A/38/PV.32 General Assembly

The Assembly will now hear a statement by Mr. Solomon Mamaloni, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands. I have great pleasure in welcoming him and invIting him to address the Assembly. 3. Mr. MAMALONI (Solomon Islands): My fIrst and foremost obligation is to convey to the Assembly warm greetings from the people and Government of Solomon Islands. Although I have com~ some time after the commencement of this particular session, may I extend my most sincere wishes for its success. . 4. The people and Government of Solomon Islands warmly salute your election, Sir, as the President of this session. We are confIdent that with your vast experience as a diplomat you wiIllead the Assembly's deliberations to a fruitful conclusion. 5. We also wish to pay a tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Imre Hollai of Hungary, for his commendable work during the last session. 6. To the ever-hard-working Secretary-General we say this: We are fully aware of the very diffIcult tasks entrusted to you in your high offIce. Admirably, your diplomatic tact has over the past year persistently suc- ceeded in bringing about understanding in areas ofgreat conflicts of interests. 7. When, fIve years ago, my country was admitted as a Mem-'er of this great Organization, we were so warmly welcomed by all our friends here. In return for that intimate welcome, the Solomon Islands people and Government have the great pleasure of welcoming Saint Christopher and Nevis to this family of nations. We congratulate the people and Government of Saint Christopher and Nevis on their achievement ofstatehood, and we wish them every success in the years ahead. , -Resumed from the 28th meeting. NEW YORK 8. The purpose of my being here today is twofold: fIrst, to reaffIrm the commitment of Solomon Islands to the Charter of the United Nations and its principles; and secondly, to express our concern over certain issues which have important implications for the international commu- nity, particularly for the survival ofhumanity. Solomon Islands has pledged its commitment to the ideals of the Organization in the flI1Il beliefthat it holds the hope and potential for the betterment ofall the peoples around the globe, including our own people in Solomon Islands. We reaffIrm this very pledge today. We also pledged fIve years ago that we would do that which was within our capability and means to promote peace and harmony in the world. We accordingly reaffIrm that pledge too. 9. We renew these pledges, including our support for the various organs of the United Nations, with the full realization that Solomon Islands is a small island devel- oping nation whose resources may not go very far towards resolving tensions that threaten the noble aims of the United Nations: to replace war with peace and to live with civilized behaviour instead of violence. 10. Herein liet our concern. The weapons of war are such that the peace and security ofour peoples through- out the world are at stake. Today the situation in parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and the North PacifIc endanger the peace and security not only of the countries of those regions but also of the entire global community. 11. In ~~s respect, we join in the call to bring peace and stability to Lebanon. Our support for the various United Nations resolutions and peace plans for Israel and Palestine is strongly maintained, as we believe these provide a basis for a negotiated and lasting solution. 12. The conflict between Iran and Iraq is most regretted by the Solomon Islands Government. These two oil-rich countries are being tom apart and much suffering has been caused for their peoples. But the overall effects of this conflict are being felt not only by the people ofthose two countries but elsewhere by the innocent peoples of other countries of the world. 13. My Government strongly believes in the sover- eignty and territorial integrity of all States and non- interference in the internal affairs ofother States. Thus, we earnestly urge those involved to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan and Kampuchea. In relation to Kam- puchea we welcome and support the initiative of the Association of South-East Asian Nations for peace and stability in that region. 14. The South PacifIc is a stable region, but the situa- tion in Korea, in the North PacifIc, poses a threat. The policy of the Solomon Islands Government is that the parties involved must recognize the ne'ed for and the necessity of a peaceful settlement through negotiation without outside interference. IS. At thi:' juncture, I wish to state categorically my Government i position regarding the two most recent acts oftotal msregard for human dignity and lives. Th~e two acts are the hallmark of barbarism and insincerity ti~.Al it was a year ago. of Africa. 34. We note with some bitterness that the appeal to 39. And yet the debt burden of those countries has mankind for solidarity launched from this rostrum in the increased sharply, reaching $540 billion, including the general debate at the last session did not lead to the debt-servicing burden, which is as high as $106 billion establishment of codes of conduct and examples of sys- per year. That situation, paralysing in itself, is further tematic and universal application thereof. Interdepen- aggravated by the recent and current phenomenon ofthe dence, which affects us equally and is increasingly felt, rise in the dollar, whose extreme over-evaluation con- has not really led to an awareness of the solidarity among tinues most seriously to hamper the ability ofthe develop- nations; far from it. The sacrifices that are required in ing countries to repay their debts and thus stifles their the name of solidarity will be made only grudgingly or economies. The rise in the dollar rate increases and, in not at all, as the experience of this last year of inter- fact, multiplies the burden of debt-servicing and empha- national affairs has shown us, and it has been a bitter sizes the extent to which the structural and functional and distressing illustration of that. machinery of those countries is dependent on the major 35. However, the interdependence of continents and financial and industrial centres. Similarly, the balance- peoples is made imperative by modem industrial civiliza- of-payments deficit of the countries suffering from this tion, and it should logically lead-and we can only hope iniquitous situation has risen to $62 billion in 1982 and that it will-to broad areas of agreement and direct is expected te be even worse in 1983. negotiations between the various regions of our planet, 40. Those factors and many others have forced many in the interest of a just and equitable distribution of the developing countries to delay repayment of their loans fruits of general economic growth. However, instead of and to request a rescheduling of their debts, the repay- the heights of understanding and fraternity, our world ment of which has been made particularly difficult today, on the eve of the third millennium, offers us the because of the restrictions imposed by the credit institu- spectacle of desolation, chaos and economic warfare. tions of the rich countries, which do not seem particularly 36. The inability of many to see the world economy as willing to seek satisfactory, integrated solutions to the a single, coherent whole requiring integrated approaches serious economic problems of our world. which) going beyond interdependence, are based on 41. In these circumstances, one can appreciate the scope ~~1~~rde~~b~~~~t~~~~ i7~:r:r~~~ ~~e~~nw?l{ ~~a~~eo~o~~~~~:ee:::e~~~ ~~~~e~:~~tri~sf~~ lead to an unprecedented catastrophe and disintegration. bhOlding glObedal neghotviati0ailJl.SI' thEe PrinCil?leSOf w~chfhahd We are living through an age ofcrisis, which has assumed een accept at t e ers es cononuc umnut 0 t e increasingly alarming proportions over the past few years. seven industrialized countries of the Western world in The growth rate of the world economic output, which June 1982. But the intransigence and the lack of any was only 1.2 per cent in 1980, fell spectacularly and sincere desire to co-operate on the part ofthe latter SiJOn stabilized at a much lower level in 1982. In the developed cast those proposals into limbo, and they have now been countries, where makeshift methods were still being used locked up in the museum of measures that are left to rot to ease or offset the more obvious effects of the crisis, away over time. there is now an awareness of a sad fact that the situation 42. Despite that rejection and the lack ofunderstanding is even wortie than it was during the Great Depression. shown by the family of the industrialized countries, the More than 10 ~r cent of the able-bodied population is third world, which includes the majority of non-aligned now doomed to unemployment. countries, is intensifying its initiatives and opportunities 43. Is it not indeed unfortunate that today, when the concept of the post-industrial era is emerging from the distant fog and becoming a reality, the least advanced countries should still be vegetating under unacceptable living conditions and that the problems of food supplies, stabilization of commodity prices and energy resources should still be matters of such serious concern? There is time for the industrialized world to react and at last to show that it is willing to take action to help us out of the crisis by putting an end to the selfish protectionism which is so rife today, thus preventing mankind from sinking forever into social decay and from becoming completely dehumanized, a process already under way on a large scale in the existence and perseverance ofapart- heid, racism, zionism and the sinister and cynical arms race. 44. The delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes that urgent and radical measures are required to oiet up new international structures that would precisely prevent the international economy from drifting with the tide of current events. In today's reality of economic power relationships, the individual act of rebellion, the personal commitment or the commitment of a few to break away from the existing evil order, the words spoken by the just are quickly crushed and cruellytrampled upon. This sad realization strengthens the need for unified and coherent action on the part ofall countries of the world, particularly the third world countries, whose fate is being decided in the urban centres ofthe industrialized countries by the transnational corporations. 45. Let us look at what happened to the sixth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Devel- opment, which met at Belgrade from 6 June to 2 July 1983. Par us, the developing and non-aligned countries, that session presented a special opportunityto review fully and comprehensively the international economic situation and its impact on trade and development, particularly that of the least advanced countries. It was to consider the ramifications ofthe present crisis in the world economy, which is a manifestation of the structural imbalances of the system, and it was to focus its attention on the urgent need for a recovery of that economy, emphasizing a reactivation ofthe development process in the third world countries. It was to debate the major international eco- nomic problems, and against this background it was to take a position on appropriate measures to get under way a programme for world economic recovery, for growth and sustained development, including measures ofstruc- tural reform of the world economy. 46. However, contrary to the expectations of the devel- oping countries, the recent meeting at Belgrade came up against the icy intransigence of the rich countries, which meant that the Conference was unable to work out specific proposals that could ensurethe desired manage- ment ofthe world economy. The high hopes ofthe devel- oping countries were dashed because consideration of the implementation of the Substantial New Programme of stantl~ "educing international financial cash flows. The deficit CO't..ltries still do not have any special weighting in the allocation of special drawing rights. 48. The trade problems of developing countries are further worsened because of the increasingly complex protectionist policies and measures of the developed countries. The proliferation of so-called self-imposed restriction and rationalization measures in trade, and recourse to the arbitrary and unjustified application of compensatory rights, are constantly having a negative impact on the production and export prospects in sec- tors in which the developing countries were beginning to acquire a relative advantage. 49. In sum, the Belgrade session, like earlier sessions, yielded only meager results. It did not come up with a clear and unambiguous commitment by the developed countries to eschew protectionism. 50. In this setting of unequal and unfair economic warfare our country, the People's Republic of Benin, like all developing countries, particularly those which, like Benin, are least developed, is seriously damaged by this imbalance and uncertainty, which weigh heavily on our fragile economy in this world crisis. In addition to this general situation, we have had climatic prol,lems, such as the drought of 1981 and the floods of 1982, whose impact, particularly on our agricultural sector, caused major reductions in agro-pastoral food and industrial production. The result has been the loss of almost one third of our export earnings. 51. Faced with this situation, the People's Republic of Benin has adopted measures for restructuring the vital sectors of its national economy. A round-table conference of the partners in the economic and social development of Benin was organized in March 1983. Representatives of many friendly countries and international agencies attended this important meeting. We should like to express to them once again our gratitude for the active part they took in our discussions and for the commit- ments they entered into on behalf of their countries or agencies. We take this opportunity to appeal from this rostrum to all those countries and international organ- izations and agencies, partners in the economic and social development of Benin, to ensure that the commitments entered into are honoured within the time limits dictated by the erosive action of inflation. 52. The Security Council, in resolution 419 (1977), called on all States and all appropriate international agencies, including the United Nations and its special- ized agepcies, to provide economic assistance to Benin. In December 1980 the General Assembly, in resolu- tion 35/88, recommended further assistance in the drawing i~ate distrust and suspicion. destruction of the things necessary to human life and 83. We should like to highlight the complex and some- development, not to mention the disturbance of the times controversial relationship between disarmament and tranquillity that is so necessary and the deterioration international security or, if one prefers-and in fact it in relations within the international community. The is the same thing-the link between disarmament and People's Republic of Benin, faithful to its desire for peace development. The delegation ofthe People's Republic of and to the decision ofour people to build in freedom and Benin realizes with fear and anguish that the arms race independence a sovereign and prosperous nation, and not only increases the danger of a world-wide war but convinced that the destructive capacity of any war, also places a heavy burden on the major Powers which particularly nuclear war, has noticeably increased today induces them to neglect or abdicate their international to a planetary level, welcomes all sincere peace proposals ~~-~''=~I'·'''>'''-S:iil'.'''~'.I''''"'''''''.T0''''''O!~''''''''"'·':''':'''·'''~'%''''''';;r:;Nif?''4':<;;':~1f.l·-if..... .. iWliC 124. With regard to Cyprus, we continue to call for the restoration of its unity, the withdrawal of all occupation forces and full respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country. 125. We also call upon our brothers in Iran and Iraq speedily to bring to an end their sad and wasteful con- flict, which benefits neither and which represents a wanton waste of the scarce resources of that region and the third world. 126. We fully support the efforts ofthe United Nations towards finding a negotiated political settlement of the situation surrounding Afghanistan. 127. We reaffirm our support for the peaceful reuni- fication ofKorea. We consider the proposals put forward by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea a sound basis on which to begin negotiations to this end. 128. We reaffirm our solidarity with the people and Government of the People's Republic of Kampuchea as they strive valiantly to complete the task of national revival and reconstruction. We view with grave concern attempts by certain forces to escalate their armed inter- ference in Kampuchea. The United Nations should never forget or fail to condemn the brutal savagery of the ousted Pol Pot clique. 129. We support the call for relations among the coun- tries of South-East Asia to be based on the principles of good-neighbourliness, stability and mutual co-operation and for the establishment of a zone of peace in that region. 130. The continent of Africa, with which my country shares unbreaj(able bonds of brotherhood and blood, continues to feel the heavy and brutal hand of one ofthe great evils of this century-the racist Republic of South Africa and its sadistic system of apartheid. This body has consistently raised its voice against this inhuman practice. 131. Today apartheidis even reaching out to the Carib- bean, offering the gold from the sweat and tears of our African brothers to a few mercenaries who are only too willing to play cricket for the amusement of their racist manipulators-as minstrels played for their masters. On the ql1estion of apartheid the policy of my Government is clefu', uncompromising and incontrovertible. Immedi- ately upon the departure of the cricketing mercenaries from the Caribbean for the racist State the People's RevolutioqarY Government ofGrenada declared each one 143. The failure of the slAih session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is a disturbing reminder of the lack of political will among some developed creditor nations and of their unwilling- ness to promote equitable economic relations with devel- oping countries. My Government once more appeals to the developed countries to resume negotiations and earnestly try to find solutions to the unjust and unequal economic relationships, a major cause of the chronic economic problems facing the developing world. 144. The critical wor1~\ situation challenges mankind's ingenuity to fmd urgent and real solutions to grave international problems which seem to threaten the very existence of the human race. As we enter this thirty-ninth year since the founding of this exalted Organization, our fIrst and overriding task must be to work with redoubled efforts to attain world peace with justice and a more 151<0;. The thirty-eighth session is being held at a time when the international arena is overshadowed by ever- increasing tensions. A broader and wiser political view of the world community and sustained patient efforts, with greater determination, are most vital to arrest the fast-growing threats to world peace and security. Every possible step must be taken to stem the swift growth of forces which undermine both the United Nations and peaceful international relations. Since the continuing developments amount to a dire threat to the very basic tenets ofthe Charter, it is up to the membership to assume its responsibilities, more than ever before, in a sincere effort to defuse the dangerously escalating international tension. Mr. Mur(n (Czechoslovakia), Vice-President, took the Chair. 152. My delegation strongly feels that this session should not be allowed to pass without renewed com- mitments by every Member ofthe Organization to do its utmost to prevent, if not reverse, the continuing dete- rioration in international relations caused by increasing, over-ambitious political adventurism, so that nations big or small, rich or poor, weak or powerful, can enjoy their inalienable rights in an atmosphere of peaceful co- ~eoplc of the North and South for the realization of the national aspirations ofthe people ofKorea tends to create further unrest, tension and instability. We believe that the international community should extend every possible support, opportunity and encouragement to the Korean people in order to assist them in achieving their objec- tive. At the same time, we state that they must remain free from outside interference, influence and pressure in order that they may find a peaceful solution oftheir own choice. 167. I should like to take this opportunity to express our deepest sorrow at seeing two of our brother coun- tries, Iran and Iraq, still waging their bitter armed con- flict, which has already brought c.....:>:.th, destruction and loss to hundreds ofthousands. We maintain very friendly brotherly relations with both countries, and this makes our grief all the deeper. We can only express our sup- port for the numerous appeals ofthe international bodies to bring about a cease-fire. We can only lend our sup- port to the cdls of the world community to these two brother countries to stop the war and find a solution to their disputes by peaceful means. We also pledge our support to the Secletary-General's mediation efforts as well as to those of the Organization of the Islamic Con- ference and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, all of which are designed to bring about an honourable settlement to the dispute. 168. Let me now turn to our region ofthe globe. As on previous occasions, I wish to express the immediate and deep concern ofour country at the steadily escalating ten- sion created by the great-Power rivalry for military supe- riority in the Indian Ocean. My delegation wishes to reaffIrm onr full support for the Declaration ofthe Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace[resolution 2832 (XXVI)]. We The meeting rose at 6.15 p.m. NOTES I Frente Popular para la Liberaci6n de Saguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro. 2Report ofthe International Conference on the Question ofPales- tine, Geneva, 29 August-7 September 1983 (United Nations publica- tion, Sales No. E.83.I.21), chap. !, sect. A. 3Report ofthe United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, Paris, 1-14September 1981 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.82.I.8), part one, sect. A.