A/44/PV.28 General Assembly

I should like to congratulate the deleqations of f.:he followinCi cOW'itries for beinq in their seats at 10 minutes past 10 this morninq: Afghanistan, Anqola, ArQentina, Australia, Bangladesh, BelgiuM, Burkina Faso, the Byelorussian SSR, Canada, China, CololTbia, Cuba, Finland, France, Gambia, the German Democratic Republic, Greece, Guin~1a-Bissau, Honduras, Iceland, Kuwait, Liberia, Mongolia, Niqeria, Norway, Singapore, the Soviet Union, Thailand, Turkey, the Ukrainian SSft, the United Kinqdom, Vanuatu and Venezuela. I thank them £Ol: their co-opera tion. Mr. JOffiSON (Liberia): On behalf of the deleqation of Liberia and on my own behalf, I conQratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session. Your unanimous election to. this hiQh office is a tribute not only to Niqeria and Africa but also to your outstandinq personal qualities as a statesman. The wealth of diplomatic experience and proven negotiating skills you bring to this assiqnment fully assure us of the successful conclusion of our deliberations and the efficient management of the affairs of the Assembl~' over the next 12 months. Furthermore, qiven the very cordial and lonq-standing brotherly relations between our two countries, you can rest assured of my de1eqation's complete support an" co-operation. We recall with satisfaction the very close working relationship which existed between the deleqations of Niqer ia ana Liber la in 1969, 20 years aqo, when my country, represented by Mrs. Anqie 8rooks-Randolph, had the distinction of occupying the hiqh post tion of Presic:!ent of the General Assemblv. Let me also pay a well-deserved tr ibute to your d1stinQuished predecessor, Mr. Dante Caputo, for the effective manner in which he conducted the work of the forty-third session. We wish him Godspeed in all his future endeavours. Allow .e, finally, to e~tenc1 to our lUuetrioUB secretary-General sincere than):. for the outst&nc1inq perfor_nee of the Socrotariat since the last s.s»n of the Glfteral Auellbly. Ris lIMY initiatives ir.,. and ccntinuinq pKscnal ~it.ent to, the s.r-m for tIOirld peC6' and understanding !!lesHve the hiqbest cc...n&1tion aDI! approbation of the Aa.lIlbly. Tt... establish_nt of the United Nations 44 veal'S aQO aarked the beqi'l"lhinq of a ne..... in international relat;ions. ay awptinc; its Cbarter and instituting a vorklnq syst. of interB'lational co-operation, vC! resolved to eradicate the seourq" of var, to strengthen peace tMouqh justlce and international law" to respect the 8Jual riqhts of all nations, larqe and 8_11, to promote social progress and to protect huun rights throuqhout the vorld. In tJ\is t8q&rcl the United Nations has become 1nor.s ingly a centre for: haraanizing the effor:ts of nations in the attainment of the common aspirations of the international ClO!llIIUnitl'. The convening of these annual sessions has thus prcwided the opportunity not anly to reaffirm our commitment to lIultilatersl1slft but also to explore new ways of transforming our hopes far solidarity into concrete action fOfpe4ce Md devalopJlent. It is aqainst this backqround that, "hUe taklnq note of the continuing iapZ'ovelHftt in super-Power re~":~."'ns that has further reduced c;lobal tension, my delegation Must ncne the leal) reqister its qrave concern that since we last uselllbled here IiiQ8t of the regional conflicts that appeared to be en the verge of resolution have continued to defy settlement. P« example, in Afqhanistan, civil war raqes en deBpt. te the Geneva Aqreeaents, in Lebanon, a resurgence of sectional and factional strife wntinu. to be fuelled by the pr.ence of foreign forcesJ in Iran and Iraq, Cli.fftluftcee in interpretation of Seoul:ity Council resolution 598 (1387) have stalled the process towards a p.Cflful aettlellenta in the Middle Bast, the f!qhtinq qou on and tension re_ins hl4Jb as various i)eaee initiatives have been re~ctedJ in K'Ullpuch., the announced withdrawal of fexeiqft forces has not .terlally ch81'lQed the situation; and so on. In the • .-tu-e, _ost deleqations at the forty-fourth session of the Gene~al Auellbly have biqhUghted, as they have done in the past. their res~ctive Governllent's position on eacb of these and other regional ca.nflicts. Pursuant te thie tradit1cn, therefore, the Liberian delegation, in its turn, wishes to state ita position, as follGls: In respect of the situation in the Midale East, my Government _:1ntains that a just and lastlnq settlement Bust take into account the dqbts of the Palestinian people to salfoodeter!l!natlon, as well as the r: Iqhts of all other States In the reqicm, lncludlnq Israel, to exist in secure and internationally recoqnized boundaries. In the meantime, whUe the many enliqhtened peace initiatives that have been f)ropcsed, Includlnq the IIOSt recent by PreeidentHosni Mubarek of Bqypt, constitute very useful contr!buttons to the search for a solution, my deleqation wishes to reiterate our call foe the convening of an international conference en the Middle Bast, under the auspices o~ the United Nations, with equal peu:ticipatton of all the parUes concerned, inclUding the Palestine Liberation Organization, the authentic repr....tative of the Palestinian people. We lire convinced that such a conferen~e would enhance the process leading to a durable peace in the recdon. The factional strife in Lebanon, which has continued unabated, rellams of grave caneen to lIlY Sewen_ent, not least because of the very close relations which Liberia has enjoyed vi th that country over the vears. We therefore support the call fex withdr~&l of all foreiqn f",rcea from Lebanon, respect for ita 8cwereiQnty and tell:ritDrial inteqP:!.ty and the safequardinq of 11:8 in4epenc1enee. In this cannectlon, "e ~d the effort8 ef the Tripartite C~tt.. of the Arab Bads of State, whieb it 18 to be hoped will contribute towards ending the .ufferinq. of the Labannee peeple.. With respect to the probl_ of Ka-.:mch., "e note that, whUe th. reeent Par1. Internat!cnal Cenference on Callbodia ami.eeI proqres8 in elabor:atinq a "ide variety of el_ants necessary for r.dlifiQ a settletlent, it vu not pOS.ible to adli.e a caaprebensiv. political 8(Jll~tion. My deleqaticn therefore ccntinues ~o support the call for the "ithdr_al of &11 forelqn forces frOll that country under international supervision" to enable the Kaspuchean people ~ exercise their inalienable rlqht to self-deterl!ination throuqh free and fair elections. The renewed cOllllitaent of the l_ders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish CVpdot co.-un!tie& would be a positive step in the riqht direction towa"da resolvinq the Cyprus questian.. In this reqard. the efforts of the Secretary-G.meral, 1n CG'8Pliance with the _ndate of qooCl offices entrusted to hil1l by the Security Council, continue to be IIOlIt useful and should be fully utilized by the two sides to obtain an cwerall settl.ent, takinq into consideration the leqitiute interests and concerns of both ee-unities. The Secretary-General in his report (A/4411) ooints to further constructive developments towards endinq the diapute in Western Sahara and the acceptance, with fic.e re.arks and co-.ents, of the peace plan presented to the parties by hillSelf and the Chairllan of the OrqanizatiCXl of African Unity. While accepting that solle ti_ will be required for the l~letlentation "f the plan, we urge both parties to euster the political "1111 necessary for solution of this prcblelll. In connection with Korea, we encoura~e the resumption of dialoque between SOuth Korea and North Korea wi th & view to easinq tension. Furthermore. we believe that tlellbershlJ) of the two Kores in the United Nations should broaden the scope for their peaceful reunification. With respect to Central America, siqnificant developments have taken place uhicb point towards prospects for peace in that reqion. The fAcent siqninq of the ·Tela Accord by five Central American Presidents is yet another manifestation of cc.litment to the undertakinqs assured under the Esquipulas XI Aqreement by the GovernMnts and peoples of Central Asler lea. Bavinq suuarized Liberia's position on these reqional conflicts, we are convinced that there is now a need for the int:e~nat1onal collllllUnity to QO beyond these annual restatements of positions and muster the necessary couraqe to accept the rule of 1_ as the basis not only for the settlement of disputes, but indeed for the ccmduct of internatianal relations as a ....ale. In our: vi..., quite apart fre. un's .elfish nature and his Iftllatiable carN for pawer and ".lth, th~ one fa~or that 8... to underlie IIOI!It, if not all, rec)icnal collfUcta, 18 ..'s failure to accept international 1av as 8ft effective tnstr:UMnt for the achlev_ent and _intenance of world peace and security. That is "!Iv ay delega tlon fully ..decs.the call of the MoveMnt of Non-&lignecl Countrl. fa:: fI. declaration of the 1990s • a decade on lnterMtlonal law, to foc.. ¥cxld-vide attentlcn an the indispensable role of the rule of law in the s.rch for peace. It is our hape that the Ass_ly "ill adopt thls proposal and will for_late an appropr late proqraa of action for its iaple-'tati~. A rela~ed utter of qreat concern to Liberia ia the qUlI!8tion of uapeet for hUMn dqbts, the promtion of which cor.situt. a fundaaental abjectlve of this Orqanlsatlon. In this connection, we consider racist Sou~ ~frlc:l'8 policy of apartheid the _t flaqrant violation and abuse of hu.an rlqhu anywhere. Despite the repeated appeals and protestations ot the lnternation2l1 co_unity, the racist reqi.. in Pretor. continues to perpetrate aqainet the black _jority the IIOst horrendous atrocities, inclucUn~ all for:. of torture and forcible l:ewoval of fa_Ul. and whole cauuniU. frea their ho.. to live in BO'-cnlled bantustanB under harsh condltions of d.privation and deapair • Puther80re, the state of ...rqenc:y, deliberately deslqned to crush the resistance of the opponents ef _eartheid, h. been eJitended for yet uother year to facilitate, intec alia, illegal detention, inclu4inq of WOIilen an4 children. Bans and restrictions against ant1-ap!rthe~ l.ders~ orqanizations and liberation laOVeaenta re_in in full force md effect. The persistence of these conditions, which we have always 4escribei: as reeeJlblinq those obtaining 1za Nazi concentra~ion an~ torture =C=P5, •• all the mre urqent the need for the international co_unity to take concerted action to end the abhorrent 8ySt_ of aputheid, eoMidered by this Orqaniutlcn as a .~fi.e aqalnet buanity. My deleqation conUnuea to insist that the illPOsition of coJlt)rehenslve.and uncJatory eanction. _ laid down in Chapter VII of the Charter corwt1tut. the last viable peaceful s_ns of encUnq the explceive situa~icn in South AfriCA. It ta h'onic that thoae who ceaselessly a4wc&te ra:3)eet. for huaan riqhta ahould be the very ana who continue ~o _olden the perpetrators of the syat_ of apartbe1c! by ar(ju inq that sanctions tfould anly br inQ untold hardship and suffer inq to the black J)OpulatiDn anc! to the frent-line States. But everyone knQfs that such arCJuaents :eprooent a Ilere pretext by these eollaboratcrs of the 1'&018t reqi. who My be lntereatC!d ItOre in seeul'lnq profi tJII on th&ir investments than In protectinq the huun riqhtc of the oppressed black p~ple of SOuth Africa. Be that as it MY, in our view the n_ alnority Govunaant in Pretoria does ha'!e a real chance to restore the hUlIDn rights of the black IIBjodty and establish a non-racial dt!lilocratic government. If its professed qood intentions are to be taken seriously, however, the racist rc§qi_ wUl have i_ed!atelv to take the followlnq ainillum actions laid down by the international co_unity: it must effeet and unconditional releue of all political prisoners and detainees, includinq Nelson Mandela; it must lift the ban and restrictions on all l)fOBcribed orc;anizatlona and personss and it llU9t end the state of emerQency and comscnee dialOQUe and neqot!ation with authentic non-white 1.ders. At the forthcomino special session on apartheid and its destructive consequences in southern Africa, to be held in Decemer this year, nay daleqatiDn .,ill seize the opportunity to address further this vexinq i88ue. Meanwhile, we wish to reaffirm our support for the Rarare Declaration of 21 Auqust 1989,acSopted by the AA! Roc COIIJQittee on Southern Africa of the Orqanization of African Unity, intenQed to eradicate !J)!ttheid and establish peace in the region .. The role of ay country in the independence struqgle of Haaibia beqan tMee deccdes ago.. It can be recalled that, in association with the brotherly State of Bthiopia, the Govemaant of Liberia in 1960 filed suite before the International Court of Justice conteeting South Africaas right to achinister Naaibia and to lapase upon that Territ@ry its policy of apartheid. We have come a lonca way since then and are 9ratified by the progress which has bean achieved thus far toward ending the illegal c01en tal &mination of Naaibia. Bcwever, there can be no rOOll for conrplacency in view of repeated manoeuvres by south Africa to circuE'lent full compliance with the provisions of resolution 435 (1978). We Ilaintain that that resolution must be implemented in its original ana definitive fora to ~nsure that the people of Namibia participate freely, without i!ltialdation, in the electoral process, under the sugervision and control of the United Nations. In this connection, my deleqation takes this opoortunity to extend special thanks to the Secretary-General for bis viqilance in the implementation of resolution 435 (1978), and urCles him to continue his efforts, in pursuit of which we pledge our fullest co-operaticn and support. Turnlnq RCIf to the issue of disarmament, Liberia maintains that, if peace and dwelap1lent are to be fuUV acbiGYec!, the world simply cannot continue to spend over one trillion c!ollars annually on armaments and related activities. The international cO..lI.mity _t therefore intensify its efforts towards disarl'lllllIent, so that funds released in the process could be allocated to improving the world'e 8ocio-econaaic situation, particularly in dfNelopin9 countries. i I In the meantime it MY be recalled that 1IlV GcNernment last year welcoJDed the ratification of the Treaty on the Elinaination of IntermecUate-Ranqe and Shorter-Ranqes Missiles - IHP' Treaty - by the super-PowS's as a Qositive steQ in the disarmament process. Likewise, this year also we wish to welcome the recent prcqress achieYed by the United States and the Soviet Union on conventional and strategic ar. r-eduetionD Notwithstandinq these pOsitive bilateral initiatives, hatever, we must reiterate that disarmament is a concS'n of the international commtmity as a whole, and should be undertaken co~rehen3ivelywithin the framework of the United Nations with all countries participating on the basis of equality.* In this reqard we recall with satisfaction the hiQh-level Conference on cbe.ical weapons held in Paris lagt January, which reaffirmed the 1925 Geneva Protocol prClhibitinq the use of chemical weallOns and stressed the need to intensify multilateral neqotiations on a convention not only to ban the production, stockpilinq and use of chemical weapons, but also to destroy all existinq stocks. That Conference was a step in the riqht direction. However grave the qlobal economic situation, of equal concern to my deleqatiOn is the growing incidence of environmental degradation. But before I address the problem of the environment and the econoftIIJ let me first reflect briefly on a few social issues of critical importance to the international community, such as the problems of druq abuse, terrorism and hostaqe-takinQ, and the special Qrobleme of children, as addressed in the draft convention an the riqhts of the child. * Mr. SaUab (Ganbia), Vice-Pres ident, took the Chair. with reqard to the last of these the Liberian GewKnllent believes that the draft convention contains important safequards fOr the f)rotection of children. and we therefore call f« its adopticn during this session of the AssenOlVo Liberia is also concerned about the qrOfinq wave of terrorism which pUts innocent lives at r lsk and has the effect of impairinq norlll81 intercourse between nations and peoples. We deplore the abduction of individuals and hostaqe-takinq as acts .ic:b deprive people of their fundllmental human riqhta. In this respect IIY Go"ernment will continue to lend its co-operation to efforts by the United Nations and other internaticnal bodies aimed at ClOllpletely aboUshinq terrorisll Md hostage-takinq. The Government of Liberia is similarly concerned about the alar.ing inciden.ce of drug trafficking and drUq abuse, toA\lch have already destroyed and continue to ruin countless lives Md have undermined the inteqr ity ~nd stability of Governments. The IIDnetary value of the illicit drug trade, which acccrding to eaU_tes far exceeds that of the internatiooal trade in oil and is second onlV to that of the arms trade, underscores the difficulty involVed in the eradication of this pernicious global "problem. Consequently we DUst commend these Governments that have taken bold action to pre'leftt and etadicate druq traffickinq and drug abusee But since, as we knOlf, the illicit trade in druqs transcends national boundaries and involves for its success not (XlIV producers but, to an _en qreater extent, consumers, it is the collective respOnsibility of the international co.-.tnity to find an ufQent solution to this menace before it is too late. Nowadays, environmental deQradation occupies a very hiqh position on the aqenda of virtually S'Tery internatiCllal conference, as well it mould. l'« "'at is at stake here is nothinq short of the continuinq edstence of life on this planet. Indeed, the depletion of the ozone layer, global warminq as a result of the qreenbouse effect, desertification and toxic w~ste rank amonq the tIOSt !uediate of our concerns as reqarc!s their effect on the ecosystem. Particularly, thouqh, my delegation wishes to focus attention on the dumpinq of toxic and other hazardo\13 wastes on the territories of develou!nq countries. In this connection we must reqister our disappointment that the Basel Convention, adopted in Mard\ 1989, does not address all the issues of interest to us on this subject. Par instance, the Convention ls inadequate in prohibitinq transbounderv lBWements of these wastes, contrary to the intent of the Organization of African Unity (OAD), which in a recent resolution has determined that dU1llPinq of hazardous wastes is It crime against Africa and its peoples. Accordinqly, that resolution goes on to appeal to OAU member States not to enter: into aareements that would perllit the dU1'l\pinq of toxic and other hazardous wastes within their bord~s. As developing countr les in general lack the technical capability to ensure effective control and disposal of hazardous wastes, it is necessary to effect a total ban on transboundary movements of these wastes. For its part, my Government has enacted laws banninq the dumpinq of toxic wastes on Liberian soil, prescribinq penalties no less str inqent than those in the 1989 Baset Convention. As a rElqional att.pt to find solutions to this problem, a workshop held in Monrovia froll 8 to 12 "'ay 1989 recolllllended, inter alia, the establishment of a third-world bureau on environmental protection with certain clearly defined functions. In a broader context, my delegation supports the proposal made by Prime Minister Rajiv Ganctli at the Belqrade IiHiJmllit of non-aliqned countries for the establishment of a planet protection fund. By the same token wo welcome the proposal of the Prime Minister of New Z.land, presented in his statement to the Ass8bly, for the esubUshment of an environmental protection council within the United Natioos syst_. These proposals warrant the serious and tiaelv consideration of the Asselllbly. Finally, since the develoPed countries are the prilltl source of envircnantal degradation it is only fair and proper that they shoulder a qreater share of the responsibility for qldbal environmental protection, including the provision of adequate resources for that purpose. In this connection their development assistance to and investlllent proqra_es in third-wccld countries should now be desiqned to ensure sustainable development at ne extra cost to these countries, and the developed countries should not beQin to iapese any forlB of environmental conditionaUties on resource transfers to the developinq countriea. To conclude on this point, permit me to recall that the question of the environment goes beycnd toxic wastes. 'there are also issues of the ozone layer, the qreenhouee effect and desertification - to name a few - which warrant the urgent attention of the international community. In this liQht the propesed international conference on environment and development, to be held in 1992, should go a lonq way towaros address ing the issues. _11e the world coDilUnity has of late witnessed a thaw in super-Pewer relations, the resulting easinq of tension and imprCNement in the political cliate have shown no siqn of relie'{flnq the desperate econOllic pl1qht of developing countries. Livinq standards in third-world countries continue to decline as la result of tb~ current hostile economic environment, whieb ia character !zed u inlv by a crushinQ external-debt burden, a drastic fall in collli1lOditv prices" deter icratinq terll8 of trade, and the increasinalv ~rotectionist stance of developed countries. We find it rather unacceptable that more than 1 billion people in our world today should be chronically undernourished, and that 13 Iftilllon to 18 .illlon of th_ die each year froll hunqer and starvation, 40 per cent beinq children. It Is no 1_15 alar.inq that nearly as many DeOple should be illiterate this far into the twentieth century. (Ms:. JClhnaon, Llber la) As ve know, such problems are not due to the lack of resources, but IIOre to the persistence of an unjust international economic order tlIbich appears to thr iv'! on exploitation and the inequitable distribution of the world's resources. Raw else can the present phenomenal of developinq countries being net trusferus of resources to (2.weloped countries be explained? Accordinq to the 1989 annual report of the World Bank, the net resource transfer to the developed countries, tlIbicb amounted to SlO.2 billion in 1984, has reached a staggering '50 billion today, vi th a toi:al debt stoct estimated at Sl.3 tr 11lion. Meanwhile, the developed countries of the industrialized North, both in the Bast and the West, appear to be concerned prllMrily with consolidating their already strong grip al the world economy. Not only have their economies registered t:lOnsistent qrOlfth over the last decade; these countries have new elllbarked upon vide-ranging reforms aimed at their cloaer integration. East«n Europe's nev perestroika is providing the basis for tighter links to the free market economies of the West, Md the Group of Seven cO\ild soon be due for expans tm towards the East. At the Slt1'i\e time, Canada and the United States have initiated a free tradG agreement, while Western Europe moves steadily towarde a sinqle market in 1992. What are the i~lications of all of this consolidation in the North? Do these and similar: llO'1efJ in the devl3loped countries promise new opportmities of expanded urkets for the pr imary cor.aodities anet the few industr ial products of the developing countr iea? Or do they ~rtend further protectialist tendencies aqainst the developing coun tr iea of the South en an even qrander scale? These concorns on the part of my deleqation arise not from any des ire to be confrontatlc..,al, far from it. In fact, Liberil! has 81ways espouse4 dialogue and co-operllt~i;"~ 0118 dispute and conflict. Our ccnCeln stems rather from the current atal.ate in gl<lbal negotiations, which renders prospects for any solution to the critical economic problems facinq deY~loping countries quite distant and uncertain. (Mr. JOhnsCft, Liberia) That is why ay deleqatim fully supports the call of the Orq..ization of African Unity and the cOlmtries of the Non-Aliqned Movellent for a resUIIIPtion of the North-South dialoque to address these problems. None the less, while awaitinq the resumption of that dlaloque, we believe that the countries of the South will have to realize that, in the words of MwaliJIu Julws Myerere, Chairman of the South Co_lssion: -The only people responsible for the dfNelopment of the SOUth and the freecJoa of the South are the Governments and peoples of the South-. In this comection, my delegation considers that the time is now for the developing COlm tr lea to Mke good their avowed colllllI tIIent to South-South co-operation in a spirit of collecive self-rellanc!!, eI1en in their deaU,nqs with the North. It is in this Uqht also that Liberia welcomes the decision ef the States of our reqiCl\ to evolve an African alternative fra_work for structural adjustllent, tailored to our own situation. No doubt this appraaeh will be useful to other regions in naakinq structural adjustment IIOre relevant. I cannot end this portion of my statsment, however, without payinq tribute to the United Nations for its tireless efforta in promotinq a better standard of living for peoples throughout the world. We thus weloo_ the decision to convene a special session of the General Assembly in April 1990 to consic!er strateqies for the reactivation of economic growth, particularly in developing countries. That session will no doubt prOl.'e usefUl in preparationo being made for the ensuing fourth develOpnlent decade of the United Nations. As we ent"er the last decade of the twentieth centurv, marr.ind is faced with challenges, old and new, requiring nothinq leas than the concerted action of the internatimal community. (~. JOhnRon, Liberia) The continuinq eCClioaic crisis in dwelopinq countries, thca persisting threats to peace, the escalating incidence of drug abuse and oth.er social ills, the riain4j tid" of racislI and huaan rights violation even in developed countries, anc! the incruaing pollution of the env!ronlllent - all such proble118 can best be resolved if they are addressed at all levels of int.national co-operation. In this context, whatever its shortcomings and illlP8rfections, the United Natlontl re_ins the I'08t appropriate forum and instrulllentfor the harJl!Cl\ization of national efforts towards the attainment of ciurable pe&ce and sustainable d8'le1opaent in our world. We therefore reaffirm our full co_itllent to the strenqthening of this OrgMization, thereby to contribute to ma!tine; it all the IDOre effective in the pursuit of its aims and objectives in the years ahead. Mr. SBM!mO (Guinea-Bissau) (spoke i~ PortuqueeeJ interpretation froa French text furnished by the delegation): Mr. Garba's election to the presideney of the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly is for ay country, Guinea-Bissau, a source of great satisfaction. Ri8 qua1itiee as a wise and _porienced diploMt and his deep knowledge of the United Nations syeteta and the ujor world problems all quarantee enUqbtened leadership in the work of this We are p1.sed that th& \tnan_us choi~ of the international co_unity has this year been the l'epr.limtative of Niqeria, to which Guinea-Bissau is tied by particular links cOf frlendBhip, fraternity ana co-operation. I .sure hia of our full co-operation. The excellent work done by his predeceaaQf, Mr., Dante CaputlO, equally aerits our full appreciation Md thanks. We mould 51&0 like to llake & special "entia, of the secretary-General of our Organiztion, Mr. J~i~r Perez de Cuellar, for his perspicacious and inncw&tive I_d.-ship of the unitecJ Nations and for his personal ccntributim to suengtber.inq the role and prestige of the Organization. His report on the work of the Organization certainly teflects the ccaplClxlt;v I: I I of the problems still facinq the worldJ but it also reflects the efforts .adD by the United Nations over the past year to consolidate the onqo!nq Deaee process 1n 8011e regions of the wor1~, lessen danqers and attenuate conflicts in other areu of the planet. It also speaks of the speci.fic initiatives aimed at strenqtheninQ international c.o-operation with reqard to peace, seo.nity and deve1opeent. The past year has been marked by events of qreat isy>Ortance for llarJcind that seemed to confirm the depth of the chanqes occurrinq 1n the world in recent yeal'a. In this context the beglnninq of the implellentatic:m of Security Council resolution 435 (1978) on the independence of Nallibifi is doubtless one of the IIOSt siqnificant events in world political life, M ev'Gnt tfhose effects qo far: bGYOIu! the borders of that African country. Namibia's independence will lIark a decisive stage in the process of total liberation of the African continent and usher in a new era in the struqqle of the l)eoDles of southern Africa to establish a laatinea peace and a climate of trust, understandinca Md co-operaticn in the reaion. The process of dialOClue already bectun in Anqola and Moaalllbjqu~f thanks to the OpeMe8S and clear des ire for peace denons trated by the GcwernlHnts of those two countries, deserves the uncmimous sdPl~rt of the international co_unity.. There are numerolS examples in eootElllporary history ofintunat1cnal solidarity and joint action to lIleet the &lpirations and co...,., intereets of lIankind, especially when these MPira'tions and interests are linked to international peace and security. The positive develO):lllentD in the wOfla political cUmate are larqely the result of an awareness th&t the qrowinQ interdependence and integration in the world Is in the conmon interest. ~t..te between the two super-~owKs, the tendency towards lastinq peaceful solutions, the estabUshaent of dialogue and harmony over confrontation and use of force, &8 well _ the pri_cy of law :in the settlement of disputes between states, ..e! of th iIs c.tuIV• are now e.ertinq a qrowinq influence in structuring international relations at the Thus w~ note with satisfaction the encouraqinq proqress made in solving the qu.tionr; of ".tern Sahara and Kaml)Uchea and in worklnq out a final settlement of the Chad-Libya dispute. Solidarity in the struqgle to preserve the environment or against such deatructive scourqes as terrorism and druc;s is a positive siqn allewinq fa: a new vision of the future. But In apeakinq of the future we must new take into account the current neqative aspects that dally continue to weiqh heavlly upen mankind. The persistence of the apartheid system in South Africa, repression In - Pal_tine, confrontations between communities in Lebanon, the traqic situation in Bast Tilaor and tlle tensions still afflictinq others areas in the world - especially in the Kexe&n peninsUla, Afqhanistan and Cyprus - as well as the remaininq vestiqes of coloniaUsa in 8CBe regions - all are still, unfortunately, matters of Great cone.n to the international cammunity, to whiCl& must be added the social and eoonoaic problelll affectinq much of mank ind. Tbe eUainaticn of extreme Dewerty and misery in the world and meetinQ e.s..tial hUllan needs - such &8 hyqiene, health, education and housina - remain forsidable cballenqes fOE individuals, States md the international community as a whole. The overwhelminQ majority of the world's population is daily confronted with ahortaqe& an~ disease as a result of conditions of extreme deprivation. Africa, fer example, is poorer today than it was 20 years aqo. The Woc1d Bank predicts that this decline will continue over the next 10 years. According to the Food and Aqr!culture O!ganization of the United Nations, if the trends of recent years continue, per capita food production will cor:tinue to fall until the year 2010, and food self-sufficiency in AfLica south of the Sahara will decrease by 85 per cent. The cereal deficit will increase from 20 million to 100 minion tons, and food imports will reach, in constant prices, the fiqure of 82.5 billion, the equivalent of twice the amount envisaged for aqricultural exports. What can be said of this indebtedness and its harmful consequences for our economies? The developinq countries' debt servioe exceeds very greatly the flQl of foreign capital, a situation that will worsen if urqent measures are not adopted to reverse this trend. The continued fall in the pr ices of our countr ies' ptoduets in international markets is a grave and constant obstacle to our development efforts. It is logical, therefore, that the question of development should be the focms of the international community's concerns and should no lonqer be regarded simply as 11ass istance 11 • Development problems should be analysed in terms of concrete measures to guarantee minimal living standards and progress for all, by stimulatinq qrowth and promoting beneficial interaction bebleen the economies of the developed and developing countries. This is really a major imperative of our times and a v f.tal prerequisite for the full affirmation and enjoyment of mankind's political, economic and cultural rights. The adoption of appropriate and courageous Ineasures to solve developinq countries' economic and social problem is indeed a Qenuine priority, and tacklinQ these problems requires nQ# more than ever the eradication of their underlvinq causes. In this CClfttext it is essential to stress the need for a new coexistence bebleen States based on solidarity and reciprocity, a partnership consciously assumed by each me of us in a world where the ability of a small number of econaaically strong States to affect pas itively or neqatively the future of the _jority of mankind has never been as great or as real. This coexistence will require the final elimination of the flSyc:holoqical qap between the northern coun tr ies and the southern eountr ies and the promotion of a constructive qlobal dialoque Ci'l issues of vital importance for all raank ind. But. as Amilcat Cabral stated. "To coexist, one must first exist." The real challenqe is not to ensure the survival of disinherited populations. but rather to crmte conditions that quarantee their full riqhts and basic freedom, and the blossomin~ of their cre!!tiv3 abiUties~ ma.'cing it l)Ossible for them to determine. consciously and responsibly, the best way to achieve development coq>atible with their true aspirations and the needs of our times. We believe it is this process that will ultimately yield true freedom for us, because, in our times. any scientific, technological or economic backwardness will inevitably affect the present and mortqaqe the future. The speciel session of the General Assenbly to be devoted to international co-operation scbeduled fex 1990. will offer an appropriate framework for joint refled:.lon on the best way to resume a constructive qlcbal dialOQue on questions of development. we expect from the developed countries the openness and cotmlitment that will make it 'POssible to brinq a new dynamism into international eoonomic relations. The international development strategy for the 1990s must also reflect the commitment, des ire and will of the entire community of nations to make the next decade a p~rlod of profound chanqes conduci1Je to the economic rebirth of the third world countries. Mankind will then be able to beqin the next millemium on new bases and to correct the itibalances created by unequal development in the twentieth century. In this regard, we should .suess at this time the role of the united Nations, a role which is irreplaceable in the constant search for peace, the streMthening of international co-operation and development. The results obtained in carrying out this lIlissJon have made the Organization more credible and effective today and has earned it the confidence of mankind. The strengtha'linq of the United Nations is the most tanqible expc;)ssion of the unique nature and unity of mankind's aspirations and indicates that multitateralism, without which no world prcblem can truly be resolved, is as vital as ever. We are certain that ever more impressive results will be achhwed in our quest for peace, world security and d~~elopment. OUr 10int march alll)nq th is path is the only viable choice for mank ind. We IIlUSt have the couraqe to take that path if we truly wish to build a more prosperous and more equitable future and to adjust to our world by better preserving it from any threat to its balance and potential prosperity. Therefore, the rich countries and the poor countries must build together a new humanism that w111 confirm our shared desire Md will to make irreversible the present c:hanQes, whim are so necessary for the establishment of Cl new type of relationship between States, based on the vision of a world with qreater solidarity. Mrs. MlMJNDA (Zanbia): Let me start by expressinq my deleqation's sincere conqratulatiollS to Mr. Garba on his unanimous election to the presidency of the forty-fourth session of the General Assemly. Bis election to that hiqh office is clear testimony of his widely acknowledged deep underatanc!inq of the many and co~lex problems that beset mankind today. He represents fa friendly and peace-IO\'inq country wi th which zallbia ana the other front-line states have joined efforts to brinq about peace in southern Africa. t'e are therefore happy to see him in that hot seat. To his predecessor, Mr. Dante Caputo, the former Foreign Minister of Arqentina, we wish to pay a deservinq tribute for the very able manner in ~ic:h he guided the deliberations of the forty-third session of the General Assembly. He ca_ to the throne at a very cruci~l time dur inq the developments in south~.rn Africa. we wish him well in his new endeavours. To the Secretary-General of our Orqanization, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, we wish to express Zambia's profound appreciation for his continuinq efforts and co_itment to the peaceful resolution of international conflicts. We wish him success in his noble and difficult task. We meet today aqainst a backQround of qreat hopes and expectations fOI: the success of Ilultilateralism, whidi is so vital for: the well-belnq of mankind. The cl i1Ilate of co-operation and accolllllOdation between the two super-Powers has had global ramifications and auqurs well for the gradual elimination of tensions. We look forward to the end of the cold war ela which has been characterized by the unprecedented arms race. As we approach the last decade of this century, which has witnessed two major and destructive wars, amonq others, our efforts should be qeared to ensurinq that we lay a solid foundation for the eventual elimination of all weapons of mass des trucUon. The issue of arms control and disarmament must be of hiqh priority if we are to avoid a nuclear holocaust, which could be triqqered either by accident or by miscalculation. Indeed, there are also other colq)ellinQ reasons in favour of encUnq the arms race, one of which is that the limit.ed resources of the world cannot sustain the ever qrowing production and imprCNement of w_pen syatelllB of IlWIS destruction. It goes without sayinq that the world, particularly the developing countries, would have a lot to gain from the reallocation of resources into eccnollic and social development. In this reqard, we welcome the onqoinq efforts for a re4lction not only in the levels of nuclEBr weapons of the super-Paters, but alao in the conventicnal forces in Europe. Me also welcome recent initiatives to stop the pr:oduct.ion of chemical weapons. It is our hCfle that these efforts will lead to the eventual elimination of all nuclear weapons frOM the face of ~o Earth. Nearer home. there is now some hope of an end to the colonial situation in Namibia. After IDOre than 100 years of colonialism. the settlement plan etlbodied in Security Council resolution 435 (1978) is in the process of impleaentation. But the i~lellentatwn process remains a matter of ser :Ious concern to the international ~nitv. with the elections less than four weeks away. a number of issues pertaining to lmpleJIentation of the resolution remain unsolved.· We have repeatedly stated. in this Assembly and elsewhere. that SOUth Africa has sinister intentwns in Namibia. aimed at den~inq the South West Africa People's Orqanization (SWAPO) its deserved electoral victory. It is no secret that south Africa intends to retain its influence in Namibia by arroqating to itself a role in the evolution of the Constitution of the new State of Namibia by ensurinq that SWAPO does not qet the required two-thirds majorityo widespread in.timidation of S1IAPO supporters. particularly in northern Namibia, by Koer;oet elements I!IUSt be seen as one of South Africa's desperate attempts to achieve that objective - no doubt. the last kicks of a dying hcxse. The assassination of a prominent SitAR> mellber, Mr. Anten Lubowski, in Windhoek, underscores our expressed concern for the security of the leadership of SWAPO. The existinq law-enforcement aqents in Namibia are, by their tl'&ining and backc:;round, unsuitable for the protection of SWAPO leaders. It must be stated that if assassinations of SWAPO leaders continue. the process of implementinQ Security Council resolution 435 (1978) could be seriously jeopardized. We call on the Secretary-General to take urqent measures to resolve this problem. • The President returnec! to the Chair. (Mrs. Il1vunda. Zaabia) tJnder the settlement olan, all military, l=iarsldlitarv and citizen forces, co..ncJoa and ethnic forces were to be dis!)anded, and their co-.and structures disuntled. Reql'ettably, SOuth Africa has not, so far, cCllpUed fully with the requiretHnts of resolution 435 U978), and has thus created an amosphere of uncertainty and uneasiness, which is not eooducive to the concllct of free and fair elections in Namibia. We wish to reiterate that failure to iIIlplement resolution 435 (1978) in its oriqinal and definitive form could seriously tarnish the i_ge of the United Nationo, under VlCl8e supervision and control the elections in NaJllibla are being conducted. South Africa's sincerity is on trial in Nluaibia. Its belu"":iour during the electoral process will determine whether its promises to end apartheid can be believed by the international community. The United Nations should ensure that all the remaining discriminatory and restrictive laws in Namibia are repealed, as pl':'ovided for tD'lder the settlement plan. Similarly, both the electoral law and the Constituent Assemly proclamation should conform to the provisiona of Security Council resolutions 435 (1978) and 640 (1989), in keepinq with internationally accepted standards, so that the people of Na.lbia can freely exercise their dqht to self-determination and national independence. Indeed, l.n his comprehensive report to the General Assenlbly at this session, the Secretary-General, referrinQ to implementation of the settleaent plan, stated, -there are serious problems to be ove1:colIM!~ (A/4f/l, P. 3). lie wish to reiterate that the united Nations has direct responsibility for Na.ibia until independence ia achieved. For that reason, it is absolutely e8l3ential that the General Asserlbly prO'lide the necessary financial resources to enable the Council for Namibia to carry out its proqrallllle of work for 1990 until (Mrs. Muvunda, Zallbia) 1ncSepen4enc~. Indeed, in this reqard, the United Nations should lIICbilize resources to assist Naaibia during the transition period and beyond. It aust be _phasized that the newly independer.t Namibia will need further assistance in the integration of various military units into the national defence force. In this connection, we believe that the United Nations Transition Asaistanc~ Group (UNTAG) can play c !ole to ensure orderly inteqration. We therefore call cm the United Nations to consider retaininq some military elements of tMTAG in Mamibia after independence, for thio put-pose. In South Africa nothinq IiUch hs manqed, despite recent pronouncements, inclucUnc; yesterdaV's, by the new lC3dership. The system of aparthe~, whieb the United ~Uons has riqhtly condemned as a crime against humanity, is still intact. 'J.'b~Ut are &tUI no clear indications pointing to the immediate abolition of !-partheid. Nelson Mand~la and many other political prisoners remain in SOUth MlClcan gaols~ The Gl'OUl) Area!> Act and the state of emerqenev are still in force. In ordm' to acbieve p8'lceful chanqe in SOuth Africa, the Pretoria teqiBa alBt, as a matter of urqency, engaqe in ser:ious dialQ9ue with qenuine lG!lders of the black majority. To that end, we ~all upon the Pretoria regime to: release unconditionally all gclitical prisoners, and not just a few; unban the African National Congress, the Pan AfriCMiet ConqresB of Azania Md all other political organizations in South Africa and ensure the return of all l)Olitical exiles without hindrance) 11ft the state of emerQenev~ halt political executions Md 4etention~ and withdraw the army from the townships. Those demands are containf>d in a very imJ)oZ'unt document adopted by the Orqanization of African Unlty es Ad H.2!: COlIIftittee on SOuthern Africa, which met in Barare, Zimabweg in May this year. That document is, in our oPinion, the blueprint foe encu'nca apartheid, p.ce!ully. (Mrs. JiklyUnda, Zalllbia) Much has been said about the effectiveness of economic sanctions aaainst south Africa.. In our assessment, the economic and financial sanctions nov In place are havtnq the desired effect. In this reqard I we wish to express our apprecation to the countries that have individually imposed sanctions on South Africa, and we urqe them to continue applyinq those sanctions until apartheid is CClIIl'Pletelv eradicated. Similarly, we appeal to ~hose countries which, for selfish interests, are opposed to sanctions aqa!nst SOuth Africa to ~econsider their pOSition, because the alternative is a bloody armed conflict, wh ic:h would not be in the interests of any of the peece-lovinq nations. We wish also to appeal to the international colllllunity to observe str ietly the mandatory arms elllbarqo, in terlllB of Security Council resolution 418 (1977), and the United Nations oil embargo aqainst SOuth Africa. Economic interests cannot supersede human rights. Apartheid is the root cause of tension and conflict in southern Africa. It is in defence of apartheid that South Africa has, over the years, enqaged in acts of aqqresslon against, and destabilization of, front-line and other States in our region. This has been done throuqh dil:ect action c""a the use of surrogate elements, such as UNIT,. bandits in Anqola and REN1.MO bandits in Mozanbique. In a recent United Nations Children's Fund publication, the overall cost, so far, of aqqression and destabilbation in the region is estimated at $46 billion. As a result of South Afr iea's direct military action lilqa!nst Angola and Hozallbique and its sl.ipport of bandit groups, thousands of tefuQees from these countries have sooght sanctuary in Zambia and other neiqhbour1nQ countriES. Until recently, Zambia also gave aanctuary to thousands of refucutes from Namibia, IIIOGt of ~om have since returned home under the terms of S~c:ur!t:'i Council resolution 435 «1978). (Mrs. ~yunda, zalbia) We stress that despite its limited resources, Zambia will cont1.."lue to qive shelter and sanctuary to our displaced brothers and siatel's who are victims of aqqression by the a~artheic1 riqillle. So far it is esti_tea that South Africa's aqqressfon has resulted in the loss of 1.2 million lives. We therefore call on the international C01Q,unity to continue to give di~lo_tic and material assistance to the front-liile and other independent African States in the reqion in order to enable thell to withstsnd the effects of South Africa's aqgressicn and destabilization. Za~ia welcomes the mediation efforts currently under way for ~~e attain-ent of peace in Angola and Mozambique. We believe that, without external interference in the internal affairs of those countries, solutions for a lastinq p_ce can be found. To this end, we continue to appeal to the United States Administration to cease all ita assistance to tJN1"l'A so that Angola's effo=te for national reconciliation may yield fruit. S!mi1a~ly, SOUth Africa should cease its assistance to the RBNNlO bandits In Mozambique in order to facilitate the current mediation efforts by Kenya and ZiDbabwe. Since its independence Zambia has dave10ped and maintained fr iendlv relations with neiqhbouril'¥'l countries. We stronqly belieYe in the resolution of disPl1tss throuqh dialogue as one way of promotinq qood-neighbourliness. Indesd, this is in conformity with the United Nations Charter which provi~es for the resolution of international disputes by peaceful mains, in such a manner that international peace, security and justice, are not endanqered. As members are aware, after years of dia1oque, Zambia and Zaire have bilaterally resolved a lCl'lq-sbndinq border cSispute between themo In Western Sahara, we remain supportive of the efforts by the United Natlo~. and the Organization ef African unity (OAU) to organize a referendulI in which the (Mrs. Muyunda, Zallbia,l Sahraau! people would be qive., the riqht to decide the political destiny of their country. Zambia wishes to express its pleasure at the turn of events r~.qarding the relationship between Chad and the Libyan Ar&b Jamahlriya. We welcome the ac;ree-ent signed at Alqlers on 31 August 1989, establishinq diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries. Elsewhere in Africa, we are follOfing with qrut interest various efforts that are being deployed to reduce tension and strife. In the Middle East, one looq-standinq issue is the question of Palestine, the core of the conflicts in the region. Unless the question of the inalienable rights of the Palestinians is justly addressed, Pe&ce in the Middle East will be un&ttainable. Zallbia therefore supports lmequivocclly the conveninq of the International Peace Ccmference on the Middle Baat with the participation of all partiea to the conflict, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, on an equal footinq. The heroic intifadah ia a clear demonstration that nothing will stop the Palestin tan quest for freedcm, diqni ty and their right to a ho.eland. In Lebanon, we call for the cessation of hostilities and the withdr.al of all foreign forces in order to create an atmosphere conducive to the resolution of the problem by the Lebanese people on their own. Meanwhile, Zalllbic welcolHS the mediation efforts by the League of Arab States. In the Gulf, the guns have fallen silent but the cease-fire remains precarious because security Council resolution 598 «1987) has not been fully implscmted. Purther effort on the 'Part of the intei'national co_unity Is necessary in order to bring luting peace to the req!oo. We therefore call upen the parties directly involved to co-operate with the SecretaryoaGeneral In his continuing efforts to implement: Security Council resolution 598 (1987)" (Mrs. Muyunda, Zambia) In Afghanistan, the withdrawal of Soviet forces, far frOll brinqinq about a con~civ. 8t11osphere for a peaceful resolution of the prob1., BeetIS to have set the staqe for self-annihilation. The wounds of a prolonged conflict 1n that troubled country have endured beyond expectations. Wc a~l to all who _1' have an influmce on the parties to the conflict to p!&y their role in brinqinQ about a elt.ate conCklcive to the full illPlementation of the Geneva Aqre_ente. In C,prus we Ilust work for the elimination of mistrust, which i~ the root cause of the present simation. In this regard, we call for the withdrawal of all foreiqn forces from the area in order to pmve the way for the success I\f the intercoRUnal talks. The Secretary-General of our Orqanlzation mould slailarly be encouraged to continue his mediation efforts. KalllPUchea has seen lcng years of devastation and extre= sufferinq. We are encouraged by the recent announcement of the Vietn&l!ese authorities concerninq total withdrawal of their forces from KaJi1)uchea. We call on the international c:c.unity and the mellber countries of the Association of SOUth-But Asian Rations in particular: to ensure tha success of the peaceful efforts throuqh the Jak~rta Informal Meetings. In the Korean peninsula we must work for the dismantling of the artificial barr:iC!rs which have long prevented the remification of the two !toreas. In this connection, the presence of foreiqn forces in the peninsula !lUst be seen as a serious obstacle to the peaceful resolution of the Korean problem. We call upon all concerned to take advantage of the improved international political cliaate w seek cut ways of bringing an end to this lonq-standinq problem. The situation in Cmtral America is a source of serious concern to all peace-loving people in the world. Zam!a has supported the peace initiatives of the Cantadora countries and the Bsquipulas II Aqreement allied at the peaceful (Mrs. Muyunda, la_la) resolution of the problems in Central America. The Tela meetinq held recently is a further step by the people of the ree:ion to see to it that their problems are resolved bv peaceful means. This meeting. which has sought the active involvement of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and that of the Organization of AIIIedcan States. deserves the fullest support of the international community. Drl..ll9 abuse and drug trafficking have become a ser ious social menace. Encouraged by the high yields from the sale of illicit drugs, ~Je druq cartels have acquired the status of private armies. threatening the security of both supplier and consumer countries. The world must take a united stand against thlsnew threat and make it impossible for druq money to be laundered and for the druqs to reach intended users. In this regard, Zall'bia has enacted legislation against drug trafficking and consumption. At this seesion the Assembly cannot fail to focus attention on the serious internaHmal eca."om!c situation. The posi tive and encouraqinq siqns the world conmunity is witnessing in the political and military spheres are at variance with the trends of internatimal economic relations. For the majority of the people of the world. the problem of external debt contmues to pose a great danqer to their economic and social well-being. Last year. developing countries received $92 billion from developed countries in various for. of development aid. In turn~ these countries exported $142 billion to the developed countries to repay old loans, thus producinq a net transfer of financial resources worth $50 billim to the developed countries. This trend of neaative transfers has been rising since 1984,when it first emerqed. In simple economic terms, the trend translates into a dehumanizing life of poverty. malnutrition. infant mortality and moral degradation faced by many people of the developinq ",orld. Over the years, many <levelopinq countries have ell'barked on 'lar!ous programmes to restructure their economies, which have vielded positive rates of qrowth. - .--.... ~~~---......j Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library (Mrs. MUyUnda. Zambia) We are happy that debt reduction has been widely accepted as a means ledinq towards resolvinq the critical debt problem. Harever, debt reduction as envisaqed :in the Brady Plan still remains widely unrealizEd. Practical results remain elusive because of the problem of under-financing owinq to the lack of a consensus on how far the commercial banks and international financial institutions should be coll1'llitted to debt reduction. The international financial institutions must obviously continue to ~lay a major role in the process of debt reductiOI" This will inevitably require extra resoorces beinQ made av~ilable to thsse institutions so that funds committed to debt reduction are additional to current leu'els of financia1 flOlrlS. My Government appreciates the efforts mads by creditor countr iea to cancel some outstandinq debts in respect of developinq countries. In the case of ZanOia, this measure has provided the cr itical financial support so urqently required to establish a minimum lE!llel of import capacity and ease the burden of adjustment. Notwithstandinq this support, further measures of debt reduction are still needed to stimulate sustained qrowth. This is a reality not only for ZalYbia but for all debt-distressed countries. The case for more liberal access by developinq countr iea to markets in developed countries remains as valid as ever. More positive commitments to liberalization within the framew<'lt:k of the Uruquay Round are needed in order to qive real opportuni ties to developinq countries to eXt)and out'j)Ut and export earninqs. It should be remenbered that the relative weaken1nq of the qrarth of the outpUt of delfelopinq countriea and the decHne in foreiqn exd'1anQe earn inqs caused by the shr ink inq import capacity brouqht aboot by debt-servi~inQ and poor export prices has also had the unfavourable impact of reducinq trade amonq thenselveB, From a share of 7.8 ¥)er cent of qlobal trade in 1981, trade amonq (Mrs. Muyunda, zamia) der.reloping countriea shrank to 5.1 pe: cent in 1987. This neqative develol)ment has come at a time when preferential tradinq a~rQnqements have been evolved to establish better complementarities in the production structures of develoDinq countr les as a way of raDidly model'niz inq their economies and imPravinq their position in the international division of labour. In the face of formidable reqional tradinq blccD emarqinc; in the industr ialized countr ies, this e.hrinkaqe threatens to marqinaUze the delTelopinq countries further t since they are already less impel'tant marketa for developea coun1% ies • Trends in markets for primary commodities, as reflectsd by the recent collapse in the pr ices of coffee, palm oil, bananas, aluminium and maize are far from favourable. This is due to a nuri»er of factors, includinq substitutes and recent advances in science and technoloqy, wh ich are reducinq demand for pr imary products. My deleqation welcomes the launchinq of the Common Fund for Commodities as a viable means of stabiUzinq export earninqa from primary collll\odities.. The international community is not without opportunities and means for a qlcoal attack on underdevelopment. We have the opportunities offered by the spir it of multilateraUsm, to which we all subscribe. The united Nations and its specialized aqencies remain indispensable foruns for negotiatinq a liberal, viable and durable system of international relations to qovern sustained development for all the people of the world. MultilateraUsm offers colllllOnalitv of interests" lA bEis upon which joint efforts to combat underdevelopment can be adopted and implemented. It is in this context that my deleqation welcomes onqoinq preparations for the special session of the United Nations devoted to international economic co-operation, Scheduled for April 1990, the international development strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade and the United Nations conference on environment and development, scheduled for 1992. (Mrs. Muyunda, Za1'lt>!a) We alao have the opportunities offered by the growing interdependence of the economies of the world. Interdependence remains a valid means of expanc:Ung qlci)a1 eomomic opportunities so that the awful waste of human resources now going cm in the developing countries is halted. The rapid developments in science and technology, coupled with changes in factor endowments and market forces, provide the world eco"1omy wi th ClOiiparative advantages that are potentially beneficial to the vast majority of countries currently faced with the crisis of underdevelopment. It requires only the political will of the _jor actors in the world ecatOItly to let the laws of the market forces take their coursee As called for by the General Assembly in its resolution endorsinq the new internatiCX\al ecooomic order, developinq countries must be enabled to participate meaningfUlly in the world economy. The political, ideoloqica.l and moral danqers inherent in the present glooal imbalances far outweiqh the risks of enablinq developing coun tr ies to participate more fully in the formulation Qf a glci)al eCalomic policy and have a qreater share in the vast opportunities for development. There is now widespread awareness of the critical role played by a safe environment in the survival and sustained development of aankind. Indeed, there must be a serious attempt to produce without destruction. In this cohtext, Zaltbia has enacted legislation CI'l the enviratment. This legislatiClll makes it mancSatory for policy makers to ensure that all issues concerning the environment are fUlly incorporated in naticmal development plans. Zamia welcomes international co-operation on environmental issues because the various aqents of stress on and dallllqe to the environment are essentially of an international character. It is in this spirit that Za1llbia lcoks forward to the (Mrs. Muyunda, Zalbia) convening in 1992, in Brazil, of the United Nations conference on environment and development. It is our hope that the conference will provide Quidelines on a global scale for maintainil'l9 the man-nature balance. Co-operation is very new in the lQ'\g history of mankind. The heroic spirit of multilateralism now emerglnq with the growing prestige and constructive role of the nnited Nations in world affairs has laid a firmer foundation for mankind's supreme struggle fa: onsness, comfort, security and prosperity. My delegation would like to lEave the AsseJrbly with the firm conviction that this foundation will be uaed scrupulously by all countries of the world to resolve the outstandinq problems of peace, democracy, underdevelopment, illicit druQ use and trafficking and envirCX!mental degradation. Heads of state and GOV'ernment atd national deleaations who have sPOken before me have shared with us the same view. 1 wish the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly all success in its deliberations. Mr. HURST (Antigua and Barbuda); Mr. Prea ident, I bring vou the fra ternal greetings of my people and our congratula.tions on your elev8 tion to your hiqh office. Your countrv, Nigeria, and mine have deep historical and cultural links which underscore the need for IIUtual support and co-operation. However, on account of your pe~sOnal qualities and the vision \l!hid'l you bring to the presidency, you are assured of the unfailinq support of my deleqationo Permit me here to express mv thanks to the former President, Mr. Dante Caputo, for the skilful manner in which he has directed our deliberations over the past year. His guidance was most encour~gin!; and the resUlts, I must add, most gratifying • (Mrs. "klvunda" zambia) I wish to offer my country's sincerest thanks to the secretcry-General, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, and to the orqans of the United Nations for the support extend!!d to Antique and Barbuda in the wake of ale of the .est dwaetatinQ hurricanes ever to have unlS!lshed its fury upon the eastern Caribb.n. The da_ge to my country was severe but the response of the intel'nat!cnal COID\l'iity reaffirms my faith and my people's faith in the effectiveness of the United Nations orqans and in the 900dw111 of man!: in<!. Fifty years ago the havoc, brutality and destructiveness of the Second World War was visited on mankind. The united Nations, be it re"'er~, was created at the end of the conflagration to prolDOte peace, security, economic reconstruction and self-determination. Today the role of the united Nations is pivotal in the continued promotion of peace, in the stride tawards eQOnomic development &nd in the reconstruction efforts of so many nations Where the ability to function has been impaired by dis~ters, man-made and natural. This year. as the people of Antigua 'and Barbuda struqgle to cyerCO!le the devastation of a hurricane, the raism d'eae of the United Nations is _de , fillUlifest. The Office of the united Nations Disast~r Relief Co-ordinatex' Md the United Nations Development Programme deserve hiqh coli1lumdation for the support and pledges of continued assistance exten&!d to lily naUcm ilUlletUately followinq upon the consequential dangers of this natural disaster. '1\10 very disquieting and unrelentinq man-made danqers 1fhich alarm my country and menace the most powerful countries in this hemisphere are terrori•• and the trafficking in narcotics. Both are qrave causes of concern to the decision _kerB in my tWin-island country. (Mr. Burst, AntiQua and Barbuda) It: was less than ene year aqo that mercenaries unsuccessfully att_pted to invade the Republic of Maldives. That blatant act of terrorism is a threat to the Bovereiqntv of all slIl!lll countr ies in eNery hemi.sphere and an UnBuspectinq drain en our limited resources. My country can ill afford to spend our scarce foreign currency earnings on acquisition of military hardware. The choice for us is whether to buy more tractors, or to hr inq telephoneD into a distant village, or to offer scholarships to deservinq ycuth, or to repair secondary roads for our farmers to transport their qoods to market, or to iner.se our prollOtional budqet for attractinq business and visitors to our shores. aJt this lcominq terrorist threst requires a diversmn of those scarce resClUrces to rifles and a_unitien and ailitary wiforms. It is a threat which eauses us to look towards the United Nations for support. My country will join forces with a score of sul1 countries to sponsor a draft resoluticn i)ropoaed by the Republic of Maldives requirinq the creation of a type ef United Nations peace-keepinq force to COIIe to the assistance of any 811811 state when requested 80 to do by its legiti_te authority in the face of a terrorist threat to its sovereignty. In my immediate region, the eastern Caribbean, eigbt nations, includinq ay own, have formed e regional security force uhicb offere qreater protection than any olnC;l& aellfber State can provide on ita own. But Antique and Barbuda none the less end«s8s a broader Qpproach as propoaed by Jalllillica in & pendi~ Un!ted Hationa draft resolution. The creation of a multilateral unit established under the a&C;lis of the United N8tiona ia IIlO8t appealinq. Such a mit would poneu the ability to provide assistance in situations requirinq intelUqence and interdiction capabilities; both are currently beyond the wherewitbal of the extant Caribbean reqional s<!Curity system. 'lh• • er~ wilUngneaa of aany ...11 countries and lUny (Mr. Burst, Antiqua and Barbuda) island derelopinq countries to lend their support to the concept evidences our increased faith in the United Nations Over the past two weeks every Bead of State frOll the Americas ~"ho has addreseed this body has expounded on the scourqe of dr\iq traffickinq. The Pr.idents of the United States and of ColOlllbia have noted that the threat to delllOcracv posed by the dr\iq cartels is real and present. The threat to my nation's sovereignty is not !maqined. Wealthy and powerful d~uq barcns, when dr iven froll their castles in one nation, w111 look to less defensive States fram which to continue their criminal activity. To forestall the prOdpect of elevation fro!5Jl transit points in the trafficking of drugs to distillation centres for the production of the substance our island counuies int.end to seek increased United Nations protection. Por an industry which ranks second in economic activity Oilly to the arms trade and whose profits exceed the global cost of debt-servicing, we are fiqhtinQ a disaster IDOre horrendous in its implications than an entire sUlIIler of hut' r icanes .. Druq abuse eats way the very foundations of civilizations and cultures which generations paeqed have bequeathed to us. It turns its victims into unrecognizable creatures and destroys our younC!JstetB as surely as no tempest can. The purveyors of tills wil must be apprehended and punishedo Small countries such as my own are conscwus of the SUPerior strength which the drug barons possess. Antigua and 8arbuda will therefore be a co-sponsor of the draft resolution to be tabled by Trinidad and 'l'Obaqo proposing the creation of an international er i_in&l court ef just1C& empowered with jurisdiction to bring to trial and to convict those dealers in death who have no nationality and for whom the sanctity of life has no ..eaning. (Mr. Burst, Antigua and Barbuda) The traffic in drugs and the threat of terrorism have the potential to under.ine our sovereignty. But the harm to the environment, resultinq in global warmincJ, threatens the coastline of every country with floodinq and our low-lying island nations with colllPlete submersion. In March of this YGllr we witnessed the convening of a sWllllit mC!eting on the protection of the global atmosphere. The leaders of 24 countries adopted a common declaration ac'k1ressed to all nations. The Hague Declaration emphasized that the envir:on!llelltcal problem is world-wide and requires solutions devised on a global scale. The nature of the dangers involved necessitates the seekinq of remedies to preserve the ecosystem and to enable humanity to live in di<mitv in a viable qlobal environment. All States have an obligation both to our popUlations and to future qenera tions. There is therefore need for regula tory, sUl)portive and adjustment measures to take into account the participation and 'POtential contr ibution of States which are at varyinq levels of development. Many developinq countries contribute to the degradation as their burgeoninq populations cut down forests to provide til'lber and to make land available for cattle ranching and agriculture, much as the developed countries have done for centuries. (Mr. Burst. Antiqua and Barbuda) The grave nature of the resulting, looming crisis can be gleaned from CaftllUter projections which indicate that the accumule.ticn of carbora dioxide in the atmosphere as a consequence of development could increase the earth's average temperature by 3 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit before the year 2050. Resultinq weather patterns could make infertile large tracts of lmd now under food production~ and oceans could rise by several feet to flood larqe areas of coastal land, thereby C8WS inq innocent, non-contr iOO tinq is land coontr iee to disappear mder the sea. There is undoubtedly an increased recoqnition in all countr: ies of the gravity of the envircnmental problEIII and collectively there are specific meesures which can be taken by the nations of the wor ld to safeguard our planet. There should be the imposition of special taxes on carbon-diox.ide emissions, which would serve to encourage conservation. Elwironmental review should become an integral part of lendinq procedures within countries so that local banks could be prevented f!'om providing funds for projects that destroy habitats. Fundinq should be increased for researdi on alternative enerqy sources, including that of solar power, l!ll'ld safer designs for nuclear reactors. Financial assiBtance shOUld be given to developinq countries to enable us to construct hiqh-efficiencv power plants. And, althouqh a nurrber of other costly measures could be implemented, the simple act of establishing an international tree-planting proqramme is hiqhly recommended. My country appre..ciates that the prebl'.1 is most co~lex. Antiqua and Barbuda accepts the view enunciated by the Commonwealth Secretary-General that "the current work on greenhouse gases and global warming requires the comined skills of physicists, meteoroloqists, biologists, qeoqraJ:hers, economists, 181fyers, enqineers ••• To deal with such problems satisfactorily is a c:hallenqe to both statesmen and thinkers.· (Mr. Burst, Antigua and Barbuda) insist that the principle of multilateralism be 81;)J)lied, conscious of the fact that the llechanism of the United Nations must ~qiiin be called U'PClI'l to provide technical leadership and 6UJ)1jOrt. Antiqua and Barbu& also seeks the support of the United Nations community in prolOt!nq a new approam to measurinq the economic well-beinq of island develoDinq countries. We ac;ain reiterate that the use of conventional economic indicators to measure the economic stencUnq of island devlopinc; countries is neither apt nor realistic. CQlventional indicators distort our economic soundness, ignore the f~agility of our economic bue, and fail to canpensate for the disproportionately high coats attached to pr09idin«; routine services to sMll populations. The qr06s national procllct per capita is the major culprit. It does not take into account that tourism, the economic lifeline of many developinq countries including my own, r61uires massive expenditures for prollDtion. The e:port of manufactw:ed qoods doea not. Promotional spendinq takes 'Place in the developed countries from w'il ich the tourists come, resultinq in a continuous transfer of our hard-earned hard currency to dev~loped countries. But this spendinq must take l)lace. Promotion is the sine...s.ua non of a successful toutist-bas~ econOIlll1J 60 per cent ef the aross domestic product of my country is qenerated by tourism. The qross national J)rcduet J)1!1' cal)ita measuring device does not take that major fact into account; nor does it give an adequate representa,tion of our country's v 'nerability. Last month a single hurricane destroYed in 12 hours the 50 years' work it took lIlY Gcw~nment to prcwide a function!nq electr lcity delivery system. The damge to out' homes, OUlt schools, our single hospital, aqricultural crops and, !IlCI8t particularly, our fishing industry excea in dollars the aqqreaate export earninGs of five vears. combined. The difficulties resulting from hurricane Huqo are canpounded bv economic constraints posed by our smallness, by an increasing disappearance of preferential markets" bv a decline in official development: assistance and by access restrictions to 80ft-loan financing. Island developinq countries once again present our: case for the UGe of more reliable economic inolesters and for special assistance from the United Nations and its many orqans. Over the past six sessions Antigua and Barbuda has been in the forefront on the question of Antarctica. Again we seek to remind this body that Antarctica is mankind's last frontier. Man's intrusion there" if not carefully monitored and t'egulated, can dramatically alter the qlobal ocean currents and weather Datterns. Antarctica is a most siqnificant regulator of the earth's weather syStems; any chanqe in the Antarctic environment can have a dire impact on the climate and enviraunsnt of other parts of the earth. Last year we had much cause for regret when we lSBrned of the decision of the Antarctic Treaty Coneultative Parties to disrecJard totally and canpletely General Assemly resolution 42/45, of 30 Novemer 1987, which called for a moratorium on negotiations to establish a minerals rec,ime until all meJ\t)e:s of the international community are able to participate fully in such neqotiations e This year we are greeted with a glimmer of hope as three of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties have declared that they will not siqn the minerals convention and are advocating instead the establishment of an antarctic wilderness park. We welcome th is development. Antiqua and Barbuda continues to call for the direct involvement of the United Nations and the fullest co-operation of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Patties with the Sec~etary-Genel'alor his representative. Many recent d4Welooments in technoloqy have brcuQht about major dlanqes in the domestic well-being of several develoJ)inQ countr iea. Aa the l)8ce of technoloqy quickens. s_l1 developing countries seeking to keep pace experience a strain on their reeources. My coUlluy is nevertheless determined to uee the products of science and te~noloqy to realize its development qoels. Our loroq-standinq effoJ:ts - to build and 8trenqthen our endoqenws capacity in soience and tedlnoloqy have taken on a sens6 of urgency _ we seek to improve social and economic conditions through expanded production, increased expo~t earninqs and international caapetitivenese. If we are to emance the infrastructure of our learninq institutions in the fields of science and technoloqy, if we are to i1l\Prove the aan~qellent of science .,d tec:hnolDqy, then my country mUBt press the international co.-unity to increase the flQf of ted'moloqy to small countr lea on canditions acceptable to us. The islanda of thG Caribbean were once populated by an ancient, robust, sea-faring peopl4t~ because ot man's qreed and viciousness, their 1»pulations were dee_ted to the point of near extinction. Relics of their civilization can be fnunc! throuqtlout wery (.aritbean island. Antigua and Barbuda is thus CCIIlpelled to raise its voioe in calling for the protection of indiqenous peoples in the modern world. We make this appeal in the knowledc;le that in this century there have been more ethnocides, qenocides and extinctions of distinct ethnic and tr ibal groupS than in any other period of history. In 1988 more than 200,000 indiqenous people around the world were murdered and more than 2 million were forced to flee their homelands. The violence !D2II\ifested against indigenous peoples is in no sense random. The violence occurs, most frequently, when States or dominant qroups atteq>t to exert I.:CIIlplete control OlIer ethnic or tribal minodties. Many indigenous people live in the more remote and least-explored areas of their countr ies. They have been pushed so far that they are makinq a final stand against aqqreseion. But they fiqht, like the heroic Caribbean peoples of centuries past~ against more formidable foes, to which they will 1IKlSt certainly succumb. Not many decades from now the fate of the world's remaininq indigenous peoples could be decided once and for all. Antiqua and Barbuda will readily Give its support to the proposal by the Group for the Studies of Indigenous Populations - a part of the United Nations Sub-CoJllllittee for the Protection of Minorities - that 1992 be declared the international year of the indigenous peoples of the world. Africa's struqqle for ~otal liberation will come only with the eradication of apartheid. We are convinced that the oppressed majority of South Africa - the black people of South Africa - will soon win its freedom~ with the unfllilinq support of the United Nations. This year the General Assembly w111 aqain devote a special session to apartheid. But we are certain that the racist Pretoria reqime will CQIlpletely iqnore the resolutions which are likely to emerQe since it has, with impunity, ignored those which were adopted last year e South Africa must be cCDpel1ed to lift all state-of-emerqency requlations, end its ban on all political orqani2ations, restore free speech and movement, and coJllllence a dialoque with the representatives of the majority population. My country reiterates its call for the acJcpticn of IIlIndatory sanctions of a CQIlprehensive nature aqainst the racist r~ime as a means to cOlipel it to cOl11)ly. Antigua Md Barbuda calls once again for the release of Nelson Mandela and all political prisoners and seeks the cessation of the harassment of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Reverend Alan Boesak. Antigua and Barooda condemns the racist South Africans for creatinq illPedillents to an independent Namibia. The States Mell'bers of the United Nations cannot beCOlle cQlllplacent~ we must not allow SOuth Africa to jettisoo the aqreements rMched through our efforts here. If we fail to deter South Africa we shall disappoint the ",cxld, whim is watchinq us, e.aqer to see Namibia take its riqhtful seat as the one hundred sixtieth State Jlemer of the United Nations. The men a."ld "ollen of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) ~ inteznational civil servants who are on site in Namibia, have placed their lives in jeopardYJ several nationals of my small country are servinq in Namibia under UNTAG. The l\ssellbly must ensure that they do not labour in vain, that South Africa coQ>lies with Security Council resolution 435 (1978). We cannot allow the effort to end in failure. Continuinq on the subject of the Afr lean continent, we turn now to Western Sahara. Antiqua and Barbuda actively supports the peace plan of the united Nations Seeretary-Genera'" a.~d the Chairman of the Orqanization of African Unity. We lend our support to the people of Wee tern Sahara in their s uuqqle for self-determination and endorse all international efforts aimed at securing peace and stability in the Maqhreb reg ion. Perm! t me to focus upon my own region briefly. Antigua Md Barbuda api)lauds the developments in Central America, which are certain to brirq peace. We endcxse Security Council resolution 637 (1989), which relates to the Esquipulas II Aqreemenu. We aellere to our earlier statements that econOlllic injustice is the toot caUS8 of many of the local conflic~ there; these conflicts were exacerbated by the cold wa1:. The number of proxy wars, though, is fast diminishinq, and we welcome the demobilizAtion imd re-pAui&tion of irreqular forces. Poor nations with bare material storehouses can ill afford the sql1andel;in~ of scuce resources brought on by wars. The strengthening of democraev in the reqion will cootinue if peace lasts; economic reform m....st also be instituted in order to quarantee peace. The people of Central America, and 'especially the people of Panama, arl! assured that our hearts are with them in this era of extreme difficulty; it is Oii~ sincej;e hope that their many crises will soon be resolved. Purther afield" we are discol!rac;ed by developments in AfQhanistan o Despi te the Agreement on the settlement of the Situation relatinq to Afqhanistan, <!.'!d despite the unanimous adoption of resolution 43/2!1 of 3 Novemez 1985, the 8ufferinq of the sturdy Af~an people continues. My cou..,try reiterates its support for that people's struqqle to achieve self-determination and total autonomy. In LebMon, the people must be allowed to settle their differences without undue interference. My country stands ready to endorse any proPOsal that will lead to eull Lebanese sovereiqnty C1'1« the ootire country and Quarantee the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebmlese 8011e The entire Middle East conflict eontinuea to haVe the propensity for generatinq repercussions in a far wider sphere. The decisions taken by the Palestine National Council at Algiers in Novell'ber 1988 and at Geneva the follat'!nq mnth created a diplomatic 1DO:D(!fttum which has since been supplanted by mistrust and doubt. It is iaperat!ve that thGre be an international ~ace conference. The interests of all concerned are best served throuqh dialoque and neqotiatlons in an atmosphere propitious to C)f!aeeful resolution.. The United Nations IllUSt continue its (Mr. Hurst, Antiqua and Barbuda) quest to Und a lastinq settlement, premised (Xl the rights of all States and peoples in that region to exist within recognized and secure borders. In South-East Asia, two Koreas seau permanent. The Republic c)f Korea has repeatedly expressed its desire to become a Mellber of the United Nations. Antiqua and Barbuda can find no logieal cause or explanation for denyinq it mel'lbershipI further, we oonsider it unjust that it is barred from menbership for reasons other than those stipulated in the United Nations Charter. Last year at this time we were encouraged by developments relating to Cambodia. Unfortunately, the Conference convened in Paris at the initiative of the Government of France fell short of getting a direct commitment from the various factions. But it succeeded in workinq out siqnificant elements of a comprehensive settlement and in identifying necessary aspects of a solution. It is hoped that there will be no slackeninq of efforts to bring about peace and justice in Kampuchea. In Cyprus, the fact that the 1eadel.'s of the two sides involved in that conflict have co_itted thel8elves to achievlnq an overall sett1e1lent augurs well for the future. We are heartened bv our Secretary-Generalis announceMnt that a critical juncture has nClf been reached. Antiqua and Barbuda consequently qives its full support to the effort and urqes the two parties to ream an acceptable solution within the year. Like small countries Antigua and Barbuda looks increasinqly to international law for protection, and we are keenly avare of the role of the United Nations in pr~tin~ respect for law. The lawless dullPinq of hazardous wastes in deve10Pinq countries rEqUires illlllediate united Nations action. It is unfair and unthinkable to burden with the by-l)roducts of affluent societies those that are endeavourinq to keep their fragile ecoaystens safe for this and future generations. It would be suicidal to accept the wastes of industrial societies in the Caribb_n given the ccaplete reliance of our peoples on every square Ilile of our 1:11<d and sea. AntiQua and Barbuda calls for a strict international regiae to protect all develt.~ing countries from becomiDl dumpinq-qrounds for hazardowa wastes. My delegation's request for United Nations assistance and sUPDOrt in our hurrieane recoyery efforts, in the establishment of a lIultUat«al force, in the creation of an international court of criainal justt~, in the ~rcwision of leade:sbip and support on envirCl'lmental issu9f:J, and a few other _tterB cataloq~ed earlier, lIlight appear to sugqest that 1IIV sull island developing country and aaybe other small countries are wilUng to surrender, :»r to trade in, eleaents of our sovereignty for greater security and illlPtoved conditions. My country guards ita scwerei9Dty jealously. Antiqua and Barbuda will re_in a free and fully inde?Qndent country just as lonq as the nation-State syetelll survives. My Pd•• Minister, the Right Honour&ble Doctor Vere Cornwall 8i1:4, h. for SO years be. in the forefront of the strugqle to win our independence, to improve our standard of living and to foster in us pride in our heritaqe. He continues to 'PIles on to us a legacy which we shall nevet abandon. Antigua and 'Barbuda will do all in its 'POWer to ensure our continued development, to ensure lasting peace, and to sectSre huaanity's survival through. multibtr '1 efforts. However, we are willin!;1 to part with no more of our sovereignty than is the most powerful country in any hemisphere. Mr. SBIHABI (Saudi Arabia) (interpretation from Arabic): His lCyal Biqhness Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, would have liked to be here today to address this Assembly, but compelling reasons relatinq to developri.efits in the efforts of the Kinqdom of Saudi Arabia to help bring about a settlement of the Lebanase problem made it necessary for His Hiqhness to re_in in the Kinqdom at this time. He asked me to convey his greetinqs to you, Mr. President, and to deliver hin statement on his behalf. WIt gives me pl61eure to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of this forty-fourth session of the General Assembly, a tribute to you personally and to your wiae e~perlence in international affairs, and a tribute to the important role played by your country both reqionaUy and internationally. I am confident that your presidency of the General Assellbly at this session end your efficient conduct of its affairs will help to bring about good results. -I avail myself of this opportunity to express our appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Dante Caputo, Presidmt of the General Assembly at its forty-third session, who conducted our work with objectivity and wisdom that earned him the gratitude and appreciation of all. -It is also IlV pleasure to reiterate our th&nlcs and &Pprecatian to tile Secretary-Gener~l,Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, for his untirlng efforts durin:;a this year, aB in prwioUB years, to strengthen opJ)Ortunitiea for pace and r&duce tension in crisis areas, as wall as for his persistent en~.'Vour8 to 80lve international problems, whether political or other. His p«sonal qualities have contr ibuted greatly to whGt has been accclIPlishecl in these fields. -The role of the United Nations in prcvidinq for a cliJlate of detente, therebv contribut1nQ to the processes of reconciliation Md the resolutian of disputes, and in facilitatinq the means to eU.inate the causes of danqeroas conflicts between States is a majcx objective of the United NationG Charter. It gives us pleasure to witness the faet that the United Nations is perforainq .:his role and to see that the supel"'"Pow«s in particular bave reeoqnized that 1n the United Nations they have a body to .1cb they can turn for help in realiz inl} the present stages of detente. There 18 no need to .xp&la!n our appreciation of the inrportance of lIulttlateral relations and their ~.itive influence on bilateral relations. In discuBsinq the ili'POrtan~e Md U8&fulneaa of multilateral relations, I !lust Mention the constructive role the Gtilf Co-operation Council is playinq within the fr:alleWork of the Arab ra.Que in co-ordinating and unifvinq the foreiqn and inte~nal I)Oli01_ of ita .Hber States. We welcome the formation of the Arab Co-operation Council and of the Maqhreb Unity Council. ",hieb incorporate two qroupe of A~ab countri. within the Arab League and which aill to consolidate co-operation and ccheelon amnq thell. We see in this reqional cohesion within the fr...ork of th. Arab Leaque an effective practical support of the L.qu.'S objecti". et! of the goals of the United Ration.s. (Nr. Shihabi, Sa~di Arabia) ·Jus~ when we are witnealrq the aany indications of relaaticn in the relations between the quat POIfers and indications of il!lf)rOV'ement in the nature of the d_linqll between ac1Yeraarv international blocs, at a tille when the world is look inq forward to the tranaforution of confrontation asonq the qUilt POiICS into a process of mdecstandinq and of the 80luticn of conflicts by peaceful lleans, and jus t when the threa tu of a global war with weapons of mass destruction are gradually abatinq, r&isinq qteat hopes c:hat the danqer of a nuclear war between the two blocs has receded far enough to give us a feeUnq of p.ce, we nQlllj find that wCC'ld-wi~ cJanqU'& are begimiD;l to appear on the Bcene, iapede lURk ind's developaent and jeopardize the very existence of the hUllan race if they are not dealt with in ti.". llIThe lIutifaeete4 environllental probleE and the clanewers ~r.ted by industrial progress aake air and vater unsafe fer use, woeI'll the livelihood of lDan and the life of an1uls and jeopardize aqriculture and the soil. Moreover, the dUBqe and disruptiCln to whidl the upper strata of the atllosdlere are beinq subjected vill affect life on Barth in Clan.ral. (Mr.Shihabl, Saudi Arabia) danqerous and cri_inal orqantzations with abundant aeans at their disoo~al that cross QeograJilic bordera, violate the sanctity of faaill. and societies, break all lIloral l, hUIIl8I\ and spiritual bouncSs and spread these pois0i'l6 fatal to the huaan 8Didt, sappinq hUUll vitaUty in its ..arch fez a safe edatence, and leadinq to the destruction of citi:en's character, the disinteqration of social bonds and the di&solutiOft of thl! individual's =-lteent to faaUv, society and State. 'l'he United Nations baa been alel:t to all thooe danqers at an early stage .,a, thankfully, it h. called for tho lICbilizaticn of the efforts world'Ai4c to face thn. "In the econo.le field. the situation of the develcpinq countries i8 !acreasiftqly deteri«atinq, and the poor countries are becoainq DOOr.. ant! tht< rich countries richer. The Drcbl.. of debt, prot~ionistpolicies and decUninq prices of raw .terials, as well. the qaJ) batveen the deYeloplnq and the develoPed countries, and the underlyinq causes .,d coneequences, are the III08t important problems requirinq an urqent solution. "The fact that the leadership of thGt United States and the Soviet Union have team~ the pr~..mt staQe of undcst.,dinq ",d are convinced of the need to co-operate is a develoPDent worthy of cur qrmt aDPreciation, for their visdal ant! ability to open \ID prospects favourable for their peoples and fer mankind. If the steps taken duting tb.last two years are sufficient .&ndicatC!t's, we bave reum to hopo that deBpite cS1fflcultles this spirit of aqreecent will continue, unbaqJel'e4 by Ilny eleunU of destructive rivalry, which aust be quardea againat. We hope that the pr_.t under8t.u:Unq~ ..tue1 negotiation and co<>opel'ation portend a periDd of atabllity that .,111 help us solve qlobal nOft"'_Ultary probl_ • well .. req·lonal probl.. tlb1dl iIIpinq. (~. Shihabi, Saudi Arabia) upon the riqhts, security and pace of peoples. If this trend continues, we see an impOrtant role for the United Nations and its Ol'Qans as effective instruments facilitating international understanding. IIAt a time when international detente holds out promise for the solution of problems, the question of Palestine is enterinq sudl & critical phase that a special stand is requireti of the United Nations and its MeDber States, and all of us must shoulder our responsibilities in this regard. ~ore than 22 years have elapsed since Israe1 Qs occupation of the weat Bank and the Gaza StriP. In order to annex those areas, the Israeli authorities resort to prevarications, despite the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly and the over:whelminq opinial of the international community rejectinq and condeJWl1nQ those Israeli atte~ts and cal1inq f« their termination. -Then there was the sweeping Palestinian upr is inq. Twenty-three months have passed since the intUadah beqan. Th~ Palestinian people, all of them - men, women, the elderly and children - have risen UP against occupation and injustice. They confront Ua& Israeli occupation authorities and all ~eir instruments of oppression and tyranny as people defending their riqht to their land aqadlnst an occupier that thMtena their livelihood and existence. Peace is stUl an aspiration that Isr&el rejects, and it continues to placa cb8tacles in the way of its attainment. That has been eo since the Arab peace initatives beqan to receive the sUPPOlrt of the international co_unity. In this reqard, I refer to the initiative of the Pez Su_it of 1982, the (Mr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabin) resolutions, of the Palestine National Council of 1988 and the stePS taken by the Palestinian leadership, includinq its procla1lllJt1cm of the state of Palestine.* ·On this oceaswn I extol the role of our sister State EqVl)t under the lead~ship of President 808n! Mubarek in supportinq the inalienable leqitilll!te tights of the PalestAnians, even as ISf&el's intransigence hindars avery initiative to solve the problsn and obstructs fiNery effort to achieve peace. "The Israp.li authorities' inhuman treatment of the Palestinian Arab people is the greatest threat to any peace plan, and the wcxst possible policy tEilat they could pursue if they wish to establish a proper hwun relationship with the Arab people. Israel IllUSt acce'Pt reality, there is no alternative•. And the reality is that the Palestine Liberation OrQanization is the sole and legitimte representative of the Palestinian people. 'It should realize that the sacr ifioes made by the Palestinian Council in putting forward a forwla for peace in Palestine prOl7ide Israel with an opportunity for peace. The Israeli authorities must realize that this qreat sacrifice by the Palestinian people is the hiqh ~rice they are paylnq in the quest for pe&ca and security and preservation of their national identity• .. Also of concern to Pales tine are the Arab lands occupied by Israel in the Syrian Golan and in South Lebanon. Invasion and occupation are not accePtable, they are intolerable, and must be brOllqht to an end as quickly as possible. * Mr. Vraalsen (Norway), Vice-President, took the Chair. (Nr. Shihabi. Saudi Arabia) -But Israel views the Middle EMt as a single field, includinq the Arab Maghreb and BCIIle countries of South West Asia, and in that reqard its policy is to build rockets and prepare weapons of mass dea truction, includinq deadly nuclear, chemical and bacterioloqical weapons. We must never forqet that those are all weapons of total annihilation, and it is our inescapable obligation to see to it that they are destroyed in their entirety. Callinq for their partial destruction is ccnuadictotY, aa is the demand that weapons of mass destruction be 'limited'. The long-r~qe missile the Israeli authorites fired at the Libyan coast" in the Mediterranean, confims that ¥)eace and security based on humane considerations is far from the minds of Israeli politieians. But of course they wUl friqhten no one. WAre we likely this yeal: to see a better understandinc; of the co~r.ents necessary fex the achievement of peace, with the Israeli authorities ptovinq there hag been a change in their assessment of what is riqht? Or will Israel i:uin all opportunities for pace bl; insisting on an Israeli kind of pmce that can never be achieved? -With respect. to the situation in the Gulf, we express our appreciation to the Governments of two neighbourinq countries, Iran and Iraq, for atllerinq to their colllllitllent to the cease-fire. That is a necesBary step towards endinq the wat and for progress towards buildinq essential bddqes of peace betwe( two neiqhbours following the horrors of bloody warfare they endult'ed .fee eiqht years. "It must be pointed out that the state of no war, no peace is always cha!'8cterized bv unacceptable surorises, and that peace must: be the qoal. 80th parties accepted Security Council resolution 598 (1987). we commend Iraq for its initiative in this regard. The Secretatv..Qeneral and his staff have ~de great efforts to break the deadlock in the current ne<lotiations~ There is an urgent need to remove humanitarian proble1llS as points of contentwn, precisely because they are humanitar ian and because that will have a very positive effec% on the spirit of the negotiations. In this reqarc1, I want to refer in particular to the prisoners of war. As always, we shall support the Secretary-General and his staff in their efforts to reach a final solution to this conflict which threatens the security and peace of the countries in the Gulf reqion, as well as international security. "The traqedy of Lebanon has reached a staqe at which it threatens the foundation and the safety of the State. At the recent emerQency Arab sWllllit conference held in Casablanca a decision was taken to authorize the hiqb-level Arab Tripartite Conmittee - co~sed of the custod!Qn of the two holy sites, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, His Majesty K.inq Hassan IX and His Excellency President Chadli Bendjedid - to find a comprehensive solution to the Lebanese crisis. The Committee has put forward a special perspective to solve the problem - a perspective that inclUdes a draft plan for national recOl'lcUia tiona "Thus .far, the High Co.ittee has had important success.. It achieved a cease-fire, and it convened a meetinq of the Lebanese parlia...tarialllS, which is takinq place l!t present in TaU, in the lUnqdoll of Saudi Anbia a Par 12 days th06~ parl!amentQl'ians have been workinq continuously to reach an (Mr. Shihabi, Saudi. Arabia) aqreelMYlt that "Ul reEitore peace to the country, md constitutional institutlcns to the state, will result in political refors, and vUl establish Lebanese scwereiqnty over all Lebanese national terdtory .. wThe custodian of the two boly sites, King !'alto bin Abdulasiz, in the nue of tna Tripartite Arab COIUIittea, has _t:lbasb:ed the need for the brothers in Lebanon to bave a unified conception that will enable tbem to .serine the future of their COWttl:y according to the formula that they th:Lk will prese:ve ~be unity of the State: its land and peopl~, and will ensure lastinq peaee and CQIIpubeneive 8tabilit-/~ Kinq Pahd has emorted all the Lebanese oarties and other DarUes concerned with the Lebanese issue to intensify their efforts to secure success for the endeavours to achieve the b8'leficial qoa18 that everyone is str iVinq for in this respect. WTbe Israeli forces II\Bt be withdrcwn frca South Lebanon in accordance with the Arllistice Agreements of 1949 and in implellientation of Security Council resolution 425 (1918) .. We are very hopeful - inCiem, confident - that stability, security and peace will return to the lanci of Lebanon, and that that country wUl regain its civilized and constructive role and will be abl~ to look forward to a tomorrow when peace will repair mat war destroyed. WWe relt.ate our appreciation of the SOl/let union's cOur8c:;e in decidinq to w!thdrw frOM Afqhanistan and to adhere 9tr ictly to tbe withdrawal date. We bODe that the SO\Viet union, hav!~ made that brave deeia ion, recoqnizy that the regime holdlnq out in Kabul brouqbt ut:lOn AfqhanUltan the horrors of more than eiqbt yeKs of civil war. It will not be easy for the mujahidin and their PtCJllistonal Government to rward that reqlme by havinq it sbare in qcwerninq the country and adminl&terim the affaus of thE:! Deople wo suffered at ita han4s, the horrors of war, destruction and expuls ion, and at the same (Hr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabill) time to honour the r8Qime with the prestiqe of a State and the esteem of Afqhanistan's people. WThe continuing intran iqence of the regime will do nothinq to repair the rift with its neiqhbours. It will do nothinq to build bridqes of understancUnq and qood neighbourliness. A failed reqime that could net ensure safety and trarquilUtv, or even impose itself by force \-men it was propped up by a superior foreign army is finished and is on its way out. Attempts at bargaininq will only serve to prolonc:- the tragic 9ufferinq of the Afcjlan people. This heroic people set one of the best possible examples in sacrifice, in defence of their reliqion, ~eir honour and their homeland. They demonstrated to all who seek freedom that there is a clear way, which does not tolerate bargaining. WThe problem of Namibia is enterinq its final st:aqes. That country is on the threshold of enjoyinq independence. We hope that the world community will continue to press for a coQ:>rehensive solution until Namibia attains co~lete independence. The methods of prevarication and procrastination to which the Government of SOuth Africa is resortinCl, in order to foil the implementation of the United Nations plan in one way or another, will only have negative results in South Africa. That Government should learn from the experience of otb~s who preceded them in coloniz inq Africa and who preceded them in departing from Afr iea. We will be glad, in the near futlJre, to welcome Namibia as a free, independent State and as an active mamer of the commlmitv of nations. WSouth Africa, with its system of aparth~id, ls abdurately resistinq the winds of manqe and the storm of adjustment that are overcominq apartheid and racial discr imination everywhezoe, especially on the Afric&n continent. Despite some signs of CQIlPrehension and understandinq brandished by the reqime (Mr. Shiha~i, Saudi Arabia) in Sauth Africa, the wide gap between the white minority and the black aajority and the repugnant relationship between them, to uhich the Illinority is clinging, are a warnlnq of the danqers to the security and stability of the reqion, a wal:'ning of what will happen if the responsible officisls in South Afdca tb not wake up quickly to the evil consequences of their present policy, which ie condeB'lecl by the whole world and which all States, including Saudia Arabia~ are standinq toQether to end. IIIlt will not do South Africa and its Government any good to co-operate with the r"1_ in Israel, overtly or covertly, in the field of trade, industry and finlllQe or in the field of nuclear armaments, intelligence, illeqaloperations and training, becaWl& a systall founded cm apartheid is bound to chanqra or co. to an end. lib we all know, politics C4Mot be set straiqht unless economics is set suaiqht as well. In II8l\Y respects the internatic....'ull eCalCIIY was stronq last year and at the b..inninq of this y"'at. Gross nl1t1onal product in 1:he incJustrial States incre.ed by 4 OK cent in 1988, 4nc:1 international trade increased by 9 per cent - one ot th<! qreatest increases over the last 10 yeara. The rate of ellDloyment in industrial countries inorersed by 2 per cent in 1988, while the rate of un~loyment decreased from 7.5 per cent to 7 per cent. -Aqamst that pieture~ we still see the qap between the industr ial countries and the 4~~elopin; countries w14eninQ. Official aseist~ce and fin£llcial .~rt to the dovelopinc nations hav~ decraasGd.. Many developing countries use considerable a.,unt:e of tbeir financial r.ou~c. to uke payaenta to debtor comtri.. The qap is therefore wideninq between the (Nr. Sbihabi, Sau!i Arabia) industrial countries, where economic performance is improvinq, l:nd most of the deyelopinq comltries, wei:e economic performance is worsening because of their eCQl\QIllc prablems, which constitute cme of the most serious obsta~les to international understanding, despite the climate of detente to which we flC)inted esrlier. (Hr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabia) -The decrease in the price of the raw materials exported by the developing countr ies still represents a major obstacle on the patn to their Qrcwtb and economic development, at a time when those countrbs are also facinQ a rise in the price of aanufactured qoodB imported froll the industrialized countries. The developing countries are still dealinq with develo1Xllent problem in the face of increasinQ difficulties because the industrial countries, especially those which used to rule some of them, have left to their present Governments the burdens of poverty and backwardness. Those industrial countries have not carried out their respomibility to support hUlll&n and saterial developaent projects in the couna lee that have gainEd independence. We still persistently call for the resumption and revitalization of the North-South neqotiations and for the. to work .rnestlv fa: solutio. to the proble. that are iIIpedinq proQress in this field. We also call for a curbing of the protectionist policies in the industrialized countries in tariff and non-tariff form, which constitute basic obstacles to balanced trade and illlPede econollic develOJllllent, not only in developing countries, but also in the industrialized countries themselves. We also call for an intensification of the co-ordination of economic policies between industrialized countries in order to revitalize the wexld economy, support its stabUity and facilitate the incorl)Oration of the developinc:, cauntr les into that \fa: Id econolll'l. liThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is playinq a positive role in servinq the w«ld econOlliYo and at the same time in Qivinq assistance md support - mastly in the form of grants - to developinq countr in. We stress the importance of the fact that the imprOl1ement in international relations should be accCl'ftpanied by a reasonable balance in economic relations, especially since military (Nr. Sh!habi,..§aufU Arabia) expenditure :Is supposed to decrease in the industrial countries which can tbua d.onsuate their qood intentions by settinq aside part of those savinqs to support c!~e1opment in the developing countries and improve the trade balance. "We look forward to the eoming year and we are hOPeful that international probleIB wUI be solVed. At the same time, we shall shoulder our responsibilities, which are of no less importance, for solving those reqional problem th(a~ are threateninq peace and security. We are hopeful that, when we meet next year, tie shall be able to report actual achievements, SO that we can assure cominq qenerations that the prospects for humanity are better thM they were in the past.- The meeting rose at 12.55 p.m. (Mr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabia)