourth session of the General Assembly, Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim, on whose enlightened wisdom we so often relied during the past year in diverse and complex situations. We would do well to recall, once more, the remarkable way in which he presided over the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementa- tion of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, a task which he success- fully fulfilled with such wisdom and prudence. 114. I am pleased to have the opportunity to welcome the presence among us of the delegation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as the one hundred and fifty-fourth Member ofour Organization. That presence confirms once more the universality of the United Nations. 115. I should like also to express the great interest with which I have taken note of the report of the Secretary- General on the work of the Organization [A/35/1], and to express my great appreciation to the Secretary-General for his remarkable synthesis of the many problems with which the United Nations has had to concern itself, for the sugges- tions he put forward and for his analysis-discreet, perhaps, but pertinent none the less-of the changes in international relations and, thus, in the goals of our Organization. I should like to assure the Secretary-General that Belgium will respond positively to the appeal he made when stating that it is up to the United Nations "to tilt the balance in the right direction" [ibid, sect. lJ in order to respond to the profound disarray and confusion which, unfortunately, characterize the times in which we live. 116. It has become a tradition in our Assembly for the nine countries of the European Community to express them-- selves with one voice in the general debate through the delegation which holds our presidency. It goes without say- ing that Belgium shares all the ideas and views expressed by our colleague, Mr. Gaston Thorn, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg [6th meeting]. The great problems of the day are mentioned in his state- 117. First of all, I wish to reaffirm that the search for a common stance among the countries ofthe European Com- munity in the international dialogue remains one of the most important concerns of the Belgian Government. We feel, indeed, that the political co-operation which has been established among our States, and which is frequently expressed in the United Nations, isan original and precious contribution byus to the international community. The very fact that we co-ordinate our positions and conciliate our views undoubtedly. gives more weight to the collective voice of the nine countries, but also gives it more balance. In this way we contribute to the spirit of tolerance which should characterize our work. More and more, the life of our Organization is characterized by dialogue between groups. The European Community, which groups together nine today and will group ten tomorrow and soon, we firmly hope, twelve democratic States of Western Europe, was among the first to recognize this state ofaffairs and to make an effort to adapt its actions to it. We are pleased to note that, more and more, our common action is not only accepted and recognized, but greeted with interest and satis- faction. Hence we shall continue along those lines. 118. A second consideration which inevitably affects the representative of a country like Belgium concerns the sad fate of some of the smallest States of the international community, which too often become the victims of the struggle among the Powers. For centuries Belgium has been known as the battleground of Europe. Many peaceful vil- lages and places in my country, from Waterloo to Yser and Bastogne, are known world-wide as having been the sites of confrontations between foreign armies. We could certainly have done without this reputation founded on suffering and ruins. For 35 years, and thanks to the alliance to which it belongs and remains constantly faithful, my country has known peace and can contribute to detente. But I note that the hot beds of tension and bloody crises which arise all over the world and with which our Organization has to deal most often strike the small States. It is as if the balance of terror and the immense developments in the field of weapons protect the great peoples but crush the small ones, precisely those which the international community should most ener- getically protect. What is happening in Lebanon, Kampu- chea and Afghanistan should be a reason for shame and indignation for each one of us. We are witnessing the syste- matic and prolonged violation of the territorial integrity, independence and right to life of populations which have had the misfortune of falling within the sphere of influence of mighty neighbours or of serving as battlefields for their struggles. 119. Ever since the beginning of this century, the interna- tional community has tried to structure itself so as to estab- lish a rule of law which would not be the law of the jungle. This is the raison d'etre of the United Nations, and it is why our Organization must protest with unceasing indignation against the crushing of small States and the implicit or explicit threats which hang over the sovereignty ofso many 120. Finally,I should like to recall that behind the abstract words which make up the daily vocabulary of our debates lies a human reality. The efforts made by this Organization have a finality which surpasses the governmental or State dimension. While Governments are the instruments ofbilat- eral or multilateral diplomacy, men and women are its subjects. A diplomat is not an actor in an esoteric game; he is the servant of the cause of mankind. 121. The disappointing results of international co- operation for development and the continued existence of many areas of instability and insecurity-even open conflicts-bring in their wake untold suffering, poverty and social inequality. Democracy is on the decline. Dictator- ships succeed one another. Human rights are violated in all parts of the world. While millions of refugees wait, in terri- ble suffering, to be able to return to their homes, political obstacles sometimes prevent the Red Cross and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from fully fulfilling their humanitarian mission. Our Organiza- tion cannot remain indifferent either to the causes of this massive displacement of peoples or to its consequences. Nor can it remain indifferent to the taking hostage for political ends of innocent men and women, whose lives are threat- ened as a means of pressure. 122. It is the duty ofthe international community to put an end to these acts, but its action will remain insufficient as long as all its members, without exception, do not fully resolve to eliminate the deep-rooted causes of this evil, which are both political and economic. 123. Man has a right to the development which can pro- mote his prosperity. Development aid can no longer be considered a charitable or paternalistic act. Development engages the responsibility of the entire international com- munity and is the direct result of the recognition of the right to development. This is not a new right but should be considered as the synthesis ofother human rights, including civil and political rights. The ultimate bearer of these rights is the individual, and the exerciseofthese rights willenhance the development of the individual's personality. From now on we recognize that the promotion of respect for human rights must be an integral part of activities related to devel- opment and that its realization involves the participation of all, including women, young people and the handicapped. 124. This year at Copenhagen, the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women had as one of its themes the full participation of women in economic and social development. Belgium will take this fully into account in its efforts to promote complete equality between men and women on the national level. 125. "Full participation and equality" are also the themes of the International Year of Disabled Persons, to be observed in 1981, which will provide our Organization with another opportunity to reaffirm the. importance it attaches to the promotion of the value and dignity of human beings. 127. In this context, we can only welcome the suggestions made by the Secretary-General in hisstatement oD July last before the Economic and Social Council/ inwhich he advo- cated special action in favour of the least developed coun- tries which have been particularly affected by the economic crisis. We hope that this Assembly will take appropriate measures concerning this initiative. 128. Too many positive.elements have emerged from the eleventh special session of the General Assembly which was recently concluded for us to speak of "failure". The estab- lishment of a new International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade-which we will have to ratify formally-is an extremely important achievement. On the subject of global negotiations, the work of these last weeks has enabled us to identify the difficulties-and problems and also to clarify our positions. Progress has been made which will probably allow the present session to produce a unanimous will to start basic negotiations, without which international economic rela- tions will remain chaotic. As I stated at the eleventh special session: "My country places great expectations in the outcome of these global negotiations. At the end of the negotia- tions, it would thus be ready to make a political commit- ment to apply the balanced results reached by consensus."8 Belgium has done and will continue todo all that is possible to obtain that consensus. 129. In this context, I should like to recall briefly the proposal of my delegation? concerning the conclusion of a pact for mutual growth which would link official develop- ment aid to the economic growth of the traditional and potential donor countries. 130. I repeat that Belgium earnestly hopes that solutions will be found to the world problems which confront us, because I am more and more convinced that the famous statement made by my predecessor Paul-Henn Spaak before this very Assembly is as relevant as ever: "It is not too late, but it is high time", he said. It is high time because disorder reigns in too many areas; it is high time because the poorest become poorer; it is high time because the rich are. also slowly involved in a spiral of impoverish- ment; it is high time because the chasms which separate us may no longer allow reasonable solutions; it is high time because misery and poverty all too often lead to actions 1 Sec Offkial Records of'he Economic ami Social Council, 1980, Ple- nary Meetings, 24th meeting. IJ Document A/S-IIIA<'.1/5. 136. Faithful to its long tradition" in this field, Belgium remains strongly attached to all forms of international action in the field of arms limitation. Suffice it to recallthe initiative taken here in 197812 by Belgium in favour of a study of all the regional aspects of disarmament. The pur- pose was to define a systematic regional approach for all disarmament problems and arms control. Belgium was pleased to read the report of the Group of Governmental Experts on Regional Disarmament over which it presided. That report was completed a month ago [A/35/4J6] and submitted to the present session of the General Assembly for consideration. I hope that the debates which will take place will contribute to progress in the cause of disarmament. 131. The representatives of the 154 Member States repre- sented here arc all aware. of the dramatic nature of this situation. They also know that they will have to work together in the struggle against the economic crisis and in favour of development. They must perforce succeed in this enterprise in the interests of world peace and security. It is obvious that such flagrant imbalances will sooner or later lead to violent explosions. 132. The arms race resulting from these imbalances is a permanent threat. We are appalled by the fact that $450 billion are now being spent on armaments in the world but only $20 billion on development aid. That iswhythe Brandt Commission hassuggested initsrecentreport 10that machin- ery to strengthen the role of the United Nations should be established for the maintenance of peace. Such machinery should permit funds to be released for developmentthrough reductions in military expenditure. 137. May I also express on behalf of my Government, as was done in this veryhall bythe Ministerfor Foreign Affairs of Sweden on behalf of his Government, great concern on the subject of the rumoured recent utilization of chemical weapons in two of the poorest countries in Asia. It is no longer enough for public opinion in the civilized world to condemn the utilization ofchemicalarms. Allcountries that have not yet acceded to the. Geneva Protocol of 192513 must do so without further delay;that would allowall contracting parties to re-examinethe desirabilityof maintaining theinter partes reservation for those who have registered it. 133. Security and peace are not merely the absenceof war; they also have an active character which could lead to balanced development and an equitable distribution of wealth. A lasting peace requires efficient economic co- operation. The absence of justice in international economic relations merely fosters dictatorial regimes whichdisregard the most elementary human rights. Those regimes disrupt peace, both by the international opposition to which they give rise and their economic and social injustices. 138. In conclusion, and to sum up, I havetried to stressthe importance that Belgium attaches to an international com- munity based on a certain number of fundamental legal principles, as set out. in the Charter of our Organization. 134. In his report on the work of the Organization, the Secretary-General has deplored the fact that the numerous international conferences on disarmament had often done no more than agree on organizational and procedural mat- ters, without reallytackling questions of substance[A/35/J, sect.V]. They wereunable to preventa dangerous escalation in the arms race. Many countries of the third world, includ- ing the poorest, wear themselves out and are reduced to bankruptcy as they seek to take part in this senseless world competition. Matters may seemdifferentfor eachindividual State; but the only reasonable solution to a threat of over- armament by a neighbour is a dialogue and a search for balance at the lowest possible level. 139. The basic guideline of Belgium's foreign policy is certainly to do all it can to ensure that the international community of States, peoples and individuals shall be founded on those principles. 140. Just as one cannot imagine a democracy that it not based on the rule of law, so our Organization would be unthinkable were it not founded on a firm will to establish legal principles on an international level. 141. For countries like Belgium, which systematically refrain from using violence in international relations, the creation of a state of law at the international level is an indispensable element for the creation of a real community of nations. 135. In Europe itself, continuing development of new weapon systems directed against our countries caused the Atlantic Alliance to take the decision last December to modernize its medium-range nuclear weapons, in order to offer that dialogue and that search for balance at the lowest possible level. That offer of negotiations remains. Belgium attaches special importance to it and welcomes the prospect of preparatory talks on this subject being started on 13 October between the United States and the SovietUnion. In the same context. Belgium has always expressed its interest in the ratification of the SALT 11 agreement.I I But there should be no doubt about the will of my country, together

I should likefirst to congratulate the President,on his election to the presidencyofthe thirty-fifthsessionofthe General Assembly, and to wish him every success in this important post. I should likealso to expressmy gratitude to his predecessor, Mr. Salim, for his successful conduct of proceedings. III North-South: A program for survival: report of the Independent Commission on lntcmational Development Issues under the chairman- ship of Will~' Brandt (Cambridge. Massachusetts, the MIT Press. 1980). 12OfficialRecords ofthe General Assembly, Thirty-third Session, PI,,- nary Meetings, 17th meeting. para. 217. 13 Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on 17June 1925.League ofNations. TreatySeries, vol. XCIV (1929), No. 2138, p. 65. 11Treaty between the l.'nitcd States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. signed at Vienna on 18 June 1979. 144. We also welcome as a Member of the United Nations Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 145. The Assembly will recall that, in the 1970s,as a result of the purposeful and persistent efforts of the countries of the socialist community and also of the non-aligned States and progressive and peace-loving forces, and thanks to the sober and realistic approach and sense of responsibility ofa number of Western statesmen and leaders, substantial pro- gress was registered in the struggle for peace, security and international co-operation. The danger ofwar was consider- ably reduced and diminished. As a result of the deepening process of detente, the pre-conditions were created for the solution of a number of international problems. Greater prospects emerged for achieving, by means of talks, the elimination of dangerous sources ofconflict. Genuine pros- pects emerged for the accomplishment ofconsiderable pro- gress in efforts aimed at curbing the arms race and reducing the tremendous burden ofarmaments. There was an acceler- ation ofthe processofelimination ofthe vestigesofcolonial- ism. A start was made on the restructuring of international economic relations on a just and democratic basis. All that enabled the peoples of the world to entertain well-founded hopes for a peaceful and better future. 146. Unfortunately, on the threshold of the 1980s, the world has witnessed a turn of events that has threatened the positive gains'achieved at the expense of such tremendous effort. That reversal was the result of the activities of those very forces that so fiercely resisted detente from the very beginning and attempted to keep mankind in conditions of cold war, mistrust, hostility and confrontation. The impe- rialistic, reactionary and hegemonistic forces are pursuing goals that are not at all new in their exacerbation of the international situation. .. 147. Recently the Unit.ed States, with the support of cer- tain countries members of NATO and the present Chinese leadership, has deliberately been stepping up tension in various parts of the world and has brusquely declared tnose parts of the world to be "spheres of its own vital interest". It has intervened in the internal affairs of sovereign States and has been creating special forces for this purpose, such as the "Rapid Deployment Force". It has sharply stepped up its military preparations, established new military bases, attempted to forge new military alliances, impeded talks on a number of disarmament questions, increased its military expenditures and created ever newer and more sophisticated forms of weaponry. We have seen how those forces, con- trary to the universally acknowledged norms of interna- tional relations, have gone so far as to limit political, economic. cultural and other links with socialist countries. The goal of all that could not be clearer: to achieve military supremacy over the socialist countries and to pursue a policy "from a position of strength". That conclusion is most 148. The historic experience of mankind, however, partic- ularly over the last few decades, has made it abundantly clear that the imperialist plans to achieve a dominant posi- tion in the world are entirely unrealistic and groundless. Efforts designed to carry out such plans lead only to one thing-the escalation of the arms race and an increase in the danger of armed conflict. 149. A completely different course, which is in keeping with the true interests of the peoples of the world, is pro- posed by the socialist countries. In July ofthis year, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Com- munist Party and Chairman of the Council of State of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Todor Zhivkov, stated: "The major historic task dictated by the times, dictated by life itself, is to produce a system of measures, agree- ments and understandings in order to guarantee on our planet the peaceful coexistence of States with different social systems, peace, freedom and the progress of I " peop es. 150. This is a task which it iscertainly possible to perform. 151. All that is necessary is to evince the necessary realism and goodwill and do everything possible to eliminate the dangers with which the present international situation is fraught. To this end it is necessary to increase political contacts and exchanges of views. This need was very clearly confirmed at important meetings, which were recently held at the highest level. I refer to the talks between the General Secretary ofthe Central Committee ofthe Communist Party of the Soviet Union and President of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Leonid I1yich Brezhnev, and the President of France, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Helmut Schmidt. 152. In order to preserve detente as the dominant trend we must also mobilize all peace-loving forces and world public opinion. We are certain that a considerable contribution to this end is being made by the World Parliament of the Peoples for Peace, currently being held at Sofia, in which representatives of public opinion ofmore than 130countries are taking part. 153. The People's Republic of Bulgaria is a member ofthe socialist community, whose positions on international issues are well known. They are positions of principle, the aim of which is to strengthen detente, put an end to the arms race, carry out effective disarmament measures, eliminate sources of tension, eradicate the vestiges of colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism and apartheid, restructure interna- tional economic relations on ajust and democratic basis and ensure the observance of all the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in "irope. 154. These positions were reaffirmed at the Crimea meet- ings of the leaders of the socialist countries. 156. I shall confine myself to citing as an example the proposal concerning the convening of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, which some viewed as Utopian when it was first put forward by the countries ofthe socialist community. 157. In May of this year the Conference of the Political Consultative Committee of the States Parties to the Warsaw Treaty put forward a new initiative concerning the holding ofa summit meeting of the leaders ofStates in all parts ofthe world to discuss problems connected with the elimination of sources of tension and the prevention of war. We are con- vinced that a meeting of this kind would do a great deal to ease tension in international relations. 158. Literally all our proposals can be implemented to good effect if our partners display the political will and readiness to discuss them and to work for the achievement of a sensible compromise. 159. The achievement of progress in resolving existing problems in any area of international life would undoubt- edly contribute to an improvement of the 'international situation. But there is no doubt that the most important issues are detente and disarmament, which mean a peaceful future for the world. All countries, large and small, rich and poor, developed and developing, have a vital interest in the achievement of progress in this field, for man's survival depends on whether there is war or peace. Everything depends on the decision whether the resources spent on the elimination and destruction of mankind will instead be spent for the good of mankind, for the elimination of back- wardness, hunger, poverty, disease, illiteracy and ignorance. There arc sufficient resources available for all needs, includ- ing the preservation and restoration of the human environ- ment, housing, factories, irrigation, schools-for everything that ensures man's progress. That is why the socialist coun- tries strive consistently for the strengthening of peace and detente, the achievement of progress in disarmament and the development of co-operation among peoples. Examples and proof of this are the new initiatives put forward by the Soviet Union at the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly. 160. The Peoples's Republic of Bulgaria whole-heartedly supports the proposal to include in the agenda of this ses- sion, as a particularly important and urgent matter, an item entitled "Urgent measures for reducing the danger of war" [ill'm 121]. We believe that it would benefit the cause of peace and security for the General Assembly, at this session, to express its opposition t-: the extension ofexisting military and political groupings and the creation of new military blocs: to call upon all States, and above all the permanent members of the Security Council and countries linked with them by military agreements, not to increase the strength of their armed forces or their conventional armaments as from a given date, as a first step towards their subsequent reduc- tion: to declare that it is in favour of the nuclear Powers taking agreed steps to strengthen the security guarantees of 161. In the course of more than three decades the United Nations has adopted a considerable number of useful reso- lutions and decisions in the field of disarmament and strengthening of international security. The Assembly's agenda still contains many constructive proposals, put for- ward by the Soviet Union and other States, which have preserved to this very day their validity and relevance. In this connexion, a new memorandum put forward by the Soviet Union and entitled "Peace, disarmament and international security guarantees", [A/35/482. annex] calls for mobiliza- tion of the efforts of all States, large and small, to curb the arms race and strengthen political and international legal guarantees of prevention of the danger ofa new war and of preservation of peace. This is an appeal to all State leaders, to their conscience and to their sense ofresponsibility before mankind. 162. We are convinced that attention.should be focused on the adoption of measures to halt the manufacture of all types of nuclear weapons and to gradually reduce existing stockpiles until their complete elimination. It is our belief that the conclusion of a treaty on the non-use of force in international relations and of an agreement on the strength- ening of security guarantees for non-nuclear States would increase trust and give a powerful impetus to the process of real disarmament. 163. Along with measures in the field of nuclear disarma- ment, we should persist in our efforts to ensure the elimina- tion of other means of mass destruction, such as chemical and radiological weapons, the prevention of the emergence of new types and systems of weapons of mass destruction as well as the early reduction of stockpiles of conventional weapons. 164. Within the European context we attach primary importance to the following questions: the successful hold- ing, at Madrid, of the second review session of the Confer- ence on Security and Co-operation in Europe, at which a decision should be taken to convene a conference on mil- itary detente and disarmament in Europe; the immediate initiation of talks on medium-range nuclear missiles in the European continent simultaneously and in organic link with the forward-based American nuclear weapons; and the attainment of an agreement on the mutual reduction of armed forces and armaments in central Europe, real pros- pects for which are created by the constructive proposals recently submitted by the socialist countries. 165. We welcome the important proposal to consider the problem of the "Historical responsibility of States for the preservation of nature for present and future generations" [item 120]. Taking the necessary steps concerning this ques- tion would be a significant contribution to the solution of a problem of vital importance to mankind. 166. Concurrently with the efforts to take new measures designed to stop the arms race and achieve disarmament. particular attention should be focused on the problem of enhancing the effectiveness of existing intemati« .1 instru- 167. In order to ease tension in international relations it is necessary to extinguish the hotbeds of tension in various parts of the world. 168. The seventh emergencyspecialsessionoftheGeneral Assembly, which was devoted to the question of Palestine and held from 22 to 29 July this year, has proved once again that the Middle East conflict cannot be resolved without a resolution of the Palestinian issue. It is clear to all, though not all concede it, that separate agreements not only have failed to bring about peace, but have complicated the situa- tion in the region still further. They encourage Israel to take increasingly brazen actions, as exemplified by the annexa- tion of East Jerusalem. 169. The development of the Middle East crisis demon- strates that there can be no just and lasting settlement to the conflict until such timeas Israelwithdraws from allthe Arab territories occupied in 1967, until the Arab people of Pales- tine exercises its inalienable right to self-determination, including the right to create its own sovereign State, and until the independent existence and security ofallStates and peoples in the region are guaranteed. 170. All parties concerned, including the Arab people of Palestine, through its sole legitimate representative, PLO, must participate in the settlement of the Middle East problem. 171. The outbreak of armed conflict between Iran and Iraq has given rise to serious disquiet. We hope that hostili- ties will cease and that both sides will find a solution, by peaceful means, to the problems that exist between them. 172. The People's Republic of Bulgaria is adhering to its position of principle that the question of Cyprus should be settled in a peaceful way in the interests of both the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, on the basis of the preservation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Cyprus and respect for its policy of non-alignment. 173. Our country supports the policy of the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a policy aimed at ensuring favourable conditions for a peacefuland democratic reunification of Korea. 174. Serious concern arises in connection with the military bases which have lately been established around socialist Ethiopia. They threaten the security of that country and of all nations in the region. We fullysupport the aspirations of the Ethiopian people to peaceful development, the safe- guard of the territorial integrity of their homeland and the ending of any interference whatsoever in Ethiopia's internal affairs. 180. This fact has at leastone explanation: the extinguish- ing of the hotbed of tension in Afghanistan would deprive them of pretexts for continuing their propaganda clamour, and then it would become abundantly clear to all that the long-term plans of the imperialist and hegemonistic forces for obtaining world supremacy, rather than the events in Afghanistan, are at the bottom of the presentaggravation vi' international tensions. 175. The agenda itementitled "Question ofpeace,stability and co-operation in South-East Asia" [item 119], whichisto be considered at this session on the proposal of a number of countries, including Bulgaria, is directly linked with the 176. The Government of the People's Republic of Bul- garia insists that the Kampucheanpeople be represented at the United Nations by their sole legitimate representative, namely, the People's Revolutionary Council of the People's Republic of Kampuchea. 177. The People's Republic of Bulgariasupports uncondi- tionally the struggle of peoples all over the world for national .i.,dependence, against domination and exploita- tion and for socialprogress.The effortsto attain those ideals constitute an objective process which the imperialist and reactionary quarters are trying to stifle through the use of coercion, military threats and violations of the sovereignty of independent States. 178. The "undeclared war" waged by the forces of impe- rialism, hegemonism and counter-revolution against the sovereign Democratic Republicof Afghanistan withthe aim of destroying the acquisitions of the April revolution isstill going on. This not only hinders the peaceful and construc- tive activity of the Afghan people, but also impedesa politi- cal settlement of the problem and represents a direct threat to international peace and security. The People's Republic of Bulgaria, which fully supports the people and the Government of the Democratic Republicof Afghanistan, is confident that the political settlement of the problem can be achieved only on the basis of the constructive, realistic programme announced by the Afghan Government on 15 May 1980. 179. Unfortunately, the imperialist and reactionary forces which continue their interference in Afghanistan haveas yet given no sign whatever of a positiveattitude towards such a settlement. 18 I. Twenty years ago, on the initiative of the Soviet Union, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the historic Declaration on the Granting of Inde- 182. But unfortunately that struggle has not yet ended. 183. The question of Namibia and the policiesofapartheid pursued by the racist regimeofSouth Africa persist and are as acute as ever. My country supports the struggle of the people of Namibia led by its sole authentic representative, . SWAPO. 184. We reaffirm our position of principle in favour ofthe granting of full independence to the people of Namibia. 185. However, weoppose attempts te resolvethisquestion outside the framework of the United Nations, or to use the Organization as the means of imposing on the Namibian people a kind of "independence" which would, in essence, protect foreign interests. 186. All that I have said so far is based on the principles which underlie our foreign policy and our relations with neighbouring and distant countries. Thanks to that policy we have good relations with all our neighbours. There is now in the Balkans a prevailing desire for peace, co- operation and good neighbourliness, and the People's Republic of Bulgaria is by no means playing the smallest role in the attainment of those objectives. 187. The establishment of new international economic relations among all the States of the world isone of the key issues at present. The possibilities of solving this problem depend directly on the strengthening of peace and security and the development and deepening of the process of detente, as well as on the implementation of practical meas- ures for disarmament. 189. In accordance with the position of principle of the countries members of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, we fully support the efforts of the developing countries to achieve economic independence. Our solidarity with them in their struggle against colonialism and neo- colonialism, for the elimination of relations of inequality and subordination imposed upon them by the imperialists and for the right to dispose freely of their own natural resources will remain firm. 190. In conclusion, I should like to emphasize that in the 35 years of its existence, in circumstances of dynamic and contradictory international relations, the United Nations has contributed significantly to the strengthening of peace and detente, the promotion and deepening of the positive trends and processes in the world and the solution of many complicatedinternational problems. 191. Throughout the years of its membership in the United Nations, the People's Republic of Bulgaria has remained faithful to those noble goals and has contributed to their achievement. The people and the Government ofthe People's Republic of Bulgaria reaffirm their willingness to continue their active and steadfast efforts to ensure the implementation of the purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, in order to support the aspirations of mankind to peace, co-operation, freedom and social progress.