A/37/PV.25 General Assembly

On behalf of the delegation of Paraguay I should like to congratulate Mr. Hollai on his election to conduct the proceedings of the General Assembly, an honour that has been conferred upon him because of .his person21 integrity and his well-recognized diplomatic experience. 2. We extend to the Secretary-General our best wishes for success in the important work before him. We do so not only because of the esteem in which we hold him but also because as South Americans we feel gratified at his election. We are pleased to see that every day he gives clear proofof his skills and his unquestionable d2dication to his work, as evidenced by his report on the work of the Organization [A/37/1], a report that concisely sets forth many creative sug- gestions at a time when, though there has been hesitant progress, efforts are being made to achieve survival in peace and dignity. 3. My delegation fully shares the deep anxiety of the Secretary-General, who has urgently appealed to us for common sense and effective action. We note his hopes and offer him Paraguay's co-operation in his noble efforts to implement the Organization's mandate under the Charter to avoid the untold sorrow that results from war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights and to establish conditions conducive to the general progress of all our peoples in a universal atmosphere of coexistence based on mutual respect~ justice and freedom. 4. Perhaps more than any other year in the life of the Organization, the past year has heen characterized by continued violence in different ~-ms of the world. As the Secretary-General has pointed out, we are apt to forget with suicidal single-mindedness "the six years of global agony and destruction" that preceded the San Francisco Conference, and it is true that thus far we have not learned to operate sensibly the system ofcoJIective security that is the only instrument avail- able to us to preserve our generation and succeeding generations from total disaster. We are haunted by fear-justified and healthy fear-that alerts us and prompts us to understand the dangers that stalk us. NEW YORK s. With all the defects inherent in human endeavour, the Charter remains the only valid instrument for the finding of solutions which, though provisional, can defuse the critical situation that confronts us. 6. The different conferences on disarmament that have taken place since the days of the frustrated League of Nations have not thus far offered the hope of a promising course of action. The so-called major Powers and those tb'it try to be major Pow/~rs bear the tremendous responsibility of giving the world an example of wisdom and of real and effective respect for life, the most important human right. 7. Statements on the principle of the sovereign equality of States are meaningless if the destiny of mankind is linked to the interests of those who wield atomic power, with all its horrors. Equally meaningless are the intentions of promoting the overall well-beini of peoples if vast sums are earmarked to annihilate them, in a vicious circle of dissuasion which can last only so long. Moreover, the terrorism which is exer- cised in the internal sphere and exported equally criminally beyond their own borders by some Govern- ments is an eloquent expression ofa state of madness which can be compared only to the threat ofan atomic holocaust. 8. In spite of the inexplicable difficulties involved in the consideration of this topic in the Sixth Com- mittee, my delegation would ask that the study of draft international instruments aimed at removing the apocalyptic scourge ofterrorism, such as, for example, the draft Code of Offences Against the Peace and Security of Mankind and a draft international con- vention against the recruitment, use, financing and trainingofmercenaries be accelerated. Those andother legal instruments with binding force at the inter- national level should, together with The Hague,I Montreal2 and Tokyo Conventions,3 which my country has already signed, provide a body ofprovisions which can counteract that type of crime. 9. Paraguay has heroic experience of wars. My country has itself suffered not only the incalculable loss of life of its sons and da~ghters in devastating numbe~s but also the hardships of fnreign military occupation and the mutilation ofits territorial heritage. Thus we repudiate and forcefully condemn the Soviet Union's subjugation ofthe sovereignty ofMghanistan, a country which is steadfastly struggling to defend its independence; we repudiate with equal force Viet Nam's intervention in Kampuchea; and we cannot fail to condemn the brutal genocide carried out against defenceless communities in Lebanon. All these and similar events oftransitory notoriety seem to have the incredible purpose of lulling our consciences and anaesthetizing our .sensitivities. ~ware ofthe need and the obligation of the developing cDtl.fi'iries to r.emedy, through common action, the 17. I mention this merely to recall that the process unacceptable shortcomings of an economic structure ofdelimiting our American republics has in every case whkh affects the priC\~S of our commodities, stimu-· been the result of an accumulation of circumstances, lales disorder in the monetary system and stultifies fortunate or otherwise, which, in the final analysis, international trade. have been accepted as the rule of history ~ In the light ofthis, it is difficult for us to imagine that a breakdown 12. We have faith in the creative capacity of our in diplomatic negotiations aimed at resolving territorial nation. As far as we Paraguayans are concerned: President Stroessner stated, at the heginrling of his conflicts between our countries should give way to the outstanding work of leadenhip that "the peoil)e is the theory ofClausewitz and that there should be recourse ~ to armed force. source of the spirit that has m.ade Paraguay's Homeric reccrd possible in the history of the nations of the world. The people if.; the substance that nourishes us, that give~ us strength to reach the summit without fail and to raise our flag as a lofty, lasting symbol of our national graiideur 9 '. 13. My Government, together with those of other r.ations of the Americas, signed a request for the inclusion in the agenda for debate at the present session of the General Assembly of an item on the question of tbe Malvinas Islands. In doing so, Para- guay was merely endorsing the attitude it ha.d already adopted at the two special sessions of the Assembly of the Duganr.zation of American States in May and June of this year in order to consider the armed con- flict whicb broke out in the South Atlantic. Aware of the extrenle seriousness of ihe military confrontation, which W3;) then :ap~'roachingour continent, my country joined hi the lJnite{~ action of the nations of the Ameri- cas to try to av~;~.j the CllSis, even though the situation resulting from the events that had taken plac~ and from the ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching agree- men:, did not offer much hope ofa negotiated solution. 14. Now, in the same spirit of friendship towards the parties to tl1e ?rmed conflict over the Malvinas and with the S2.i'lle sense of responsibility regarding our duties t('wards the inte}rnational commun~ty, the delegation of Paraguay is sponsoring, togeth,~r with other nation~ of the Americas, a draft resolution to be submitted at this session of the General As§embly, with ? view to achieving a just and honourabie solution to the conflict between Argentina and the United KingdomofGreat Britain and Northemlreland. 18. My delegation expresses the very fervent hope that the aforementioned territorial disputes will be resolved in a strong Americanist spirit, which would do honour to the sincere and irreversible desire to build together an effective system guaranteeing the future and the well-being of our peoples. 19. Since I havejust recalled the process ofdelimiting the borders of our American countries, it is relevant to point out that Paraguay has been reduced to a land- locked country and in this respect has every right to lay a claim to the legitimate means provided by the inter- national c'JOlmunity to countries that are deprived of a coastline. There are agreements between my country and neighbouring countries aimed at facilitating river and road transportation for access to the sea. At the present time, the Government of Paraguay is con- sidering, on the basis of an already developed project, the construction of the facilities needed to join its national railway to that of Brazil, making available to us another important channel ofaccess to the ocean. 20. Precisely because it is a land-locked country, Paraguay has expressed its great interest in over- coming the limita~ions that stem from that condition. Thus 1 my country participated actively in the various conferences on the law of the sea held since 1958 and in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea,4 which will be open to signature countries in Jamaica next December. I should like to affirm my country's interest in obtaining through that Convention all the facilities for land-locked counUies provided for therein. H Ass~mbly during his term of office with exceptional skiIl t devotion and competence. We wish him well in all his future end~avours. I also wish, on this occasion, to pay a very warm tribute to our distinguished Secretary-General, who has worked hard, since his election to nlat high office, with much courage and tim~~ to postpone the day of independence for the people of Namibia? . 26. There is no need any more to recount the number of occasIons on the long journey towards Namibian independence when our hopes have been elevated only to have been crushed at every critical turn on the road. In the course of the last three months we have been treated' to well-publicized reports about sub- stantial progress towards a negotiated settlement. Today, however hard we focus our gaze on the distant prospect.s, we cannot see any real or concrete mani- festations of a settlement. Instead we are witnessing the injection of extraneous and irrelevant elementl'i into the negotiations. 27. We s~e no justification for any link~e between Namibian independence and the presence of Cuban military personnel in Angola. The former is a clear-cut colonial issue and has been treated as such by the United Nations and by the entire international com- munity. The latter, on the other hand, is a bilateral arrangement, which is by no means unique, between two independent, sovereign States. In any case, how can anyone forget that the presence of Cuban military personnel in Angola was occasioned in the first instance by So~th African aggression against Angola. 28. Moreover, these acts of aggression have con- tinued unabated to this very day. Even as we deIiber-' ate here today, South Mrican troops continue to occupy the southern region of Angola. We challenge anyone to cite even a single instance of Angolan incursion into South Africa, with or without Cuban military personnel. 29. Those who are touting the so-called linkage are attempting to rewrite history. In spite of the obvious facts to the contrary they are seeking to create a make-believe world, a world in which the aggressor appears a~ the victim and the real victim is projected as a threat to the aggre:;sor. This so-called linkage is a very suspicious scheme indeed~ one which we find inadmissible and unacceptable. We want to state once again that Security Council resolution 435 (1978) con- tinues to be the only basis for a negotiated settlement for Namibian independence. 30. I wish to stress, moreover, the special political and moral responsibility which the five Western States bear in this matter. We urge them to admit that respon-- sibility and to bring to an immediate end South Africa's intransigence and plocrastination. 31. We salute the people of Namibia, under the leadership of the South West Africa People~s Organi- zation [SWAPO], their sole and authentic represen- tative, for the heroic struggle they continue to wage against the occupying Power, as well as for the exemplary statesmanship they have demonstrated throughout the process of negotiations. . 32. In South Africa itselr"the situation has continued to deteriorate dramatically. The racist minority regime continues its oppression of the m~iority of the people t~e cause of pe_ace._ . .. Assembly resolution 34/138 of 14 De..;ember 1979, 49. We are meeting in the aftermath of the Second which was accepted by the internationalcommunity as United Nations Conference on the Exploration and a whole, is the appropriate basis for launching the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, held at Vienna, 9 to global negotiations. We appeal to thos~ countries that 21 August, the report ofwhich is before the Assembly.6 are stalling to join the consensus en the need for an The potential of outer space represents a valuable early launching of those negotiations. The present common heritage for ma"'kind. Outer sp~e offers ~'et economic problems must not prevent us from charting anotherunique opportunityfor mankimi to explore new a more stable and reliable path to meaningf~J1 inter-· frontiers with a common purpose and for mutual national economic co-operation for deve11"jlllent. benefit. In the view of my delegation, tht~ exploration 55. Ifthe global round ,-'fnegotiations is not launched and exploitation ofouter spaf:e should prlJceed eil the soon, we fear that tfiere will continue tu be increasing basis of a co-operative effort determined by an inter- difficulties in other forthcl'aming negotiations such as national set of binding principles and rules. those at the sixth session of UNCTAD and the fourth 50. The pursuit of co-operative objectives and s~8sion of UNIDO. Indeed, the success or failure of common benefits pre.:ludcs the promotion of con- the thirty-sevetn~h s~ssion will 00judged by whether OT tradictory interests. It is for this reason that my not we can generate adequate political will to brinG delegation is s'lrongly opposed to the mHitarization about a breakthrough for the launching of global of cuter space. We urge strict adherence to the 1965 negotiations., Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of 56. As one of the least developed countries, Uganda States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, attaches great iIr.portance to the Substantial New including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies [resolu- Progi"a."11me of ! ...ction for the 1980s for the Least tion 2222 (XXI), annex]. Developed Countries adopted in Paris last year7 for 51. ':}n the economic fll'\.' ..~, the situation is equally the purpose of arresting the economic deterioration grave. The global econo~.iJc crisis, which is charac- of ~he least develored countries. We believe that its terized inter alia by recessions rampant irr..lation, speedy and successful implementation requires high interest rates an~ protectionism in the developed a deeper sense of commftment to substantial resource countries on the one hand and a serious dct~rioration focus on the least developed countries, especially in the terms of trade ano increasing external inul~bted- on the part of the developed countries, international ness of the developing countries, on the other hand, financial i~stit':ltions and Ut.tited Nations .~ge~c~es. has reached alarming dimensions. The situation has 57. We are very concerned that no agreement has so been compounded by the deadlock in international far been r~ched on the twin critical issues of specific economic negotiations, the arms r2.ce and a drastic additional and adequate financial targets for n~W' decline in the transfer of real resources to the devel- and renewable sources of energy and the establish- olt'ing countries. All those factors have combined to ment of an energy aftlliate of the World Bank. We atTect adversely the world economy in general and hope, however, that the consultative mechanism tb~ development of the developing countries in par- contained in the Rome compromisefor the Plobilization ti~ular. of fin.ance and ~e transfer of technology to the devel- 52. There has, in addition, been a sharp decline oping countries will receive the necessary international in the spirit of interdependence and in international support. c::cJ-operaticn aimed at finding constructive solutions to 58. We have for a long time accepted that inter- pl·esent problems. The emphasis which is increasingly national measures of assistance are only supportive being given to bilateral arrangements by some devel- and cannot-indeed, should not-~ a substitute for oped countriet' at the expense of multilateral co-oper- efforts by the developing count«es themselves. In this alion has gravc~ly affected the oper&tion of multilateral regard we commend ~he efforl~ of the developing , 59. U~anda remains committed to the Jtrengthening of economic co-operation among developing coun- tries as an es~sentialcomponent·ofthenew international economic order and as an effective means of enhancing the collective self-reliance ofthe developing countries. In Africa we are trying to fostel' economic co-operation under the Lagos Plan of ActiQn for the Implementation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Economic Development of Africa,9 The international community should assist Africa in its efforts to implement the Lagos Plan of Action, which we hope will in time secure the economic integraH~!1 of the cClntinent. 60. The year 1982 has been characterized by an increase in armed ~onf1icts,escalatioD ~fthe arms race, the persistence of potentially exp10sive territorial disputes; lingering C!)!9n~alismand foreign interference M.d interventi~jn. U:1brldled big-Pewer r~valry and the quest for spheres of dominance have continued to fuel the hotbeds of world ~nsion. This increasing world tension has had a very nti~tive impact on the work of the Unit~d Nations. 87. With regard to the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan, my delegation reiterates its support for the- resolutions of the Assembly calling for their withdrawal. Our support for a political settlement 90. Moreover, we express the sincere wish that the countries members of the Association of South- East Asian Nations [ASEAN] together with the Indo- Chinese countries involved, can co-operate to find an acceptable solution to the problem in order to make South-East Asia a region of peace, stability and co-operation. 91. Within the chain ofevents that have cast a shadow on the life and standing of the United Nations during the past year, the failure of the second special session of the General Assembly on disarmament stands out, and ,has given rise to serious concern for the future of world peace and stability. 92. The arms race continues at an unprecedented pace. It is the opinion of my delegation that the lack of tangible progress in our attempts to halt this costly and dangerous activity will have increasingly adverse effects on the inclination of States to settle their disputes through peaceful means, thus making peace- keeping ever more difficult for the United Nations. 93. It is our belief that the availability of vast Ciuantities of arms is responsible for the frequent use or threat of use of force in international relations. It is unfortunate that many States are still inclined to believe that they can better secure what they per- ceive to be their interests through military strength rather than by relying on peaceful means. 94. Notwithstanding the right of individual States to take the necessary measures to defend their terri- torial integrity, we cannot but condemn the accelera- tion of the arms race which represents a vicious circle. Under the pretext of protecting alleged domestic interests, States devote to it the very resources that are needed to create the conditions for domestic and international peace and progress, drawing upon financial, natural and human resource~ that are so direly needed for development. Recent history has proved that the use of violence between developing countries has been detrimental to the countries involved and has seriously weakened their capacity for independent development. 95. We therefore hold the vie~ that developing coun- tries should refrain from any participation in the arms race, and should collectively exert pressure on the super-Powers and other powerful nations to dis- continue the absurdity of creating tension in order falsely to justify their continuation of the arms race. We reiterate Suriname's commitment to all'regional and global disarmament endeavours. • Mr. Lamine Mane spoke in Portuguese. The French text of his statement was supplied by t:,e delegation. Bi~ ;,,,u welcomes the statement by the Government of Portugal-the administering Power of East Timor- that it will do all it can to ensure that this objective is achieved; indeed, the whole international com- munity should join in this. We reiterate our un- wavering solidarity with the Maubere people in their just struggle, led by their vanguard movement, FRETILIN, the Frente Revolucionaria de,Timor Leste Independente. 147. Despite renewed efforts by the Secretary- General and the international community to find a negotiated settlement to the problem of Cyprus, no real result has yet been obtained. We therefore once again express our concern over the persistence of this .problem and our hope that urgent action will be taken to bring the positions closer together and to enable the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus to live together in pe~ce, understanding and harmony and to safeguard the independence, the territorial integrity and the non-aligned character of Cyprus. 148. Non-alignment, as the Assembly knows, is the corner-stone of the foreign policy of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. My Governmenttherefore supports the efforts of the non-aligned movement to prese-,' .':2 ~ts unity and cohesiou, the only way to ensure its abdiiy to take action to promote the maintenance of ~l,\~,'~r­ national peace and security. We thus feel it necessary, taking into account the particularly serious inter- national political situation today, to reaffirm the fun- damental principles of the policy of non-alignment t especially the principles ofnon-intervention and peace- ful settlement ofdisputes. In this context we therefore repeat our appeal to our brothers in Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran to find a negotiated settle- ment to the dispute between them, in the interest of their respective peoples, of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, of the non-aligned movement and of the international c~mmunity as a whole. 149. The many conflicts and tensions that have been mentioned here could certainly be avoided or settled if the various members of the international community implemented the fundamental principles of non- interference in the internal affairs of States, non-inter- vention and peaceful settlement of disputes. 150. The situation in South-East and South-West Asia is of great concern to Guinea-Bissau. In our opinion it is essential, in order to preserve peace and stability in those regions, to begin a process ofnegotia- tions where the spirit ofunderstanding and the intemst ofthe peoples concerned prevail and thus to create the atmosphere indispensable to the exercise by each people of those regions of the right freely to decide its future and to safeguard its sovereignty and terri- torial integrity, free from outside interference. I 154. TIlis phenomenon has serious con'sequences such as c1'Lronic deficits in the balance of payments of the developing countries and the continuing dete- rioration in terf"ns of trade. The limits and the difficul- ties with regard {:O i.lCcess by third world countries to international fimfl1cial markets and to the required technology, the increasing constraints placed on financial and technical aid are additional problems facing the developing countries. 155. The use of concepts such as "gradualism", selectivity and differentiation by the developed coun- tries in trade relations with the developing ones con- stitutes an obstacle to the promotion of the economic development of the latter and further complicates the payment of external debt servicing and the meeting of import needs in food, energy and manufac- tured products. In this context therefore there is an imperative need, both for the developing countries ana for the industrialized countries, that ~he process of global negotiations be made more dynamic. 156. The Republic of Guinea-Bissau, which belongs to the group ofleast developed countries, is not spared the harmful effects of the present international eco- nomic situation. The new policy of development advocated by our Government is intended primarily to reduce such effects by using all international and external means available to promote the development of all the economic sectors, particularly agriculture, and to promote diversification and an increase in production so as to ensure food self-sufficiency. J -~-Y"-.":f" ;~ ,-~~ ~r~ l'Ii~~~~ _.,~'_.4,~""'-~;:::",::.:~::c"~lN!':"'.~.~-:""""'~~ ~J.,!"ot. _L~'''·T'-!'~.''''!,-,. ~, ~:.=-:- NOTES I United Nations, Tr~aty Series. vol. 860, No. 12325, p. 106. Z United States Treati~s and Other International Agreements, vol. 24, part one (1973), p. 568. 1 United NatiolJns, Treaty Series, vol. 704, No. 10106, p. 219. 4 Official R~corJs ofth~ Third United Nations Conf~rt!nce on th~ Law ofthe S~a. vol. XVII, document A/CONF.62/122. 6 A/CONF.10l/'0 and Corr.1 and 2. 7 Report of the united Natirrls Confer~nc~ on the uast Del'ei- opedCountries, Paris, 1-14September 1981 (United Nations publica- tion, Sales No. E.82.1.8), part one, sect. A. • Ada~Jted by the High-Level Conference on Economic Co-oper- alion among Developing Countries. See A/36/333 and Corr.l. 9 See A/S-ll/14, annex I. 10 A/36/21S, annex, sect. IV, decision 1(I). 11 See Report ofthe World Assembly on Aging, Vienna, 26 July- 6 August 1982 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.82.1.(6), chap. VI, sect. A.