A/46/PV.4 General Assembly

9.  GENBRAL DEBATE m (intorptotation Iron Atabic)r Dofore calling on the firmt mpoekor in the genmtal dabste, I l hould like to tomind mmmbmrm of the decimion tmkon by the Oenetel Ammembly mt itm 3rd plenary meeting, on 20 septombot, that congratulation8 l hould not be emprommmd in the General Ammembly after a l tatement ham been delivered. Xn thim connection, may I almo remind member8 of another decimion taken by the Ammembly at the mame mooting, that l pomkatm in the 9oaotal debate, after deliwring thait l tatmmaatm, would leave the Ammombly Pm11 through Room GA-200 at the roar of the podium beforo returning to thoit moatm. I l hould like to remind tmprementativem that, in accordance with a dmcimion taken by tho Goneral Ammombly at itm 3rd plmnary meeting, the list of mpeakorm will bo clomod on Wodnomday, 25 Smptombor 1991, at 6 p.m. May I rmquomt delegationm to be good enough to provide l intimated l peaking times that are am accutato am pommiblo l o that wo may be able to plan our mooting8 in an orderly way. m (Iceland): Mr, President, let me begin by expremmin9 my congratulations on your election to our highest office. I wish you ovary l uccemm and pledge thm mincore support of my delegation. I am pleamed to take thin opportunity to welcome the Republic of Korea, the People's Republic of Korea, the ?ederatsd States of Micronesia and the Marshall Imlandm as new Members of the United Nations. I am also delighted to be able to welcome the three Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, am new Members of our world Organiration. After having suffered half a century of military occupation and enforced annexation. the present statua of the Baltic Staten am fully recognised msmbors of ths world cormsunity in 11)0r0 thsn tlmly. Rolationm between fcolsnd snd therm Buropman neighbours have intansifiad ovsf thm pmt. few yours and we look forum8 to iacresmmd cooporation with their Oovornmentm in this sad other multilstoral forums. ft is only a nstural reflection of th@ current timos th@t our attsntlon and thoughts dwell upon the procsss of change in our hnediatm politics1 environment and upon the chsllongem rhoad, Seldom if ever haa history rscordad such a radical and rspid tranrformation of iaternstional politics and inter-stab rmlations 88 we huvo rmcmatly witnasssd in Europa. Rsrely have global tasks and the nomd for colloctivs offort been so formidable. Great change sntsils both opportueitios and risks. Yho opportunitirm inhersnt in the trsnsformstioo of Central and Pastern turope have, in fact, ended the cold war. Events in Europa have progrossod to such an l xtont that wo have roaaon to bslisve that the advance of dsmocracy will not bo reversed. The failed coup in the Soviet Union lamt month domonmtratad the tenacity of democratic aspirations. Political and military intimidation was muccemsfully resisted by the people of Russia and their democratically elected President Boris Yeltsin: a courageous leader who rose to the occasion. Our hopes were reinforced that tanks and concrete wall6 would no longer be a determining factor in European politics. Inmtead, the principles of democracy, self- determination and the ruls of law would prevail. Yet, we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the process of democratization and economic reform in Central and Eastern Europe is still fraught with danger arising from a number of factors) particularly the paralysing economic problems and ethnic conflicts. The extreme vulnerability oC tha now denocrrclam im l vidont to all. They have to contend with political and l ocial unrest l tamming from economic difficulties, l t.haic conflict and, -in name camam, l xtrrma nationalirn. ProrIdant Vaclav Have1 of tha Csmch and Siovak Uspublic haa pointed out that the democratisation of Central and dartera Luropo and thair tranrition to msrkot l conomiem are “affactod by more impedimmntm than war originally expoctod and that the unholy legacy those countriam have to doal with goor deopor and ham wider ramifications than aayono could imngiao”. Himtory rocordm numorsble instances of the intorconnoction botwoon war and major change. The decline and fall of rmpirem hsvo froquantly remultad in bloodmhrd. Wo naed to bo mindful of the risks pommd by change. Tha l ituation in Yugomlavis im indicative of them. rimkm. It al80 8erve8 aa a remindor that ethnic conflicts can no longer bs rsgardod am the role rssponsibility of individual States. Such conflicts can have rider implication8 and could constitute a threat to international peace and security. In Yugomlavia the fundamental lerron of the tranrformation in Europa ham obviously not been understood. A political order bared on coercion and oppremmion cannot bo upheld contrary to the will of tha people. The simple fact is that if the peoplem of Yuglsavicr are not willing to hold the country together, it will not stay together. The international conununity may have to accept this fact and heed the call for recognition of Croatia and Slovania. (Mr....Jiannlb.-. Asz.alrnd 1 ?utura stability and recurity on tha European continent depend on the continued succasm of the democratic proceem, am ~011 am on the alleviation of economic and ethnic problomr. Tha tank in complex and its order of msgnitudo is profound. Xt will require groat offortr by the poopler of contra1 and eastern Ruropm. Howevo r , l xtornal political, l conombc and technological sssirtance will alro bo l rrential. Wo will no longer protect our own interest6 through parrivity or inaction8 to hesitate at this juncture would be aelf-defeating. Comnuniam in central and atastorn Europe belongs to the past. Whatrvor romaine of this ideology will wither away sooner rather than later. The present Situation ir rmminircent of the years after the Second World War. The discouraging tark of building from the ruins of war had a certain similarity to the need for raconrtruction in central and eastern Europe following yeara of opprerrion and economic centralirationr there was the same mood of despondency and frustration. Post-war reconstruction was successful becauro of that unique endeavour in the history of international relations, the Marshall Plan - a rare act of statesmanship. This magnanimous deed provided exhausted Uropean economies with the reeourceo needed for self-reliance. The psychological support provided to the peoples of Europe wa8 equally valuable. The countries of central and eastern Europe are in need of both now: a new Marshall Plan is called for. I do not mean to imply that recent developments in Europe should be predominant in our deliberations to the exclusion of all other concerns. Never the less, we chnnot ignore the positive global implications of a reduced danger of catastrophic war. Only if Europe remains stable and peaceful can the resources absorbed by the cold war be recouped. This will be the principal prorwqulalte for more coocertod action In lntmrn~tlonal affarr. The 8 satirfactory conclusion of ‘ho cold wer enabled the Unitad Nations to react swiftly and decirively to the brutal Iraqi invarion of Kuwait. The Imperative mod for an effactive global and collective eecurlty system became painfully apparent during thm Second World Wer, Subroqusntly, our world Organiratioa wa# ertablirhed. During the intervening five decades, gur perception of ancurity ham wldsnrd ana our awaranoaa of the various interdapendanciar ha8 doeponed. Ar important an the defence dinmnrion of racurity may bo, thora are alro political, economic, racial l nd, increraingly, ecological aopectr of the concept. Security and peace cannot bo achieved, or sustained in the long term, without human rightr, economic dmvalopment and environmental rtability. A global and collective retcurity eyatem, if it ir to be applied efficiently to dsaling with serious threats to our comnon environment, will succeed only through Increarsd international cooperation. Wo murt roire the opportunity presented by the prevailing international political climate and focus our attention and energy on constructing a global and collective security system. In doing 80, we can finally realize th& world order of international law and cooperation envisaged by the authors of the Charter of the United Nations. The Nordic countries have already initiated the formulation of their common approach to this opportunity. Eventually, all the Members of this Organiaation will have to agree on an appropriate channel for our deliberations and decisiona. A group led by the former Chancellor of Germany, Willy Brandt, haa laid significant groundwork by forwarding suggsstions and proposals on organisational reforms in the United Nations. The Government of Iceland rupportn the 9roup’a proporel for the l 8tabli8hment of nn independent international conrnisrion on global governance to proparo for a world srumnIt to respond to thin chnllenge. The prerent opportunity to revitaliao the United Nation0 ie a true peace dividend. One way to moire this opportunity would be to act quickly to solidify meaauree taken under the auspice8 of thin Organiration to ertablish a stable world order of the ocean8. The United Nation8 Convention on the Law of the Sea wa8 aigned in Jamaica nine years ago. One hundred and fifty-nine State8 eigned the Convention and thereby expresred their agreement with it8 objective8 and purpores. Forty-nine State8 have ratified or acceded to the Convention; it c8n now be forereen that the Convention may enter into force within the next two years. Iceland har ratified the Convention1 we believe that it8 provirionr conrtitute n broadly acceptable regime for the rational exploitation of the world’s marine re8ourcee. It hen entablished rule8 for a wide range of usea for the aeaa, thereby reducing the potential for conflict between interested States. I might add that, in the field of environmental protection, the Brundtland Conmission concluded that the most significant initial action that States could take in the interests of the oceana’ threatened life-support system was to ratify the Convention. We are of course aware that a number of industrialised countries remain concerned about the rules in the Convention on the exploitation of the deep seabed. We must here act quickly to preserve the bonds that were forgot3 between developing nations and the industrialixed world at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. It is our submission that some of the difficulties may have related to differences in ideology in the past, but ( th--Uunn*-.lc.a 1 and 1 the international aceno. thorn difforoncer are fart dirappoariag from Thr Qovarmneat of Iceland ir encouraged by effort8 under way to enrure' that the Convention will bo implemantod in a viable mannor. Wo applaud the initiative of thm Bacretary-Oonsral, and call on all Statsa to support theno ef fortn, which would be to the benefit of the mntirs international conuwunity. Next year, the United Nations Conforenco on Rnvironmoat and Development will convme in Rio de Janeiro. The Govornmont of Iceland ham high expectations for tho outcome of the Conforanca, which ir dadicatad to our conrnoa future. International cooporation in environmental matter8 muat br barrod on the right of all human boingr to a safe environment. We must all of UII accept the obligation to conaorvo natural reoourcee and maintain biological diversity, and the affluent amongat UB should not turn a blind eye to the justified noor\ of humankind for natural reaource8 to be utilised on the barir of the principle of optimum rurtainable yield. Thea0 principlor should bo incorporated into a coacire legal inrtrument, drawing from the experience of formulating the Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Government of Iceland is distressed to note that attempt8 have beeu made to introduce into the Rio process proposals on the management of whales. These proposals place the emphasis on ambiguous ethical considerations, and thus raise a false environmental issue and run counter to the principle of sustainable development. This problem is compounded when States consider introducing trado restrictions in response to differences in environmental policies. The Government of Iceland feels that the Rio Conference should lay down a substantive action plan addressing all major areas affecting the relationship (Wr.@aBlua) botwmea the environment and the economy. In particular, there rurt be inmnodiate action to tmrttiat and monitor all dumping and dimahargor of radiosctive materialm, heavy metslr and porrirtent organic rubotanoor in the ocean0 or in rub-reabod repooitorier. We @ro particularly concerned about tho prrrirtont danger af radiowztive contamination of the ocean81 the threat emanater from variour l oufco8, not leart from nuclear inrtmllationr bordering on ocean arear. It 18 simply not acceptable that Btatar should plan harardous fscilitier in circumrtaacor whore the l lightort accident could hsvm cslamitour l ffmctr on neighbouring Statmm. The risk alao emanator from nuclow roactorr at sea. The Qovornment of Iceland will continua to work for international recognition of the potential dangerm pored by accidents involving mea-borne nuclear roactorr. Inevitahly, environmental factor@ play a major role in Iceland’r policy on naval arma control and confidence-building. ?urthormora, the Qovernmant of Iceland bolievoa that the international mana9emant and coararvation of the livinq romourco8 of the hi9h l oa8 dororvir greater attontlon from the world connunity. In tha word8 of thm Declaration for a now Qlobal Irqendar The 9oal of th@ cold war wa8 to got others to chaago their value8 and behaviour, but winning the brttlo to 8avo tho planet drpendm on changing our own valuar and behaviour.** That 18 the moreage of "Vinland Roviritod”, a joint Morwogian-Icelandic vonturo, meant not only to comomorato the bringing togothor of Europa and Amarica a thourand yaarr ago. but, more important, to look ahaad and ark ourrelve8 how the rpirit of di8covery in modmrn timo8 could ba aimd at rhaping mankind’8 co-n future on our plan&. Lot u8 rONnrbOr that w have ao mom new continantr to l rploit or expand to. We have no choice but to rccapt our common obligation to prosorvo our natural habitat, tha only planet that we have. The interaction botwren the stat. of the snvironmant and the progre88 of development is increasingly clear. !fo can conridorably boolt rupport for development, while contributing to global l nvironmental’protection, through incrsssed international economic cooperation. During the past decade the economic rituation in the majority of developing countries ha8 deteriorated. The protectionirm of some of the industrialited COUntriO ir undeniably one of the primary raaaoar for thir trend. In fact, developing countrio ruffor more through protectionirm than they gain through development assistance. Consequently, the indurtriali8ed countries could make a major contribution to development by liberali8ing trade and opening up their markets to the product8 of the dsvelopiag countrier. A8 a country overwhalniagly &pendant on one aatural re8ource l d oxport comodlty, Iceland well underrtando the rltuation faced by many dev8lopiag countrler. Iadead, very few countrier are a0 dependent on Lorahp trade a8 my country. The ptOblam8 caurad by prOteCtiOd8m are in fact not COnfh@a to relation8 between indU8triali8Od countrier and devmloping countriorr they aI80 merge in rolationr betwaen tho indurtrialired countti.8 thon8elve8. )L8 a mmnber of the European Iroe Trade A88ociation (WTA), Iceland ha8 been actively involved in nogotiationr with it8 luropoan noighbour8 and ha8 often coma up againrt the fame type of 8hOrt-8ightOd polici.8 a8 have provonted acco88 by developing couatrier to the markOt8 of Europe. The policy of the European Comunltio8 of linking trade and 8~~088 to re8ourCe8 i8 tOtally inappropriate and unacceptable. Xt i8 a rtumhling block in the path of furth8r Ruropean integration. Effort8 to invigorate the economhr of the countrier of central and l a8tern ISurope are an aaditioaal incentive for liberalirod traae, a8 they may crb8Orb re8ourco8 OthOrUi8e available to programne8 for the a88irtanco of developiag countrier. Wo are unlikely t0 find better means t0 rectify this 8itUation than by liberalising trade pOliCie8. Ibi8 need 00t be a prolonged prOCO88. We have already reached the final rtag68 of the Uruguay Rouod of negotiations within the framework of the General Agreement on Tariff8 and Trade. These negotiation8 are of par8mouot importance for the future rtability of the ioteraatioosl Conuwnity. We aurt now exercise the political Wili to lead them to a 8ucce88ful conc1u8ion. In my opening remarks I referred to the historic transformation of central and eastern Europe. I believe it is not over-turocentric to state that recent events io Europe have been of global political and economic (0 bnpottanca. But, mora than thia, thay domonatrato to the wholo world that the human spirit ir ina0dtabi~. The triumph of democracy, which in itaalf antaila raapact for human righta, conatitutor a clear nnaasgo to the oppraaama avarywhera: that their8 ia not a hopaloaa cause, l iaco l voa the mightiaat totalitarian maan of opproaaion did not suffice in tha l ad to quell, l ubdua or raatraia diaaant or opposition. Or, in tha worda of that groat, stubborn humanist, Praaidant Landaborgia of Lithuania, “The indmpondonco and iuhoront dignity OK the human spirit shall pravail”. Mr, (Burkina Paso) (intarpratstion from Iranch): You have the dalicate tsak, Mr. President, of praaiding over the Aaarmbly’a work at a particularly aonaitivo tima in tha history of intarnational relationa. Uo asaura you of wr d~legation’a aupportt wo know that wa may have full confitlanca in you in viaw of your diplomatic talanta and your l rparieaca. Your country and mine enjoy particularly good relation8 in a variaty of fields, a clear sign of solid friandahip and shard iatweata. I should also like, Sir, to axpraaa our great satisfaction with tha work of your predeceaaor, Mr. Guido De Marco, in him conduct of tha procaedinga of the forty-fifth aeaaion. We greet and walcome all those Ststaa that have just joined the coaununity of tha United Nationar the Democratic Peopla’a Republic of Korea, tha Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Marshall Ialanda, tha Fedoratad Stataa of Micronesia, tha Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Estonia and tha Republic of Lithuania. I also wish to express our whole-hearted appreciation of the Secretary-General’s role at the head of our Organisation. His patient and calm determination has given the Unitnd Nations a solid basis an& enhanced ita credibility. Burkina tare, with a populatiaa of l llttlo nor@ than 9 million and covaring 274,000 rqusra kllomatraa of land-loakatl tarrltory, darirer an equal voica with otherr in tha concart of natlonr In rairiag quartioam and maklag proporalr. Tha part 24 monthr hava changad tha lntaraatlonal mana. Bvarywhmra wa hoar appaalr for cooperation and praira for thm rapid chaupa through which w or8 living. Wo l ra told that wa l ra no longor In an ora of outrpokon aamandr . Rather, it ir a tima of conciliation aad dialogue, bacaura the forcer at work rook not confrontation but tha l rtabliomat of a now world order bamed on rarpoct for human rightm. That, briafly, ir the backgxouna to our work. Howavar, tha aftor-•ffactm and conraquancaa of the Rant-Wart rivalry mu well am itr intarnal dynamica, for good or ill, continua to l ffact various ragions of tha world. . We ara alro witnoraing tha phonomana of furion and firrlon. while wa talk about ragrouping, about the formation of large groupm, wo ma eoma largm group8 breaking up. At a tima whoa we l xtmnd tocognition, on tha emrgonce of naw sovereigntier, wo haar talk of a duty to intervene. All thasa idea8 ara jostling with each other, without any focw on their future. It is natural in any period of major change to sea the overturning of ideas and realities and the multiplication of tha contradiction8 inherent in the ruddea speeding up of history. TraWitiOnS - fraught as thay are with thorns l lemants - l ra producing a . balanca of forcor which is shaping thm future. The quastian which arisas 1; to what l xtont will the vast majority of mankind benefit from this svolution? bintreminp events and uyhearAs arm convulsinq southern Africa. The nparthmid of the Pretoria regime continues to jsopardiso the l conomic health and stabilltty of the front-line StMas. A particularly heavy price is boinq paid by MosmbiQue. REIN40 continua8 its qriclr work of qabotaqe and destruction1 anC it is fmpoding the talks which have begun. Burkina Iaso recoqniaes the merit of the Xosambican authoritias in continuing on the path of a negotistad sattlamawt and a rrsumption of the uegotiatious and we wish to l xpraas our Ceel.in98 of encouragement and solidarity to the people of nosambiqum. In Angola, the Alvor Aqreemsnts, with the cooperation of all countries, both inaide and outside the subrogioa, must quite clearly improve tha situation and promote peace. In South Africa, wo must welcome the abolition by Hr. de Clerk of the legislative pil.lsrs of apartheid. Hovewr , one of tha bases of apartheid . #mains, namely its current Constitution, hlso, WI) must deplore the manoeuvre8 of the Pretoria regime culminating in the violence which we have all helplessly witnessad in recent mc.uths. The inLernationaX conmnunity - all ton familiar with those abominable methods - must maintain sanctions in order to accelerate the process ot eliminating apartheid. Thus, Burkina Faso supports the continltation of negotiations in South Africa with a view to adopting the provisional measures necessary to create a totally democratic South Africa. In this spiri.t, togetner with the Non-Aligned Movement, we s,,pport tne idea of a democraticfilly elected constituent assembly. ID West Africa, in ths case of Liberia, the Yamoussokro Summit of 16 September im gurt onm mot0 offort undartaksn by the Conmittoe oJR Mediation aad thn Comlttro of five, rtron9ly rupportrd by Burkina Fare within the framework of the implme,ntation of the ponco plan put fox-ward by thm Rcooonic Cmm~~nity of Want \frican Statam, to rssto-‘h poaco am!! to hold froe and fair aI~ct.tono. In Wratsrn Sahnrwc for the long psocm~ which bo9aa aftor the Spanlrh air~nqaqsmant tn 13ucceed, wo invita all partier to cooperate with the United Nationa in order to hold a nolf-dotermknatian ref~ronrlum aftor they have acceptad the cearo-fire of B September. Ln the horn of Africa, tiralonm effort8 mu8t bo continued and l couraged to bring about panco and rtability in Somalia. Neighbouring Sthiopia ha8 embarked upon a procrcsr of reconciliation and tranrition whore objactiva ir the srtablirhmont of a lasting peace iu democracy and justice. In Ywanda, wo hope that the efforts begun by the subregion and by the Orqaniratfon of hfrican Unity (OAU) to bring about a negotiated and peaceful settlement will be succeraful. In Central America, the conflicts which were of concern to ua at previous sessions have beea. eased or solved. We auppott the efforts of the Secretary-General in El Salvador. We also welcome efforts undertaken in the region to make of it a zone of peace, freedom, democracy and development. In Asia, the most recent developments in Cambodia are encouraging and positive and we urge all the parties to continue tlong this path in order to bring about a rapid, negotiated and peaceful settlement. Similarly, we support the initiatives of the Secretary-General to bring about an overall political settlement in Afghaniatao. We also support the peaceful and independent reunification of North and Bouth Koran on the bsrir of their joint cornnualqud of 4 July 1972. Omo , again, w bid thor welcmr, hero. Kuwmit har be.8 1ibotxt.d. At the time, we l ll aondennod the invarioa and w wlcome the return of the ltuwaiti euthoritioe rad the rortoration to the Kuwaiti prop10 of its right@ and preroqntivea. The rufferlngr they endured have left a very deep m8rk on the region and the work of reconcilietioa rhould be perairtent and rurtained. War ia elwayr horrible. Its ravager make no distinction betwen victinr and l qgrerrorr. The firrt victims are alwaye women and childron. The conflict ia the Qulf warn no axcaption. It occurrod at a time when Eart-Wert confrontetion warn fadlng and international relationrhipr wore being re-defined. ftr boginning, development and COnCluoionr at both the military and political levola, hae clearly changed the xtructure of international relstionr. The aotion of a new world order had been nrationod loa before 2 Augurt 1990. Howover, at thir time what do we know of ita xhapo and its content7 Have the Security Council end the United Nation8 - mobilixed as never before - really lived up to the expectation8 of the international comunlty? If 60, are we entitled to expect the xame determin&tion, the 8ame effectivenexr, the xan6 aeal in rolving prexent or future problems? Will the new world order be baxed on the univerral merrago of the Charter or on the harrh and selective realities of the international balance of forcer? In the circumatancex, what ie to be the role of the have-notr - the imnense multitude of people who cre rufferinp from hunger , thirst, ignorance and disease7 In a word, are thexe unfortunate8 to remain outside or ara they to enter our family house IBO that we can all rit down together a8 brothers, to share and to grow together? If there is one part of the world which ix troubled, if there ix one (nr.,rn) r.gion ot the world which ir torn apert, it 48 tha Middle Bart wh4oh l njoyr thir doubtful privile9m. The quortionr which are atill b.4~~ l 8k.d whmn we l rmmino the Pdortinlaa quert4on are: Row cm thorn who have muffmad from the lack of a homeland in 011 conrcienco deny othorr thm r49ht to a ho-land? Mow, today, can it be pomriblo to confiscate from people land on which they have lived uninterruptedly for crnturior to qivo it to now l rrivnl8 and to claim that the dormer are not really in tholr rightful homes? How can one want for onomolt what one door not want for othmrm? The Unit.4 llatioar Charter containr priaciplmr which repudiate this moda of thought and conduct. That 4m why the United Nations ha@ adopted the principle of an interaetionsl posce conferonce for the Widdlm Bamt, not to complicate mattora but rsthor to lay down the foundations ot a jurt and lamtin peace. Wo cannot rtifle the voice of a poop10 fighting for its rights and if Burkina ?a80 today arrociater itself with other Member8 of the United tlationr in bidding a warm welcome to Latvia, trtonia and Lithuania. it ir becauro a hiatus of 51 yoarr har done nothing to dampen their national ardour or to orodo the reality of their rights. And the mame can be said tar the fierce determination of the Palestinian people. Burkina ?a80 believer that the conco8miona mado by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) three year8 ago deserve a rerponso other than that of intransigence and rejection. Wo 800 that initistivem arm under way to reso:vo the Middle East situation and we encourage them because they may lead to a jurt, larting and fair peace which would take account of the fundamental rights of all partier. Lebanon itself is emerging from a long and troubled period and we welcome these positive development8 with a view to national reconciliation and the restoration of its sovertignty and territorial integrity. A tragedy ir unfolding in Yugorlavia, whorm 8 alvil wet ha8 begun. Wo can only doploro this tragedy, which ha8 affected the Movamant of #on-Align&d Countrla8 80 II aymhol rind in It8 European roglon. Man-allqnment ~8s a repudietlon of the Iart-Weot confrontation end its conrequencer. Thir confrontation is yielding to over more open cooperstion. Yugorlavia, a pioneer country, ha8 boon mtrickan at the moment of rapprochement. Rmtween fusion and fission, turope i8 moving toward8 economic Integration and a redrawing of political lines. The oonance of thir liar in the will of the peoplor, while rurvivsl doponds upon the 8olldarity of poop10 and on an international ryrtom b88ed on jurtico 8nd equity. That ayetom rhould be based on human rights and political pluralirm. The 9 million citlronr of my country belong to the multitude of the South. The aspiration8 of North and South are the rmo: dignity and security. Human right8 are indivisible and to rtrlvo for them ir the most noble and fruitful thing one can do for humanity, becau8e, beyond talk and manipulation, there is the clear and concrete affirmation that it ir indeed the human person that is most important. When the international cormnunity ro8e up against apartheid, it wan defending human rights. When the Non-Aligned Movement fought colonialism, it was defending human righta. When certain nations were colonising territories during the last century, they were claiming to put into practice a certain idea of human rights8 their "civilising mission". When certain regions of the world are accused of corruption and the flagrant violation of the rights of the individual, very often those in the South who are corrupted have their counterparts and corrupters in the North, and sometimes vice veraa, for such is the balance of the world. If the world ir changing, it must change for the better. The rlak we all run ir that of rmoing a rm-amargmnc~ of danporour behaviour in tha guire of innocent or conrenrual idmar. Wo must not allow the "civili8in9 mirsion" and human riphtr to bo two ridma of the same coin. In other wordo, the aamo protagonirt8 murt not be allouod in different co8twne8 to act aI they did in the part, forcing their way in all good conscience into our societier, which nre no bettor or wor8o than their own but rimply more vulnerable. YertorUay, encroachment took place in tha puiro of the civiliring mirsion. Today, we must fear encroachment on the grotoxt of human ri9ht8. No 0110 ir againrt human ripht8, for they are inherent in humanity it8Olf. To entertain only one partial and fragmentary viaion of human rights is tantamount to condemning humanity to exploitation and deprivation. The right to development, to food, to a roof over one's head, to basic health care and to education afo all part8 of human right8 a8 well. supporting this without recognising and accepting the fundamental nature of the right8 of the individual would obviou8ly bo an imperfect way of defining and solvin9 the problsm. Similarly, to stress the rights of the individual while confining oneself solely to defending them is to refuse to 888 the world aa it is today. AlI that follow8 flows from what preCOd8d it. Political pluralism is one form of democracy. Democracy can be political pluralism, but more is needed. That something more is the basis of democracy and overlap8 with the rights I have ju8t mentioned. A structurally unfavourable economic environment and a bad economic and social domestic situation are not the soil in which democracy flourishes. Burkina Faso believea that it is axiomatic today that the marriage between democracy and development ia indiasoluble, linked u8 these two element8 are through permanent interaction. Unfortunately, however obvious it may be, this axiom has not produced its logical consequences. Thu8, the deterioration of tha economic! situation of Africa, together with it8 growla marginali8ation. haa coadomnod 500 million pmoplo to rtagnation, regrarrion and continuing inpav~rirhnwnt. The lOlO ware a loot docado in which tha numbor of leant davelopad countrior increared from 20 to 42, the highe8t proportion of which wore African. Africa’8 external debt ir an l xtrorrtoly heavy bur3en. Thi8 debt has incraaclrd to the prorant 1~01 of $270 billion. Debt servicing in Africa itmolf ropro8onta on the avorago more than 25 par cent of export earnings. In romo countrier of the continent, 100 par cant of export earnings are apent in this wey. Wo rhould noto that 85 to 95 par cent of African exports are primary comnoditior whoro pricar ir conrtantly on the drcline. In 1986, the United Nation8 adopted a Progranane of Action for African Economic Rocovmry and Dwmlopmont. ?ivo yoar8 later, in rpita of polici*r putrued and roforma undertaken by African countrier despite their social and political CO8t8, the indurtrialited countrie8 have not mado the contribution they promired. The con8en8u8 at the time dercribed the African economic cririr a8 l 88ontially rtructural, requiring for it8 solution a long-term proco8r undertaken by both thm African and the donor countrier. The developed countries and international financial inrtitutions were supposed to make a grsatar contribution not only in terms of an increaaa in financial flows but al80 in the tornw and condition8 of thi8 asristance. But they have not done 80. To continue on thi8 path is to condemn Africa to a decade even worse than the 19808. Xn this regard, we support the propoaal of the Secretary-General to convene an international conference on the financing of development. The Economic and Social Council has followed up on this proposal and invited the General Aissembly to examine it at its current session. (~..-~M~-..RllfL/PL..?IPIQ) Similarly, w wolcomo the dacirion of the Japanoao Uovornment to organire an international confarmnca in 1993 on development in Africa with the participation of African headr of Stat.. ?or our part, the l igning of the Treaty establishing the Pan-African Rconomic Community rofloctm our wish to bring about l cooomic integration in order to meet currant and future challangoa. Burkina ?a80 has slwaya rtreaaed and continuaa to atroma the importance of international cooporation baaed on justice and rolidarity. Uhethor that cooperation i8 South-South or north-South, ita goal muat be to obtain balanced aconomic growth and daVOlopmeDt for all. That goal will not be achieved if thorn i8 no adaguato 8uppOrt for dovelopmont atratagioa md if we continua to mee such protectionirt practice0 on the part of the North am the Uruguay Round. It thsrofore roemr to ua that it is of the utmost importance to reconcile human rights and the right to development in a period a6 crucial aa that of the transition towards democracy. Upon thia dopenda tho auccoaa of the whole process under way in our countries. In this regard, OD 2 June 1991, the peoplo of Burkina ?aao adopted by refarendum a constitution which DOW governs the 1ifa of the DatiOD. The process begun will be continued until the establishment of DOW institutions following pluralistic and free electiona on 1 December 1991 for the presidency and on 12 January 1992 for the legislative assembly. * * The President returned to the Chair. (WkiBurLiplJIUp) With ro9atd to tbo l nvironmmnt, on the ova of the Bramil 1992 Conforonco, no one l uy lon9mr quomtionm the trality and gravity of thm thrmat hanging over our planet bocauro of the dotrrioratioa of our l nvirownt. Ua all know, developad and davolopin9 countrier alike, that the dovelopd countrior by far bear the greatort rerpoamibilities in the procorr of degradation. The roriata of proparstory maetiaqa which hwo 9oao oa l iaco the adoption of remolutioa 44/22b of 22 Docomber 1989, on the convening of the Rio de Janeiro Coaforonco, demoastratma the awaraneam of the State8 end regiona of the world. Mmarurom have aow boon taken locally by certain couatrioa on the baris of the roconnwadationr l toming from thorn propsratory mootings. That ir the cara with my own couatry, Burkina Iraao. Howovor, the more we think about it, it is becoming clear that the restoration and prerervstioo of the l nvironmeat la a long-term tamk, not to ray a permanent Lark, and that will require l norruous human, material, technological and financial resources which, for the most part, ate bayond the range of our weak ecoaoaias. Only joint action by North and South can succeed in meeting the task. Beforo concluding I should like to reassert the convictioa of Burkina Faso that moat of the problems of our world can be solved only by dialogue and negotiation between developed and developing countries with a view to bringing about specific solutions through a multilateral approach to these problema. The United Nation8 today numbers 166 Members which have ratified the Chatter. The idsala of 1945 ate still applicable today, although the world has changed a great deal. It is time to take another look not only at the goals but also at the kind of response that the Otganitation can give to the questions of the day and to its own functioning. For our part we should like Lo ma an Organisation that im l vot mow l fficieat and involved for tha groatomt good of the greatoat aumbor. Iovor har mankind beon l o groat and l lmo LO vulnorablar thm world ir l xpmtiencin9 both abundance and total dOstitUtiOB. It Im the for our Organlnation to bring to fruition all itm patlont l d laboriour work for the prorpority of mankind, for poacar l OCUrity and a mora jumt and more human. order. ADDRESS BY MR. JAMB8 RRBRDM BOLGBR, PRIW HIRISTBR OP RIM ZBALMD m (interpretation from Arabic): The Assembly will now hear an addramm by the Prim8 Minister of Now Boaland. fl Pm of ImZlsland. -0 s (interpretation from Arabic)! I have great plaamuro in wolcomin9 the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Right Honourabla James Brendan Rclqer, and inviting him to address the General Assembly. Mr. Bm (New Zealand): Mr. President, on behalf of the Government and tho people of New Zealand let '10 first congratulate you on your election. It ham certainly been a momentous year both for you and for the Rinqdom of Saudi hrabia. I should like also to pay tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perot de Cuellar, who has worked tirelessly over the past 10 years towards the reduction of tension throughout the world. As he comes to the end of a decade of service I offer to the Secretary-General my congratulations, and those of the Government and the people of New Zealand on his personal contribution to the cause of peace. (l!kLmcrrr,u-) I am delighted to join you. Bir. in uelooming oow Mombrrr to thio forty-rixth wrrioa of tha Qenoral Awombly of the United Wationr, In particular I want to wlcofne the Podoratod Btator of Wicronomia - a now mamber of thir body, but a familiar friend to my country w hort of the most recent mooting of Bouth Pacific! Porum nationr. I am delighted that they and their clore nolghbourr, the Republic of the Marshall Iml&ndr, are joining UI at this time. It ir a l ourcm of inrmnre ratirfsctioa that wo see bore today for the firrt time the legitimate repreeentstivem of Latvia, Lithuania 6nd trtonia. I pay tribute to the courage and determination of theme three European nationr that have struggled againrt totalitarian rule for no long. Their international recognitioa aa independent rovereign State8 bringr to an end a chapter in their history when they were forcibly incorporated into the Soviot union in 1940. Their independonco and memberrhip of thir Organisation coupled with thr membership of the Republic of Korea, which I warmly welcome, and the memberrhip of the Democratic People’r Republic of Korea signal the end of an era, or more importantly the beginning crf a new era, in international relations. New opportunities in politics and trade corrrnsnd our attention. New problemr constantly challenge our capabilities. In Yugoslnvia, we see a rituatioa that cries out for peaceful resolution. Uediation has been tried. It must be tried again. It will never be 8ucce6sful unlesr and until the partiea to the conflict are prepared to conunit themselves fully to the process. So my Government appeals to all other members of the international community that might have some influence - direct or indirect - to use that influonco to patauade t.ho pmrtiom to the conflict to emit thomaelv~a to mediation if thay cannot roaolva their differonc@a pOacefully 00 their Orn. Today the problems may look intrmctablm but difficult iB8uea cao ba solved. Alrosdy the change in global politic8 bar been rnrardod by l igaificant proqrmaa in the field of diaamuwat. The mupar-Powra hmvo comnittod thamrolvoe to l ubrtantial reductions in their l raofmla of auclaar wespona, While the world warmly volcowa each aou rtep in the reduction of nuclear weapons agreed to by the a~pof-P~~er~, thia progroaa im undormiood by the actual or potential proliferation of nuclear weapoaa to other OatiOns. Therefore oa arma control nothing ir mow importaat than mowa to halt the proliferation of nuclear wsspona. New Zealand, am one of the firat nation8 to aign and ratify the Uaitod Nation8 Non-Praliferation Treaty, firmly believes that attempta to halt tbo proliferation of nuclear weapons must be an agenda item of the higheat priority for the Organiration. The dangora from nuclear weapons are l ucb that a failure to halt their proliferation would seriously dimiairh tbo recant succeaa in strategic arms reductiona. We welcoma the decisions of France and the Paople’a Republic of China to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Nor that the Treaty will cover all the current nuclear Povers of the vorld, New Zealand urge8 all parties to agree to its indefinite extension in 1995. In singling out nuclear weapona for particular attention, I do not in any way diminish the work needed to control other veapons of mama destruction, such as those using chemical or biological agents. Tfre importance of the task of stopping the proliferation of all weapons of mess destruction should be firmly srbsdded in the minds of thinking people everywhere following the fe&rfuZ possibility that Saddea BIusaein would use such weapons during his illegal take-over of the State of Kuwait. That act of aggression tested the strength end ctiiment of this world body. no caa ml1 take prldo la tbo faot that the loadarrbip ahown by thr Unltmd Nation8 in the l xarci80 of itm undoubted noral authority was 8uacrr8fvl in facllftating the coming together of 8 9reat coalition of nation8 who worm determined that Cho might of Baddm Burrain would not ruacmmd and that Kuvalt would be rmrtorod to itr indapmndont rovoroign rt8tur. Durinq the dangorour weok~ of the Gulf ctirir the United Nation@, with rtrong larderwhip from the security Council, mhowed Cirmn.88 of jubpomnt and @ comnitmont to thm idomlr of the United nation8 that haa roiaforcod the l tatur and authority of thlr Orpsnination. Tho Security Council wa8 able to rmfloct accurately the mogd of the Ooomrsl A88ombly bocauro of it8 broad roprorontation acroL8 regional lines and it8 inclusion of the rmall and vuleorablo aa well a8 the large and powerful. I want to pay a warm ttibuto to Kuwait.8 Arab nolqhbows, who wara reroluto in their rupport of tha right8 of a amsll indapaudent nation and refused to back down to intimidation or threat@. Their rtaadfartnorr in the early rtsge8 of the crisi8 was a major roa8oa why Kuwait wa8 eventually liberated. The role of the United litstsr in brinqinq togsthor thm coalition of nations who workad in concert to liberate Kuwait was an impro68ivo dirplay ot international diplomacy. United Btstae; f0rCe1Y~ wjth their British, ?rench and Arab counterparts, qrva an equally impre8rivo display ou the ground and in the air. But overriding the nchiavoments of the individual nations wan the corm,it.ment given by nationn, large and 8mal1, to the military talrk force that gathered to halt aqgrssnlorr and to guarantee the independent sovereign righte of the small nation, Kuwait. I am proud that my country played a small part t-1 in the comlition mnd ham l -on able to contrlbuto to tha pomt-rmr United Nationr CmuriImioa~, mud* l m thmt on the birporml of uoaponr of mma dMtruction. Aa a am11 country in tha south-wert Pacific, wo do aot thrmatoo anyonor anr do wo rook to impore our will on other countrim. But in joining the cmiitioa r* honourod l Now Zealand tradition to opporo tyraaay uul rupport f roodrsr. Luckier than a numbor, all our nilitmry poeronnol cam how rafoly on thin occasion, but many of their forebear8 in purruit of the 8mm 908lr roat ~lonqmide the battlofioldr of the modora world. Wo have aovor ahirked our roaponribilitior. Ar wm oppor~ld a dictator in tbo Gulf, irmaborn-loving poop10 mound the world have rejoiced am w hsvo witnemrad, too, the collapro of totalitarian conmunira in guropo. That myatom wa8 defaatmd 3t by form of arm but by orddnsry peoplo, in their hundrodr of thouaandm~, rrrching in the l trootr to reclaim their God-given right to freedom cf thought, exLWomrion and amrombly and their right to democratic government. It har been a qlorioua victory for the indomitable rpirit of tho hm>n perron. But let me 8ound a note of warninql this imprerriirr victory could turn to bit& Cneso, and hope ‘;o despair, unlerr all nation8 ohow equal courage in addreasinq an equally unprecedented l cononic challenge. The helping baud that both the emerging democracies of Europa and the dwalopinq countrim of the vrorld need most is the hand of trade. So, today, the barricader we mu8t pull down are not thoos erected to prevent tanhr but those ervcted to hinder trade. To n,aintain and necure the dramatic political change6 that have occurred, to deny dictator8 the excuse for coveting othera’ territory, to ea8e the crurhiag debt burdonm that too naay countria8 f&a., to QrOVidO an l conoaic 8ltarnativa to thr deatruc iOD of our l nviroarmnt - to do all tharo thinqm, and norm, va have to roaliaa that a change in the intoruational trading l y8tam im l omential. without change, how can thm now domocracior in Europa do what they want to do for thmir pop10 if their l xporta face rartrictionr in formiga marltot@? How can dmbt-riddon doveloping nation8 over pay their way if tboy facm not only mirilat remtrictionm but l ubmidimed comptition too? Thia ir not a dobato that can bo dravn wholly acro88 Qorth-South linar, bacauso trade rortrictionr occur on both ridor, aa door l ubmidimation. Yhia 18 a dobsto about giving 8waaing to tha many fine wotdm, about halpiap thomo who are rtruggling to macap poverty, and about racuring the dmmocratic froedomm 80 rocontly won. Thir ir a dobato about colllplomenting aid with tradm. The Uruguay RounC of nultilatoral trada negotiation8 bagan nearly five ymarm ago. It warn, and romaina, the mo8t ambit;oum of all the trade negotiating roundm. Yat it im in real danqer of faltering if the political comnitmantm Bat wore given in 1986, and hava baan repsatad mincm than - momt recently at the G-7 wating this year - are not traamlated into the mubstantive ?acimiona that are already overdue. A country like aino, dependent on trade for it8 very livelihood, finC8 it incredible that political and economic leader8 who are responsible in so many things, who are participating in, and encouraging, the dawn of a new political era, have not yet broken the log-jam in the negotiations. Certainly tha G-7 group of indumtrialixed countries, under the chairnanmhip of the British Prim8 Minister, gave uu cause for nqw hope. Certainly the United State8 has bemn, and remainm, a mtrong proponent of a liberalised international trading ry#tem. Thoughtful loadotr in the Rurope8n Cormunity, and many 108dorr in the dW*lopinq world, have 811 c8ll.d for gte8t.r progroro, But it l oemm to be a carno of words, word8 8nd more wottL, but ::ttlo 8ction. If we 8re to l uccood, 8Ction murt now t8kO the p18CO Of worda. Time 18 running Out. The 8lternative to 8 8uccerrful 8nd rubrt8ntive conclurion to the Uruc~Uay Round i8 oftoa rsid to be a rrriom of tradr bloc8 - group of counttiom turning in on thmmrolver, failing LO rO8li80 thrir full COq8titiV8 8dVant89OJ 8UrViVin9, porhapr, but at e lorot and mote unrtablo 1~01 than would be porriblo in a libarsl world trading ryrtem. All thir i8 quit. porriblo, but I 8uggoat thst it ir not the worut-care 8COn8rio. Thm wor8t-csrm rconario ir thomo countrior that hsvo found now froodont h8Ving thore froodomr t8kan away by regimen who ~$0 the l xcuao of the need for l conomic control of disintegrating economies 88 8 cover for politic81 oppra88iOnJ it iS having 8tablO countrier being aadm 1088 St&b10 beCaUm0 they cannot earn the fotaign orchange necesssty to provide for the legitimate 88pirationr 0: their peoplet it is turning the clock back rather than forward. With 8 view to svoiding that - snd avoid it wo must - I mclke 8 plea from thir ro8trUnI that the battiC8de8 that prevent fair ttsdi bo taken down. And if the powerful will not do it to help the weak, th8n they should do it for the relfirh re68on that it i8 the only way the world will secure a larting peace. Trade between nation8 is what breaks down fear, and the 8hariocJ of r8lOUrCOI by trade is what prevents war8 of acquisition. If the selfirh win, if the General Agreement on Tariffs at& Trade fsil8, then today's lesderm will have plsnted the seed of future conflicts. That is a strong me88ago, but it is no more so than the !-eriousness of the situation warrants.” * Xr. Al-Khussaiby (Oman), Vice-Prerldent, took the Chair. tot ue achlovo a mlloetono in the pro9roee of lnternatlnnal trade thlr yeaft l o that we can move forwerd with confideaco to the United Nation8 Conterenca on Environment and Development next year. A Itoo and fair trade system ie central to our effort8 to coneorve and enhance the environment. We have already made propreee on ie8uee much a8 drlftnet Clehlng and with the Montreal Oeone Protocol) but YO need to meelmleo theme galnr hy l neurln9 that State8 fully oberrve the meamuree that have been adopted in much fleldr. Next year'8 Unltod Natlone Conferonce in ilraeil will be the reel tort of our ability to cooporate in the l adeavour to find the proper balance betwooa development and environmental protection. My country ie the flret anywhere to enehrlae the concept of l uetalneblo development in le9lelatlon on natural reeourcee. Just before I departed from New Zealand maven etudente from seven contlnente of the world lit a candle for peace in front of Msori Q&&m panels symboIiein9 the eeeking of knowledge. They were greeting the dawning of this new eerelon of the United Nations General Aeeembly. The students participated in this ceremony in New Zealand because oure is one of the first countries to eee the sun rise, and a ceremony at dawn is the traditional Maori way to acknowledge a new beginning. We in this Assembly can all rejoice in that we are seeing new beginnings in many parts of the world: in Europe, in Cambodia, in South Africa. We must not let this moment in history pass; we must now replace an understanding of how to destroy each other with a new underctanding of how to live and trade with each other. It is my most fervent hope and prayer that this great assembly of nations has the moral courage to do not only what is necessary but what is right. s: On bobalf of the oo?mtal &roRbly, I rirh to thank the Prim. Miairtor of Now Xomlmd for the rtotonant ho ham jurt rado. l!k.Lva of Iwe -0 ADDRBSfl IIT MR. OBORQB RUSH, PRBSIDBRT 01 THB URITBD STATBR O? AMBRICA s (intorpratation from Arabic) t The Aasmmbly will now hoar an addrora by the Proaidont of the United Stator of Ammricu. m (interprotatioa from Arabic)1 On behalf of the Goneral Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Iationa tho Proridont of the United Statoa of America, His Bxcollrncy Mr. Qoorgo lllumh, and to invite him to addrarr the Aarambly. -: I am honoured to apaak with you aa you opan the forty-sixth session of the Gaasral Aarombly. I should firat likm to congratulate the outgoing Praridunt, Guido da Marco of Malta, and aalutm our incoming Preridant, Samir Al-Shihabi of Saudi Arabia. I also want to ralute l epacially Cecretary-General Javier Parea da Cuellar, who will rtap down in just ovar three monthr. But 1st me say, Secretary-General Perao da Cuellat has rervad with graat distinction during a period of unprecedented changa and turmoil, and for almost 10 yoarr we hava enjoyed the leadership of this man of peaca, a man that I, along with many Membara, feel proud to call friand, and so t ?day lat us congratulate our friend and praisa his rpectacular service to tha United Nations and to the people of the world, the Secretary-General. Let me also welcome new Members in this Hall, two delagstions representing Korea, particularly our democratic friends, the Republic of Korea, the Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and new missions from the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. l The President re-umed the Chair. (-1 maty year* ago, when I warn the Pormanont Roptoaoetativo hero for the Unit.4 Stator, thorn mrm 132 United Nation@ Monbarr. Juot on. wa*k ago, 159 nation8 l njoyod wnborrhip in the United Natioar, and today the number rtandr at 166. The preaaaca of thora now Me&era alono provider reason for u8 to colobrato. ny rtatoment today will not round lika any you havr haarb from a Proaident of the Unitad Stator. I am not 9oin9 to dwell on the rupor-Povor competition that definad international politic8 for half a century. Inrtead, I: will dircuar the challongor of building peace and prorpority in a world leavened by the cold war’8 and and the ro8unptioa of hirtory. Conmunirm hold hirtory captive for yoar8. It ruapeodmd l aciont diaputemj and it rupprerrod ethnic rivalrior, nationaliat l apirationr and old prejudicor . A8 it ham dirrolvod, rurpendod hatrodr bavo l pruq to life. People who for yoarr have beon denied their p88t8, bsvo hogun aoarchirrg for their own identitia8, ofton through peaceful and conrtructivo ~an8, occarionally through fectionalira and bloodrhed. Thir rwrival of hirtory usharr in a now ore tooming with opportunities and peril8. Lot us begin by di8curain9 tha opportunitioa. lirrt, hi8tory’a renewal enables people to pur8ur their natural iaatinctr for l nterpri8o. Co~unirn frore that progr.88 until itm failure8 becam too lruch for even it8 defender8 to bear, and now citizens throughout the world have chosen enterprise over envy, personal rsrponsibility over tha enticements of the State, prosperity over the poverty of contra1 planning. The United Nations Charter encourages thin adventure by pledgin to enploy international machinery for the promotion of the l cononric and l ocial advancement of all peopler, and I can think of no better way to fulfil thir rirrion than to promoto the fro. flow of goodr and idam. tr@nkly, idoar 8rld qoodt will trawl around the 9lobo with or without our help. The Inforrrtion rmvolution hrr dortroyod the mmpoar of l nforco0 irolation aad ignorance. In nmy partr of the world technology h&r ovmrwholmod tyranny, provia that the r9e of information can bocomo the qo of liborotion, if w limit 8tM.o powor wimaly &ad from our paoplo to mako the bort UIO of now h¶om, invoationo l nd inaightr. IIy the l amo tokon, the world hrr lomroed that from nmrkatr provide lovolr of prorpmrity, 9rowth and hqqisorr that coatrmlly plannod l coaomior can newt offor. Even tha moat charitable l rtinmtor indicate thrt in rocont yeara the from world’8 l coaomior have grown at twice the rata of the former connunirt world. Growth door more than fill rholvoa# it pernitr ovary porron to gain, not at the l rponrm of othorr but to the boaofit of othora. Prompority l ncouragw poop10 to live a8 neighbours, not l s prodatorr. Economic growth can aid international rmlationm in exactly tha l amo ray. xmny nmtionr ropromontod hare at0 pattlom to thm Oonoral Aqroonent oa tariffm and *tad0 (OAT?). The Uruguay Round, the lrtomt in the port-war l orlom of tr8do negoti8tioom, ofform hop0 to devolopiag nationm, many of which bava boon cruelly divided, cruelly deceived, by the felro prodmom of totalitmrianimr. Hmrs ia thim IIell. wm hamt ebout North-Boutb problm•. but frcro ukl opoa trado, including unfottorod wcomm to rwkotm and orodit, offotm dmvolopinq countrim -aam of l alf-•ufficiency and l co~ic dignity. If the Uruguey Round l hould fail, l new weve of protoctiooie~ could domtroy out hopor for l batter future. llimtory l taorm l ll too cloerly that protectiooimm CM dmmtroy wealth within countriom and poiroa roletionr betwon them. Thoreforo, I cm11 upon all -to of UAlT to rodoublo their l ffortm to roach e l uccommful conclumion for the Uruguey Pound. I plodgo thet the Unitrd Stmtmm vi11 do it8 pert. I cannot l ttemm thir l noughr lconoric programm will pley l vital to10 2n the nmw world. It l uppli.8 tho roil la which dmctecy grow8 bemt. People l votywhoro l ook povotmnt of and by the people, and they want to onjoy tboir inalieneblm right8 to fteodon and property end perron. Challongor to dowcracy have failed. Just lart month, coup plottor8 in tha Soviet Union tried to derail the forcer of liberty end refom, but Soviet citironr refused to follow. Momt of the nation8 in thie Hell stood with the forcer of reform lad by Wikhail Gorbachev end Hotir Yoltmin, and aqaiamt the coup plottotr. The chsllongs facing the Soviet people8 now, that of building political ryrtemr bared upon individual liberty, minority riyhta, democracy and fro0 matkat8, mirrors every nation’8 te8pon8ibility for l ncoutegiq peaceful, democratic reform, but it slso te8tifi.s to the extteotdinaty power of the (PSI democratic idosl. Am democracy flouri8ho8, 80 doar the opportuaity for a third hirtorlcal braakthtough, iatornational cooperation. A year ago, the Soviet Union jolnod the United Stat.8 aad a hoat of other nation8 in defending a tiny country agaialt aggrerrion and opporiag Saddam iIu88min. Por thm wry Lirrt tim8 on m matter of m8jor importanco rupr-Powor compotltion Wa8 roplacod with int8rnatiooal cooporation. The Uaitod Ilatloar, in on0 of it8 finart momontl, con8tructad a IMa8UrOd, priacipled, dmlibarato and courageou8 rorponro to Saddam Hu88eia. It 8tood up to an outlaw who invaded Kuwait, who ttreataned many Stat88 within the region, who 8OUght to 8et a moaacing pr8cedent for the port-cold-war world. The coalition offort 08tabli8hOd a model for thm colloctivo 8ettlOIMnt of dirQUte8. Momborr 88t the goal - the liboratlon of Kuwait - and dmvired a courageou8, Unifi8d mean8 of achi8viag that goal. Now, for the firrt time, w8 have a real chance to fulfil th8 Unit8d NatiOL8 Charter'8 ambition of working "to rave 8UCCeeding geaeration8 from tha rcourgs of war . . . to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rightr, in the dignity and worth of the hunan parron, in the equal rights of moo and women and of nation8 larga and small . . . to promote social prograss and bett8r 8tandard8 of lifa in largar f rqadom". Thora are the word8 of the Charter. We will not raviva these ideal8 if we fail to acknowladge the challanga that tha renewal of history pteaants. In Europe and Asia, nationali8t passions have flared anew, challanging bordara, 8trainiag the fabric of international society. At the same time, around the world many age-old conflict8 still footer. We 8ee signs of this tumult right here. The Unitad Nation8 has mounted more peace-keeping missions in the laat 36 month8 than (Prrrldrnt_B-WI during it8 firrt 43 year@, sad although wo now moos mercifully liberated from the Coat- of aucloar holocaust, there rmallor, virulent conflict8 ehould trouble ua all. We must face thi8 challongm 8quarely - Cirrt, by purruinq the peaceful re8olution of dirputer now in progrerar recoadly, 8nd more importantly, by tryiaq to prOvent other8 from erupting. No one hero c8n prom180 that today’s borders will remain fixed for all time, but we mUet 8triVO LO en8uro th8 peaceful, negotiated rottlomont of border diaputO8. no alro murt promoto the cau8o of international harmony by addr8ssing old f8UdB. We rhould take roriourly the Chartor’r plodge to practiro tolerance and live together in posce with one another a8 good neighbourr. United Nation8 Goners1 Asrombly re8OlUtiOn 3379 (X%X), the 80-Celled “Zionilm is raci8m” r8aolution, mock8 thir pledgo and th* principlor upon which the United Netions ~88 founded, and I call now for it8 repeal. ZiOni8IU i8 not a POliCyj it ia the idea that led to the creation of a home for the Jewish people, to the State of Iersel, and to equate Zionism with the intolerable sin of racism is to twist history and forget the terrible plight of Jews in the Second World War - and indeed throughout history. To equate Zionism with racism is to reject 18r801 itself, e Member in good standing of the United Nations. This body cannot claim to seek peace and at the same time challenge 18rael’s right t0 O%i8t. By repealing this rerolution unconditionally the Unit8d Nation8 will enhance its credibility and serve the ceuee of peace, As we work to meet the challenge posed by the resumption of history, we also must defend the Charter’s emphasis on inalienable human rights. Government ha8 failed if citizens cannot apeek their mind, if they cannot form political partiom frooly and l loct govornmentr without comrcion, it thay cannot practice thair religion frooly, it they cannot raira their familiar in prace, if they cannot enjoy (L junt raturn from their labour, if they cannot live fruitful Iivom and at the and of their dayr look upon their schiovsments and their l ocioty’c, progrem with pride. Politiciaao who talk about democracy and freedom but provide neither eventually will fool the l ting of public dlrapproval and the powor of peoples yearning to live from. Borw natioar #till Cony their basic righcm to the people, and too many voicer cry out for froodom. loa l =ampla, the paoplo of Cuba muffor oppRession at the handr of a di,:tator who har not got the word, tha lono holfl-out in an otharwiae domocratir honisphoro, a malr who ha8 not adaptad to a world that hae no use for totalitarisn tyranny. Elrswhere, despota ignore the heartening fact that the rrrt of the world is embarked upon a new age of liberty. The renewal of history alno imposes an obligation to remain vigilant about new threats and old. We muat expand our efforts to control nuclear proliferation. Uo must work to prevent the spread of chemical and biological weapons and the misrilor to deliver them. It im for thim tommoa thmt I put forwmrd my Widdlo Emmt armm initiative, a comprohonmivo approach to l top and, whoto pommi3la, rovormo tho accumulation of arm8 in that part of the world momt prono to violonce. we must remember that l olf-intermmt will tuq nation8 in different directboar, and that l truqqlom over perceived iatoromtm will flare l vnotlnem into VioloncO. We can novor may with confidonco whoto the next conflict may arimm. And we cannot promimo eternal peace - not while dmarm9o9uom peddle falm pronimom to people hungry with hoper not while trrrorimtm umm our citimonm am pewam and drug doalorm domtroy our peoplom. Uo, am 8 romult, mumt band togothor to overwhelm affront8 to basic human dignity. It im no lonpor accoptnblo to crhrug and may that 0110 man'm torrorimt im another man’s froodor fiqhtor. Let urn put the law mbove the crude and cowardly practice of homtaga-holding. In a world defined by chanqo, wm aumt be am firm in principle am wo 810 floxiblr in our rmmpoamm to changing international conditionm. That im especially true today of Iraq. Six month8 after the adoption of Security Council remolutionm 667 (1991) and 666 (1991), Saddm continumm to rebuild him womponm of mtamm domtruction and to subject the Iraqi people to brutal ropremmlon. Saddam'8 contempt for United lstionm resolutions tam first demonmtratod back in Augumt 1990, and it continue8 oven am I m mpeaking. Him Gov6rnmmnt rofummm to permit unconditional helicopter inspections, and right now im returning to allow United Uatioam inmpoctorm to leave inapectmd promimem with documents rmlating to an Iraqi nuclear woaponm programno. It im the view of the United State8 that we must keep the United Nations manctionm in place mm long am ho remain8 in power. This also show8 that we cannot compromise for m moment in seeing that Iraq destroys all of itm weapons of maam destruction and the meanm to deliver them. And we will not compromise. (-1 This is not to say - let me be clear on this point - that we should punish the Iraqi people. Let me repeat: our argument has never been with the poop10 of Iraq. ft was, and is, uith a brutal dictator whorre arrogance dishonours the Iraqi people. Security Council resolution 706 (1991) created a responsible mechanism for sending humanitarian relief to innocent Iraqi citiaens. We must put that mechanism to work. Urn nurt not abandon our principled stand aqainnt Saddam’s aggression. This cooperative effort has liberated Kuwait. Now it can lead to a just government !n Iraq. And when it doer - when it doom - the Iraqi people can look forward to better livea, free at home, free to engage in a world beyond their borders. The resumption of history also permits the United Nations to rwume the important business of promoting the values that I have discussed today. This body can serve as a vehicle through which willing parties can settle old disputes. In the months to come, I look forward to working with Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar and his successor aa we pursue peace in sucir ciivaraw oy\; LAv&;eJ :ai;ds 5; ~.f;b-~ir~:n. CmvahnAir hmrtr*. El Salvador -L and Western Sahara. The United Nations can encourage free market development through its international lending and aid institutions. However, it should not dictate the particular forms of government that nations should adopt. It can, and should, encourage the values upon which the Organizatioa was founded. Together, we should insist that nations seeking our acceptance meet standards of human decency. Where institutions of freedom have lain dormant, the United Nations can offer them new life. These institutions play a crucial role in our quest for a new world order, an order in which no nation must surrender one iota of it8 own sovereignty, an order characterized by the rule of law rather than the (ExmMRJam) resort to force, the cooperative development of dirputw rather than anarchy and bloodshed, and an unrtinting belief in human righta. ?inally, you may wonder about America’8 role the new world I have described. Let me assure you, the United Stat68 has no intention of striving for a mx-mhmna. However , we will remain engaged. Wo will not retreat and pull back into isolationian. We will offer friendship and leaderrhip. In short, we seek a pax e, built upon shared responribilitier and aspirations. To all asrembledr We have an opportunity to apare our aon and daughtera the sins and error8 of the past. We can build a future more satisfying than any our world has ever known. The future lielr undefined before ua, full of promise, littered with peril. We can choose the kind of world we want: one blistered by the fires of war and subjected to the winds of coercion and chance, or one made more peaceful by reflection and choice. Take this challenge seriously. Inspire future generations to praise and venerate you, to say, “On the ruins of conflict, these brave men and women built an era of peace and understanding. They inaugurated a new world order, an order worth preserving for the ages.” Good luck to each and every one of you.