A/35/PV.31 General Assembly

On behalf of the General Assembly I wish to thank Mr. J. W. S. de Graft-Johnson, Vice- President of the Republic of Ghana, for the important statement he has just made and for the kind words he addressed to my country and to me.

( should like to associate myselfwith those who have spoken before me on this rostrum in congratulating Mr. von Wechmar, on behalf of the Haitian delegation, upon his election to the presidency of the General Assembly. Thesuccess of this session has thus been ensured, by virtue of his great personal qualities, his experience and his dynamic nature. I should not like to let pass this opportunity ofexpressing to him the satisfaction of my Government at the development of relations between Haiti and the Federal Republic of Germany. (would assure him ofthe fullco-ope.vtion ofmy delegation. 183. (also wish to acquit myself of the pleasant duty of presenting once again my warm congratulations to our brother from the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Salim, who presided with such rare skill and remarkable talent at the thirty-fourth session and three special sessions of the General Assembly. 184. My delegation wishes to reiterate its gratitude to the Secretary-General for his untiring efforts to make this Organization an active international force, a home of conciliation, justice and peace. 185. The admission of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to membership of the Organization fills us with joy. My delegation is happy to convey to itspeople and Government the wishes of the Haitian Government for a future ofpeace and prosperity. 186. (should like to take this opportunity to welcome again the delegation of Zimbabwe and to wish it much success in its participation in the thirty-fifth session. 187. A period has elapsed between the thirty-fourth session of the General Assembly and the current session of which the best that can be said is that it was not particularly good for international relations: a period in which hopes of peace appear to have grown weaker and new hotbeds of tension-have arisen in various parts ofthe world. The situation in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Indo-China, the Horn. of Africa, and the war between Iran and Iraq are causes of deep concern for the international community. The continuing arms race, the widening gap between rich and poor countries, the world economic crisis and its effectson socioeconomic systems: all stress the broad outlines of the work that lies ahead for the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly. More than any other session, it will have to give the international community new reasons for hope. It 188. The objectives of the Assembly at the present session will be achieved only to the extent that delegations realize the urgent need to halt the arms race, to denounce as inadmissible the policy of the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence ofStates, to eliminate centres of poverty in the world by establishing a new international economic order and thus consolidating peace and co-operation among nations. 189. If at the thirty-fifth session those objectives should fail to be achieved, the world will remain confronted with today's problems as wellas with the problems oftomorrow, which may be even more serious. In Kampuchea there will stillbe an army of occupation and a people which suffers and which aspires to independence. On the outskirts of Middle· Eastern cities there will still be a Palestinian Diaspora in quest ofa homeland and an Israel on the alert and on a footing ofwar. The war between Iran and Iraq willbecome a threat to peace; the racist leaders in southern Africa will continue to practise with impunity and with the help oftheir allies their policy ofapartheid and racial discrimination and the poor countries will become even poorer because they will be affected to a greater degree by the pressures of galloping world-wide inflation, while remaining deprived of the means of escaping from underdevelopment. 190. During the eleventh special session of the General Assembly, on development and international co-operation, I had the honour of putting forward the views of the Government of Haiti 19 on the prospects for success of the North-South dialogue, in keeping with the urgent and immediate needs of the developing countries. At the same time the Head ofState ofHaiti, Mr. Jean-Claude Duvalier, made a statement for the periodical Leaders, which he published under the title"A challenge to the world leaders". The President listed the following development objectives of the third world nations: to create more employment; to become self-sufficient in the production of food; to intensify educational programmes; to improve housing, health and social services; and, for the attainment of those objectives, to give priority to agriculture, industry, tourism, infrastructure and housing. 191. That approach to the problem, to the extent that it presupposes efforts for development on the part of the countries concerned, would be bolstered by the implementation of a production programme. That.approach would make it possible to remove the obstacles to the search for a solution likely to bring to bear on the core of the problem the rational use of international aid. That approach would lend itself to the compromise that it isdesirable to envisage during the debates which the Assembly is called upon to resume at the thirty-fifth session on the refinement of the text ofthe International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade. I'Ibid., Eleventh Special Session, Plenary Meetings, 16th meeting. 193. In that regard, the President ofthe World Bank, Mr. Robert McNamara, did not conceal his concern in a speech made last week at the thirty-fifth annual meeting of the Bank and IMF. He stated that 600 million human beings were called on to live in the most absolute poverty until the year 2()()(). He then made a dramatic appeal to the large share-holders of the Bank, particularly the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom, to increase their assistance. Given those bleak prospects, it would be desirable to prevent the possible consequences for the North and for the South of any delay in moving towards action. 194. Ofcourse there isthe World Bank, but itsoperational criteria are ill-adapted to the present situation in the developing countries. Thete are the multilateral economic institutions, but they do not sufficiently meet the special needs of our countries. There are the developed countries, but they in their relations with the South maintain obsolete practices that slow down trade, the financing of projects and the positive applications ofscienceand technology in the service of development. 195. Apart from that, it is urgent to find a solution to the problems of energy, balance of payments and foreign debt. It is urgent to establish a new international division of labour to facilitate access by the third world to financial markets and to take a step towards reforming the monetary system. 196. And, since all the problems confronting the world are related, it is difficult not to link the success of the dialogue with a reduction of the arms race. No rich country can devote I per cent of its gross national product to international assistance if military expenditures exceed$500 billion. 197. In the context of those concerns my delegation urges that agreements be concluded that would lead the rich countries not only to freeze and to reduce their military expenditures but also to disarm. The Haitian Government considers it extremely urgent that the General Assembly intensify its negotiations on disarmament, in particular nuclear disarmament. The countries of Latin America have already expressed their interest in the creation of a zone in the subcontinent that would be effectively denuclearized. My Government makes an appeal in the strongest terms to the great Powers that, within the time limitsprovided for the Second Disarmament Decade, they conclude the current negotiations in a manner satisfactory to all those peoples which hope to see peace and co-operation among nations established on lasting foundations. 198. The United Nations is the only universal forum charged with ensuring international peace and security and where States, large and small, can unite their efforts with a view to collective action. 199. Haiti, as a founding Member ofthe Organization, has always followed the line of conduct of encouraging the establishment of an international order based on peace and 201. My delegation has listened with great pleasure and satisfaction to the lengthy friendly passage that Mr. Emilio Ludovino Fernandez, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic [24th meeting], devoted to Haiti in his brilliant address. In truth, we could not express better than he what our relations were in the past and what they are today, nor better forecast what they will be tomorrow. We are both certain that between two peoples which wish to live in peace there is room only for co-operation, mutual assistance and understanding. 202. Haiti contributes to the extent of Its means to the strengthening of Latin American participation in international gatherings. Our country brings its solidarity and cooperation to problems affecting our region and considers that its action will only be positive in the global perspective within which those problems may be solved. " 203. We have affirmed our will to establish stable relations with all countries in the world. However, some are confronted with situations which threaten world peace and security. My delegation wishes, in this connection, to put forward the views of the Haitian Government. 204. Concerning the Middle East, the Haitian position was clearly stated last July at the seventh emergency special session" on the question of Palestine. A just and durable peace can be found only if the following objectives are achieved: recognition of the right of Israel to exist within secure boundaries accepted by its neighbours; recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination; acceptance by all the parties to the conflict to renounce the use of force, in particular in Lebanon. The Camp David accords and the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt" are important steps towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict. 205. The situation in Kampuchea and that. in Afghanistan are still a source of concern for the world community. Despite General Assembly resolutions 34/22 and ES-6/2 calling for the immediate withdrawal offoreign troops from those countries, those peoples are still suffering from the rigours of war. 206. Those military interventions endanger the essential principles of balance and peace in the world. They affect the 2°lbid, Seventh Emergency Special Session, Plenary Meetings. JIth meeting. 21 Treaty of Peace between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Slate of Israel. signed at Washington on 26 March 1979. 207. In southern Africa, the independence of Zimbabwe has highlighted the little progress recorded by the international community as regards Namibia and the policy of apartheid in South Africa. The Haitian Government, which bases its foreign policy on respect for historic traditions, the struggle for the total elimination ofall forms ofcolonialism and racial discrimination and the principles of selfdetermination, freedom and independence, considers it intolerable that South Africa continuesto practiseapartheid and its acts ofaggression against the neighbouring countries and Namibia. 208. With respect to Namibia, the Haitian Government deplores the delay-attributable to South Africa-in the organization of free elections enabling Namibia's people fully to enjoy its right to self-determination. The problem that remains to be solved is that of South Africa. The international community should increase its pressure against the Government ofthat country, whose policy obstinately runs counter to history, and in order to make that pressure effective, certain countries must disengage themselves. The support they give that Government in contravention of United Nations resolutions encourages South Africa to perpetuate with impunity a policy that the whole world has condemned. 209. As regards the taking of hostages in Iran,we express the hope that a solution will be found. In this connection, we already support the initiative taken by the Nordic countries to include on the agenda ofthe thirty-fifth session the question of the protection of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives [item 114]. 210. The ninth session of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea concluded its work on 29 August last. We noted with much satisfaction that it concluded with general agreement on the adoption ofa convention on the peaceful uses of the resources of the seas and oceans. The Haitian Government is gratified at the happy results of that Conference. 211. The World Conference on the United Nations Decade for Women unfortunately did not meet our hopes. The Haitian Government considers it, however, of great importance that the General Assembly at its present session should.adopt the results ofthe Copenhagen Conference"on the legitimate rights of women. There is much profit to be drawn-from that Conference as regards the status ofwomen and the work of UNITAR. 212. At the eleventh special session ofthe General Assem-. bly, on development and international co-operation, we stressed the situation ofCaribbean migrant workers coming from countries along the cyclone route. In a broad approach to the problem we should understand "migrant workers" as 22 See ReportoftheWorldConference oftheUnitedNations Decadefor Women: Equality, Development andPeace, Copenhagen, 14-30July 1980 (United Nations publication. Sales No.E.80.lV.3 and corrigendum). 213. That is why my delegation isgratified to seethat the problemsoftheseworkershavebeenincludedon theagenda of the Third Committee of this Assembly under item 12. In addition to the international convention on'the protection of all migrant workers and their families which is to be drafted during this session,the relevantdrafting committee iscertain to suggest the establishmentofa highcommissioner's office for migrant workers. 214. Here we have another problem to be includedunder the heading of protection of human rights. The Haitian Government reiterates its irreversible attachment to this principle in keeping with the ideals of equality, fraternity, justiceand freedom, which form the ideological basesofthe struggles of Haiti for independence. It is in the legitimate desire to make respect for human rightsa militant national enterprisethat myGovernment hasfelt it necessary to create the Haitian Bureau of Human Rights. It is charged with ensuring liaison between the public services concerned and various national and international specialized institutions which champion human rights. All of this eloquently demonstrates the determination of President Jean-Claude Duvalier to spare no effort in advancing the process of the liberalization and democratization of my country. 215. Lastly, my delegationdeplores the regrettableevents taking placeat presentbetween Iran and Iraq. It hopesto see those countries respond as quicklyas possible to the appeal for a cease-fire launched by the Security Council and the Islamic Conference. It enjoins the Powersconcerned to do everythingthey can to keeptheconflict circumscribed to the geographical limits within which it has broken out. This is the onlyway ofavoidingitsgeneralization and ofreachinga settlement. 216. We cannot remain silent on the question of Belize, a happy solution of whichcould only be beneficial for Latin America. In this connection, the Haitian delegation,in voting on 21 November 1979, in favour ofGeneral Assembly resolution 34/38, only reaffirmed one of the principles which have always characterized the foreign policy of the Haitian Government. 217. Today still, it isdetermined to give itsunconditional support to the inalienable rights of the people of Belize to self-determination, independence and territorial integrity. It hopes to see the Governments of the United Kingdom and 218. We must recall other questions of which the United Nations has beenseized of late.I am referringto Cyprus and Western Sahara, two points in the world where ravagesof war continue, sowing disarray and grief among families. The United Nations would haveput an end to thesecrises if the parties concerned had compliedwithGeneral Assembly resolutions34/30 and 34/37. We appeal for a settlementof suchsituations in order that thepeopleofCyprus mayagain find peaceand that those of the WesternSahara may beina position to exercise their right to self-determination, by the rigorous implementation of resolution 34/37. 219. At its thirty-fourth session the General Assembly adopted three resolutions-34/61 on African refugees, 34/161 on women refugees and 34/174 on student refugees from Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa-which stress the acuity of the problem and the imperative need to do everything to improve the condition of the millions of men, women and children who desperately hang on to life and hope for a less tragic future. 220. Mydelegationisgratifiedbythe programmeofassistance to refugees implemented by the United Nations. We hope that those resolutions will be followed by concrete action on the part of States, governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations called upon to contribute to them. 221. We have stated before this Assembly the position of Haiti on certain questions included in the agenda of the current session. It is not surprising that we should attach special importance to problems of development: they are and will remain for a long time responsible for all the imbalances whichdisrupt the world.The recommendations which weshall be calledupon to make on that issue encompass new living conditions for man, his anxieties, his hopes and the great changes that all of this implies. 222. The quest for the happiness. of all, the quest for justice,the right to live in freedom, to think, to speak, not to beafraid, are the commandmentsof man's newdestiny.It is up to eachand everyone of us to follow them, so that peace and justicewill triumph on earth,sothat there will no longer be people suffering and dying in Kampuchea, Afghanistan, the Middle East, southern Africa or elsewhere. 223. We express to the membersof the General Assembly the hope that at this session it may giveto mankind, if not immediate results, at least new reasons for hope. 224. Mr. CERRUTO CALDERON (Bolivia) ttnterpretationfromSpanish): Havingthegreat honour of representing mycountry beforethisgreat Assembly, I wish to put before you the views of the Government of National Reconstruction of the Republic of Bolivia, under the leadership of General Luis Garcia Meza. 225. However, before doing so, I wish to refer to the election of the Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Rudigervon Wechmar,as Presi- 226. Wealso wish to express our appreciationto thePresident of the previous session, Mr. SalimAhmed Salim. His ability, his fine diplomatic skill, allowed him to.carry out effective and fruitful work. 227. Weshould alsoliketostress ouracknowledgement of the work of the Secretary-General, who has continued his dynamicand efficient mediatingefforts. Itisundeniable that he has never failed in initiatives or negotiations where his abilityandexperience couldopenthe road to positive contribution, to the achievement of peaceful solutions. 228. Our Organizationhasgiven a warmwelcome to Zimbabwe and to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, two new States which havejoined the UnitedNations,thus stressing again its universality. Mydelegation isextremely pleased to tender its welcome to the new Members of our Organization. 229. Now, may I paya verywarm tribute to the historyof two brother peoples: Bolivia and. Peru. This is the second time that Bolivia has been called upon to speak in the General Assembly at a memorable momentinthehistoryof our twocountries. Yesterday wecommemoratedthe immolation of AdmiralMiguel Grau on the bridgeof the warship HUQScar. The figure of AdmiralGrau islovedand respected by the peopleof Bolivia. Hisglorious feets performedin an unequal battle on the coastsofAngamos,indefence of part of the Bolivian coastline, are a symbol and a mandate that the people of Bolivia will never forget. 230. My country, land-locked in the centre of South America, with a diverse geography which isa challenge to the creative imagination of man,struggled witha historyat once turbulent and .heroic. It wouldappear that our mysterious and changinglandscape has been reflected in the past of a small but proud nation, determined to overcome the vicissitudes that fate had in store for it. 231. That turbulent historyisnot onlydue to theslowand painful apprenticeship of a young nation: foreign interferencewasalso a fundamentalfactor in hinderingthe Bolivians' ability to win from fate a successful, just and free country. 232. Now, quite recently, we have witnessed a profound change in the domestic order. The Government, under the leadership of General Luis Garcia Meza, was born of the resignation of the former President, Lydia Gueiler. An untenable situation, bearing the seeds of total destruction, led the head of the country at that timeto hand overpublic office to the head of the armed forces of the nation. Consequently,it wasnot a coup d'etat, it wasrathera verydifficult transition from the chaos inwhichthe Republic found itself to the order and freedom required by all Bolivians. 233. Events have been deliberately distorted. Discrimination in.the treatment of our countryhasshownushowinthe 234. My people isa witness to the fact that weare acting withprudenceand exceptional tolerance, that threeabortive elections revealed in their outcome the characteristics of fraud and cheating, withtheencouragement ofoutsideinfluences that tried to prepare the way for adventurers and demagogues. 235. That was why the people were happy to accept the established authority and voluntarily supported thecrusade of national reconstruction. Thus the Government of National Reconstruction has achieved unchallengeable legitimacy. 236. The people ofBolivia havedeeply engrainedprinciples of democracy. A state of life based on those ideals cannot be replaced by the mere holding of spurious elections. Democracy is far more than that. It is the mutual respect and converging interests of majorities and minorities. It is the rule of law. It is the people organized to undertake great common enterprises. It isthe co-ordinated work of the entiresocial corpusof the country to achievean atmosphere of peace,justiceand freedom. 237. This isour concept of democracy, with special characteristics that allowa countrywithdifferent races, customs and languages, and with completely different outlooks to merge them. Bolivians have to make efforts, and they are doing so, to create that democraticmodel that isjust in the political, economic and social spheres, with full solidarity and respecting the interests of all parts and of the whole. Togetherwith that conceptisonethat isbornoftheunshakable determination to dignify the human person, to ensure respect for his spiritandfuture, to assureto eachindividual his right to freedom, justice, education and the benefits derivingfrom culture, work and just payment for it-in sum,a task that will allowthe individual to enhancehimself and widen and improve the atmosphere in which he lives. 238. To protect those fundamental freedoms of mankind, wemust act withinthe confines of the law,so that a few will not overshadow and endangerthe future.of the others and assumean authoritarian attitude that isaliento the feelings of the nation. 239. Bolivia has been a victim of flagrantinterventions. It would appear that minorities are to be favoured, however small they are, when trying to achieve public power, with imperialist attitudes, receiving assistance from great and small, from nearby and distant interests, distorting and misinterpreting the events and thustryingto maintainthemselvesin power. 240. The Government of Bolivia is firmly determined to practisetoleranceand to live in peaceWith all nationsof the world, as the Charter of the UnitedNationsso wisely states in its notable Preamble; but there have been certain acts which turn back the hands of time in an attempt to revive colonialist intentionswhich seemed to.havebeenleftbehind for ever. 242. With efforts and sacrifices, we have arrived at the time of reconstruction, and therefore the Government of Bolivia isdetermined to change structures, and ithasstarted transformations of an institutional nature to ensure to tJle citizens, to whatever level ofsociety they belong, full participation in the management of public interests. Weintend to guarantee a system oflife that will safeguard thedemocratic values of my people. . 13. On this matter the President of Bolivia has stated: "The strengthening of thecultural and historical traditions of the Bolivian people and its constant will to achieve social progress and transformation will be the basis on which we shallbuilda national democracy with popular participation. "In the construction of this new institutional reality, theworldmustknow that thearmedforces of the nation, together with its people, will never again fall prey to fraudulent elections and the foreign involvement that paralysed our political and institutional life." 244. The task isgigantic. Theroad to befollowed leads to a certain goal: that of a free, justandsovereign nationwith hopes fora betterfuture. Furthermore, thetemporary function assumed by the armedforces of Bolivia.aimsat a true restoration ofdemocracy-not justa formal one-and thus at the participation of the people ofBolivia in an effective and efficient wayintheconstruction of thecountry'sfuture, with an electoral system and the establishment of parties which guarantee respect for the plurality of ideologies. 245. The failure of the pseudo-democratic experiments has created only institutional instability, domestic frustration and a loss of credibility abroad with regard to our potential and our possibilities as a modem,free and sovereign State. 246. Our resolve is to create a political model in keeping with the characteristics of the Bolivian nation. We also firmly ;ntendto reject any interference, pressureoradventurism. It isa matterofpridefortheBolivians that theyshould manage theirownatTairs, and theGovernment of National Reconstruction is acting accordingly. Imperialist or neocolonialist positions will not reflect this ardent determination.However small peoples maybe,when theypursue vital and just causes they inexorably triumph. 247. Thus, Bolivia is not going to interrupt its march towards a future of happiness. In these times through which the nation is living, despite the organized calumnious attacks on our Government, we are takinga positive forward step towards the reorganization of the nation. The concept of national reconstruction isnot merely a promise 248. Fortunately, manyimportant countries of the world have been able to comprehend the popular massive will of theBolivian people, our sacrifices and our concern, andour decision in trueautonomy tofollow the.roadtracedforusby destiny. We pay a tribute to thosecountries, because they are thus correctly interpreting the most noble principles of international coexistence. 249. I shouldnot have addedanything to whatI have just said, but the repeated accusations, all false and one-sided, concerning violations of the Universal Declaration of HumanRights and theInternational CovenantonCivil and Political Rights which govern coexistence in civilized societies, force meto point to certain situations that have arisen inmycountryand on thismatterto makepublic theviewof my Government. 250. However, before doing so, we must admit, if we do not wish to run therisk ofbecoming naive or ofblindly and stubbornly belieVing misinformation, that there are moments of upheaval in the lives of peoples. Transition oftenmakes it impossible to preserveorder,andtherefore to restore it is imperative to put an end to theviolence that is unleashed and the anarchy that is rampant through the exercise of authority. 251. Furthermore, weknow that it isvery easy, inmatters of human rights, tocriticizeandtodemand, even though the critics themselves are obviously guilty of having violated those very rights. But this distorted viewpoint, very often maliciously exploited, cannot provide a smokescreen to allow the shirking of responsibilities in matters of human rights. It isnotgoing to beallowed to do so,forit isthewill of the Government to live within the law, so that these actions will serve thepurposes of thelaw, and, inthewords of a great Bolivian, this is the onlyservitude that doesnot humiliate. 252. We must not live underconditions ofsubterfuge and misinformation. Thearmedforces tooktheresponsibilityof leading the nation because theywere forced to do so bythe need to correct theexistingpseudo-democracyandanarchy. Wecould hardly fall intothesame pretence, since weknow that it leads to nothing positive or substantially permanent in the country. 253. Bolivia isdetermined to playthetruerole in international life, which it must by reason of its history and geographical location. That exceptional location makes Bolivia a very important factor within the framework of Latin America, which isnowseeking thedevelopment ofa unified personality. The geo-political situation of Bolivia hasgiven it a multiple interrelationship with five Latin American nations, and thus it has become a meeting groundof interests which move it nearer to all its neighbours and give meaning to the fact that, as was said many years ago, "Bolivia is the land of contacts". 254. My countrystands full square amongthosenations that wish to consolidate the national State through the creation ofapolitical, economic and social model that will 255. The nationalism practiced by the Government of National Reconstruction in Bolivia is not exclusive to the nascent Latin American nationalism that is manifested in the region'smanyefforts at integration. TheGovernmentof National Reconstruction continues an integrationist policy that iswell defined, since weconsiderthat political differencesmust not hinder, because of current circumstances, any possibility of continental unity. Weendeavourto follow an independent international line based solely on the permanent interests of the Republic itself. 256. Furthermore, we reaffirm our absoluteadherence to the purposesand principles of the UnitedNations,particularlythoseconcerning thelegal equality ofStates,respect for theself-determination ofpeoples, theobligation not tointerfere in the domestic affairs of other States, international co-operation, and determined action to maintain internationalpeace and security byencouraging relationsoffriendship that are indispensable among nations if we are to achieve civilized and peaceful coexistence. 257. The positionof myGovernment concerning internationalpolicies isdefined in the recent statementmadebythe President of Bolivia, General Luis GarciaMeza. The Government of National Reconstruction reiterates its respect for international agreements and maintains relations with all countries of the world in conditions-ofreciprocal respect for ideological pluralism, self-determination of peoples and the sovereignty of States. 258. Ours is a position of anti-colonialism and nonalignment. It is a positionof solidarity with the dependent countriesof the worldand a rejection of all forrns of racial discrimination. 259. The Government of National Reconstruction not onlyadheresto theUniversal DeclarationofHuman Rights, we intend to give real meaning in social terms to its principles which must not simply remain formulas of international pressure. Asfar as weare concerned, those principles must guarantee to men and peoples the right not to be exploited and the right to build up their capacity to overcome misery and backwardness. 260. While enjoying the best relations with the Powers of the West, and more especially with the countries of our continent, the Government of National Reconstruction of the Armed Forces is extremely interested in strengthening our relations with the socialist countries, whose experience in movingaheadfromlevelsofbackwardnesssimilartoours can be very useful to countries like Bolivia, asidefrom any political and ideological considerations. 261. The Government of National Reconstruction is deeply interested, too, in the achievement of a newinternational economic order, and we contend that continental integration is a means of freeing our people and not an instrument for a pseudo-democratic continuation of dependency. 263. Thus we reaffirm an unshakable Bolivian policy, which sums up the fervourof a peopleand seeks to redress an injustice: the return of my country to the sea. 264. The nationsof America agreed withthiswhen,at the ninth session ofthe General Assembly of the Organization of American States, they adopted resolution 426, which offers Bolivia continentalsolidarity and urges negotiations on a.sovereign access by my country to the Pacific Ocean. Thus, at this international'meeting, I wish to express my gratitude and thanks to our brothers in the inter-American system and to express our hope that those efforts will be continued with greater.vigourand thus meetthe dictatesof international justice. 265. These days bring to our attention another zone that creates tension-the Middle East. The decisive influence of energy-producing resources on the world economy has led to confrontations that are designed to perpetuate dependencyand flaunt peaceful coexistence and thecombining of interests. 266. Bolivia, whose own natural resources werethe object of longexploitation for unilateral benefits, considers that we mustguarantee respect for theinterestsofpeoples that have, withtheir rawmaterials, createdthe wealth of thepowerful. Thus wewill avoidgreaterhatred and events that couldwell shake the very foundations of our society. 267. The situation in the Middle East also toucheson the need to achieve peaceful coexistence on the well-known basis, which Bolivia supports,of respecting the rightsof the Palestinian peopleandthe rightof Israel to assureitslasting life as a sovereign nation. 268. From that standpoint, we reiterate our belief that only civilized dialogue can be employed to overcome the difficulties that confront the Middle East. 269. At a moment when the world is watching a most painful armed confrontation that is draining the blood of two peoples, Bolivia reaffirms its vocation as a peaceful nation and demands from the United Nations firm and prompt action to put an end to that ghastly and tragic conflict. 270~ Bolivia sharesthe suffering of those countries which in their regional struggles, incited by hegemonic centres,are paying their painful tribute to universal peace. 271. Famine, ignorance and, in brief, general poverty, causegreater tensionthan the nuclearthreat, the arms race or racial intolerance. Inequality should be the concern of mankind, now disunited by the prosperity of the few, a mankind faced by the yearning of the majorityfor a better 273. The crisis inwhich theinternational communityfinds itself today has shown incontrovertibly the flaws in the present international economic order. Theconsequences of such a crisis are particularly unfavourable for the countries of the third world,dangerouslyaggravatingand multiplying the problemsof theirunderdevelopment. In the light ofthat desperatesituation, it is imperative that a series of stepsbe taken internationally within the framework of the United Nationsinorder to finda way of restructuringinternational economic relations. 274. In the General Assembly in 1974 the international community, with historic'perspective and vision, solemnly proclaimed its determination to work with the necessary urgency to establish a newinternational economicorder[see resolution 3201 (S-VI) and3202 (S-VI)]. Today more than ever the peoples of the third world, the peoples which are suffering, are fully awareoftheirrighttoconditionsoflifein keeping with human dignity. The privileged nations under the present order can no longer deny them that right. 275. Bolivia recognizes '1..d supports as instruments of that neworder the InternationalDevelopment Strategyand the global negotiations on international economic cooperation and co-operation among the developing countries. 276. Unfortunately, six years after the proclamation of that new order and despite arduouspreparatory efforts, the international community has just seen another failure in international co-operation. The eleventh special session of theGeneral Assembly did not havethedesired results: itdid not adopt the International Development Strategy,nor did it launch the global negotiations. 277. However, mycountrystill believes itto betheresponsibility of this Assembly to overcome those obstacles and increase the possibility of taking a great step towards the establishment of a new concept of international cooperation. 278. The developing countries have decided to make a joint effortto establish a system ofco-operation amongtheir peoples to give newcontent to thespiritofsolidarityamong the countries of the third world. 279. In the morespecificsphere ofrawmaterials itmustbe noted that, despite thefactthat theinternationalcommunity has approved principles of policy and the machinery of operation, someStateshavepersisted in the unilateral practice of placing on the international market non-commercial reserves of minerals, as inthecaseoftead, which hasadverse effects on the economies of th~ producer countries. 280. Bolivia reaffirms its faith in theSan FranciscoCharter.The UnitedNations,overcoming tremendousobstacles, 282. I have expressed the views of a nation which iscourageously facing its future. That couragecan be seenin its decision to build a country enriched by work,respected for the practiceof justice, adorned by cultureand ennobledby its faith in the solidarity of mankind.

We havejust heard the lastspeakerinthegeneral debateforthis afternoon. I shall now call on those representatives who haveasked to be allowed to speakin exercise of the rightof reply.

I am exercising my delegation's right of replyto certain remarks madeabout Belize bythe ForeignMinister of Guatemalain his statement to the General Assembly on Monday [25th meeting]. 285. My Government's views on Belize are well known and have been repeatedly stated in this Assembly. It.has always beenmyGovernment's view that thepeopleofBelize, likethose of so manyother formerBritish dependentTerritories, should be allowed to exercise their right to selfdetermination without any threat or hindrance from outside. The Governmentof the UnitedKingdom will continue to make every effort to find a negotiated solution to thisproblem,as wehavebeenenjoined todo bytheGeneral Assembly in resolution 34/38. Indeed, therewill bea further round of negotiations here in New York next week for precisely this purpose. But the people of Belize.cannot be prevented indefinitely from exercising rights which have been consistently upheld by my Government and this Assembly and which are enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

~ince the beginning of the debate in the General Assembly, the overwhelming majority of representatives whohavespokenfrom the rostrumhavedealtwiththemost urgent questions of the day in international affairs in a measured and responsible manner that should give the Organization real grounds for satisfaction. 287. Unfortunately, certainspeakers haveindulged inoratory to the detrimentof sound argumentation. They falsify facts, distort reality and make accusations against others. Mycountry has beenthe objectofsomeoftheseaccusations on the subject of the so-called questionof Western Sahara. The heads of the delegations of Nicaragua and the Seychelles, in particular, have exercised their talents as verbal mercenaries here: the former, no doubt, in. the interest of subversive and destabilizing ideas and the latter in the inter- 288. At the preceding meeting the representative of Uganda sangan ode to theliberty and democracyofhisown country, but his lyricism misleads no one, He claims selfdetermination-for a people which does not exist, but imposes silence and repression on the people of Uganda, with the assistance of the tanks from a foreign army which "