A/41/PV.36 General Assembly

This morning, the Assembly will first consider the third report of the General Committee ~ich is to be found in document A/41/250/Add.2. In paragraph 1 (a) and (b), the General COIIlIlittee recoIl1Ilends the inclusion in the agenda of an additional item entitled "Israeli nuclear armament" and its allocation to the First Corrmittee. May I consider that the General Assembly apprOl7es the recommenda ticn of the Genera 1 Commit tee? It was so decided.

In paragraph 2 (a) and (b), the General Committee recommends the inclusion in the agC'nda of an additional item entitled "Emergency assistance to El salvador" and recommends that it be considered directly in plenary meeting. May I take it that the General Assembly adopts that recoIIIDendation? It was so decided.

In their letter of 13 OCtober 1986 (A/41/243), the .sponsors of this item requested that the item be considered with priority because of its important and urgent character. In the light of the urgent nature of this request, may I take it that the Asserrbly wishes to consider this item immediately before continuing the debate on item 38, entitled "Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functicning of the United Nations"? It was so decided. AGENDA ITPH 145 IMBRGBNCi ASSISTANCE '10 EL SALw.DOR: DRAPT RESOWTION A/41/L.4 The PRESIDE!!: The AI!IseJllbly will new consider agenda item 145, entitled -BIlergency assistance to El salvador-. In this connection the draft resolution in docuaent A/41/L.4 is now being distributed in the General Assellibly Hall. I call upon the rep:esentative of Mexico, who "ill intro&1ce the draft resolution in his capacity as Chairaan of the Iatin AIlerican Group. Hr. MOYA BUBNCIA (Mexico) (interp:etation frosa Spanishh Once again the adverse fcxces of nature have struck a fraternal people. Last Friday, 10 Q::tcOer, Bl. salvador was struck by a ser ious earthquake which led to the loss of hundreds of ~uaan lives and left thousands homeless. In addition there was tremendous J1Bterial aa_gee At the present time El salvador is the victim of adversity but peoples show the.elves in their true colours 'Ibm faced with challenges and the salvadcxians are showing that from difficult situations such as this they will emerge strengthened, foe they are already irwolved in saving their victillS and already beginning to rebuild their ~pital and other daJlllged areas. Foe that reason ay delegation, tlhich holds the Chairmanship of the Iatin American and Caribbean Group, and on behalf of all the co-sp:msoes of the draft resolution A/41/L.4 - Argentina, the Bahaaas, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, ColoJlbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El salvad:)r, Equator lal Guinea, Guatemla, Haiti, Bmduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panam, Peru, portugal, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela - are introd.1cing this draft resolution on ellergency assistance tn El salvadoe. The draft resolution expresses the solidarity and support of the international co_unity to the Goverrment and people of El 8alvad:)r and its appreciatim to the States, international agencies and non-governmental organizations .nich are already providing eaergency relief to that comtry. It calls upon all States to centr ibute generously to the relief and reoonstruction efforts in the affected areas. It requests the secretary-General to co-cxdinate the multilateral assistance and, in oonsultation with the Q)verrment of El 8alvada:, to identify the eaergency and _di_-tera and lcng-tera needs in ocder to contr ibute to the reoonstruction of the affected areas. A year ago ay comtry experienced a similar natural catastrophe and we received the solidar ity and assistance of the international oo_unity represented here. Now it is our turn to urge MeDber States of this Assellbly to co~perate in the same way with the people and Goverrment of El salvador. we would ask that this draft res.olution beCOlle a General ASSellbly resolution and that it be implemented with generous solider ity'i that we shOlo1 that one of the essential purposes of the Olited Nations, tllhich is to being about intecnational co-operation in order to resolve all kinds of international problems, such as those stemming fran natural disasters, is still valid. we hope we will be able to show that in times of distress, and above and beyond any political oonsideraticns, international solidarity and friendship aaong peoples thr.ive. The PRBSIDEN'1': May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to adopt the draft resolution? The draft resoluticn was adopted (resoluticn 41/2). Mr. YQ;T (Oli ted States of America): I wish again to express in this Assembly, on behalf of the Government and people of the United States, our deep sense of loss and sympa thy to President DUarte, his Gcwernment and the people of El salvador in the terrible suffer ing caused to their oountry by the earthquake last weeken4. BWldreds of salvad«ians have apparently been killed and thous.mds injured and ..de ha.el_s. The ..jor aa_ge to baspitals is especially distressing. Presid..t Reagan bas written to Presid8'lt Duarte as follows: -Please accept our pcc.i5e to belp in any way we can. 1 bave directed Dlited States gaverruaent agencies to pcavlde :;aistance a8 appcopriate. 1 know JOu are doing all you can to belp your naticm in this sad hour.- Tbe secretary of State bas written to the l'Cl£ftign Minister of El sal.vadcx: -I would like to usure you that we in the Dlitee! States Governant, as well as the AIIericln people, stand with you. we -will, of coutse, do everything in our power to belp tbe salvacJorian people at this tiae.- (Hr. Yost, United States) It is heartening to see the international CORIIlunity join hands once .are to meet this urgent hwaan need. Along with others, the United States is already providing assistance to El Salvador as its Government seeks to deal with this great disaster. We are making every effort to program.e Sl million immediately for health needs. $400,000 has already been provided for urgent disaster help and we continue to work with the international cc.munity in the disbursement of these funds. Additional funds will be requested urgently during the course of this week. We intend to do all we can to heo1p the brave people of El salvador and their Government to overcome the effeets of this earthquake. We nave no doubt that El Salvador will triW1lph over this adversity as it has over so many others. Mr. MELENDEZ (El Salvador) (interpretation from Spanish): On behalf of the people and GoverlUlent of El Salvador, I must express our sincere thanks for the solidarity and assistance that the .eabers of the international ca.munity are giving the people of El Salvador, both bilaterally and lIultilaterally, during this very difficult period caused by a natural disaster. S~ilarly, we thank the sec:retary-General for the concern he has shown and for the e.ergency -measures taken to help the many Salvadorian victims. We are also BIOst grateful for the assistance given by governmental and non-governmental organizations and by private persons who are trying to help us cope with the difficult situation in El Salvador.

This concludes our consideration of agenda itell 145. (Mr. Yost, United States)