A/38/PV.15 General Assembly

The General Assembly will hear an address by Mr. Spyros Kyprianou, President of the Republic of Cyprus. On l)ehalf of the Assembly, I have the honour to welcome him to the United Nations and to invite him to address the Assembly. 2. Mr. KYPldANOU: It gives me great pleasure, Sir, to congratulate you most warmly on your election to the presidency of the thirty-eighth session of the General Assembly. This is undoubtedly a reflection of the great international appreciation of, and the prestige enjoyed by, your country and its people as well as of your eminent qualities as an experienced diplomat and an outstanding international lawyer, demonstrated through years of dedicated and fruitful service to your own country, to Latin America and to the United Nations. It is pertinent to state on this occasion how much we value the strong bonds of friendship existing between Panama and Cy- prus, two small States but strong advocates of the prin, ciples and purposes of the United Nations. 3. At the same time, I wish to place on record our praise of and our profound esteem for Mr. Ymre Hollai of Hungary, who during his presidency guided successfully and with singular distinction the thirty-seventh session, including its resumption. His diplomatic skill and wisdom won for him the respec(of all. We in Cyprus shall always remember his official visit to our country. which gave us a most welcome opportunity to express to him once again our deep appreciation for his dedicated service to the United Nations and for his true feelings of friendship towards Cyprus and its people. 4. It is with particular pleasure that I refer to the Sec- retary-General and to his untiring efforts to strengthen the United Nations and ensure its effectiveness-some- thing which is ofabsolute necessity for peace and security in the world. We sincerely hope that his endeavours to resolve international problems, including the Cyprus problem-pursued with the diplomatic skill, wisdom, patience and determination which characterize the Sec- retary-General-will bear fruit for t~le sake of humanity. For our part, we must all do what we can to assist the Secretary-General in his high task. Peace and prosperity in the world can be achieved only if a genuine collective effort is undertaken by all the members of the interna- tional community. Such a collective effort is now more urgent than ever. 5. The threat or use of force in international relations, military intervention and interference, the revival of the cold war, great-Power rivalry and the intensified arms race, especially in nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, constitute a gloomy picture of today's world. NEW YORK The implications of our failure to provide the United Nations with the necessary means to carry out its para- mount responsibility-that of maintaining international peace and security, as provided in the Charter-are extremely grave. 6. If we are to meet effectively and on a lasting basis the dangers to peace and to the very survival of mankind, we must proceed resolutely and urgently to give the Security Council the means for creating an effective collective international security system in order to deter international lawlessness, to put an end to the ever- escalating nuclear arms race and to revive the prestige of the Organization, tarnished by years of contemptuous disregard for its decisions. It i~ high time to end the crisis ofconfidence about the United Nations by demonstrating courage and wisdom and adhering to its principles. 7. The technological advances of today have evolved to an admirable extent. Despite the diversities and the multiplicity ofour particular interests and objectives, the human race has converged on a number of topics and has made great strides. We now have the means to greatly reduce the incidence of disease, to combat iE;norance, to conquer our immediate universe and to eliminate dis- tance, bringing together peoples and ideas from all con- tinents through advanced means of transportation and telecommunications. However, these ingenious achieve- ments in science and technology are characterized by such grave contradictions that their beneficial effects are coun- tered by potentially dangerous aspects. Thus, nuclear energy could eIther benefit mankind, if used for peaceful purposes, or destroy our whole civilization and eliminate the human race from the face of the Earth, if used as a weapon of war. 8. The arms race not only increases this threat of human extinction but also diverts the attention-and depletes the strength of those who have the material resources and the required technological know-how and who could contribute to the improvement of the quality of life in every corner of the world. It is perhaps pertinent in this context to mention that the estimate ofthe International Institute for Strategic Studies in London is that a record of $800 billion was spent on weapons during the past year. In this century of space expJ(\ration it is inadmissible that famine, poverty, illiteracy .:.1ld disease should still be plaguing significant sections of the population of our planet. With what conscience can we claim to have con- quered our immediate universe when human beings are dying from hunger and disease and when thousands born daily will grow up in unacceptable conditions? These contradictions are fed and strengthened by the antago- nisms that characterize big-Power relations; antagonisms that are translated into global crises, which in turn are translated irtto confrontational attitudes resulting in an intensified arms race. 9. The fruits of total and complete disarmament may be for the future generations to enjoy-and we sincerely hope that good sense will prevail in international relations so that there will be future generations. For the present. there must be some steps, even ifonly modest, in the right direction. 24. The Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Gov- ernment of Non-Aligned Countries, held at New Delhi in March 1983 under the wise and dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, indicated clearly that despite differences in their social and eco- nomic systems, the members of the ME>vement have resolved to play, through their collective effort, a positive and constructive role for the solution of problems con- fronting the world today. 25. The Political and Economic Declarations of the Conference, as well as the New Delhi Message [ibid.), constitute important instruments which we must strive to apply. For our part, we shall continue to do all we can, within our limited potential, at the bilateral, multilateral and international levels to implement the principles and measures for the promotion of peace and justice con- tained in the Message. We shall continue to oppose imperialism, colonialism, neocolonialism, apartheid, racism and all forms of aggression, occupation, foreign domination and interference. 26. The critical situation still prevailing in the Middle East is of special concern to us. Because of our historical and friendly ties with the peoples and countries of the Middle East and our proximity to the area of conflagra- tion, we are deeply concerned and grieved about the bloodshed, turmoil and ensuing loss oflife. The continu- ing deterioration in the Middle East poses a clear threat to international peace and security. 27. The Middle East problem, at the core of which is the question of Palestine, will not be solved until a just peace is achieved, based on Israel's withdrawal from all occupied territories and on the restoration of the inalien- able rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to establish their own independent and sovereign State on the basis of General Assembly resolution 3236 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974. The Palestine Liberation Organi- zation [PLO), the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestine people, must participate in any negotiations if the solution to be found is to be comprehensive, just, acceptable and lasting. 28. As to the situation in Lebanon, we once again reiterate our support for the sovereignty, territorial integ- rity and independence of Lebanon. While we hope that the cease-fire will be maintained, we believe that the implementation ofSecurity Council resolutions 508 (1982) and 509 (1982) will speed up the search for lasting peace in Lebanon. The Israeli occupation forces must withdraw from all Lebanese territory. We fervently hope that efforts for national reconciliation will be successful, enabling the Lebanese Government to exercise its sover- eignty, throughout its territory within its internationally recognized boundaries. 92. Ireland welcomes the continuing efforts of the Association of South-East Asian Nations to find a polit- ical solution. We believe that Viet Nam and other nations whose co-operation is essential for arriving at a peaceful solution should now join in a process of negotiations leading to a comprehensive political solution. 93. The Irish Government and people continue to be deeply concerned over the tragic situation in Central America. We believe that the essential causes of conflict there are the long-standing inequities in social and eco- nomic conditions and the denial of the people's justified demands for fundamental reform. This region has wit- nessed flagrant denial of human rights and callous disre- gard by certain Governments of what is the very basis of morality and civilized social order-the fundamental dignity and worth of the human person. We are con- vinced that just and lasting solutions to the grave prob- lems in Central America can be achieved only by political means, through dialogue, conciliation and negotiation. It is for this reason that my Government particularly welcomes the efforts of the Contadora Group to achieve a lasting peace, based on the principles of self-determi- nation and the right of each country in the region to determine its own destiny free from outside interference. 94. Central America is only one of many regions where human rights are abused. Such abuses have become so widespread and so common that there is a danger that they may be accepted as an inevitable feature of modem life. Resignation and complacency can also become the enemies of justice. For this reason we must continue to use theUnited Nations both to defend human rights and to expose atrocities. It is important that the Commission on Human Rights continue to develop its investigative powers and that States co-operate with it in this regard. 95. In the view of my Government, the United Nations has played and must continue to play a leading role in the progressive development and codification of prin- ciples aimed at effective and universal implementation of human rights and fundaJTlental freedoms. Ireland therefore was gratified that last year the General Assem- bly adopted resolution 37/20(). In our view, the balanced approach in this resolution should guide the further work of the United Nations in this area. 122. Like the United Nations, the German Democratic Republic emerged from tht~ anti-fascist liberation struggle of the peoples. That moulded and continues to mould its consistent and reliable policy at home and abroad. Hence, it has been submitting proposals to ban neo-fascist developments and to outlaw f~cistregimes in the world. Thus, the German Democratic Republic bas stood and stands for the elimination of the danger of nuclear war, ~{)nflicts peacefully and in the peoples' interests and to develop international economic relations that are bene- ficial to all States. 124. At its thirty-eighth session, the General Assembly has the important task of contributing towards saving humanity from the danger of nuclear war, towards the speediest possible cessation of the arms race and towards the transition to disarmament. This presupposes that all have the political will and are prepared to scale down political and military confrontation, that no attempts are made to obtain security for oneself at the expense of the legitimate security interests of others, that there is an awareness of what is realistically feasible and that ml1tu~1 agreements are strictly observed. That is what we under- stand by negotiating "in good faith", also in the difficdt area of arms limitation and disarmament. 125. The German Democratic Republic is for pledges by all nuclear-weapon States to forgo the first use of nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union's unilateral under- taking to that effect must now be matched by moves of the other nuclear-weapon Powers. The German Demo- cratic Republic advocates an immediate freeze on all nuclear-weapon stockpiles and the non-deployment of new nuclear weapon!; either in Europe or elsewhere. It favours a moratorium on all nuclear-weapon tests, bind- ing on all countries or-if that cannot be achieved at once-only on the Soviet Union and the United States. It also supports an agreement on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons, an end to the qualitative arms race and, in particular, a ban on the production of neu- tron weapons. 126. Together with its allies, the German Democratic Republic advocates a ban on stationing weapons of any kind in outer space and on the use of force in outer space and from outer space against the earth. The German Democratic Republic supports the pertinent proposal submitted by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [A/38/194). 127. The work undertaken with a view to concluding a world treaty on the non-use of force in international relations and to preparing an international convention on the prohibition and destruction of chemical weapons should be pursued at a quicker pace. 128. The creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones is a matter of great importance. The German Democratic Republic at once endorsed the Swedish proposal for the establishment of a zone free of battlefield nuclear wea- pons on both sides of the dividing line between the War- saw Treaty and NATO areas and has offered to make its entire territory available fOl[ inclusion in such a zone, provided that this zone is constituted in accordance with the principle ofequality and equal security. Although that offer has met with a negative response from the Western countries so far, the proposal remains topical. 129. We also welcome all efforts aimed at establishing the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace. Ifpeace and security in that region are to be strengthened,.the conference intended to be held for this purpose must not be post- poned still further. 130. 'We should like to stress the significance of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which has proved to be a VO~lrs to find a political solution concerning the situation around Afghanistan and for the constructive decisions taken at the Summit Conference of the States of Indo- China last February [A/38/98]. 144. The German Democratic Republic supports the foreign policy activities of the Democratic People's Re- public of Korea designed to preserve peace on the Korean peninsula and the struggle to ensure the withdrawal of the United States troops from South Korea and for the peaceful, democratic unification ofKorea without outside interference. 145. We note with great concern that more and more financial and material resources are being channelled into war preparations and are thus withheld from economic and social development. The current international eco- nomic and financial crisis is essentially due to the policy of an all-out arms drive. How can a State be proud of having spent some $222 billion on its armament in 1982? How can a State propose to spend over $367 billion on arms programmes in 1986 when, at the same time, tens of millions are jobless in the capitalist industrial States and when according to an FAO report 120 million people in the world are threatened with death from starvation? According to UNICEF data, every day more than 40,000 children die of hunger and disease. Is it not preposterous that, as the Secretary-General noted, at present as much money is spent on military purposes in 18 days as is spent in a whole year on all government assistance to developing countries? 146. A mere tenth of the amount currently going into armament world-wide would suffice to eradicate illiteracy and wage a successful war against illness, hunger aI~Q food shortages. The situation could be remedied by the sum representing the 10 per cent reduction in the annual 148. Equal rights~ respect for sovereignty, non-discrim- ination, mutual benefit and non-interference in internal affairs are the principles that guide the German Demo- cratic Republic, in accorc!.:mce with the Charter of Eco- nomic Rights and Duties of States [resolution 3281 (XXIX)], in its relations with the developing countries. Last year my country provided extensive assistance to developing countties and national liberation movements. Indeed, it has continuously carried on its support and even increased it 1espite the fact that the world economic situation has become much more complicated. 149. For the future of mankind it is essential for'the peoples to cope with the many challenges now facing them. These include the mastery of the scientific and technological revolution, the elimination of want and misery, the eradication of hunger and disease, the pro- tection and sensible n\anagement of the env~ronment, multiplication of the world's riches for the peoples' benefit and the realization of the right to work and to a life worthy of a human being. All these problems can be solved. Mankind has the experience, the knowledge, and the strength to do so. What it needs is peace. 150. Mr. ORTIZ MERCADO (Bolivia) (interpretation from Spanish): It is for me a privilege to come to this important podium as the spokesman for the constitu- tional Government presided over bY.Mr. Siles Zuazo, a figure of renown in the revolutionary and democratic struggle of Bolivia and Latin America. 151. This year, when we celebrate the bicentenary of Sim6n Bolivar, it is cause for satisfaction for Bolivia, the favoured daughter of the Liberator, that the General Assembly has elected as its President for this session a worthy representative of Panama, Mr. Jorge Illueca. His election is a well-deserved tribute to him personally and to his experience in the Organization, and it guarantees the success of his important task. 152. I wish to pay my respects and tribute to the out- going President, Mr. Imre Hollai, who was so skilful in leading the proc(o.:Jdings of the previous session. Mr. Martini Urdaneta (Venezuela), Vice-President, took the Chair. 153. I also wish to pay a tribute to the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts for peace and for the defence of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. 154. It is a pleasure for me to welcome the new republic of Saint Christopher and Nevis on the occasion of its entry h.iO the Organization. 155. Bolivia reiterates that its foreign policy is based on observance of the permanent principles that constitute the bases of internatiol1.allaw and those contained in the Charter ofthe United Nations. We confirm our adherence to the principles ofthe sovereign equality of States, non- interference in internal affairs of other States, the right of peoples to self-determination, respect for human rights, rejection of all forms of racial discrimination and apartheid and of all forms of(::olonialism,and the inad- missibility of the acquisition of territory by force. Bolivia 220. Economic issues, as well as those of war and peace and arms control, have given more cause for fear than for hope in the past year. Insecurity and distress continue to afflict the greater part of humanity. 221. The deliberations on economic issues conducted between ·developed and developing nations, as well as those ameng the developing nations themselves, progress far more slowly than the rate at which these problems continue to grow. The gravity of these issues requires unrelenting endeavour. . 222. Israel, for its part, is willing, within the means at its disposal, to make its contribution to the advancement of international economic co-operation. In this spirit, we have recently presented our "transitional economy plan", already circulated at the thirty-sixth session ofthe General Assembly.4 The aim of the plan, which is based on Is- rael's own experience, is the application· of low-cost improvements to the rural sectors of various societies. Dozens of developing countries and international eco- nomic organizations have already expressed their interest in advancing this programme and in implementing the ideas relevant to their needs and special circumstances. We are happy to note that some developed countries have shown eagerness to incorporate part~ of this project into their own development strategy for the developing and least developed countries. 223. Israel believes in both collective and individual efforts to fight hunger on this planet and has participated actively, through its international co-operation pro- gramme, in alleviating this scourge. The United Nations system should be the central vehicle for the required international co-operation. Its ability to carry out this role efficiently must depend to a large degree on its observance of the principles of universality in participation and ad- herence to genuine objectives of economic development. 224. Unfortunately, we have been witnessing an ever- growing attempt to politicize international economic efforts by the injection of elements of global and regional conflicts. The developing countries are ultimately the main victims of this attitude, as precious resources for development are channelled into futile and senseless exercises totally unrelated to the pressing economic needs of the greater part of mankind. 225. No less disturbing is the insufficient progress in the international handling of the arms race and security- building measures. Israel has long been concerned about the danger posed by nuclear armaments. It has, therefore, consistently supported the objective of the non-prolifer- ation of nuclear weapons. 226. Israel naturally examines these problems from the perspective of the Middle East. We have concluded that the most credible barrier to the proliferation of nuclear weapons in our region would be to maket\1e Middle East a nuclear-weapon-free zone. To that end, Israel has made The meeting rose at 2 p.m. NOTES