A/38/PV.7 General Assembly

The General Assembly will hear an address by Mr. Aristides Maria Pereira, President of the Republic of Cape Verde and Chairman of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel. On behalf of the Assembly, I have the honour to welcome him and to invite him to address the Assembly. 2. Mr. PERElRA (Cape Verde) (interpretation from French):· I am addressing this illustrious and sovereign General Assembly for the fIrst time on behalfof the heads of State of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel [CILSS). I do so keenly aware of the importance ofthe praiseworthy work taken on by all of you, the representatives of States of all continents. 3. Ifman now has everything that mankind has always dreamed of possessing in order to live in harmony with nature and to merge into a coherent and single whole, he nevertheless also possesses other means of unequalled power, which can reduce everything to ashes and anni- hilate thousands of years of civilization. 4. That is why so many hopes are placed each year in the General Assembly, which people expect to be a gather- ing of clear-minded people anxious to preserve the future of nations, united by the same determination to overcome all obstacles to the progress of mankind. 5. Millions of men and women expect of your resolu- tions and recommendations concrete acts which will help to transform the tears of the victims of colonialism, racism and apartheid, into smiles of hope, to provide the comforts so long awaited in the refugee camps, to provide the encouragement indispensable for the freedom- fighters, or, to put it in the simplest terms, to provide bread for those who are hungry, and the will to live for those who see death as the best option. 6. I do not think one can live a carefree life when one knows that although world-wide agricultural production today could satisfy the food needs of the people of the Earth, hunger and malnutrition condemn the majority of the inhabitants of the planet to live in sub-human conditions. 7. The truth is that in the era of computers and space exploration, human society has stH! not proved able to satisfy the most elementary needs of a large majority of its members. Those people who live today in abundance and comfort are forgetting how precarious their situation can be, that sooner or later the consequences of poverty, which is rife in vast regions of the world, will affect them too. *Mr. Pereira spoke in Portuguese. The French version of his state- ment was supplied by the delegation. 8. World leaders live with their eyes focused on the year 2000, trying to fathom the enigmas of the next era. But at the same time there is a growing awareness of the risks involved in the fact that humanity has carried with it so many vestiges of the servitude of the past. 9. We live in insecurity and anguish, knowing that a critical limit to tensions has been reached and that every day sees a dramatic reduction in man's ability to control and restrain his own actions, which in. most cases are born of attitudes condemned by the conscience of mankind. 10. That is why the 30 million people in the Sahel- whom I have the honour, but .above all the responsibility, of representing in this forum-base their hopes on over- coming the scourges that threaten their very existence, that is to say, drought and desertification, in the convic- tion that it is possible to change the present system of relations between peoples and States and devote the vast energies and resources that man has at his disposal to action that would correct the present dangerous im- balance and increase material and social well-being. 11. We are convinced that there is now an urgent need, in order to preserve the hopes of peace among men and harmony among nations, which constitute the very essence ofthe Charter ofthe United Nations, to mobili2:e without delay all available resources and technologies to face with courage and a sense of responsibility the serious problems affecting mankind, which are a challenge to our consciences. This has been the motivation in discussions at previous sessions and testifies to a profound awareness of these problems within the Assembly. It seems to us, therefore, that we should pursue a thorough analysis of the various aspects ofthe situation and implement policies which will make it possible to carry out decisions already taken or to be taken. 12. I should like at this time to greet all representatives as the messengers of hope. The world in which we live needs your efforts to spare it further tragedies or even annihilation. We know today from the consensedus wi!bin the Assembly that the future for which the Unit Nations is working cannot be based on hatred or injustice or the abdication of our individual and collective respon- sibilities. 13. It was undoubtedly this understanding that led to the choice of Mr. Jorge Illueca to direct this session. He is a man of dialogue and an expert in the problems of our day, and we have no doubt that he will succeed in conducting the session to a successful conclusion, fonow- ing in the footsteps of Mr. Imre Hollai, whose human qualities, combined with those of a distinguished diplo- mat, made it possible for him to carry out so brilliantly the formidable task entrusted to him last year. 14. However, even though it is not in the character of the Sahelian to give way to pessimism, I must say that the present unfavourable factors and the known facts of the world situation give no grounds for much optimism for years to come. 15. We are therefore very pleased to have at the head of the Organization, as Secretary-General, a man who in a short space of time has given proof of his sense of .tt~at sturvihv~dhSJ1t~WS tbh~ endects of the present 44 per cent of the land area. Furthermore, low- c romc ma nu n Ion 0 w IC I IS su ~e!cte . fertility land in Africa covers 18 per cent of the total 27. Although the drought has abated somewhat, it has surface area. It has been calculated that every year 50,000 become endemic. Thus, in addition to desertification, the to 70,000 square kilometres of arable land are lost to the Sahel is confronted with other very serious problems, such, advancing desert, thus posing a direct threat to the sur- as the food and energy crisis, which is becoming more vival of 14 per cent of the world's population, about acute with each passing day. Water supply for the popula- 628 million people. tion is also a problem, as is water for agricultural pur- 18. The United Nations Conference on Desertification, poses, which is indispensable. which was held at Nairobi from 29 August to 9 September 28. According to estimates made by the Economic 1977~ producfed h a p~~ 0alfaction' afndd co~cfilUd~d that d , if ~ommissih~nhforAfnf'ca h , the d degr f ee 8 of food s~lf-suffi- man IS one 0 t e pnnclp agents 0 esertl lcatlOn, to ay clency, w IC was 0 t e or er 0 0 per cent In 1975, he possesses the technological means to combat it. In the will be about 60 per cent in 1990 and only 50 per cent course ofthat Conference, the Secretary-General declared in the year 2000 if the present trends are maintained. that priority should be given to the most vulnerable From the same source we learn that the cereal deficit will countries and that internal efforts should be focused more double by 1990, and so will the number of people suffer- on the population than on the land. ing from malnutrition. 19. If we focus attention on the region which encom- 29. To be specific, while between 1973 and 1980 the passes the members of CILSS-leaving aside for the cereal imports ofthe eight Sahelian countries were ofthe moment the overall picture-we can see that without the order of 800,000 tons a year, they exceeded a million tons shadow of a doubt this is the most affected zone. The in 1982. According to estimates of FAO, consumption geographical and human area known as the Sahel is at may amount to 7 million tons in 1985 and 9 million tons present experiencing difficult and worrying times, in 1995, with import needs estimated at two or three brought about by the terrible drought ravaging our coun- million tons over the last decade of the century. Indeed, tries and the desertification which is inexorably gaining cereal production has shown an increase of 1 per cent a ground despite all the efforts of the Governments and year while the population has increased at a rate of over peoples of the region to check the degradation of the 2.5 per cent a year. It is estimated that the population Sahel. of the Sahel, which today numbers about 31 million, will 20. In the face oHhis situation, we believe it appropriate reach about 50 million by the end of the century. to set forth in the Assembly the concern of our countries 30. We are aware that to meet the growing food short-· and to give an account of the efforts we have made to age, an increase in production is absolutely indispensable, eliminate or at least reduce the causes of this problem. and that is why Sahelians have been devoting substantial Toughened by the bitterness of the struggle for survival, efforts to the difficult struggle thus imposed upon them. the Sahelian peoples have learnt to accept only the lan- For this, it is necessary not only to lay down a coherent guage of facts when what is at stake is food and the policy for development but also to find ways of bringing creation of the necessary conditions for a decent life. about more active participation on the part ofthe people, 21. Situated in the wide belt of the arid and semi-arid to adapt structures to the needs of development and zones of the continent, the Sahel covers an area of undertake large-scale action in the fields of training and approximately 146 million hectares. In countries con- research. cerned-Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, 31. Similarly, the development of rain-watered and Gambia, Upper Volta and Cape Verde-45 per cent to irrigated crops must be accompanied by action to protect 66 per cent of their territories is made up of arid and growing and stored crops. desert zones. 32. Tile struggle against pests that damage and destroy 22. A certain number of known factors have combined crops .must also be intensified, side by side with the to bring about accelerated deforestation, an increase in development of cultivation, and be the subject of joint the process of desertification, and hence an imbalance programmes both nationally and regionally. production~ ~ccumulation and deployment; let the nuclear nation. arsenal be reduced and eventually eliminated. Only when 90. Still present on the Latin American scene is the disarmament is universal, only when disarmament is military aggression that was carried out in the Malvinas complete, can there be international security. Let us Islands, which attempted to eternalize colonial domina- station missiles of peace and bury once and for all the tion over that territory, which is part of the Argentine missiles of war. nation. Nicaragua demands the implementation of the 84. In the wake of this policy of arms buildup, an decision by the Committee on decolonization on the escalation of aggression has been unleashed in different status of the Malvinas Islands, totally supporting the right parts of the world, vicf.hnizing the peoples of t:le third to which the Argentine people is entitled. world, some ofwhom have attained their liberation while 91. Once more we reiterate our support for the legiti- othem are still fighting for it. mate and just d.emand by the Republic of Bolivia for the ' 85. The racist regime ofPretoria, with the approval and recovery of a direct and useful route to the Pacific Ocean, encouragement of th(~ United States Government and with full sovereignty over it. We appeal to all States to other Governments which paradoxically claim to be voice their solidarity with the Bolivian people in this concerned for human rights, attacks and invades inalienable right. Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Z.~mbabwe, Seychelles, 92. With respect to the tragic and dangerous conflict Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland in an attempt to in Lebanon, the current crisis there is a direct result of consolidate and p~rpetuate apartheid and racism. the Zionist invasion and the expansionistic and hegemo- Nicaragua condemns the racist South African regime and nistic ambitions in the area. We appeal for respect of the voices its solidarity with the front-line States in their cease-fIre so that progress can be made toward reconcilia- decisiun to support the total liberation ofsouthern Africa. tion among all forces and sectors of that nation, in order 86. By the same token p we support the struggle of the to safeguard its sovereignty and end the increasingly direct people of Namibia and their legitimate representative, the intervention of the Powers currently involved there. South West Africa People's Organization [SWAPO], and 93. This policy of American military escalation can also we demand the speedy implementation of Security be seen in major, ongoing provocation against the Libyan Council resolution 435 (1978), as the Organization of Arab Jamahiriya. Nicaragua denounces and repudiates African Unity lOA U] demanded at its most recent summit these actions, while expressing its support to the Libyan meeting. people and Government. This aggriessive policy is also 87. We also express our solidarity with the African manifested in South-East Asia, where plans are being National Congress, many of whose courageous members hatched against the peoples of Viet Nam, Laos and have fallen in its just struggle, among them the three Kampuchea. Nicaragua confirms its solidarity with the South African anti-racist militants, amid the silence of heroic peoples of Viet Nam, Laos, and Kampuchea; Governments which maintain excellent relations with that condemns those destabilizing plans; and welcomes the regime. efforts by the Secretary-General and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries to promote unconditional dia- 88. Amidst democratic and humanistic postulates, 1 th t . f th . ogue among e coun nes 0 e regIon. assumed from monopolistic and demogogic positions, the peoples find themselves subjected to colonial and neo- 94. Meanwhile'din Afghanistan the United Nations has colonial rule imposed by those so-called democracies. also made consi erable efforts through its Secretary-· Such is t: j situation of the peoples ofthe Western Sahara General in the search for a political solution to the situa- and Puerto Rico, whose inalienable right to self-deter- tion in that region. The Non-Aligned Movement has mination continues to be trampled; of the Palestinian made similar efforts, issuing appeals that Nicaragua people, whose right to form their own State continues supports. to be denied; ofthe Korean peopl~ still artificially divided; 95. Among the most painful problems in'the critical of the Cypriot, Cuban, Argenthle and Panamanian peo- world situation is the war between Iran and Iraq. brother pies, part of whose territories are either occupied by or nations and members of the Non-Aligned Movement. We under the control of foreign Governments; and of the join in the calls for an end to this war so that through Honduran people, whose sovereignty has been under- negotiations both sides can reach an honourable, just and mined and whose ttdrritory has been occupied by the lasting peace. Am' , encan army. 96. Tbete should also be dialogue among the parties 89. Nicaragua repudiates the situations faced by those involved in, and a peaceful solution to, the conflict in territories and theref~re supports the struggle of the Chad, safeguarding the right of the people of Chad to ~~~~~~_~~T~~- ~.-.'~~~~~_. ali fr~~:?,menSt tanhadt phruemsl'danentriAllghtesn'daenanddththeePoooliv'ceYrnmOfenntoonf- $95 billion in 1982. e&~~ 103. But in the face of this unjust economic order, in Popular Unity defended until the very last moment. the face of this logic of the minorities, the logic of the 100. After the long struggle led by General Omar majority emerges with greater strength, ard it demands TthornT·jos~.thecPeoPletof~an~TahachihevedbtheSignIt'ng 0tf a reducti~ndin th~aliz~evedelopme~t gaPdbethtween th~ marfkeht- e omJos- arter reatles. ere ave een a temp s economy In usm countnes an e countnes 0 t e to violate and block the implementation of these agree- third world and a renegotiation of the terms of trade in ments, and the United States Government also continues order to establish a new international economic order to use Panamanian territory, in the so-called Canal Zone, which would include a strategy for food production aimed to train soldiers and mercenaries who are later employed at achieving third world self-sufficiency, with the coJJab- against the people of El Salvador and the people of oration of the developed countries and the international Nicaragl'$l. Further abusing its presence on Panamanian agencies. territory, the United States uses the bases ofthe Southern Command for the trans-shipment of tons of weapons, 104. The economic needs ofthe impoverished countries the transport ofAmerican soldiers and for spy-flights of must no longer be manipulated through economic and U-2, SR-71 and RC-135 aircraft-all with the intention military blackmail. The international community must of strengthening its policy of aggression against the reject all forms of discrimination and economic aggres- Central American people. sion. We repeat that in the face of the strategy of the wealthy lenders, a ~:trategy must be found by the impov- 101. Nicaragua demands the full application of the erished debtors. Torrijos-Carter treaties and demands that the Govern- ment of the United States stop using Panamanian ter- 10S. We have a duty to our peoples to establish an ritory in the so-called Canal Zone for launching aggressive organization of debtor countries which would enable us actions against the peoples of Central An.erica. to unite in a single forum. 111'that way we could move towards the formulation of a world economic policy in 102. This international situation, which constitutes an line with the logic of the majority. Tho problem of debt ever greater threat to peace, is related directly to the is not a unilateral problem, and that is why we must unite inequality and exploitation suffered by our peoples at the our efforts. This struggle must encompas~, the estab- hands ofthe developed countries with a market economy, lishment of fair trade prices and credit at reasonable which have imposed an unjust internation&J. economic interest rates sufficient to promote a massive transfer of ~~~~ir~~~o~~~~~~~de~~:~~h~~~~sgr~~ro~~~~~~ resources; the opening up of opportunities for develop- development. It is facing a crisis of its own making, the ment and for fulr~ng our obligations with dignity; the attainment of a suitable level of dialogue between the cost of which it is shifting to our nations. This economic wealthy and the impoverished; the establishment of a order reactivates its economy thr<lugh restrictive eco- permanent means ofconsultation among debtor nations; nomic adjustments and industrial redeployment which and the establishment of a point of reference for the has exacted a high social price from the inhabitants of activation of mechanisms of reciprocal assistance and those countries, with corresponding effects on the solidarity. economies of out countries. In the last four years this economic order has meant a drop in per capita income 106. In that way we will be taking specific steps in of 19 per cent for the countries of the Central American favour of peace and stability without further sacrificing region. This economic order meant a drop in export prices the well-being of our peoples. This requires above all an as large as 3.5 per cent in the year 1982 for the developing understanding of the need for a more balanced process countries that do not produce oil, while in that same of integral development for mankind, and therefore a ,Y~:.~~_:~:U:~ri::::::'::~:=:= anex~llhie'ds mafetreCrenaanb'leosO'dWyhsOtruwgegrlee fiSnl·alncleY tdheaf:teattl·emde anthde waters of United States naval vessels, totalling 56 viola- y... • tions of our territorial waters, 24 from Honduran terri- various United States Administrations have endeavoured tory and 32 from Costa Rican territory. These activities to stabilize brutal regimes in the region, which were to are for the infiltration and supplying of counter-revolu- become their principal instruments of domination, From tl'onary groups These actl'vI'tl'es by the Um'ted States that time in the history of our !'leoples there were to be . one landing ofAmerican soldiers after another and acts Admlnis.tratdion, for fwhich $19 millionh w~ iml·tiallh y of direct intervention by the United States in our lands appropnate, were 0 a covert nature at t e tIme. n t e aimed at propping up tyrannical Governments and ~rst m~l~tths of 19a182t!he CIA hatdhalrt eadylddesbigned ta J?lant drowning the peoples' struggle in blood. That was how lor mll ary esc a Ion, one a wou e pu ID 0 the Government of the United States became the best operation towards the end of that same year. friend of tyrants such as Somoza, Ubico, Carias and 114. The response of our people was immediate. Hemandez. And that was how the United States Gov- BetweenDecember~f1982andJanuaryofthis.yearthese emment became the greatest enemy of our peoples. In aggressions were deleated. In February the Umted States our region, American democracy has meant hunger and carried out joint military manoeuvres with the Honduran exploitation for the peasants and for the workers, and army to provide support to the counter-revolutionaries, it has meant fabulous wealth for the exploiting minorities. who had embarked on a new wave ofinvasions, but they 108. The triumph of the Nicaraguan revolution was but were again defeated. the result ofthis long struggle against American domina- 115. In July and September the Government of the ' tion, a struggle which began in 1855 against Walker and United States undertook new invasion attempts through which culminated on 19 July 1979 with the overthrow of the CIA, relying on the counter-revolutionaries and the Anastasio Somoza. Our revolution triumphed over this Honduran army. At the same time it continued to unjust United States policy, and while it is true that in conduct joi.nt manoeuvres with the Honduran army in the months immediately following that victory the possi- the area bordering on Nicaragua. In this month, Sep- bility ofnew relations with the United States was opened, tember, it began an exerCise called "Ahuas Tara 11", the entry into office of the new Administration in 1981 designed to create a military situation involving the cut short this effort. Once more it was the policy of the Honduran army in support of the army of El Salvador, "big stick", the policy ofgunboats, the policy ofterror. on the one hand, and on the other, to threaten our revolution with a show of force in which a blockade and 109. We could say that from that moment on, from d' .. ul d h mill' January 1981, the new United States Administration had uect aggression are ID no way r e out. T ese tary declared war on the people of Nicaragua. The strategy manoeuvres have been accompanied by naval manoeuvres was clear: military aggression, more economic aggres- unprecedented in the region, involving 19 warships with sion, more slander campaigns, more attempts to iso- 16,484 troops on board and 5,000 more United States late us internationally, all with the goal of destabilizing troops operating on Honduran soil. the Nicaraguan revolution in order to bring about its 116, These systematic military aggressions bythe United destruction. States Government have become increasingly overt, and 110. Thus they proposed to undermine the struggle of from 1979 to 1983 they have taken a toll of 717 Nica- the peoples of the region, and in particular the struggle raguand of the people of El Salvador. Crushing the Nicaraguan ~::w~~k~~:'lin~~Ji~n;r~d~cti~~:~~r~~~:ili:nore, revolution-according to the thinking ofthe United States 529 people-workers, students and technicians-have Administration's strategists-would mean crushing the b k'd d dS14h b d dId ~ possibilities for change in Central America and would een I nappe an ave een woun e . n elence maintain unchanged the situation of injustice and lack of their sovereignty our armed people have annihilated of freedom. They decided, therefore, to carry out a 1,636 counter-revolutionaries and wounded 280. As military encirclement of the fighting people of El Sal- another consequence ofthis United States policy we must d' d . h lib d I f N' add the losses our country has suffered from the des- va or, aIme too agaIDst t e erate peop e 0 Ica- truction of ports, damages to production facilities and ragua. From that time on,the American military presence d . f . . h al h in the region has been on the increase, openly in El estruc.tlon 0 construction equIpment, e t centres, Salvador and Honduras and covertly in Costa Rica. s3cbhilli°c,>ls an6dddaby-c~edcentres, which represent a total of on c r 0 as ID amages, amountlDg to one quarter Ill. Immediately there followed actions by the guards of our annual investments. ofthe Somoza regime. Armed, financed and directed by 117. This month a new form of attack began to be the United States Government through the CIA and the employed in an attempt to "normalize" escalation against Pentagon, they began their criminal operations against Nicaragua. Rocket-equipped planes coming from both our people from their bases of operations in Honduran Costa Rican and Honduran territory have dropped territory. SOO-pound bombs on the Augusto Cesar Sandino Inter- 112. Joining these aggressive actions from Costa Rican national Mrport and on schools, houses and fuel tanks territory were foreign mercenaries, counter-r~volution- in the .pdrt of Corinto. These bombings continue. aries of Nicaraguan origin and more Somoza guards. Another part of this new American escalation is the From its military base in the Southern Command i~ blowing up of an oil-pumping station located two miles ~ killed'Fincluding cfivhilians and memhber~ °df IthS4e :~i~~3fu~zf~~~:~~r:r~~~ ~~ti~~:SO~Jd~f~~% ~~:b~:~g~r3:~~~~~~~si~ i~Sri;h~ ~i~~:tp~;~i~t~~~ this vocation for peace, which is nothing more than the cannot be negotiated, cannot be discussed and must be sacred right of our peoples to demand peace, to win peace respected. and to defend it. 130. The avoidance ofa conflagration in Central Amer- 123. Yesterday we heard President Reagan state here, ica is an obligation that concerns the entire international [5th meeting] in the United Nations, that in Central community, defenders of the principles contained in the America, as in southern Africa, the United States is trying Charter ofthe United Nations. In the course of this year 169. The situation in Cyprus constitutes a potential danger to the peace and stability of the whole area. The members of the Community reaffirm their position as reflected in General Assembly resolutions 3212 (XXIX) and 3395 (XXX), which call for respect for the indepen- dence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus. They hope that no action running counter to these principles will be undertaken. They have consis- tently supported the efforts of the Secretary-General, under whose auspices intercommunal talks were estab- lished on a regular basis. They welcome his renewed personal involvement in the search for a just and viable solution. 170. In southern Africa Namibia continues to be ille- gally occupied by South Africa in defiance of interna- tionallaw and United Nations resolutions. The European Community has firmly and repeatedly expressed its con- viction that the people of Namibia must be allowed to determine their own future through free and fair elections held under the supervision and control of the United Nations, in accordance with Security Council resolu- tion 435 (1978). We reiterate this conviction today and express our full support for the efforts of the contact ~}lP, thanks to which a settlement has been within reach for some time now. We also wish to express appreciation , for the efforts of the front-line States. /d~clarationsof the Seventh.Conference ~f Heads of Stat~ .. or Government of Non-Aligned Countnes at New Delhi [A/38/132 and Corr.l and 2) and of the Group of 77 at Buenos Aires 11 earlier this year. In this context I measure~ w:'ii ,in fact be applied. I cannot confine myself to merelr c~~1demning from this rostrum an act which cost the lives of 269 innocent people. I also vigorously deplore the blow dealt by this act to international confi- dence, without which detente and peace are impossible. I wish to reiterate the sincerest condolences of the Belgian Government to the Government of the Republic of Korea, a friendly Government whose tireless efforts to bring about a peaceful and democratic reunification of the Korean peninsula, as well as the reuniting of fami- lies divided for more than 30 years now by the Korean tragedy, we very much appreciate. 252. Never has the need for a stable and secure organi- zation of international society been so keenly felt, and never has a more turbulent world made it more difficult to achieve this goal. If, like Paul Valery, we take a look at the world today, we can really only find grounds for frustration and anxiety. It is enough to pronounce names such as Middle East, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq, Afghani- stan, Kampuchea, Horn of Africa, Chad, southern Africa, Central America, Chile, Cyprus-and others which I am not even mentioning-to appreciate the number ofconflicts which today bedevil relations between States. 253. Here and there, brave men and nations are trying to work out the elements of a peaceful solution. In this respect, I would like to salute the efforts ofthe Contadora Group and also to express the hope that national recon- ciliation will make it possible for Lebanon, through its legitimate Government, to bring about a national recon- ciliation, which would allow that country, finally freed from foreign occupation, to enjoy the peace which it so very much wants. 254. I would also like to repeat Belgium's profound conviction that a just and lasting peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without recognition of the existence and security of all States in the region, including Israel, and the legitimate aspirations of all its peoples, particu- larly the Palestinian people. 255. I belong to that generation which witnessed the birth of the nuclear age, which is the anxious if not horrified witness of its proliferation and which has never really adjusted to the idea of living with the fear caused by its existence. I am among those who are strugrJing for NOTES :Report of rhe United Nations Conference on Desertification. Nairobi. 29 August-9 SepteT','?r 1977 (A/CONF.74/36), chap. I. 2Frel~te Popular para la Li~eraci6n de Saguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro. 3Panama Canal Treaty and Treaty concerning the Permanent Neu- trality a'1d Operation of the Panama Canal, signed on 7 September 1977. 4Final Act of the Con~erence on Security and Co-operation in Europe. signed at Helsinki on 1 August 1975. 5See Weekly Compilation ofPresidentL· -,'ocuments, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1982, vol. IS, No. 35, p. 1081. 11Ibid., vol. I, ,'.nex VI.