A/37/PV.20 General Assembly

Mr. Presi- dent, the delegation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic warmly congratulates you on your unanimous election to the presidency of the thirty-seventh ses- sion of the General Assembly. Your outstanding personal qualities and your diplomatic skill have won you the deep respect of delegations. It is a particular pleasure for us that the post ofPresident ofthe Assem- bly is occupied by a representative of the fraternal Socialist Republic of Hungary. Our delegation would like to assure you of its co-operation and wish you success in the performance of your responsible and difficult task. 2. Whenever one comes to the rosti-om of the General Assembly one is keenly aware of the high responsibility entrusted by the peoples of the world to the United Nations. Here at the United Nations we find a reflection of th~ most urgent problems facing mankind, which require collective solutions in the interests of all countries and peoples. 3. No conflicts or contradictions among States, no differences in social systems, ideologies or ways of life can eclipse the common need: to preserve peace and preventa nuclearwar. The speeches ofthe m~ority of representatives have had as their theme a feeling of alarm for the fate of the world, an awareness of the fact that it is at a dangerous point and that everything must be done to avert the nuclear threat hanging over mankind. 4. Today, when the international situation has seriously deteriorated-and for this the imperialist forces are to blame-when those forces are pursuing an unbridled arms race which threatens to lead to a nuclear catastrophe, the words of the Charter, that the United Nations is called upon "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" ,are particularly relevant. 5, The Ukrainian SSR, which played its part in the creation ofthe United Nations, in defining its pu~ses and principles, is working as always for an effective contribution by the United Nations to strengthening international peace and security, overcoming crisis situations and enhancing its role in the struggle to rid mankind of the threat of war. We believe that more active efforts by the United Nations aimed at securing peace and developing co-operation among States in accordance with the provisions ofthe Charter 7. To preserve peace, to ensure the peaceful coexis- tence of States with different social systems and to solve all controversial issues by peaceful means-these are the key goals of the Programme of Peace for the 19805, adopted by the Twenty-sixth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. It is those goals which have determined the general thrust of the foreign policy initiatives of the Soviet Union. This coincides with the vital interests of the majority of the non-aligned countries and is in accordance with the peace-loving aspirations of all peoples and with the purposes and principles of the Charter. 8. Aggressive imperialist circles, however, par- ticularly the United States of America, take a com- pletely opposite position on questions of war and peace. The United States and its closest allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] have adopted a course of intensifying confrontation, speeding up the arms race, undermining the existing strategic stability in order to achieve military superiority, interfering in the i~ternal affairs of States and encouraging aggression and the rule of inter- national arbitrarine'3s. 9. The United States has blocked the negotiations on the general and complete prohibition of nuclear- weapon tests, on the prohibition and destruction ofchemical weapons, on the limitation and subsequent reduction of military activities in the Indian Ocean, on the limitation of trade in and transfers of con- ver-tional weapons and on anti-satellite systems. The NATO countries are to blame for the slowing down of the Vienna Talks on Mutual Reduction of Forces, Armaments and Associated Measures in Central Europe. United Nations decisions aimed at prohibiting the manufacture of neutron weapons, the renunciation of the development of new types and systems of weapons of mass destruction and the holdmg of talks on nuclear disarmament remain unimplemented. Moreover, official representatives of the Unite'J States Administration and certain leaders of NATO countries have put forward justification for the idea Wednesday. 6 October /982. lit 3.30 p.m. NEW YORK 15. A concrete step of historic significance in this direction was taken by the Soviet Union when it unilaterally assumed the obligation not to be' the first to use nuclear weapons. This gives a powerful impetus to the radical easing of the threat of nuclear war and the strength~ning of confidence in inter- national relations. But if this is to be achieved, all rmclear-weapon States must follow the example of the Soviet Union by assuming the obligation not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Then the threat of nuclear annihilation would be banished from the life of mankind, all aspects of international security 25. The refusal of the United States to take part in the bilateral Soviet-American talks and its open PQ!icy of expanding the production and stockpiling of new types of chemica~weapons, including binary weapons, as well as its policy ofdeplnying them in some member States of NATO, have dashed the hopes of the peo- ples ofthe world for an early solution to this important problem and increased the danger of chemical war- fare. Furthermore, the refusal to negotiate and the building-up of arsenals of chemical weapons haye been accompanied and covered up by false anti- Soviet propaganda. 20. The delegation ofthe Ukrainian SSR is convinced that the speedy resolution of the question of the immediate cessation and prohibition of nuclear- weapon tests would contribute significantly towa.-u~ curbing the nuclear arms race and in particular halting the qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and the creation of new ty~s and systems of such weapons, as well as towards strengthening the non- proliferation regime of nuclear weapons. Agreement on this very important issue-provided, of course, that all nuclear-weapon States evinced the political will and a constructive approach-would contribute to lessening the threat of nuclear war. 26. The draft basic provisions ofa treaty put forward by the Soviet Union take into account the views of other States, including the question of verification, and open up real prospects of reaching mutually acceptable agreements. To that end, it is necessary for the United States and its allies to show real willing- ness and adopt a responsible approach to the matter. 27. The delegation of the Ukrainian SSR believes that it is necessary to step up the negotiations on the prohibition of chemical weapons within the Com- mittee' on Disarmament and to resume the bilateral talks on this question betw~en the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America. In our view, the General Assembly could make a contribution to the pro~ibition and elimination of chemical w~apor,~ by cailing for a resumption of the talks and t~\~. prcMbilion ot'the production and deploy- ment of new types of ch~mical weapons, including binary weaf,t-ons, and of their deployment in the ter- ritory of other States. 21. The Soviet Union has proposed that at this session the Assembly consider another item, entitled "Intensification of efforts to remove the threat of nuclear war and ensure the safe development of nuclear energy" [see A/37/243]. The Ukrainian SSR attaches great significance to this question. In our Republic we are actively engaged in the rapid de~,.,::.k,,~­ ment of nucie...~r ~nergy by building nuclear p(nJ~~r stations which enable us to satisfy the ever-gro'liing need for energy of industry. agriculture and sdenfitic research. 22. It goes without saying that the destruction of peaceful nuclear facilities even using conventional weapons would be tantamount, as far as the con- sequences were concerned. to an attack using nuclear weapons. which the United Nations has already described as the gravest crime against humanity. 28. The day before yesterday marked the twenty- fifth anniversary of an outstanding event-the launch- ing by the Soviet Union of the world's first spaceshjp~ which ushered in the space era. The world is entitled to take pride in the successes over the years in the exploration and uses of outer space, whose vast expanses should be used only as the arena. of pea~e­ ful co-operation among States. In this connectio~ the military space programmes which are being worked out and implemented by the United States must give rise to serious concern. Such dangerous developments call for the early conclusion of an" intel1Jational treaty on the prohibition of the deployment of weapons of any type in outer space, as proposed by the Soviet Union. 2 23. Therefore. the need to ensure the safe develop- ment of nuclear energy flows logically from the task of preventing the unleashing of a nuclear war. In its approach to this question the delegation of the Ukrainian SSR proceeds from the belief that the safe development of nuclear energy presupposes that both nuclear-weapon and non-nuclear-weapon States. since they have an interest in the development and compre- hensive peaceful uses of nuclear energy, should prevent actiGns which might lead to the deliberate destruction of peaceflll nuclear facilities. Leonid Brezhnev, in his message to the participants in the twenty-sixth session of the General Conference of IAEA. stressed the need to do everything possible to ensure that nuclear energy-which is the greatest achievement of the human intellect-serves only the interests of peace and never becomes a means of destroying life on earth. 29. The limitation and reduction of conventional arms and armed forces is another important· task:. As a first step towards this an agreement should be reached not to increase armed forces or conventional arms. thus creating the groundwork for talks {)n their subsequent reduction. . 30. The Ukrainian SSR was among the first to ratify the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Int~mational community expressed in numerous resolutions of the General Assembly and of the Secur rity Council, but also their own human image. Such b"rutal behaviour by the aggressor would not have been possible without the political protection and extensive military and financial aid Israel has been receiving from its influential American benefactors. Their role in the Lebanese tragedy is one of infamy, for without their support Israel would never have dared perpetrate this aggression. 34. Israel's growing aggressiveness is a direct con- sequence of the Camp David conspiracy and of the so-called strategic consensus between Washington and Tel Aviv. It is abso!utely clear to us that United States policy in tite Middle East is further to escalate tension there so as to expand and consolidate its military presence, creating a spring-board for direct inf~{;~ference in the affairs of States of this and of adjacent regions. 35. Today, more than ever, there is a need to move in the most responsible manner towards a comprehen- sive and just settlement in the Middle East. It is clear that such a sen~ement cannot be achieved by means of h05tile c9nfrontfttion and separate deals or aF':;:mpts to remove t~e Palestinian problem by military or other means contrary to the will of the Palestinian people. The plan for a Middle East settlement proposed by the President of the United States lacks the main element-recognition of the inalienable right O~ non-aggression and non-use of force in relations among States of Asia and the Pacific6 would make a considerable contribution to improving the world climate in general, easing tension and strengthening security in Asia. A successful restructuring of rela- tions ~~I this vast region, on the basis of the prin- cip!es of mutual respect for independence. sover- eignty, the inviolability of borders, non-·interference, '" 37. It is our firm belief that a lasting peace in this region can only be achieved through the collective efforts of all the parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO], the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. A proposal by the Soviet Union and other socialist countries to convene an international conference on the subject is in keeping with this objective. We are ready to co-operate along these lines with all those who cherish the ideals of peace and security in the Middle East and in the world at large. 38., Developments in the world depend to a large extent Oil the shape of relations among European States belonging to different social systems. Through- out the past decade the peoples of Europe have really felt the advantages of the policy of detente, which ha_ had a favourable effect upon the political climate and has promoted the development and strengthening "lf mutually beneficial East-West co-operation in all fields. During this period the Euro- pean peoples have come to realize that the only reasonable path is to continue detente and extend it to the military field. 39. For the continent of EurcDe to become a con- tinent of peace and genuine- co·oper~tion many artificial barriers put up lately must be removed and, as a matter of priodty, the level of military con- frontation in this region must be lowered. 40. The delegation of the Ukrainian SSR would like to reaffirm its position of principle in support of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic ofCyprus. Efforts to secure a success- ful completion of the intercommunal talks held under United Nations auspices must continu~, as well as with regard to the settlement of e~isting outstand~ng issues in the spirit of understanding and good wi1l. Demilitarization of the island, providing for the with- drawal of all foreign forces and the elimination of all foreign military bases, is an important condition for a credible settlement in Cyprus. 41. The implementation of a proposal by the Mon- golian People's Republic to conclude a convention effe~tively promote the strengthening of peace and be better in keeping with the interests of all peoples. 50. It is quite clear that the attempts .by imperialist circles to involve the United Nations in psychological warfare against countries of the socialist community and a number of non-aligned States, to misuse ;t to intervene in their internal affairs, run counter to these efforts. Those attempts and even appeals for a crusade against the USSR and the socialist countries are seriously hampering the development of international co-operation. We have more than once heard an sorts of threats and have been subjected to'sanctions but the Soviet State has developed and will continue to develop successfully. The Soviet Union confidently approaches its sixtieth anniversary pursuing a peace- ful foreign policy and seeking to achieve a higher material and spiritual state ofwell-being for its working people. 51. In December 1922, for the first time in the history of mankind, a State came into being where all rela- tions were based on fraternity and mutual aid between people of different national and racial origins .0 The strength of the Soviet Union has be,en tested in the most severe trials, under condi~ions of foreign inter- vention, political and economic blockade andatrocious Fascist invasions. The humanitarian nature .of the principles which underlie the Union is constantly reaffirmed. The creation of the USSR strengthened our national stcltehood and showed that only in con~ ditions of equality, freedom and mutual respect can peoples fully realize the=~ spiritual and crea~ive potential. The Ukrainiart SSR therefore take!,\ tride'in the fact that it was among the first to caU for the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 60 years ago. Vladimir V. Shcherbitsky, memberofthe Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Sovie~ Union, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CO'!l1munist Party of the regim~ is flagrantly ignoring United Nations decisions on the granting ·of independence to Namibia. The inhuman system of apartheid ;s entrenched in South Africa. 46. The Ukrainian SSR is resolutely in favour of adopting mandatory sanctions against South Africa under Chapter VII of the Charter in order to compel the South African regime to put an end to the heinous practice of apartheid, to halt its aggressive actions against neighbouring front-line States and to grant independence to Namibia. 47. One of the tasks facing the General Assembly at the thirty-seventh session is promoting the solution of international economic problems on an equitable and democratic basis. This is an important and urgent task because in that area we are witnessing many phenomena which are serio'.sly impeding the realiza- tion of the progressive principles embodied in the Declaration on the Establishment of a New Inter- Ukraine~ stressed during the celebration of the one I.housand five hunJredth' anniversary'of the city of stre.~gf.hen it in ev(.~y way". 52. The multinational Sovi,-,t State whi=h was born 6O"years ago stands today as a powerful force in the struggle for the strengthening of friendshap among ~II the peoples of the world and for I~sting peace 011 earth. 53. The Ukrainian SS~. t'tlgether with ot21er S~ates Members of the United Nations, h prep£;re~ to con- tinue consistently, persistently and r,·~solutely tCI m~lliply its efforts in the' struggle for ~ace, social pro~ress, co-operation and understanding annng peoples. ~. Mr.. AL-NUAIMI (United Arab Emirates) (illlerprettllioll from Arabic): Allow me at the o~taet to express on behalf of the delegation of the Unhed Arab Emirates our warmest cowgratul&tions to Mr. Hollai on his election :0 the presidency of the current session of the General Assembly. I am ~9n­ fident that his long experieil~e in the field of inier- national relations will be a pc,ative factor in direl;tillg our deliberations and work towards the goals we haye gathered here to achieve. I should also Hke to express ourgreatest appreciation for the tireless efforts of his pr~decessor, Mr. Kittani, to reconcile varioils points of view and to se~· th for satisfact.ory soludol1s to numerous problems brought before the Assemblv at the previous session and the special and emergency sessions. I further wish to express my deep gratitude to the Se~retary-Generalfor his continued efforts io strengthen the foundations and principles on which the United Nations was established. I arpreciate his sound analysis of the obstacles facing the United Nations. along with his serious attempt to strengthen the ability of the Organization to perform its tasks as well as to solve international problems. 55•. The Secretary-General has pointed out in his report on the work of the Organization the difficulties that the United Nations is facing in playing its role effectively and decisively, particularly with regard to the maintenance ofinternational peace and security, since it repre~~nts an idea.l forum in the conduct of negotiations for peaceful sett!\~ment of international disputes. In this connection, I fully agree with the unequivocal reference in the report that "our most urgent goat is to reconstruct the Charter concept of collective action for peace and security so as to render the United Nations more capable of carrying out its primarY funt;tion" [see A/37/J, p. 2]. It is incumbe'nt upon all Governme r:~.s to commit them- selves to that sound approach, withuut whfch the logic of force will prevail and States, especially t~e smaller ones, will consequently be exposed ~ to many daFJgers that threaten their security, safety and te'rritorial integrity. This situation is not a myth; rather, it is a fact and it is sharply and tragically represented in the areaofthe Middle East, specificaJly in a Lebanon in agony. 56. The events in Lebanon have und~rscored the fact that the method of force and fait accompli to which Israel resorts cannot achieve security and 57. The United Arab Emirates, as a p;,ace·loving Arab State, expresses :'ts revulsion at and strong condemnation cf the ugly massacre perpetrated against the Pa~estinians a~ the Sabra and Shatila camps by the Zionist occupation forces. It appe1!ls to all Mem~r States, and eSl!eciaUy te the g.·eat Powe;rs~ to t~k.e serious action io stop IsraeH aggres- gion ~gainst the Lebanese an~ Pal~~tial!an pee,pit:s and (0 work for the imm€diate and ~m(;onditional withft draw~~ of ghe IsraeH fO!rc~s of aggresz!on from an Lel:ah~!i~ '~erritory, i.., ordei ~o p~eserve L~bano~'s independence imd territorial hltegr;'~Y :0 act; ')rdfu'\~\:! with resolutiuiU,; of the SecH!'ity Council and of ot'uer i..teri':!\tional bodies. 53. In this cC!'nnectio~, I cmm:-)t ll~ii '[0 stress the respo!ts~bi!i•.y "f ~bc t'jll;t~d ~tates of J\merica rl~ ti S~C!1S0rof and p:ar,ner ~n thti conc:\t!~~('n of £he ~~gree­ ment thuc led to the eva~uat~on G~ th~ Pak6ti~,~an fightars frmn Beimt and thf:,'(l gtiarante~d itA.; St!f~ty of th~ 1?,;~~stinians in the refugee r..!imt's a~ weiU as the civiHan popuh~Uo!1 of W~~: Beimt. Any Iz;glige~lce on the part cC the Un!t(~d State,. of America would cons~~tut(; a v!o2ation of i~s politr,~a., contractual and moral obligations. Wt,: as~ the United Stltes to do its utnlost, based on its obl~3ation;) in this J;egard, to prewmt the recurrence of crimes such as those com- mitted in Lebanon---crlmes unprecedented in con- tempOi'ary h~s~o:a (--and (\) at. r - .sistently to force Israel to withdraw uncondih~,lalJy from Lebanese territory. 59. The PLO emergence from an unequal war vic- torious in its perseverance, flexibiJity and ability to negotiate from a position of right and its respon- siveness to international resolutions demonstrate its desire to reach ajust and peaceful solution-unlike Israel, which has proved that it is an aggresive entity that d(Jes not respect international resolutions, norms or rules. The PLO emerged from the conflict more d.etermined than ever to restore the kgitimate rights of the Palestinian people, despite the Israeli illusion that its war in Lebanon would destroy the Palestinian people and hence the Palestinian cause. 60. The shameful Israeli policies and practices reflected in its flagrant defiance of United Nations resolutions and its use of armed violence to attain illegal goals call for the reconsideration of its member- ship in the United Nations. Israel has unequivocally demonstrated, by the heinous massacre it committed in Lebanon and by jts continued inhuman and illegal pra,tices in the occupied Arab territorie:, that it is a Member that is neither able nor willing to carry out its elementary obligation;) of membership under the Charter. Its membership in the United Nations and all other international organizations should therefore be reconsidered. R~ainst t~e Arab peop:~~---especially the Palestinian and Lebane3e peopies-and rejection of all ;leace initia!f~'es. 62. My delt~gation reaftlrm§ that the; just solution of ~i ~ Middle Bast problem lies in sol.ving the Palestinian questioll on the basis of the fuUmlO,'ing prindpie'i; f~rst, complete and unconditional Israeli withdrawal fro)m an the occl':.'ied Arab territodes. indading Ho~y Jerusalem; ~econdly, enabling tia." Pale~tinian peopJ~ tt.~xercif e their inalienable rights, indut1~ng thF.ir ri.gft;~ io i f;!1 trn ta their homeland, to §elfutie~ermh'"al2oa, le nation.\1 im.5~pendence and to fun sovereignty ~hrough the :es.ablishment of an inde- fjendent State 'On their naiional soil and, thirdly ~ r>articipation Qnan equal footing of the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, in any endeavours, efforts or conf~rences to settle this question. The conclusions reached at the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference underscore the principles that determine the just and comprehensive framework for the solution of the Palestinian question. 63. Israel's rejection of the proposed options, whether advanced by the Arabs or by others, is nothing more than blackmail and an attempt to influence the current trend of international thinking. The comprehensive Arab peace plan, which is based on internationai legitimacy, forces the world to face its imperative responsibilities for attaining a juS! peace in the region. The plan does not address itself to any particular international party; rather, it addresses all peace-Iovin~ parties by assigning a highly important role to the Organization and to the members of the Security Council in supervising the guarantees for peace. 64. My country is concerned about the war between Iraq and the islamic Republic of Iran that broke out over two years ago and that is draining the human, military and economic resources of both countries. Moreover, that war threatens the security and stability of the Gulf region, which is of world-wide strategic and economic imporlance. The continuation of this war does not serve the interest of either country or of the international community. In this connection, my country commends the concrete response of Iraq with regard to ending the war in the interest of both countries and of the region as well, and particularly the withdrawal of its forces to the internationaJ borders. That initiative won the appreciation of the international community as a step towards rapidly ending the conflict. We also commend the efforts made by the Secretary-General of the United l-.lations i by the Organi:1:ation pf the Islamic Conference and by 65. In recent d~cades the Indian Ocean region has been a centre of rivalry :::mong the gre~t Powers bent on establishing spher~3 of i!1fluenc~; that is due to its economic and strategic importance. As a State which is adjacent to that ocean we are deeply conc~~rned abnut the continued escalation of tension in th~~ ·uea. We support General Assembly re.~olutlon 283:~ (XXVI), the Declaration of the Indian Or:ean as a Zone of Peace. In that regard, we can'lot but expre:;s O'i.f regret that the attitude of some States has led to the postponement of the international cOlnference which had been scheduled to be convened :n Sri Lanka in 1981 for the purpose of adopting t~e measures necessary for the implementati~·~, parti- cularly by the super-Powers, of that Declaratio~l' 66. The continued presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan, despite the numerous appeals made by the United Nations and other organizations for the immediate withdrawal of foreign forces, is preventing the Afghan peopie from choosing its Government by means of free elections: a choice whict. it must be able to make without the least foreign interference. 67. That military presence jeopardizes the inde- pendence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country as a non-aligned State. The Government of my country has repeatedly condemned the foreign intervention in Afghanistan as a flagrant violation of the Charter and as an act of aggression against human rights and the freedom of peoples. We affirm that there should be a ~omprehensive political solution based on full respect for Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and nori-aligned status. 68. With resard to Cyprus, it seems to us that the holding of negotiations between the two communities constitutes one of the fundamental conditions for reaching a just settlement of the crisis which that State is experiencing. In this connection, the United Nations should continue, through the Secretary. General, its efforts to help the two c_••u -unities reach some understanding and to provide conditions which would be conducive to the restoration ofpeace. 69. Since its inception, the United Nations has worked to secure respect of the right of all peoples to self~determination and independence in accordance with their hopes, aspirations and interests. Although most peoples of the world have gained their indepe~­ dence, some Territories are still under. coionial domination, notably in southern Africa, where the Government of South Africa persists in its racist policy notwithstanding the international condemna- tion of that policy as a crime against humanity. -.:'he denial to the people of South Africa of the ability to exercise their fundamental right of self-determina- tion constitutes a violation of the most important principles of thl~ Charter and of United Nations resolu- 72. The deterioration of the climate of confidence in international relations has led to the continuation of the arms race, which constitutes a serious threat to the whole human race. Despite the declaration of the First Disarmament Decade [resolution 2602 E (XXIV)], and the Programme of Action adopted by the tenth special session of the General Assembly [see resolution 5-1012], the first devoted to disarma- ment, little progress has been made in this field because of the absence of political will on the part of the big Powers. The failure of the recent disarmam~ntsession is clear evidence of that fact. 73. We believe thf~ f while disarmament may be the concern of all States, the responsibility for halting the arms race falls primarily on the shoulders of the big Powers, which are the ones producing nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The declarations by the United Nations of nuclear--free zones represent a significant contribution to the creation of a climate of peace and security in the world. The possession of nuclear weapons by States which do not respect the norms ofinternational behaviour and the provisions of international conventions, and which violate the United Nations resolutions, truly constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security. General anG complete disarmament under international control remains a prerequisite for a general atmosphere of confidence, for reducing the dangers of tension in the world, and for the removal of the obstacles to channelling huge material resources into economic and f",,1cial development, for the purpose of attaining prosperity and better living conditions for all mankind. 74. The results achieved at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea during its last session held in April at United Nations Headquarters here in New York, namely, the approval by the over- whelming majority of the States of the world of the consolidated text of the Convention on the Law of the Sea,7 which sets forth a comprehensive legal system for the peaceful exploitation of the seas for various purposes, especially maritime and economic ones--was the product of a comprehensive com- promise which harm(()nized differing interests and points of view in the light of the principle of the 76. As a third world country, the Uoited Arab Emirates requires various resources to develop its economy and to provide for the' welfare of its people. yet it plays a concrete role in extending assistance to other third world countries through the financial mechanisms that it has established for that purpose. Most notable among these mechanisms are the Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development, created in 1971 to provide foreign assistance. in addition to assistance for development from other sources. such as the Special Fund of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. and the Arab Bank for African Development. 77. My country fuHy recognizes that the hope of solutions to the various international financial and eco- nomic problems lies in the credibility of a construc- tive North-South dialogue. The positive response of the participants in the June Versaillec Economic Summit to the proposals made by the Group of77 is an encouraging factor. We hope that the Versailles group Vietnames~ people indignantly condemn the Israeli persistent struggle waged by the people of Western aggr~ssors and those who have provided them with Sahara for their national independence as weU as that billions of dollars, and weapons, and we demand due waged by the people of Cyprus for their territorial punishment for those aggressors. Once again, we integrity enjoys the constant and firm support of the reaffirm the resolute support of the people and the Vietnamese people. Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam 92. Having suffered from the yoke ofcolonialism and for the just struggle of the PLO, the Syrian Arab having had to wage a protracted struggle against Republic, Lebanon and other Arab countries against the aggressors, the Vietnamese people fully and the Israeli' aggressors and their protectors. Israel consiste.ntly support the struggle of the peoples in must withdraw all its troops from all the Arab terri- Asia. Africa and Latin America for the elimination tories it. has illegally occupied. A just solution for the of the last vestiges of colonialism, for the defence situation in the Middle East cannot be achieved unless of their national independence and for the building of and until the leghitim~te rights ofth~ Pa!esthiniapnLpeOople, a new, just and equitable international economic whose sole aut entlc representatIve IS t e , are order. guaranteed, including the right to found their own 93. We are of the view that at this juncture, when independent and sovereign State. Any separat~ the burdens of the economic crisis and of the arms solution is aimed only at dividing the Arab coun- race.are \veighing so heavily on the developing coun- tries and encouraging the aggressors, and is certainly tries 'and when the United States is resorting to its doomed to failure. policy of embargo and economic sanctions to impose 87. The present situation in southern Africais causing its will on other peoples, the struggle of the peoples us no less concern. Unless checked in time, the of Asia, Africa and Latin America to build a ·new crimes being committed in the Middle East may be international economic order is of necessity linked repeated in southern Africa, where the Pretoria racists with the common struggle of the peoples of the world are pursuing a ferocious PQUcy ofapartheid, violently for peace and disarmament and against the imperialist opposing the struggle of the peoples of Namibia and policy of aggression and intervention. The experiences South Africa for national liberation, and launching of the past years have taught us that only by waging a piratical attacks against Angola, Mozambique and the struggle on the economic, political and other fronts other front-line States. The Vietnamese people wishes can the peoples of the developing countries become to express its profound sympathy and firm support masters of their own political destiny and natural fot the just-cause ofthe peoples of Namibia and South resources and force concessions from imperialism. Africa, under the leadership of SWAPO and the 94. The c?uses of world tension in the past three African National Congress [A Ne], respectively, as years are precisely those that threaten peace and well as that of the front-line States. We fully support stability in the South-East Asian region. all measures taken by Angola to deliver a well- deserved riposte to tite aggressors. 95. After failing in their attempts at collusion with United States imperialism in holding back the com- 88. We totally support the Struggle of the people plete victory ofthe Vietnamese, Lao and Kampuchcan of Seychelles and of Madagascar against imperialist peoples in their wars of resistance for national salva- subversion and intervention. We demand that the t~on, the reactionary elements in the Beijing ruling United States return Diego Garcia to Mauritius. Circles have considered the emergence of a unified 89 h V' I I I d b h Viet Nam as the biggest obstacle to their strategy of . T e letnamese peop e reso ute y stan y t e expansionism in South-East Asia. Since 1975, China peoples of Cuba, Nicaragua and Grenada in their current struggle against the threat of aggression and has used the Pol f)ot clique as its ~ssential instrument . d ~ f h ti· f . W ti II to weake~ Viet· Nam and to carry out its policy of In e..ence 0 t e rultS Q revolutIon. e u Y sup- expansionism. Since the, overthrow of the Pol Pot port the peoples of El SalYador, Chile and other Latin American peoples in their fight against their dictatorial clique and China's defeat in February 1979 in its war regimes.. Our special sympathy goes to the. Puerto of aggression against Viet Nam, the new leaders of Rican people in their struggle for independence from the modern "Middle Empire" have waged a war of colonial domination. 'In their struggle to regain sover- destruction in all fields against Viet Nam and the other eignty over the Malvinas Islands, the people of Argen- Indo-Chinese countries. At the same time, they have tina can rely on the solidarity of the Vietnamese kept ori using the remnants of the Pol Pot troops I and have fabricated the so-called Kampuchean prob- peop e. lem in a bid to reinforce their collusion with the 90. The Government and people of Viet Nam United States and other reactionary forces against vehemently condemn the policies of the imperiallist the three Indo-Chinese peoples and to incite confron- . countries Wbich~:~e,.:~:::::.:~:.c-~::=::~-_:~=:~~~::~ .~ 101. With the desire to promote reconciliation among. the countries in the South-East Asian region, the . . " .~~_"::C~~;~~::-':-"~=~-""""''''''''-':'':- ~~~~w~~~:~1I·i!I1·J~J~!:~~_~'""~=~-~~...,~~;~~~_~.MJj£lJ!!ilg!_ 102. The situation in Kampuchea is developing favourably. Under the leadership ef the Government of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, the Kam- puchean people have over the past three years overcome their most serious difficulties and hardships and thus have continued the miraculous rebirth of their nation after the nightmare caused by the Pol Pot genocidal clique. World public opinion particularly welcomes the policy of national unity and concord of the Government of the People's Republic. of Kam.. puchea as expounded in a recent statement by Mr. Hun Sen, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs, concerning those Kampucheans who are still in the ranks of the Pol Pot clique or are collaborating directly or"indirectly with them. If they cease this collaboration and respect the Constitution of the People's Republic of Kam- puchea, they will be entitled to enjoy all rights of citizenship, including the right to stand for and vote in Kampuchea's free elections, in the presence offoreign observers. With its foreign policy of peace and non- alignment, the People's Republic of Kampuchea, together with other countries in the Indo-Chinese peninsula, is p~aying an increasingly active role as a factor for peace and stability in South-East Asia. 103. We make this appeal to the international corn'" munity: if for the time being it i& unable actively to assist the Kampuchean people in accelerating their rebirth and to promote dialogue and reconciliation between the Indo-Chinese and ASEAN countries, at least refrain from doing anyt~ing that may poison the atmosphere, which is improving in thi~ region. 104. As a Member of the United Nations~ the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam hopes that the Organization" will do its best to perform the noble tasks entrusted to it by the peoples of the world. It is regrettable, however, that throughout the 37 years of its existence, in spite of the goodwill and com- r?endable efforts of many Member States, the United Nations has not yet fu!fiHed the aspirations ofmankind. The great changes brought about by the peoples of the world in that period of time in tneir struggle for peace, democracy, national independence and social . progress have all taken place outside the United Nations. 106. Mankind now faces extremely severe trials. World peace and international security are being threat- ened by the frantic arms race and the policy of insti- gating chaos in the world. In such a situation, the peoples of the world are urging the United Nations to discharge its responsibility to history. We believe that in order to strengthen the role and effectiveness of this Organization and to turn it into a real instrument of peace and international co-operation it is essential that Member States strictly respect the purposes and prindples of the Charter and refrain from turning this Organization into an instrument for interfering in the internal affairs of other States and infringing the sovereignty of other peoples. The United Nations can accomplish its historic mission only if it supports the struggle of the peoples for justice and responds to the ardent aspirations of billions of people on our planet for the maintenance ofworld peace, the defence of the national independence of peoples, the develop- ment of international co-operation and the building of a prosperous and happy life for all. The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam will spare no effort to make its contribution to that noble cause.

It is with particular pleasure that Ijoin previous speakers in congratulating Mr. Hollai most warmly, on behalfofthe Government of Ghana, on his election to the presidency of the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. His election is a fitting tribute to his many fine qualities, which allow him to bring to this difficult task wide experience and wisdom, from which we shall no doubt stand to gain. We therefore have every confidence that, with the collective support of all delegations, he will skilfully lead the session to a productive conclusion. My delegation assures him of its full c(J-operation at all times. I should like to take this opportunity to pay a tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Kittani, and express to him our deepest appreciation for his excel- lent achievement in steering a difficult thirty-sixth session to such a successful conclusion. I should also like to place on record the profound appreciation of my delegaiion for the competence invariably displayed by the Secretary-General and his able and dedicated staff in promoting the busir.ess of the General Assembly. 108. Since the thirty-sixth session, the international political scene has continued to be worrying and efforts to find durable solutions to many burning issues have only been met with frustration. The Palestinian question, the war between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the escalating arms race, the prob- 113. My delegation is equally concerned about the unsettled regional conflicts in Cyprus, Afghanistan and Kampuchea. The early solution of these conflicts will help brighten the international horizon and replace fear with confidence in the future, thus enhancing the chances ofour winning true peace for all mankind. My delegation would like to support the call for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from those crisis areas and for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all the States therein. The solution of these conflicts will not be possible, however, except within the context of a comprehensive settlement of the conflicting interests of all the parties involved. 114. The United Nations has, overits 37-yearhistory, scored a number of successes in the areas ofdecolonf- zation, development assistance and humanitarian work. The record, however, is rather dismal in the resolution of conflicts anCl the removal of the under- lying factors that engender them. The irony of the situation is that aU parties involved in the conflicts are signatories to the Charter and all are thus legally and morally enjoined to settle disputes by peaceful means. 115. From the record of Ghana's participation in the deliberations of the Organization, there can be no doubt that my country has supported the United Nations initiatives for peace. My country has con- sistently made troop contributions to United Nations peace-keeping forces to serve as a buffer in the effort to contain latent and potentially explosiv~ disputes. It is a difficult and sometimes dangerous task which the United Nations has performed with courage and dedication, if not succes.sfully on all occasions. With an its faults, peace-keeping continues to be a useful and serious undertaking that all Member States should support. It is therefore regrettable that countries which are easily in a position to make contributions for peace-keepingoperations should be in defaultor refuse outright to do so. We therefore appeal to all those countries to honour their commitments in this regard and make good their assessed contributions in the greater interest of world peace and security. 116. My Government is also ready and willing to support any move designed to review the powers of the Secretary-General with a view to making him better able to deal with conflict situations more decisively. This review is necessary if the United Nations is not to be further harmed by the crisis in confidence tha~ now envelops it as a result. of the t~Qdency Qf certain Membe~ ,States to play down its importance' in finding solutions to international problems. 117. A matter of fundamental importance to world peace is di§armament. The outcome of the recent second special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament was most disappointing. The primary responsibility for controlling the arms race rests with the big Powers. It is intolerable that they should continue to endanger the security of all of us in pursuit of superiority. imprisonmer~t and is denied his basic rights and privi- leges as a citizen of his own country. The educational structure for the black population is organized in such a way as to provide separate and unequal levels of education appropriate only to satisfy the labour needs of the white society and of the transnational corporations. 121. And if those conditions were not degrading enough, the SOl\th African Government's policy of creating bantust~~lS or independent homelands has been initiated in order to eliminate the inter-ethnic cohesion that is necessary for collective action on the part of the black majority in defence. of their liberty. 122. What is happening in South Africa should be a matter of concern to the entire world. Those who gloss over the transgressions of South Africa for whate/er reasons and those who pursue profits at the expenseofhuman d~gnity are asguilty as the bigotswho hold power in South Africa. 123. The South African Government's provocetive aggression against Angola and Mozambique; its inter-' vention in Seychelles and in Lesotho and its threats to other front-line States show how passivity on the part of the international community can encourage dangers to international pe~ce and security. South Africa has seen fit to refuse to comply with United Nations resolutions and it ~ntinuesits illegal occupa- tion of Namibia. South Africa is a veritable inter- national outlaw and it merits the imposition ofpunitive measures from the Security Council now. The longer we wait the greater the danger that with the develop- ment of a nuclear capability in co-operation with other raci~t-minded regimes it will be able to hold the world to ransom. 124. There is no doubt that an oil embargo is not only feasible but COuld be effective. Virtually all South Africa's petroleum requirements must be imported from abroad and refined oil is indir,pensable m~thod of patrolling the South African coa~tline but by having recourse to the cheaper alternative of the withdra\-~lal of transport facilities for the shipment of oil to South Africa. We do not endorse the cynical argument that the black population stands to suffer most if mandatory oil sanctions are imposed on South Africa. I believe I echo the views of the black majority in stating that their plight under the yoke of apartheid with all its inhumanity and degradation will come to a speedier end if sanctions are imposed on South Africa. 125. We are following with interest and some disap- pointment the efforts of the Western contact group to resolve the Namibian problem. The linkage being made between this problem and the withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola casts grave suspicions on the sincerity of some of the part~es involved. Meanwhile, our whole-hearted support will continue to be given to S\VAPO for the successful liquidation of colonialism and racism in Namibia. 126. When one looks at the present world economic situation characterized, on the one hand, by record levels of unemployment, recession, budget deficits, high interest rates and other constraints in the de- veloped world, and deteriorating terms oftrade, record budget deficits, huge debt burdens aLd declining rates of growth in the developing world on the other, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the crises in the policital sphere have their parallel in the economic realm as well and that one can hardly be considered without the other. 127. In this generally dismal landscape the con- spicuous plight of the non-oil-producing African countries, many of whom have long been among the poorest of the poor, is nothing short of desperate. I "need not remind the Assembly that many African countries have actually been experiencing negative rates of growth at the very time when they are under- going a population explosion. For them poverty has become a way of life. 128. The fact that the whole world economy is in a general state of disequilibrium and that even the most efficient and frugal countries are faced with serious economic difficulties should, in our opinion, once more underline the point many of the developing countries have reiterated almost ad nallseam; that the economic , recovery of the developed countries of the North is inexorably linked to the economic prosperity and progress of the developing countries of the South. The whole world economy, in other words, is so interlinked and interdependent that the prosperity and well-being of each country is a necessary pre-condi- tion for the prosperity of all. No one country or group of countries ,can today pursue economic policies of a narrow, self-centred nature without rigking 131. It is in this context that my delegation deeply regrets the failure of the strenuous efforts made to arrive at a suitable basis for the launching of global negotiations on international economic co-operation for development. We believe that ~he urgency of the situation requires that this issue should occupy a central "position on the international community's agenda for the immediate future. Without the prospect ofgeneral e.conomic recovery there cannot be genuine political stability and without political stability there cannot be peace. As long as millions ofpeople continue to go to bed hungry, as long as thousands starve to death while some nations can afford to spend ·over $600 billion a y~ar on refining the apparatus of destruction, there will be no peace. The responsibility for this will rest squarely with the industrialized countries, particularly in the West. 132. Ghana stands ready to join in any meaningful initiatives to resolve outstanding differences so that the way may be cleared for a serious attempt to - ~dress the economic imbalances and injustices of the past and present. 133. V/hile the North-South dialogue has made disap- pointing progress, Ghana is pleased to note that the developing countries have made substantial efforts to increase co-operation for development among them- selves. We are particularly pleased that a significant number of sectoral meetings have taken place this year in connection with the implementation of the Caracas Programme of ActionS for economic; co- operation among developing countries, and we are determined to give full support to every move in the direction of collective self-reliance, not as a substitute for glohal economic reform but as a com- plementary effort. Ultimately, the third world must look to itself to reverse the exploitative economic reiationships fost~red by colonialism and imperialism. This calls for a far greater level of political con- sciousness t.han the leadership of many a third world country would allow or would be allowed by those who stand to lose. It is found to be more convenient to be content with a neo-colonial relationship that is beneficia! to the class to which the leadership bel~)<ngs but which is damaging in the long run to the intene:::-r.' 136. As we meet at the present session ofthe General Assembly, it would be useful for us all to bear in mind that we represent peoples of a world in which the clear majority is yearning for peace, security and development; we must also remember that we play o!Jr respective diplomatic roles in a world that has become interdependent to a great degree. The situation calls for abandoning selfish national interests and making a moral commitment to the betterment of the inter- national community. The del~gation of Ghana hopes that this session will help generate that moral com- mitment.

Sir, I would ask you to transmit to Mr. HoHai, President of the General Assembly, the greetings of my ccuntry, together with our best wishes for complete success in the conduct of the work of this session of the General Assembly, a success assured by his prestige and experience in the Organization. I also greet the Secretary-General, wh(' comes from our Latin American region, elected last December to the elevated responsibility that the international community has entrusted to him, for the furtherance of peace and the strengthening of the United Nations. I also wish.to place on record our profound gratitud~ to and praise for Mr. Kittani, the esteemed President of the thirty-sixth session. His efforts during the prolonged work of ~he thirty- sixth session will always be recalled as an example of selfless devotion to the cause of the United Nations. 138. World problems have worsened considerably in the midst of an atmosphere laden with growing tension, constant collective insecurity, b68ressions that are neither punished nor stopped and an acute inter- national economic crisis. The world panorama has darkened over the past year as a result of the dangers that confront peace, while the measures adopted by the Organization to alleviate this state of tension and insecurity have not brought about the expect~dresults. The realization of the noble purposes of the United Nations bas, as at no time before, eluded the reach ne~ded to give substance to the measures adopted by the Organization. That political will is an essential requirement for the restoration of a cIimat~ of inter- national understanding and the removal of the dangers that loom over the future of mankind. 140. To face up to those perspectives, Ecuador comes to this new session to reaffirm its position of adherence to the basic principles of its international policy, outstanding among which are those relating to the sovereign equalii~ of S~ates, non-intervention, the rejection "fthe threator use offorce in international relations, the non-recognition of t~rritorial \.:onquests obtained by force, the peaceful sett:ement ofdisputes, international co-operation, respect for human rights, and the rejection of racial discrimination, apartheid, colonialism and neo-colon~aIism. 141. The joint declarations of the President of Ecuador and the Presidents of Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia on the occasion of the visits made in the course of 1982 by the Ecuadorian President to those brother countries, as well as the declaration signed by nine heads of State from Latin America and Spain on the occasion of the recent transfer of power in Colom- bia, reaffirm adherence to those principles and indicate the guidelines of Ecuador's international policy. 142. In the firm belief that peace is possible only through the observance of those fundamental prin- ciples of the legal system of the United Nations, Ecuadorcontinues to call for the immediate withdrawal of foreign forces from territories that do not belong to them, in Afghanistan as well as in Lebanon and all of the Middle East, and in Cyprus, Kampuchea, Namibia or any other territory where forces ofoccupa- tion are to be found. 143. Ecuador has condemned the aggression against Lebanon as well as the ex~crable massacres of hun- dreds of Palestinians that recently occurred in west Beirut, and it has requested that an appropriate investi- gation be made in order to determine responsibilities. It has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the invading forces as wen as the cessation of hostilities in order to put an end to the loss of human lives and the destruction of that martyred country. The Lebanese people must remain free from any foreign interference so that they may decide their own destiny in a sovereign and democratic manner and so that their intrinsic and inalienable right to live in peace is respected. Similarly, Ecuador reiterates the basic need to find a solution to the problem of the Palestinian people, who have the right to establish themselves in their own territory, a right to self-determination 147. The Charter of Conduct signed at Riobamba in 1980 by the President~ of the countrief of the Andean Group, as well as Panama, Costa Rica and Spain9 , reaffirms the commitment by 'Nhich respect for human. political, economic and social rights constitutes a fundamental norm for the internal conduct of States, and notes that joint action in the defence of such rights does not v.iolate the principle of non-interven- tion. It also reiterates the need to promote the settle- ment of disputes among the countries of the Andean Group, or between them and third parties. by peaceful means, and it provides for a subregional and regional process which, inspired by the premises contained in the 1974 Ayacucho Declaration,IO ccnstitutes an effective contribution to general and complete disarm- ament and thus makes it possible to release resources for economic and social development. 148. The multiple world problems and the disputes~ of every kind that exist in various regions, including those of a territorial character, seriously affect world peace and security and are consequently of interest to the community of nations. 149. In the specific case of th~ American continent. the territorial problems that ~..ilI exist in Central and South America which. we could assert, involve almost 153. As a country of the Amazon region, Ecuador fulfils its role under the Treaty of Amazonian Co-oper- ation among the e!sht countries whose territory makes up the water basin of the great river that was discov- ered by the expedition organized in the sixteenth century from Guayaquii and Quito. 154. Because of its vocation for peace, Ecuador has supported all disarmament resolutions at past sessions of the General Assembly, in particular thost:' resolu- tions calling for nuclear disarmament and for the prohibition of nuclear tests. We must reiterate our total condemnation of the unbridled arms race-if 159. Disarmament is closely linked with the peaceful settlement of international disputes, which is an element essential to understanding among countries and the strengthening of world peace and security. In every forum ofwhich it is a member:-international, regional and subregional-Ecuadoradvocates peaceful settlement. All disputes between States, both present activiti~s of the system are in the economic and social fields. 164. In this respect, it is appropriate to mention that the Committee on Information, created by the Assembly, has succe~ded in adopting by an admirable and encouraging consensus 42 recommendations [see A/37121, para. 91], which we hope the General Assembly will endorse. They include an appeal to the powerful world communications media to back up the efforts of the international community to ~nsureglobal development, and in particular the efforts of the developing countries to achieve their own economic, social and cultural development. 165. While the global negotiations are going on, Member States will have to prepare plans and projects, as well as train personnel, with the support of oper~ ational programmes such 2t.S UNDP, whose charac- teristics of universality, formulation ofprogrammes by Governments and financing by voluntary contributions as well as its 32 years' experience all combine to make it the ideal instrument to meet the real needs of world development. Thatis why its activities must be trebled, which is possible if the major countries respond to the General Assembly's appeals to increase their con- tributions by 14 per cent. Ecuador, for its part, has done so. The developing countries have made a significant increase in their contributions, and there is growing South-South co-~peration in the economic and technical fields. The world multilateral system of technical co-operation and pre~investment is the most commendable, because of its political independence, its objectivity, its flexibility and its experi:nce. We reject. any attempt to orient it towards the governing .of the programmes of some States by others, which would be intolerable. Mr. TreNd (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya), Vice-Presi- dent, took the Chair. 166. Together with technical co-operation and pre- investment, which link the transfer of technology with economic developmen" from investment to productivity, trade must be an instrument of justice between countries, through agreement on equitable prices and the elimination of discriminatory barriers. It is also necessary to stress the multilateral process of trading, be"cause this contributes to the preserva- tion of the independence of peoples and prevents the anachronistic exploitation and dependence which often accompany bilateral aid. All this must continue to be considered in international forums, so that exports from developing countries may earn a fair remuneration and maintain sources ofemployment for the inhabitants of those countries. It is to be hoped that the forthcoming session of UNCTAD will result in new approaches, understandings and decisions which 168. We have expressed our concern about the suggested ways of differentiating between developing countries in granting preferential treatment, since the concept of graduation, which the countries granting the preferences seek to introduce, is incompatible with the basic norms of the generalized system of preferences. Ecuador has spoken ofthe advisability of examining a system of safeguards under conditions and on the basis of criteria that are mutually agreed and are supplemented by a multilateral mechanism of control and monitoring. The forthcoming GATI ministerial meeting will be an opportunity to reach concrete agreements which may allow GATT to achieve its essential objective of the attainment of shared benefits. 169. A regrettable, anachronistic colonial case arose this year in the South Atlantic-that of ~he Malvinas Islands, where an extra-continental Power mounted a disproportionate punitive expedition, with the support of other great Powers, to deny the Argen- tine Republic's right of sovereignty. Ecuador, which maintained its anti-colonialist position before, during and after that warlike episode, has rejected the use offorce and has recalled that the principle ofuti possi- detis juris of 1810 is the basis.of the territorial reality of the American countries which gained independence from the Spanish Crown. Ecuador has reaffirmed its adherence to the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, adopted as General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), paragraph 6 of which clearly states: ..Any attempt aimed at the partial or total dis- ruption of the na!lonal unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the pur.. poses and principles of the Charter of the United Nations." It ·should not be forgotten that the islands are located on the continental shelf of Argentina and within the security zone established by the Inter~AmericanTreaty of Reciprocal Assistance. 13 , 170. There is a dispute, and it must be solved by . diplomatic means. In this connection, Ecuador supported the request for the inclusion of the question of the Malvinas as an additional item in the agenda of the present session [see A/37/193] submitted by 20 Foreign Ministers of Latin American countries and Haiti so that negotiations between the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom may be carried out within the framework of the United Nations and as soon as possible. 196. I take this opportunity to reaffirm the total solidarity and unfailing support, both moral and material, of my Government for SWAPO, the genuine representative ofthe Namibian people in itsjust strug- gle for the liberation of its country_I should also like to express here the unshakeable determination ofmy country to lend support to the national liberation movements of southern Mrica. 198. Another no less pressing problem ihreatenin~us directly is of concern not just to my country but also to many others in the same region, since it relates to the further strengthening of the foreign military presence in the Indian Ocean. The root of this mili- tarization of an erstwhile peaceful zone is the rivalry ootween the m~or Powers, who are involved in an ltrms race as fran~ic as it is absurd. This state nf affairs is giving rise to an explosive situation of con- cern to all the coastal countries. It has also led to a sharp deterioration in the climate of security which used to reign throughout this vast .region. Thus it is with great disappointment that my country has wit- ne5sed the many obstacles which have arisen to pnevent the convening of the conference which the Organization was to have held at Colombo in order to study the methods of implementation of the Declara- tion ofthe Indian O~eanas a Zone ofPeace, contained in General Assembly resolution 2832 (XXVI). 199. My country, like others wishing to preserve peace and security in that region, unreservedly sup- ports the idea ofcreating a zone ofpeace in the Indi&n Ocean and sincerely hopes that the conference which is to discuss this matter will finally be able to meet. We support the position of the non-aligned countries in favour of holding it in Sri Lanka. 200. The gloomy pi~ure of the international political situation which I have just sketched is unfortunately reflected in the serious economic imbalances to be found in the world today. We aH more Of less agree on one point, namely, that this crisis does exist. It has struck hard at all countries with few exceptions, but it has affected the developing countries most, particularly the weakest among them, those which are called the least developed. 201. The Islamic Federal Repliblic of the Comoros, which is among the latter, is feeling even more pain- fully the harmful effects of this crisis, because of the problems arising from its special geographic characteristics. Because of its island character, the Comoros Islands must cope with structural problems: isolation due to distance from major international communications routes and lack of adequate infra- structures, although considerable efforts have been made in this area by the Government and many projects are now in progress. But we continue to come up against financial problems; in fact, the Comoros like most of the non-oil-producing devel- oping countries, has suffered for several years from 206. If, each time we are given the opportunity, we demand new measures and constantly call for global negotiations, a new international economic and monetary order and increased assistance to the most c!isadvantaged countries, that is not mere rhetoric but a call for justice. The major rich industrialized coun- tries frequently take pleasure in proclaiming with a certain pride the major principles and values of de- mocracy, freedom and justice, which in their view are the unique characteristics of their civilization, but national pride and the facts contradict them. 207. However, a great hope wa~ born last year during the International Meeting c . Co-operation and Development at Canctin in October 1981. The peoples and countries of the third world saw in that meeting the beginning of an awareness among the rich coun- tries of the problems and difficulties facing the devel- oping nations. Unfortunately,..today our great disap- pointment is equalled only by the hope which that meetingengendered. We are witnessingthe progressive and accelerated erosion of the instruments ano institutions which were justly established, inter alia, to fmd solutions to the problems of the poor coun- tries. The present economic situation can be improved only if concerted action is taken at the international level to correct the harmful and perverse effects of the present economic and monetary situation. Of course, that requires the good will and loyalty of all countries. 208. It is in that context that the Government of my country supports the efforts undetaken to launchglobal negotiations, considering thatboth North and South must make some sacrifices. Only at that 219. I should like fir~t to make a brief survey of the African scene in the context of the aims and objectives of the United Nations. When my President addressed the General Assembly at the 11th meeting of the thirty-sixth session, he indicated in his statement that at that time a number of agreed and concrete steps were being taken to re-establish peace and good order in Chad. For "the steps being taken to succeed in restoring that peace and good order, it was neces- sary for those directly concerned faithfully to adhere strictly to, and fully implement in good faith, the established programmes. Qevelopments since then, however, have shown tha~ !;lsting peace continues to elude the people of Chad. 220. In the case of Western Sahara, the way had finally been cleared for a cease-fire agreement and the holding of a referendum by means of which the people of the Territory were to determine their own future. We all know that the events which ensued led to severe disagr~ment among African countries and that today the OAU stands partially paralysed because of tnese deep-seated differences. It is my Govern- ment's sincere hope that the ongoing consultations among member States of the OAU will lead to the removal of the obstacles now standing in the way of unity in our ccntinental organization. 221. In South Africa the tragedy of apa.rtheid con- tinues. The racist South African regime seeks to per- petuate its illegal occupation of Namibia in defiance of decisions of this body. After decades ofcondemna- tion and protests by all peace-loving peoples of the world, including some whites in South Africa itself, the evil and ichuman system of apartheid continues to flourish, even though it embraces the tc,tal denial of political rights to the majority. Opposition to apart- heid is met with brutal force against defenceless people, among them children. It is a system which violates all the universal principles. of human dignity on which the United Nations itself is based; yet all our efforts to get stronger action to be taken against South Africa continue to meet, with resistan~e. We have adopted in the Assembly countless resolutions condemning the system. We have held many inter- national gatherings which have exposed and equally condemned the evil system practised by the"racist minority bent on destroying the very tenets ofcivilized conduct. Are we going to step there? 222. In pursuance of its policies of seeking to per- petuate racist domination in South Africa and to maintain its illegal occupation of Namibia, as well as to expand its political influence beyond its borders; the regime has resorted to constant acts of aggres· sion, subversion, destabilization and terrorism against neighbouring independent African States. 27.~. Has not the time come for the United N&tions (0 act decisively? We say yes and the ti!Ile is now. Over the years in our negotiations for the liberation of Namibia we have been patient. We have shown flexibility. We have been reasonable. SWAPO has made significant concessions with regard to the unreasonable demands made by South Africa. On the other hand, South Mrica has taken advantage of our patience and m.oderation and has in fact escalated its offensive beyond the bordr-rs of Namibia. 229. In our continued commitment to a peaceful solution t,-> the Namibian problem, Africa has not lost hope iD the neuoti~tingmachinery despite the duplicity shown by South Africa. During the last eight weeks or so the Africar~ contact group has been negotiating with the five Western States for the implementation of tbe Unitt~<i Nations plan for Namibia's independence according to rel)o~ution 435 (1978). Although these negotiations haY{' been going on for some time, pronouncements c;omifi.g from South Africa offer little proof tbat it is nGW ready for the implementation of Namibia's independence as laid down in the United Nations plan. Some of those involved in the negotia- tions say that South Africa is now ready to comply with the United Nations plan. This is not the first time we have heard this. We must remain cautious about such statements, because while the current negotiations are under way, South Africa cOI~~inues its aggress~on against Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and ind~~ed against all its neighbotJrs. We have every reason for se.rious doubts of South Africa's sincerity in all these negotiations, given its past history ofwrecking negotiations at the eleventh hour. As soon as SWAPO makes one concessior, South Africa brings forward mOlie unacceptable demands to be fulfilled as a condi- tion for making further progress. It is therefore not difficult to see the cause of our frustration and the reasons for Olilf impatience. 230. But we must not confuse the issue of Namibia's . .dependence and the territorial integrity of Angola. We should like to make it abund...dtly dear, as we have always done before, that the problem regarding Namibia's independence stems solely from South Africa's refusal to get out of Namibia, which it con- tinues to occupy illegally. We shall not accept pro- paganda conceived in super-Power context in order to justify South Africa's presence in Namibia and its con~inued aggression ?gainst Angola. We view the situat~on with great concern. By now South Africa should know that its puppets in the so-called Demo- cratic Turnhalle Alliance have no political support in Namibia and cannot win a fair election. These puppets will be rejected by the people of Namibia just a~ the puppets of Ian Smith were rejected by the people of Zimbabwe. In fact it is this fear, the fear of this truth, which frightens the racist regime of South Aflica. 231. The international community must face its responsibility in Namibia squarely. We remain 232. We in Africa have come a long way in our struggle to liberateourcontinentfrom regimes based on race and colonialism. We will not stop in our drive at the border of Namibia. That should serve as a clear message to South Africa and its friends. 233. I will now draw the Assembly's attention to one of the most dangerous areas on the international scene today. I refer to events in the Middle East, specifically in Lebanon. The situation in this area has remained tense, with violent conflicts flaring up, over the past three decades and that long-standing conflict is still not resolved. Despite the efforts of the international community over the years aimed at finding a peaceful solution, intransigence has not given way to compromise. Instead, one community has sought to annihilate another community. In the past three months, we have aJl witnessed a new onslaught launched by Israel in tonl disregard of all the rules of international law and morality. Israel arbitrarily and militarily occupied the sovereign StateofLebanon, a State Member ofthe United Nations. The destruction of life that has taken place in Lebanon leave~ us all shocked and horrified, particularly with regard to the recent massacre of Palestinian refugees in B~irut. That indiscriminate killing of innocent people, including women and ~'~lildren, in the refugee C8-:1PS in Beirut is a gross violadon of human rights and accepted international law and morality. As my Presi- dent said in his statement on the tragedy, this callous and barbaric act ag;1inst defenceless Palestinians, coming as it did soon after the evacuation ofPalestinian military personnel from Lebanon, shocked the con- science of the world and must be vigorously con- demned by all peace-loving nations. President Moi has repeatedly stated that Kenya values human life and will always condemn acts which destroy life. r wish to reiter-dte here Kenya's conviction that no lasting peace in the Middle East can be achieved without due recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to inde- pendence and to a sovereign homeland of their own. Once again, Kenya calls for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli and all other foreign troops from Lebanese territory, in the interest of peace and stabiJity in the region. 234. I wish to make some observations on another matter that continues to be of concern to the Organi- zation. Kenya has supported in the past and will continue to support in the future the proposal that the Indian Ocean be designated a zone of peace. Hence, for us in Kenya, the Indian Ocean as a zone ofpeace is not a political slogan; rather, "it is imperative for our own security in ourattempts to safeguard our territorial integrity. In this spirit, Kenya supports the call for an international conference to consider all" the aspects of this problem. We urge all the maritime \ practical.pr~posals for remov.ID' the Impediments to nations like my own, Kenya, which are most adv~rsely progress ID disarmament negotiations could noteven be affected by the energy crisis. The need to shift the agreed on. dependency of nations from petroleum to a greater 236. The continuing deterioration ofthe international reliance on alternative sources ofenergy was oneofthe situation and the intensification of the arms race have points I stressed when I add~ssed th~ A~sembl~ on brought the world to the brinkofa nuclear catastrophe. 7 October 1980. On that occaSion, I said, Inter alIa: In suc:!l a political climate, no progress can be made. . N' C on disarmament negotiations. We therefore call on all "It IS our hope that the Um!ed atlons on- States in particular the nuclear Powers and other ference on New ~d R~~ewable Sources of ~nergy, militarlly significant States, to demonstrate the political to be held at Nalr~bl ID August 1981,. will offer will and firm commitment necessary for the implemen- the wo~ld comm.umty a rare opportumty to fin~ tation ofthe recommendations made and the decisions alternative. solutions to our energy problems. taken in the field of disarmament. [27th meeting, para. 24.] 237. As stated earlier, the international political s~tua- 240. As you will recall, that Conference was .hel~ tion has not taken a turn for the better. We are dlsap- in Nairobi as planned, and its outcome was the Nairobi pointed that despite the Organization's call for the Programme ofAction for the Development and Utiliza- withdrawal ofVietnamese troops from Kampucheaand tion of New and Renewable Sources of Energy. 17 of Soviet troops from Mghanistan, no movement in As you also know, the Assembly last year took some that direction has been taken by those concerned. important decisions on the Nairobi Conference on Similarly, the United Nations resolutions on Cyprus energy pursuant to the provisions of Assembly continue to be ignored, and the intercommunal taI~s resolution 35/204. Noteworthy among the actions ofthe which we have supported appear to be unnecessa~ly Assembly at its thirty-sixth session were the decisions protracted. We also note with continuing disappomt- concerning the financial and institutional arrangements ment and deep regret that the conflict between Iran for new and renewable sources of energy, which and Iraq has not ended, in spite of intensive efforts have to be finalized at this session of the Assembly. from many quarters. We hope that the two non- The Interim Committee established pursuant to aligned nations will allow good sense to prevail and General Assembly resolution 36/193 met in Rome in will cease the senseless hostilities that ha~e t~en s~ch June of this year, but it did not succeed in its primary a toll in human lives and untold economic disruption. task regarding the immediate launching of the imple- In the same vein,. we support the a~pirat.ions of th.e mentation of the Nairobi Programme of. Action. It is Korean people for the peaceful reunificatlon of their thus clear that at this session the Assem'My has to take country. In our statement to the General Assembly certain fundamental decisions as a follow-up to the at the 27th meeting of the thirty-fifth session, my Nairobi Conference on energy. First,' we have to delegation expressed concern at the unilatera! suspen- decide on the question of mobilization of financial sion of the then ongoing South-North workmg level resources for harnessing new and renewable energy contacts by North Korea and urged the South and resources.- In this regard, the role of the United the North of Korea, the t'Y0 partic:s dire~tly c0!1- Nations must be recognized, and bilateral rarrange- cerned, to rc:sume the dialogue .1!Dmedlatel~.1D ments for raising funds should supplement, but .not accordance With the letter and splnt of the J~mt replace, multilateral arrangements. Secondly, Umted communique of 4 Iuly 197216 in order to ease tension Nations activities carried out in implementation of the and to improve relations. No pro~ss seems t~ have Nairobi Programme of Action must be well co-ord!- been made so far, and my delegation would like to nated. In this connection, my delegation deems It renew that appeal. ". necessary to establish a secretariat which would also 238. The Government ofKenya is gravely concerned service an intergov~rnmental body, which the about the critical situation in which the world economy Assembly should deSignate, for new and renewable finds itself today. The effects of the deepening rece$- energy sour~e~. The .deleg~tion o! Ke~ya &tan~s sion hurt the developing countries the most, because ready to partlc!pate actively ID the dlscw;slOns of thiS it is those countlies that experience acute problems of iten. now and III the future. 242. Of particular importance to my country as a developing nation is the question of e~onomic and technical co-operation among developing countries themselves. Kenya has repeatedly calledon developing nations to intensify their activities at subregional, regional and interregional levels and in all fields. It was in this spirit that we participated in the formula- tion and adoption of the Caracas Programme of Action, the implementation of which has been enhanced by the North-South meetings held during this year~ which included the meeting of the Group of 77 held last month in Manila to rev5ew the imple- mentation of the Caracas Programme of Action. In certain regions also new initiatives for interregional and subregional co-operation have emerged. These have included the intensive negotiations held among 18 countries of eastern and southern Africa, including my own country, which resulted in the signing in Lusaka, in December 1981 of a treaty establishing a preferential trade area for that African region. 243. With regard to industrial development, we wel- comejhe recommendations of the sixteenth session of the Industrial Development Board [see A/37/16] and call for their early implementation. We note with appreciation the full recognition in the Industrial Development Board's report on that session of the significance of the Industrial Development Decade for Africa [ibid.]. As the Assembly knows, Kenya will playhost to the Fourth General ConferenceofUNIDO, in 1984, and the success of that Conference will depend to a large extent on the attitude nations display during the preparatory process for it. We there- fore hope that this process win ~ int~nsified in ender to ensure positive results from this forthcoming UNlDO Conference in Nairobi. 244.. We are aware of the report submitted to the Assembly on the work of the iJfth session of the Commission on Human Settlements and of the two sessions held this year by the Governing Council of UNEP [see A/37/25]. The impOrtant recommenda- 245. Kenya would like to see a substantial increase in th~~ trade of developing nations in manufactures. We condemn protectionism in all its forms, and we believe that at the sixth sessSon of UNCTAD, to be held in 1983, serious attempts will be made to tackle all the critical issues encountered by the international community in the field of trade and development. My delegation therefore calls upon the Assembly to take concrete action at this session to ensure the success of the sixth s~ssion of UNCfAD. 246. The critical economic situation facing Africa, which is the least developed of all the continents, requires CO"lcerted international action. It was in this spirit that the Lagos Plan of Action for the Imple- mentation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Economic Development ofAfrical9 was adopted. Kenya calls on the international community to extend the technical and financial assistance necessary for the implemen- tation of the Lagos Plan of Action in its entirety. 247. Africa also faces acute food problems, as recent reports have shown. Food and agricultural production has drastically declined in recent yeflrs, owing, inter alia, to changes in climatic conditions, inadequate investment in the food sector, and lack of storage facilities. The international community must take urgent collective measures to alleviate the critical food shortages and attain collective self-sufficiency in food, to increase food and agricultural production, food storage, and food security, as wen as to increase capital from external resources. We look forward to greater assistance from both bilateral donors and multilateral sources. More assistance from FAO and the World Food Council would be greatly appreciated, particularly by the food-deficient coun- tries of the developing world. 248. I wish now to turn to the issue of special eco- nomic and disaster-relief as~istance. My Government commends the efforts of the Office of the United Nations Disaster ReliefCo-ordinator. We reiterate our full support for the activities of that Office and call on all donor countries to increase their contributions to that important body in order to enable it to deal more efficiently and promptly with disasters, wherever and whenever they occur in the disaster-stricken and disaster-prone areas ofthe world, especially in Africa. The Kenyan delegation will continue to attach special importance to this problem and to participate actively in international deliberations on it. 249. One.. of the historic events of this decade has I been the adoption of the Convention on the Law of .the Sea. The occasion not only marked the emergence of a new legal regime governing the exploration and exploitation of the seas, the sea-bed, and the ocean floor and the subsoil thereof; it also demonstrated clearly the importance of equitable compromise in the interest of all mankind. The Convention has been the result of hard negotiations over a period. of many years, and it is Kenya's hope that even those coun- 255. That treaty is a legal instrument, signed and duly ratified, and is strictly in accordance with inter- national law. Its fuH observance and complete imple- mentation were guaranteed by four States: Argentina, Brazil, Chile and the United States of America. That treaty recognized the ownership, sovereignty and jurisdiction that Peru had been exercising over its territories since its independence, through the self- determination of its people and in accordance with the historical titles of ownership of the colonial era. 256. The legal validity and full applicability of the Rio Protocol and its complementary instruments are unassailable, and this has been reiterated by the four guarantor countries, in view of the fact that, according to international .Iaw, border treaties cannot be disavowed or called into question, much less amended by unilateral decision. 257. The task of demarcation of the border estab- lished in that treaty has already been carried out by the two countries along 1,597 kilometres-that is, 96 per cent-of its length. Border markers are lacking only for a short strip78 kilometres long in theareaofthe Condor Range, in accordance with the decision of the Brazilian judge, Mr. Braz Dias de Aguiat, which was accepted by the parties. Nothing would be more auspicious than the conclusion of tilat task. 264. In view of the lateQess of the hour, I do not intend 10 take any more of the General Assembly's time. When the agenda item on the situation in Kam- puchea is before the Assembly for discussion, the Chinese delegation will comment further on the state- ment made by the representative of Viet Nam.

I have affirmed, and I continue to affirm that there exists a serious terri- torial problem between Ecuador and Peru. It is not a matter of the simple placing of a few border posts. Rather, the problem of what has been called .ihe borderless zone involves the lack of a defined border, because even the Rio de Janeiro Protocol which Peru has invoked shows a lack""ef geographical characteristics, making it impossible to set a border in ratific~tion and approval of this instrument. mentioned in the Rio de Janeiro Protocol. 267. My country's position is based on clear, incon- trovertible legal title. It is on that basis that Ecuador expresses its reservations about the region which is not defined. In 1890 Peru had recognized that no possible claim to it could be alleged. Therefore, the reservations that I have expressed about Peru'spresent or future acts are well-founded. 268. n is an incontrovertible principle of inter- national law that the acquisition of terntory by force is not accepted, regardless of when it occurred. Moreover, it is impossible to say that the decision of the Brazilian judge, Braz Dias de Aguiar, in 1945 in respect of the dispute that existed then can apply also to the problem that arose two years later, in 1947, when the borderless zone's lack ofa geographical characteristic was discovered. 269. The warlike events of January and February 1981 were considered at the 19th consultative meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Latin American coun- tries held in Washington in February 1981. Ecuadorian forces had been the victims of an armed attack by Peru, as was C:;:arly demonstrated at that meeting. The withdrawal of the troops-Ecuadorian as well as Peruvian-has no influence on the substance of the dispute, as was also clearly recognized at the time. 270. Ecuador is today trying to improve the climate of detente with Peru, as a prerequisite for the con- tinuation of constructive talks leading to a just and peaceftll settlementofthe problem. We have made, and sball continue. to make every effort to promote tbat climate of detente. Ecuador is convinced that the widest possible knowledge of this reality by both peoples and by the international community at large contributes to promoting that atmosphere of detente The meeting rose at 7.45 p.m. NOTES 4 See A/S-12/AC.1/12 and Corr.1. 5 A/CONF.9~/l5 and Corr.2, annex I. 9 See A/C.3/35/4. 10 See A/l0044. 11 Protocol of Peate, Frier.dship and Frontiers between Pero and Ecuador; see United States Statutes at Large. vol. 56, part 2, p. 1818. IZ Subsequently adopted by the General Assembly; see resolution 37/10. annex. U United Nations, Treaty Series. vot. 21. No. 324. p. 77. 14 See A/36/S34, annex 11. 15 Sce Report of the United Nations Conference on the Least Del'eloped Countries. Paris, /-/4 September /981 (United Nations publication. S£Jes No. E.82.1.8), annex I. 17 Report ofthe United Nations Conference on New and Renew- tlble Sources ofEne'RY, Nairobi, 10-21 August 1981 (United Nations publication. Sales No. E.81.1.24). chap. I, sect. A. .1 Report of the United Nations Conference on Scitnce and Tec·hnology for Del'elopment, Vienna. 20-31 August 1979 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.79.1.21 and corrigenda), ch&p. VU. 19 A/S-l1/14. annex I.