A/39/PV.14 General Assembly

Allow me, Sir, to extend to you my warmest congratulations on your unanimous election as Presi- dent of the General Assembly. I am certain that your wide experience in international affairs and your commitment to the principles of justice and peace will ensure the success of this session. 2. I also wish to thank your predecessor, Mr. Jorge Illueca, for the outstanding skill and dedication with which he conducted the work of the Assembly's thirty-eighth session. His wise leadership contributed immensely to the achievement of positive results during that session. 3. The efforts of the Secretary-General, aimed at achieving international peace, also deserve our full appreciation. Despite the difficulties faced by the United Nations and the attempts made to undermine it, he has managed, through his sincere and persistent efforts, to keep alive the hope of collective action. 4. I also wish to welcome Brunei Darussalam on its admission to the United Nations. 5. A brief review of international events and devel- opments since our meeting here last year reveals the extent to which international peace and security have deteriorated. As the old international disputes con- tinue and even intensify, new ones have emerged, Despite the efforts to solve some of these disputes and the attempts to prevent the worsening of others, international relations remain fraught with tension. Danger is still hanging over the world's security and stability. Efforts to minimize the risks of existing conflicts and disputes have not yielded the desired results. On the whole, those efforts have failed to reduce the tension in the international situation; an atmosphere of helplessness and stagnation still ham- pers attempts to achieve peace on our planet and to prevent a world disaster. 6. I would say in all humbleness that we are moving in a direction opposite to universal peace and security. The repeated appeals and statements about the dangerous international situation. emanating from all parts of the world and demanding action to halt the drift into the unknown have not been heeded. Rather, the escalation of international dis- putes has been accompanied by a dangerous trend, characterized by a lack of enthusiasm and desire for collective action and a disregard for the principle of NEW YORK h. Despite the interdependence prevailing in rela- tions between States, we are still looking for soluti1lns to the problems that arise as a result of this very interdependence by using conventional concepts, in particular, the concept of power, which very often leads to unwise political prescriptions. Some believe that the security impasse resulting from the nature of the internat;onal system can be solved through armaments, alliances or the division ofthe world into spheres of influence by attracting supporters to one camp or another. Planning for war and the develop- ment of strategies to conduct war have overshadowed our capacity to determine the needs of our peoples for security and prosperity and to respond to their concern about their fate and their yearning for peace. 9. The present arms race between the two super- Powers and the freezing of efforts aimed at its containment are considered the greatest dangers to international peace and security today. In addition., the increased rivalry between East and West, the lack of detente, the revival of the cold-war atmosphere and the dangerous polarization prevailing between the two super-Powers have &:11 had negative repercus- sions on international relations, particularly on vari- ous regional disputes. The cold-war atmosphere has resulted in an increase in and intensification of regional disputes, as well as in the faltering of efforts made to tackle them. It has also distorted the perception of the real causes of these disputes and of their origins. The legitimate interests of the aggrieved peoples have been relegated to second place in favour of thr. requirements of the rivalry between the two super·Powers. This rivalry, in turn, has overshad- owed the economic, social and political causes of many regional disputes. Many have been led to view world problems only within the context of super- Power competition. The super-Powers, in turn, have come to the conclusion that the easiest way to solve their differences is through the acquisition and development of nuclear arsenals. 12. Our concern over the aggravation of the inter- national situation stems, basically, from the situation prevailing in our region-the Middle East. In fact, this region, comprising States from two continents with peoples of different cultures and schools of thought, has been plagued with a chronic and explo- sive dispute: the Arab-Israeli conflict. I should like once again to discuss the root causes of this conflict and the reaSOIl5 why it has remained obstinately insoluble to this day, after yet another year full of numerous important developments. The events of the past year, as far as the Arab-Israeli conflict is conceMed, have reconfirmed three basic facts. 13. First, the Arab States and the Palestinian people have expressed, on more than one occasion, their desire to achieve a just and comprehensive peace assertin~ that the implementation of that important international resolution provides a good opportunity for satisfying the demand of the Palestinian people to ~o prevent f~rther dete~ioration.are to work. for the 47. The existing realities are such that there are Iml?l.ementatlOn of Umted NatIOns resolutIOns, to countries of different political, ideological and socio- facIlItate t.h~ role of .the Secretary-General and re- economic systems existing on our planet. To extend spond. p~sltIvely to h~s valuabl~ efforts a~d, finally, ideological differences to inter-State relations and to to revitalIze the Secunty Counc.I1, thus puttmg an end make them the basis of foreign policy is an illogical to .LS current state of paralysIs. and dangerous practice. The international situation is 41. In conclusion, Jordan, which considers the further worsened by attempts to exert political, problem of Palestine its own problem and has borne, economic and diplomatic pressure against the social- together with the Palestinian Arab people, all the ist countries and to mount propaganda campaigns, consequences of the Israeli occupation, expresses its unprecedented in thtir scope, which in effect consti- firm commitment to the legitimate rights of the tutes psychological warfare. Pale~tinian people in ~alestin~ and. d~clare~ its 48. In fact, this attack is directed not only against readmess to f;o-operate with ~ll sm~ere mlerna~lOnal the socialist countries but also against all those who ~fforts to end the Ar~b-IsraelI conflict a~d ,~~hleve a reject as unacceptable the policy of hegemonism and J~st a!1d comprehensive peace o.n the ~asls 01 mterna- diktat. Everyone who is opposed to such a policy is tlOnal consensus-that. IS, terntory ~n exchan~e for declared an outlaw. Such "logic" is extremely danger- peace. Jordan emphaslz~s once. agam the bas~s for ous in the age of nuclear weapons. peace spelt out by the mternatIonal commumty as follows: a comprehensive-not a partial-peace; the 49. W~ regar~ as extremely dangero.us, and ;.ve complete withdrawal of Israel from all Ara.b territo- emphatIcally reject, the concepts. accordl.ng to whlc~ ries occupied in 1967, including Arab Jeru.salem; the peace could be safeguarded and m~ernatlOnal secun- right of the Palestini~n pf,~)plc to self-de~ermination ty enhanced through the execut~on of large-scale in Palestine; the right of all States in the region to live progra':llmes for over-rearmament and ~he end;less in peace within internationally recognized borders. /~scalatIOn of th~ arms race. Plans are b.emg devised . • . 01, the very basIs of such concepts, which creates a 42. Jo~dan declares It~ f~ll willIngness to work o.n real danger of turning Europe into a theatre of ~he basIs of thes~ prmclples and t~wards their "limited'~ nuclear warfare. The calls for the creation ImplementatIOn wlthm a comprehenSive and bal- of a potential for the launching of a "first pre- anced p~ace process. emptive strike" and action along those lines are 43. Mr. MLADENOV (Bulgaria) (interpretation tantamount to preparations for a nuclear war. The from Russian): Permit me to congratulate you, Sir, on acquisition of new types and systems of weap(.)DS of your election to the high post of President of the mass destruction, the deployment in Western Europe General Assembly at its thirty-ninth session. In your of medium-range nuclear missiles and thf~ ?lans for person, we greet an eminent son of Africa, the the militarization of outer space have not only failed representative of friendly Zambia. We are convinced to strengthen but on the contrary have undermined that under your able guidance the world Organiza- peace and international security. Such actions imper- tion will adopt important decisions aimed at easing il the life and future of everyone, including those of international tension and strengthening security and their initiators. peace throughout the entire world. 50. The countries of the socialist community, in- 44. I would also like to congratulate the delegation cluding the People's Republic of Bulgaria, have of Brunei Darussalam on the occasion of its admis- repeatedly emphasized that the only sensible policy is sion to membership of the United Nations. one of peaceful coexistence among States with differ- 45. An objective assessment of the situation in the ing social systen:ts. ~hi~ policy.has de~onstrated .its world bears witness to the fact that no positive advan~ag~s and ItS ViabilIty. It IS fully m. accord ~Ith changes have occurred in international 'affairs over the pr~nclples of the Ch.arter of. the Ulllted Nations the past year. On the contrary, even more serious and ~Ith ~ontcmporary mternatIo~allaw. Today the signs have appeared, pointing to an aggravation of questIC?n IS whether !he. count~les of the North the danger that looms over the whole of mankind-- Atlantl(; Treaty Or~amzatlOn [NATO] are ready to the danger of a devastating nuclear war. The respon- adhere.to such a polIcy. The fate and the future of all sibility for this state of affairs rests exclusively with count.nes and peoples depend on the answer to that certain imperialist circles, above all with the United questlon. States, which is pursuing 'it policy of confrontation 51. We have repeatedly and resolutely declared our and escalation of the arms race, striving to secure readiness for dialogue, for negotiations to reach ~ocial tensions in the world are being aggravated as a mov.ement~ which uti!izes ~oth .the Torah and the result of the disequilibrium in international relations, Nct;ZI qoctnne of s~cunty. It 1§ e':lde!1t that these. two the widening gap between the industrialized and ~bJectIv~s move m full co-or.dmatl~n. at all tImes developing nations, the alarming escalation of the Irresp~Ct1.ve of who leads the ImpefIahst forces and arms race and the increasing tension in various parts the ZIOnISt movement. ~f the world. All t~ese deyelopments make i~ essen- 89. An in-depth review of the main events of the tIal. for us to examme seno~sly and responsIbly the region and the concurrent Israeli aggressions backed vanous problem~ from whIch the peoples of the by the forces of imperialism in 1956, 1967 and 1982 world are .sufferm~, as wel! as the causes of the confirms these facts. It also confirms that the imperi.. dangerous mternatIonal tensIon, and to seek appro- alists and the racist Zionists would take account of pri~te soluti~ns there~o within the frat~nework o~ th.e everything except the rights of the peoples of the UnIted NatIons and .m accordance wIth the prmcI- region and their national interests. They attempt to pIes and purposes of ItS Charter: All t~e coun,tnes of exploit everything available in this re~ion: human ~e w<?r1d. are aware of t~e qIfficultIes facIJ?g t~e beings, lands, oil, history and even rehgion for the Or&amzatI0lf and prev~ntmg It from ~ssumm~ Its sake of fulfilling their colonialist objectives. They do basI~ role m the vanous fields of mternatIOnal not hesitate to declare publicly that they have vital relatIOns. yve all ~now the sources, causes and results interests in our region which they cannot give up of those dIfficultIes. The enhancement of the role of even if this were to lead to a nuclear confrontation t~e United Nations iJ? t~e m~in~enance of intern~- They act in our region at: if our interests are les~ tIO~a~ peace.and sec~nty IS an mdI~pe.nsabl~ fa~tor.m important than theirs. They demand that we make bUIldmg an mter,natIOnal ~om~untty III WhICh Ju;stIce peace with our enemies at any cost because they are and p~a~e prevaIl and WhICh IS free fr~m the evtl~ of their allies, and that we antagonize our ffIends colomalIsm and from all ferms of raCIsm, aggressIOn unjustifiably because they are their enemies. They and hegemony. consider our defensive weapons as offensive ones. 85. 'Nhile the world is afflicted by many hotbeds of They regard o~r territorial. waters as intern~tional tensiun and confrontation, the Middle East region water~. They VIew our re~Istance to occupatIon ~s remains the most dangerolls and most explosive, the terronsm. They ~ollude w~th some Arab leaders m most threatening to international peace and security. order to undermlJ?e the !Jmty of !he Arab ranks and It is no secret that this region, by virtue of its vital to make them shIrk.theIr commItments. Th~~ ~hey strategic location, its vast economic potential and its p~et~nd to be worned over the present dIVISIons ancient spiritual and cultural heritage, is one of the wIthm the Arab fold, and they al?peal to us to close most sensitive and conplex regions of the world. It ranks, but only under the IsraelI umbrella. lies at the heart of the ancient world, at the point of 90. This is the substance of the plan of the Camp contact between the Orient and the Occident. It David agreements and this is the quintessence of the overlooks the t~ree most important waterways of the Israeli concept of security to which the United States world: the MedIterranean Sea, the Gulf and the Red totally adheres. This is the core of the strategic Sea. Its reserves of energy ext;eed those of the rest of alliance between the United States and Israel. the world by more than half. In a~ditio~,.the area is 91. There is countless proof of what I have said. the cradle of the three monothe!st relIgIOns. The United Nations, which, since its inception, has 86. Throughout the phases of its long history, this been witness to the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict region has witnessed various waves of invaders and and the Palestinian question, and which has adopted conquerors. Until recent times, it was a base for hundreds of resolutions to deal with these questions, coloo!alists, and most recently, part of its territory, is fully cognizant of the party that is mainly responsi- c~nfident of a bright future and of achieving 115. The Syrian Arab Republic once more draws VICtOry over the aggressors." the attention of the international community to the 109. The severe economic crises confronting the fact that Israel's nuclear capabilities and its persistent world in recent years should prompt the Western refusal to ratify the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation industrialized countries to realize that the continua- of Nuclear Weapons and to place its nuclear installa- tion of progress and development as a one-direction- tions under international control constitute a real al path no longer meets the requirements of our time, threat to the security of the Mediterranean countries in which all peoples of the world look forward to the and the Middle East as a whole and obstruct the establishment of a new international economic order establishment of a nuclear-free zone. The Syrian and the building of equitable international economic Arab Republic supports the idea of making the relations. Only in those conditions can the develop- Middle East region a nuclear-free zone in order to ing countries catch up with technological progress, lessen tensions in the region, in accordance with acquire the resources needed for their development, General Assembly resolutions. meet their basic r,equiref!1e~ts, and thus reduce !he 116. The tense political situation resulting from the gap be,tween the mdustrIalIzed and the developmg escalation of aggression and the inability to deter it countnes. places the world on the brink ofan abyss. In southern 110, The international community must also face Africa, the racist minority regime of Pretoria is still up to other contradictions and disequilibrium owing, pursuing its evil racial policy of apartheid and its on the one hand, to the enormous expenditures on illegitimate occupation of Namibia, in defiance of the production and development of nuclear arms, the international community and its will, as em- and, on the other, to the ever-increasing resort to bodied in the Charter and resolutions of the United economic pressures by the imperialists against devel- Nations. The racist regime continues to enjoy persist- opin~ nations as a means of political blackmail. The ent and increasing support by some Western Europe- prohIbition of the use of such means and the an countries and the United States, contrary to their establishment of the foundations of international obligations under the provisions of the Charter and economic security are indispensable in building and resolutions of the United Nations. e,nhancing confidence in international economic rela- 117. Furthermore, the Cllliance between that regime tlOns. and the racist regime in Tel Aviv and their collabora- Ill. The world is confronting a dangerous escala- tion in various fields-in particul~r, the military and tion in the arms race, particularly nuclear arms. This nuclear fields-as well as the co-ordination of their enslavin~ and predatory interests of United States peoples and countries will soon find a common imperialIsm and Soviet social-imperialism, of the lan~uage to put an end to bloodshed, as that is in Israeli Zionists and ef other imperialist Powers clash theIr own interest and in that of the struggle of the fiercely with each other. The policy of the super- peoples of the region. Powers in the Middle East has kept that zone in a 159. The laying of mines in the Red Sea and the permanently explosive state. hasie of the super-Powers and certain other countries 154. Experience has clearly shown that the United to dispatch their warships and heHcopters there in States Marines and the multinational force were not order allegedly to clear the mines are part of the sent to Lebanon to bring Israeli aggression to a halt pretext they have long sought to build up their or to establish calm in that country but rather to military presence there and to maintain a permanent- make possible the implementation of the Zionist and ly tense situation in that region. The present scenario interfer~nce of the imperialist Powers, especially the 174. This year, the Albanian people will celebrate super-Powers, in their continent. the fortieth anniversary of the liberation of their 164. The situation in Central America continues to homeland and the triumph of their people's revolu- be tense and fraught with serious threats to the tion. Our people have accomplished more in these freedom and independence of the peoples of that four decades than in all the preceding centuries region and of Latin America. The invasion of because, under the leadership of the Albanian Labour Grenada and the pressures, threats and acts of direct Party, with Comrade Enver Hoxha at its head, and provocation against Nicaragua clearly attest to the thanks to their own hard work and stubborn efforts, intensification of int~rference and the unchanging they have emerged out of the darkness into light and aggressive policy of United States imperialism on have made great socialist changes in all fields. that continent. 175. The all-round development of the country, 165. The situation in that unstable region is made based on self-reliance, the building up of industry even more complex because Soviet social-imperial- founded on its own domestic resources and of ism is very cunningly trying to exploit the struggle of agriculture so that the country is self-sufficient in those peoples against United States oppression and foodstuffs, the major successes achieved in the fields domination in order to increase its influence in that of education, culture and science, and the training of regIOn. a considerable number of workers at the high and 166. This is a living expression vf the policy that middle levels have guaranteed uninterrupted eco- the two super-Powers pursue in order to challenge nomic and cultural development and a steady im- one another in the regions that they consider to be provement in the standard of living of the working their spheres of influence. This is the aim of the people. "differentiated policy" of the United States towards 176. The major changes brought about in Albania Eastern Europe and the attempts of the Soviet Union in these 40 years of the people's power are clear to arrive at a separate "detente" with Western evidence of the superiority of the socialist system. Europe. 177. Our State pursues a foreign policy of l'riend- 167. The United States talks more and more about ship with all peace-loving countries. It is a completely the so-called "Pacific initiative", under which the independent policy, for it is not conditioned by attention of United States policy would be focused political or military pacts or by exclusive economic more on that region. It is quite clear that, apart from organizations. We are in favour of commercial, the pressure it seeks to put on its European allies, cultural and scientific exchanges with other coun- that "initiative" does not go beyond the limits of the tries. based on mutual ad vantage and free of all 178. Albania is a small country, but in spite of this, it has the same right as all the other States Members ofthe United Nations to express its views openly and unhesitatingly, convinced that in this manner it best serves its highest national interests, the cause of peoples and international security. NOTES ·Ofjicial Records of the Security Council. Thirt.v-ninth Year, Supplement for July, August and September 1984, document 5/16732. 2Enver Hoxha, Reflections on the Middle East (Tirana, The B Neutori Publishing House, 1984), pp. 535 and 536.