A/48/PV.36 General Assembly

Members will recall that at its 3rd plenary meeting, held on 24 September, the Assembly decided that this sub-item would be allocated to the Third Committee on the understanding that it would be introduced in plenary meeting and considered in the Third Committee. The Assembly will now hear an address by the Head of State of the Principality of Liechtenstein, His Serene Highness Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, who will introduce in the course of his address sub-item (b) of agenda item 108, "Effective realization of the right of self- determination through autonomy". His Serene Highness Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein was escorted to the rostrum.

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations the Head of State of the Principality of Liechtenstein, His Serene Highness Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, and to invite him to address the Assembly. This record is subject to correction. Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of publication to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Section, Room C-178, and incorporated in a copy of the record. NEW YORK Prince HANS-ADAM II OF LIECHTENSTEIN: I am speaking in order to introduce sub-item (b) of agenda item 108. This item is new this year, added to the Assembly’s agenda at the initiative of Liechtenstein. I should like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Members of the United Nations for allowing us in this way to open up discussion on a matter which we believe to be of great potential value in avoiding human suffering and maintaining a more peaceful world. In previous years we have put forward our ideas and suggestions during the course of the general debate. This was done first when I had the honour to address the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly in 1991, during the second general debate in which Liechtenstein participated after becoming a Member of the United Nations. The thoughts which I expressed on that occasion were amplified in the statement made the following year at the forty-seventh session by the Head of Government of Liechtenstein, Mr. Hans Brunhart. In those statements we explained the thinking underlying our suggestions. It is quite simple. We see all around us that civil strife within States often involves great suffering and that, even though such strife might have its root causes within a State, there is always the danger that its impact will soon spread beyond its borders, thus threatening the security of a whole region or even international security more widely. None of us can sit back and accept all that with equanimity. But we also notice that civil strife is often caused by the social tensions which build up when distinctive groups within States are not allowed adequate means through which to express their distinctive identity. If we could only find the means whereby such self-expression could be encouraged, the occasion for civil strife, with all its attendant dangers and suffering, could be much reduced and perhaps in some cases avoided altogether. And how much better would it be to put in place some Distr. GENERAL A/48/PV.36 11 November 1993 ENGLISH As we see it, the principle of self-determination, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and other important international legal instruments, still has unexplored potential which offers the possibility that progress might be made in the directions we seek, and autonomy offers a particularly helpful practical device which could be developed within the broad scope of that principle. All this led us to suggest that the international community should explore the possibility of communities’ having a degree of autonomy. This concept is very flexible and can be used constructively to cover different aspects of self-determination and thereby tailor the degree of self-expression enjoyed by communities to whatever is appropriate in their particular circumstances. We envisage some minimal mechanisms and procedures being made available to help States and communities in their search for suitable models of autonomy which they might find appropriate to their needs. That is the essence of our ideas and of the reasoning behind them. Since they were first put before the Assembly in 1991 we have had the opportunity to listen to the very constructive comments of a number of interested States. In particular, we have had the benefit of the views expressed at the informal meeting of experts which Liechtenstein had the great pleasure and privilege of hosting in Liechtenstein last March. Those comments and views, and our own further reflections, have enabled us to refine our thinking a little further. Now that we have come to a discussion of our ideas in the context of this agenda item, it is fitting that I should elaborate on them further. I should like to begin by drawing attention to four points which are basic to our suggestions. First, the initial impetus of the principle of self-determination has been in the field of decolonization. While that process is not yet completed, by far the greatest part of it has been achieved, and this Assembly can look with satisfaction at the role it played. But self-determination is a principle of continuing value. Without in any way diminishing its relevance to situations of colonialism or alien domination which may still exist, our proposals look in a different direction and seek to put renewed emphasis on that principle as a valuable factor in a new context. Thirdly, our emphasis on autonomy as the concept which offers the most hopeful way forward also underlies our belief that our concern should be with the position of distinctive communities within States. It is the frustrations of such communities that so often lead to the kind of tensions, and then conflicts, we wish to avoid. Fourthly, it is our belief that it is not enough just to express the right sentiments: we must add suitable provisions that will serve to make the outcome one which will prove effective in practice. By this we do not mean the construction of any elaborate and costly organizational structure, but we envisage the introduction of simple mechanisms to ensure that whatever proposals are eventually agreed upon will be likely to work effectively in practice. Let me now look a little more closely at some of the main elements in our thinking. It will be apparent from what I have already said that our concerns are with the tensions that arise between communities. "Community" is a term which I believe we all generally understand, but which can sometimes be difficult to pin down with legal precision. The classic formula often used by the United Nations in some other contexts refers to groups having a linguistic, religious, cultural or ethnic basis for their distinctive identities. While we do not necessarily suggest that that formula should be adopted in the present context, it does help to identify the sort of lines along which it may be helpful to think. We believe that, within the broad principle of self-determination, such communities should be recognized as having legitimate aspirations to an appropriate degree of autonomy, which must be respected and secured. They should be enabled, by the exercise of their own free choice, to give appropriate expression to their own political, social, economic and cultural aspirations in accordance with the best interests of their members. These aims must, we believe, be pursued with considerable flexibility. The circumstances of each community and of each State differ greatly. Their diversity must be taken into account. As we see it, the way forward can best be found through acknowledging varying degrees of autonomy to be enjoyed by communities. The forms of autonomy allow for very great flexibility; its many elements can be combined in a multitude of different ways. But viewed overall, it is possible to see several broad levels of autonomy, each of which progressively adds to the degree to which the community conducts its own affairs. But, at the same time, out of respect for the territorial integrity of States, we do not consider it appropriate to suggest that these successive levels of autonomy should follow each other by some automatic or mandatory process. Rather, they should be dependent upon the request of the community concerned and the consent of the State in question, so that progress towards greater autonomy would, in effect, be through some kind of optional process. In our view, the first, very basic, level of autonomy should, however, be acknowledged for all communities having a sufficient degree of distinctive identity. This would cover only some very modest and basic requirements, such as non-discrimination and freedom for the community to practise and enjoy its distinctive community characteristics. In certain areas of public administration community The particular circumstances might, of course, indicate that something beyond those basic entitlements would be appropriate. This might be particularly likely with the passage of time, as a community grows in experience and demonstrates its fitness to move on to autonomy in further areas. These developments would happen on a case-by-case basis and would involve a progressive degree of decentralization. But let me repeat: the acknowledgement of any further degree of autonomy beyond the very basic initial level would, in our view, be a matter for specific acceptance by the State concerned. Indeed, we envisage that at all levels of autonomy detailed implementing arrangements would need to be worked out between the State and the community concerned. We do not suggest that there should be any hard and fast prescription of the elements that would comprise successive levels of autonomy. As I have said, it is of the essence that the arrangements should be flexible, and hence capable of helping in the infinitely variable circumstances that are likely to arise. But, by way of illustration, let me say that at a relatively early stage the community might be enabled, through its elected representatives, to administer funds allocated for its benefit. The community could make its own direct contribution to the preservation of order and the administration of justice within the State. There could even be provision for the community to administer schools in the community’s area, for use by members of the community. At more advanced levels of autonomy a community could have various additional rights, such as the right to establish a local representative legislature with certain limited powers over the community. The community could also be accorded certain rights with regard to the administration of State functions within the community’s area, but, of course, excluding matters of foreign affairs or defence. Ultimately, and in our view relatively infrequently, independence might be appropriate in certain cases where it is agreed by the State concerned. It would be for the State and the community to negotiate and agree the details But independence is not the primary objective of our initiative; we are looking much more at the forms of what may be styled internal self-determination than at processes designed to lead to the attainment of independence. As I have said, these successive stages of autonomy - after the first - would be optional. In addition, it may prove desirable to include certain further safeguards for the position of States. I have in mind such requirements as that any progress by a community from one level of autonomy to the next should be dependent upon its having satisfactory experience of conducting its affairs at the preceding level, and that the rights to be enjoyed by a community at the various levels of autonomy would have to be exercised within the constitution and laws of the State. Some modest and basic forms of assistance should be available, through independent procedures, to ensure the effective operation in practice of this pattern of flexible and graduated degrees of autonomy. This might involve three components. First, there should be a body with responsibility for ensuring that the underlying policy is effectively implemented, which could also, if necessary, be responsible for regulating any financial aspects of its work. Secondly, there would need to be some authority charged with an active and positive role in the practical operation of arrangements for the effective realization of the various levels of autonomy. This authority could offer assistance if there were any difficulties, for example, by way of good offices or mediation. Perhaps associated with that authority’s functions there could be an international research and advice centre. Thirdly, arrangements would be needed to provide for the peaceful resolution of any differences that might arise. It is our firm conviction that something along the lines that I have outlined would advance, in a very practical way, the fundamental principle of self-determination. Developing the specific concept of autonomy would open up a further area in which the right of self-determination could be made more effective in practice, without prejudice to all that has In my first statement to the General Assembly, at its forty-sixth session, I said that some scheme such as I have outlined could eventually be embodied in a convention. I realize that this is an ambitious goal, but we believe that it is a possible way in which, in due course, progress could be made. That is not, however, our immediate object in bringing this topic on to the agenda of the General Assembly. We recognize that many aspects of our proposals are technically difficult, politically sensitive or both. We are therefore very anxious to hear the views of the membership of the Organization. We have already held in Liechtenstein the informal meeting of experts to which I have referred. It was most valuable, but, intentionally, the views of the participants were expressed only on a personal, expert basis. We hope, therefore, that many delegations will now participate in the discussions in the Third Committee. We shall, of course, study with the greatest care whatever views are expressed here. While our underlying concerns are unlikely to diminish, our thinking about the ways in which those concerns might be met is very flexible. We hope that the debate on which we are now embarking will enable us to come forward next year with specific proposals to put before the General Assembly. Consequently, our immediate aim is simply to open up discussion on the problems we have identified and on our ideas for helping to overcome them. We hope that the General Assembly will agree to resume consideration of this topic at the forty-ninth session, next year. We shall be circulating a draft resolution seeking just that - and no more - in the course of the coming days. The problems that we are trying to address are very serious, not just for those of our fellow human beings who are suffering directly from the kind of conflict with which we are concerned, but also for all of us. We believe that the international community must do everything it can - take every opportunity, explore every possibility - to help alleviate that suffering. It is as a contribution to that end that I have ventured to put before the Assembly ideas that might - and we believe will - be helpful, and we look forward to the debate that will follow.

We have concluded this stage of our consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 108.

I now draw the attention of representative to the fifth report of the General Committee, which has been circulated as document A/48/250/Add.4. The report concerns the request by a number of countries for the inclusion in the agenda of the current session of an additional item entitled "Economic assistance to States affected by the implementation of the Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)". The General Committee decided to recommend to the General Assembly that the item should be included in the agenda. May I take it that the Assembly decides to include in its agenda this additional item?

The General Committee further decided to recommend to the Assembly that the item should be allocated to the Second Committee. May I take it that the General Assembly adopts this recommendation?

The Chairman of the Second Committee will be informed of the decision just taken.

I should like to inform members of a change in the programme of work. On Tuesday, 16 November, in the morning the Assembly will consider agenda item 26, "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe". This agenda item had originally been scheduled for consideration as the first item on Monday, 22 November, in the morning. Further, I should like to remind representatives that the Pledging Conference for Development Activities will be held on Tuesday, 2 November, and Wednesday, 3 November, in the morning. The Conference will be opened by the Secretary-General. I should also like to inform members that the announcement of voluntary contributions to the 1994 programmes of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will take place on Wednesday, 10 November, in the afternoon, and that the announcement of voluntary contributions to the 1994 programmes of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East will take place on Friday, 3 December, in the morning.

The Assembly has before it draft resolution A/48/L.11. I call on the representative of Costa Rica to introduce the draft resolution.

For many years the delegation of Costa Rica has spoken on the item "University for Peace", as most members of the General Assembly will be aware. The impression may even have been created that Costa Rica has appropriated - so to speak - the University for Peace for itself. But that is not the case. It is just that we appreciate the University for Peace and have placed great hope in it, because peace is an ideal and a virtue deeply rooted in the soul of Costa Rica. The University for Peace is an institution of the United Nations, and accordingly does not belong to any one country. This must be fully understood, because it creates Moreover, we must understand that, as has been said repeatedly, the way to attain the goal of the University is and always will be education. That is easy to say, but it entails a whole series of requirements. First, it is necessary to define what peace is. To say merely that peace is not simply the absence of war, or to say that another word for peace is development, is to speak the truth, but it is an oversimplification of the truth. Our world today is extremely complex, so much so that the end of the bipolarity that had caused so many tensions resulted not in a reduction of those tensions, but in an inexplicable increase. It is inexplicable that people on the brink of famine, instead of rejoicing when they are offered relief, become indescribably indignant towards those who bring them food, or that peoples offered the restoration of democratic life reject it obstinately. Why? It is because the souls of people are complicated and must be fully understood, in depth, before action is taken. That is the objective of the University for Peace. Its mandate is research on and study of the factors that mould the internal and external relations of peoples in all their myriad facets, which include law, economics, history, sociology, anthropology, health, statistics, psychology and even religion, not to mention the environment and climate. With all these factors which affect society taken into account - and my list may not be complete - there can be a valid interdisciplinary analysis to understand what is going on in the world. Obviously, what I have outlined is far from the romantic, old-fashioned idea of peace. But peace is no longer romantic; it is a reality and an extremely complex need that must be examined in the light of efficient, modern criteria. What I have said so far is more diagnostic than prescriptive of remedies, because knowing what is going on does not automatically mean that one knows what should be done: in this case, who should be educated and how. But today education is, as it has always been, an immense need of peoples. I shall always remember the inscription on a monument in Paris to Danton, which says: "After bread, the most important need of the individual is education". And if at the time of the French Revolution education was already so important for the individual, today it is important not only for the individual, but also for peoples. One of the tasks of Lastly, we must think about the fact that peace, just like the absence of peace, is today a global problem. There can be no conception of stable peace in one part of the world without peace elsewhere. It would be like trying to imagine an infection in one part of the body that has no effect on the rest of the body. I mention this because I believe that the efforts to educate for peace should be supported by all the States of the international community. That requirement, fortunately, is being met - but slowly. In short, the concept of educating for peace is no longer just a good intention; it must, rather, be seen as a new, very modern and complex discipline that is related to many existing disciplines but that, by dint of its particular aim, is different from all of them. I believe the day is not far off when ministries of peacemaking will replace ministries of defence and when there are institutes of higher education for peace rather than the prestigious, but slowly becoming obsolete, military academies. With our University for Peace, we are making a humble, modest attempt to take a first step in this endeavour. I shall now put abstract thoughts aside and report on the work of the University for Peace over a period of more than a year and a half, since January 1992. That very month there was a seminar on family life and education for peace. At the end of the month there was a Central American workshop on protected border areas. In February 1992 the University made a presentation before a plenary meeting of the Central American Parliament. Also in February 1992 the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Mr. Felipe Mayor, visited the University. In April 1992 the Regional Institute of Labour Relations was established. From April to December 1992 an extensive programme on promoting human rights and on education for peace was carried out. In September 1992 the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Mr. Maurice Strong, came on a formal visit. In October 1992 the United Nations agreed to designate the University’s documentation and information centre a United Nations depositary library. In December 1992 master’s courses in international relations and in ecology, natural resources and peace were concluded, having benefited a group of students from 32 different countries. "make the great Latin American homeland a zone of peace, founded on democracies that are based on freedom and social justice". In June there was an international forestry course. The same month a seminar on information management in crisis and emergency situations was organized. In July a series of talks was given at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua to deal with the challenge of rebuilding the Nicaraguan political system. In August an agreement was signed between the Costa Rican Supreme Court of Justice and the University. Also in August short courses were initiated for the training of indigenous leaders, this being the International Year of the World’s Indigenous People. In September a course was initiated on the resolution of conflicts over the management of natural resources. This month a seminar/workshop is being held on economic democracy and civil society: towards a social and labour consensus in Guatemala. Finally, on 15 October the first post-graduate specialist course in labour relations and human resources was concluded. All the attention given these activities and events has not detracted from the attention given the seven master’s courses running from September 1991 to 1995. These courses cover international relations, beginning on 2 September 1991 and ending in June 1993, and natural resources, ecology and peace, beginning in October 1991 and ending in June 1993. Other such courses will subsequently be carried out in social concertation and programming, education for peace and human rights. The last four courses are at present scheduled to begin in 1994. As these courses are completed over the next six years they will produce about 200 experts in each of the fields of study. Those professionals will be able to serve in their different fields of knowledge and join various public I also wish to tell the Assembly briefly about two bodies related to the University for Peace: the Gandhi Centre for Communications and Radio Peace International. The Gandhi Centre was created through a programme of cooperation between the University for Peace and the Italian Government. At present it is responsible for preparing and supervising production and programming plans for means of communication used for the training, education and information needed to fulfil the objectives of the University for Peace. Its work in the last two years has been highly satisfactory. In 1987 the University for Peace and the World Peace University in the State of Oregon, in the United States, joined forces to establish a means of communication for world peace. Thus was the radio station born, as a not-for- profit non-governmental organization, with a specific goal: to inform and educate, and create a culture for peace. It is fitting to note here that the Committee on Information recognized in a report to the General Assembly the important work done by the University for Peace and its Radio Peace International in the dissemination of information on the work of the United Nations. Draft resolution A/48/L.11, which we are introducing and which is sponsored by the delegations listed in the document, along with other delegations that will be listed in an addendum, is almost self-explanatory, as it follows the lines of the resolution adopted two years ago, the only alterations being those required by changed circumstances. With regard to these changes, the financial contributions of Spain, Italy, Costa Rica and the Commission of the European Communities, all of which have been extremely useful to the institution, should be acknowledged. We also note with satisfaction that Slovenia acceded to the International Agreement for the Establishment of the University for Peace on 6 June 1992. Other States Members of the United Nations are invited to do likewise and, thereby, to demonstrate their support for a world institution for peace studies. I should make the point that accession to the International Agreement for the Establishment of the University for Peace does not imply any financial commitment whatsoever. Also, it should be remembered that the budget of the University for Peace has no implications for United Nations expenditure, as, by virtue of Lastly, I wish to refer again, with gratitude, to the fact that in 1991, under the United Nations Development Programme, the Secretary-General established a Trust Fund for Peace, financed through voluntary contributions, to provide the University with the necessary means of extending its field of action to include the rest of the world. I hope that this draft resolution will receive enthusiastic support and be adopted by consensus, and I wish, in anticipation, to thank members for supporting it.

Italy has consistently supported the University for Peace since its foundation by the General Assembly 13 years ago. As has just been recalled by Ambassador Tattenbach, the University’s host country is the Republic of Costa Rica, whose essential role, in proposing the initiative and in making it a reality, we sincerely applaud. The aim of this unique University for post-graduate studies is to instil the ideal of peace in the hearts and minds of the younger generation. It promotes both research and the dissemination of knowledge, with the specific purpose of training young people to work for peace within the United Nations system. I believe that there is no better explanation of the University’s mission than article 2 of its Charter: "The University is established with a clear determination to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace and with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, to stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen obstacles and threats to world peace and progress, in keeping with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations." (resolution 35/55, annex to the Agreement) A special Trust Fund for Peace was designated for the United Nations Development Programme to enable the University for Peace in Costa Rica to flourish and to help in spreading its message throughout the world. Italy strongly believes in the principle of the promotion of peace through education, training and research. The contributions of Costa Rica, the European Community, Italy and Spain have enabled the University to initiate a series of research projects in the area of international relations. The focus of such projects is education for peace: the study of methods of the peaceful settlement of conflicts, the promotion of human rights and the production of radio and television programmes. One cannot underestimate how important these three areas of concern are to United Nations activities. The first two relate to issues that are perpetually on our agenda, and the last represents an essential contribution to the life of the Organization, which depends on the support of public opinion and, therefore, relies heavily on mass communications. The implementation of "An Agenda for Peace" proposed by the Secretary-General can benefit, in concrete terms, from the work of the University for Peace. In fact, it is our profound conviction that educating individuals in respect of the principles on which peace is based is, in the long run, the surest way of preventing conflicts and of promoting the causes of peace, freedom and democracy. In expressing again to the Government of Costa Rica and to its Permanent Mission in New York our congratulations on the success already achieved, we are glad to be a sponsor of draft resolution A/48/L.11 and to recommend that the General Assembly adopt it by consensus.

As Members of the world Organization know, the University for Peace, whose headquarters is in Costa Rica - a country which has close and friendly relations with Chile and which, in respect of this concept, sets an example to many other countries - is an international institution devoted to the search for peace through education with humanistic objectives, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These goals, like the work carried out by the University, have the full support of the Government of Chile. The principles that led to the establishment of this institution could not have been more visionary. In the current international situation, in which, fortunately, confrontation has been replaced with cooperation and understanding between nations, the University’s principles are more relevant than ever. Accordingly, Chile resolutely Generally speaking, the University for Peace, as a primary source of thought, research and study, faces a major challenge. This challenge is a result of the great cultural changes, the interrelationships and the profound transformations in global society. The University for Peace cannot avoid this reality. Its intellectual tasks today must reflect the new types of conflict and the factors that give rise to the crises and tensions of today’s world. But, as was stated by a number of delegations during the general debate, peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace must also be a positive attitude characterized by harmony among individuals and nations, where the relationship between peace and social development has become a special concern and a dedication to achieving the well-being of peoples, thereby strengthening that peace for which we yearn so much. Within these parameters, the University for Peace has much to contribute, since it is through the University that intellectuals and academics from different spheres of knowledge can participate in this tremendous task, to which the leaders of such very different parts of the world are devoted. The University’s endeavours should be aimed at offering a fresh perspective in providing appropriate solutions in keeping with the needs of the governed and the governing in order to enable them to deal with their respective problems. Therefore, we encourage the continuation of the conferences organized by the University, such as, for example, the one held in July in Geneva, "Peace Now - What can we do to achieve it?", at which the causes of global conflict were analysed and a series of suggestions put forward by eminent personalities on the various fields of action to promote peace. We fully support those suggestions, in particular the one that indicates that: "A central relationship exists between peace and development. Violence and war thrive on hunger and poverty, just as do the violation of human rights and the absence of social justice. The University will therefore include an analysis of development, human rights and social development problems. It will examine in detail the relationship between peace and development." In addition, the University for Peace has an opportunity to play a key role in the development of the new tasks required by "An Agenda for Peace". In particular, methods of analysis and action for conflict prevention must be implemented. The programmes being carried out by the University for Peace will in the short term make it possible to integrate an important contingent of experts into the international public sector, into academic organizations and into other public and private institutions; and this, together with the activities carried out by the University in a number of fields, deserves, in our opinion, to be more widely disseminated to the general public. It is essential that all sectors be informed of the principles of this programme and of the broad range of activities being carried out, which, in the final analysis, are but the application in practice of those principles. In this context, the University for Peace, as an agency dedicated to the education and training of men and women, has an important role to play so that, within the framework of the United Nations Charter, people can work for the benefit of their societies and for justice and peace throughout the world. The University for Peace, in the spirit of its founding Charter, indicates that: "Peace is the primary and irrevocable obligation of a nation and the fundamental objective of the United Nations; it is the reason for its existence. However, the best tool for achieving this supreme good for humankind, namely education, has not been used." (resolution 35/55, annex to the Agreement, Appendix to the Charter, para. 2) The efforts the University for Peace has undertaken since its foundation must not remain the University’s alone but must also be taken up individually, by every State in the world, to ensure that the establishment of peace is paramount; hence we shall be able to devote ourselves first and foremost to the well-being and the development of our peoples. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/48/L.11. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/48/L.11?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 22?

The head of my delegation earlier expressed to Mr. Insanally Costa Rica’s great pleasure at seeing him presiding over the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session. It is a pleasure for me as well to take advantage of this opportunity personally to congratulate him, as I participate in the consideration of an item which is extremely important to Costa Rica, "Programmes and activities to promote peace in the world". As members are aware, this item was the result of the evolution of the Proclamation, during the fortieth session of the General Assembly, of 1986 as the International Year of Peace, which crowned the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations in 1985. That Proclamation was the cornerstone of a series of activities and programmes which, as we can see from the report of the Secretary-General submitted to the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly (A/46/549), have been growing in number and, at the same time, generated an increased interest on the part of States Members of the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, academic, scientific and educational institutions at all levels, as well as on the part of individuals wishing to cooperate with and help the United Nations in its efforts to attain one of its primary objectives, namely, the promotion of peace in the world. The succinct but complete information on the subject given in the "Annotated preliminary list of items to be included in the provisional agenda of the forty-eighth regular session of the General Assembly" makes it clear that: "the General Assembly took note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General; expressed its satisfaction at the many activities and programmes inspired by the guidelines prepared by the Secretary- General and by his designation of organizations and cities as "Peace Messengers", which had contributed positively to promoting peace through their sustained cooperation with the United Nations; welcomed the important role played by the Peace Studies Unit of the Department of Political and Security Council Affairs of the Secretariat in promoting peace, encouraging activities and exchanges of information on peace-related subjects among the non-governmental organizations, academic and scientific institutions and cities around the world, and stimulating action to strengthen the United Nations as an instrument for peace; welcomed the important and peaceful changes that had taken place in many countries of the world in order to bring about political and social changes towards more democratic systems of government; invited Member States, non-governmental organizations and academic, scientific and educational institutions at all levels, as well as individuals, to continue their efforts to assist the United Nations in promoting peace in the world; and requested the Secretary-General to invite Member States and organizations concerned to report to him on their activities and initiatives in pursuit of those ends and to submit a report thereon to the Assembly at its forty-eighth session (resolution 46/14)." (A/48/100, para. 23, p. 66) The report, of course, is to be submitted in fulfilment of the cited resolution. Notwithstanding all that is indicated in this document, we have not been provided with the report requested in the resolution. The Peace Studies Unit was eliminated and the relevant information was not requested of Member States as required in resolution 46/14, which was adopted without a vote by the General Assembly. It would mean much to It seems relevant to add that in addition to the activities listed in the text of the document I have just quoted, a wide variety of international conferences, seminars, round tables, and encounters at different levels have examined various aspects of the promotion of peace. Some of them have continued their work each year since the proclamation of the International Year of Peace, while others are new initiatives, among which are the 1988 Ecoforo on peace and the environment, held in Bulgaria; the first world conference on "Tourism: A Vital Force for Peace" held in Vancouver, Canada, sponsored by the Tourism Canada, among others, and supported by the World Tourism Organization; the student peace festivals held each year in the city of Yokohama, Japan, and the Youth Chess Festival for Peace sponsored by the World Chess Federation; and two seminars held by the Muslim Congress, one on international peace and the world’s children and the other on international peace and world literature. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sponsored an international congress on "Peace in the Minds of Men" in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, from 26 June to 1 July 1989, in the context of the achievements of the International Year of Peace. The congress, organized in cooperation with the Houphouët- Boigny International Foundation for Peace dealt with two principal items: peace among men and peace in the relation between man and the environment. Education for peace, especially at the levels of primary and secondary education, has been integrated into many educational programmes. In Norway, a new official syllabus drawn up in 1987 included an increase in references to peace and human rights; a training programme for teachers on these subjects was also started with extremely positive results. The National Permanent Committee of Peru on Education for Peace, established during the International Year of Peace, undertook research on subjects related to peace and sponsored teacher-training courses with emphasis on the "Culture of Peace" and "Education for Peace". Special emphasis has been placed on the role of educators as agents for peace. In Poland, an annual prize was established for a professor of peace studies and for the best book on subjects related to peace. New institutions have been established to address specific aspects of peace through research and discussion. Among these are the Costa Rica Foundation for Peace and In June 1989, the University for Peace in Costa Rica organized on important event, held in my country’s capital, San José. "The Conference in Search of the True Meaning of Peace" was one of the achievements of the International Year of Peace, attended by hundreds of participants of various nationalities, religious beliefs, political persuasions and professional standings. The well-known declaration entitled "The Declaration of Human Responsibilities for Peace and Sustainable Development" was adopted at that time, affirming the need for individuals and Governments to commit themselves to protecting the environment and resolving their differences and conflicts by peaceful means. Since this Declaration contains many of the postulates and principles already adopted in various forums and resolutions of the United Nations system, it was circulated in document A/44/L.16 in 1989, as part of the documentation on the achievements of the International Year of Peace. The Declaration emphasizes that "according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable human rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world". (A/44/626, p. 4) And this fundamental principle leads to another which draws attention to the "challenge posed by the growing imbalances in the dynamic relationship between population, resources and the environment". (ibid., p. 5) The Declaration also calls attention to the "urgent need for a greater awareness of the unity of life and the special character of each of the expressions of life, and for a more profound human sense of responsibility and a reorientation of human thoughts, feelings and actions". (ibid.) Here there is very little coordination of activities that would ensure a better orientation of what is being done in various forums, even during the same session of the General Assembly. While the Third Committee is expressing concern about the need to promote positive and healthy activities among young people which would help them to improve their approach to behaviour and the moral values of human conduct, some of the very units of the Secretariat which have developed programmes and promoted many activities of interest to young people in many countries, both developing and developed, are, at the same time, being eliminated. In view of the new trend towards rationalization, as has been asserted, in order to achieve greater efficiency in the functions of the United Nations, my delegation has decided to present neither a draft resolution nor a draft decision on agenda item 23, "Programmes and activities to promote peace in the world", so that at the General Assembly’s forty- ninth session this work may be continued. We shall leave it to the political will of the different delegations, if they deem it relevant, to retain the item in future by making the corresponding proposal, under either the same title or another which might be considered more appropriate. We are certain that there will be other items that other delegations will propose in order to keep alive the promotion of peace in the world, because either the next millennium will be peaceful, or it will not be at all.

A common theme running through the statements made in the general debate during the current session of the General Assembly has been the observation that international relations are passing through profound and revolutionary transformations. The hopes for a peaceful and stable world order raised by the end of the cold war have not yet been realized. Indeed, we are witnessing new conflicts and contradictions. Despite these One of the most important developments in recent years has been the world-wide peaceful revolution leading to the resurgence of faith in democracy and human rights. As the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Nepal stated in his address to the forty-eighth session of the Assembly, there is a direct correlation between the status of human rights, the democratic process and the evolution of a culture of peaceful settlement of disputes. My delegation, therefore, looks forward to sustained programmes and actions of the United Nations aimed at enhancing the present trend towards greater respect for democratic values. The efforts to strengthen the United Nations as an instrument of peace must continue in all seriousness. At the same time, we would like to see more emphasis on activities for the dissemination of information on peace-related subjects. Closer coordination and cooperation with non-governmental organizations and academic institutions around the world will facilitate the attainment of this objective. Efforts to ensure peace and stability will not be able to make much headway if the United Nations is not able to act as the forum for constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation between the developed and the developing countries. Indeed, poverty and backwardness are permanent threats to peace and stability. The need for assisting the least developed countries in their efforts to promote human resources development and to alleviate the crushing burden of poverty are particularly urgent. One of the most welcome phenomena of the post-cold war era is the decrease in the global volume of military spending. The resources thus saved could be utilized to help the least developed countries help themselves. There is today greater public understanding of what the United Nations stands for than at any time during the history of this Organization. The primary purpose of the United Nations is the maintenance of international peace and security. However, it is now widely accepted that the threats to peace and stability cannot be understood merely in military terms. The non-military threats to peace have economic, social, environmental, ethnic and religious dimensions. The problems facing the world today are not amenable to solutions through the actions of one or a few powerful States. They require the partnership of all members of the international community - big or small, rich or poor.

At the outset, I would like to join previous speakers in extending to Ambassador Insanally our cordial felicitations on his election as President of the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly. The Philippines takes pride in being a founding Member of the United Nations, and our Government, under President Fidel Ramos, would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge with deep appreciation the efforts of this world body to respond to crisis situations, to put an end to conflicts and to restore peace in the world. Allow me, therefore, to express the gratitude of my countrymen for this privilege of addressing the General Assembly. We are here to consider one of the primary objectives of the United Nations: the promotion of peace in the world. We regret that the report of the Secretary-General requested in operative paragraph 6 of resolution 46/14 is not available for consideration by the General Assembly. With the increasing interest in the United Nations and its momentum in meeting the new challenges of a new and dynamic international environment, the Philippine delegation hopes that this important report will be completed soon. General Assembly resolution 46/14 states that: "peace is not merely the absence of war and ... interdependence and cooperation to foster human rights, social and economic development, disarmament, protection of the environment and ecosystems and the improvement of the quality of life for all are indispensable elements for the establishment of peaceful societies". (resolution 46/14, fourth preambular paragraph) Preventive diplomacy is now becoming a vital tool for practical action for the promotion and maintenance of peace in the world. As the Secretary-General noted in his "Agenda for Peace," it includes efforts designed to prevent the occurrence of armed conflict through such measures as confidence-building, early warning, fact-finding and preventive deployment. We are pleased to note the increasing resort of the United Nations and the Secretary- General to the use of preventive diplomacy to address the many conflict situations in our post-cold-war world. Actually, the Philippines has sought to translate its firm commitment to peace and the peaceful resolution of disputes by undertaking peace initiatives at the national, regional and international levels. Under the leadership of President Ramos the advancement of peace and reconciliation has been one of the priorities of his Administration. In July of last year, President Ramos signed Proclamation 10-A establishing the National Unification Commission. That Commission has been given the task of formulating and recommending, after consultations with concerned sectors of the society, a viable general-amnesty programme and peace process that will lead to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. Towards that end the Commission has undertaken exploratory discussions with authorized representatives of the various armed rebel groups aimed at getting input for the peace process and at laying the groundwork for the holding of formal peace negotiations. At the present time meetings between government representatives and the representatives of two groups are scheduled to be held in different countries. It is hoped that they will add further momentum to the peace process. We are grateful to the Governments of Indonesia and Viet Nam for their generous assistance in agreeing to play host to those negotiations. In addition to its dialogue with representatives of armed rebel groups, the National Unification Commission has been conducting consultations with other sectors of the society at both the national and local levels to generate among all the citizenry, whether organized or not, an awareness of and interest in peace issues, inter alia, and to mobilize their active support for and participation in both the formulation and implementation of a peace process. On the regional level the Philippines, together with its partners in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, initiated the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Forum to discuss regional security among countries in the Asia-Pacific region and those that have stakes in the area - the ASEAN dialogue partners and countries with significant influence and interest in this part of the world. The Philippines has also taken steps to explore areas of cooperation in the South China Sea with the interested countries in the region. The Philippine Government reaffirms its unequivocal support for the efforts being made to find lasting peace in the former Yugoslavia, to restore the hope of the people of Somalia and to bring back democracy under a civilian Government in Haiti. The current dangers to global peace require sustained vigilance and emphasis on the United Nations ability to function effectively. In further reaffirmation of our commit to world peace we call upon the international community to contribute significantly to the dismantling of the remaining vestiges of the cold war. We are particularly disturbed by the attempts to downgrade the importance of the nuclear-test ban and to make nuclear inspection a painful exercise for the United Nations agencies concerned. We call upon the United Nations to find a way out of this problem. No matter how critics view our world Organization we continue to have abiding faith in the ability of the United Nations to arrest the escalation of those problems into crisis proportions. We believe that the United Nations has a key role to play in the maintenance of global peace and the promotion of development. Let us anchor our sense of urgency on the premise that we owe world peace to our children. Better yet, we should know that only a generation that was able to establish a lasting basis for world peace may have the right to look forward to and pray for a world of which succeeding generations can be truly proud. If we can show them the way to peace, they will not only value what we shall leave them. They too will learn where to stand when a choice is once more presented between war and peace. We hope that through our initiatives today they do not have to make a choice, because we have already chosen

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 23?

I call on the representative of Egypt to introduce the two draft resolutions under this agenda item.

The Egyptian delegation, which requested, in its capacity as the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the inclusion on the agenda of the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly of an additional item entitled "Building a peaceful and better world through sport", takes pleasure in introducing today the two draft resolutions presented under agenda item 167. The first draft resolution, A/48/L.8/Rev.1, relates to the request made to the General Assembly to proclaim 1994 as International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal; the second, A/48/L.9, calls upon Member States to observe the Olympic Truce. The Council of Ministers of the OAU, at its fifty-eighth session held in June 1993 in Cairo, adopted a resolution, which the African summit meeting endorsed and thus endorsed the initiatives which are now contained in these two draft resolutions. The main thrust of the two draft resolutions is to support the efforts deployed by the Olympic Movement towards building a better and peaceful world by educating and mobilizing the youth of the world through sport and culture with a view to promoting international understanding between the young in consonance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter. The International Olympic Committee, founded in 1894, will be celebrating its centenary next year. That Committee is making sincere efforts to implement the Olympic ideals. The appeal launched during the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games to revive the ancient Greek tradition of the Olympic Truce was endorsed by 184 National Olympic Committees. In that respect, the International Olympic Committee has In fact, there is a very close link between the objectives of the United Nations and the Olympic Movement, which was the first organization to voice concern over the policy of apartheid in the 1950s and which decided to suspend and isolate South Africa from membership in 1970, a decision which was not revoked until a non-racialist Olympic Committee was set up in South Africa. Furthermore, the Committee has allocated $2 million from its budget to finance development programmes for the poor Black communities of South Africa. I should also like to highlight the Committee’s assistance to the city of Sarajevo, site of the 1984 Winter Olympic Games, and its cooperation with a number of States to sponsor Bosnian athletes. The Committee has also cooperated with the United Nations following the Rio Conference on the Environment. This is the first time in the history of the United Nations that the Olympic Movement has requested support for its initiatives in the service of peace. Indeed, the drive to educate and mobilize youth in the service of peace is a noble goal that deserves our full support. I should also like to point out that the International Olympic Committee will be observing the International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal with the support of national and international Olympic and sports committees. This will entail no additional financial burdens for the United Nations. For all of these reasons, I would ask the General Assembly to adopt the draft resolutions contained in documents A/48/L.8/Rev.1 and A/48/L.9 by consensus. I should like to make an oral revision to draft resolution A/48/L.9. I will speak in English. In the first preambular paragraph, the words "the National" should be replaced by the words "one hundred eighty-four". The subsequent words "of one hundred eighty- four countries" should be deleted. The revised paragraph will therefore read as follows: "Considering the appeal launched by the International Olympic Committee for an Olympic Truce, which was endorsed by one hundred eighty-four Olympic Committees and presented to the Secretary- General,"

This year the General Assembly thanks to the initiative of Egypt, on behalf of the Organization of African Unity, has an opportunity to consider a very special issue. Ever since the classical age, sport has served the lofty ideals of peace and brotherhood among peoples. Ancient Greece gave birth to an activity in which men competed not for the immediate goal of power, but to exceed their own limits by matching them with those of other competitors. It has often been said that competition in sports results from men’s aggressive instincts and is merely a means to sublimate them. That may well be true; if so, the human race has acquired a tool with which to transform the desire to fight into an urge to compete; the impulse to destroy into a will to win; and the thirst to dominate others into a search for self-discipline. The universal social function of sports was stressed by His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain on the occasion of the last Olympic Games, held in my country, when he pointed out that the Games today: "have become associated with the ideals of peace, cooperation and communication between peoples, and they accordingly have immense symbolic value. The political, economic, racial, religious or other differences dividing mankind become less significant. Tolerance thereby prevails and, with it, friendship". My delegation sponsored the draft resolutions on the proclamation of 1994 as International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal and on the Olympic Truce because we support the ideals underlying them. These initiatives help foster understanding and dialogue between individuals and peoples and are directed towards ensuring that the Olympic spirit is disseminated more widely throughout the world by the United Nations. In 1992 my country organized, at Barcelona, the Games of the twenty-fifth Olympiad of the modern era. There Spain welcomed athletes and visitors alike with open arms, aware of the historic importance of what has become a milestone in the contemporary history of the Olympic Movement. After a number of games in which not all countries members of the Olympic Movement participated, Barcelona prompted participation by them all: they made common cause in sport, setting aside differences and confrontations. Barcelona was also the site of a procession of athletes whose countries had been torn by tragic conflict; their participation helped fire the hope that one day the wounds - then as now, open wounds - would be healed for the benefit of peace and human dignity. Mayor Pasqual Maragall of Barcelona transmitted to the athletes and to the entire world the appeal for peace contained in a message from the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The International Olympic Committee, under the presidency of the Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch, has made every effort to make sport more than an arena for competition between material interests and passions inconsistent with the spirit that should prevail in sport. Too often, professional sport has taken the path of commercialism, placing the accent more on translating sport into material terms than on the inner satisfaction gained through an athlete’s performance and on the spectator’s aesthetic pleasure. The International Olympic Committee seeks also to re-establish another basic dimension: sport as an aspect of culture and as a vehicle in the service of humanitarian ideals. The first dimension is fully expressed in the declaration of 1994 as the International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal on the occasion of the centenary of the modern Olympic Movement. The dissemination of the Olympic ideal at the national and international levels should promote understanding and solidarity among individuals and peoples. The second draft resolution, which revives the age-old tradition of an Olympic Truce, is aimed at instilling a spirit of brotherhood and understanding among peoples and at giving them a reason to suspend their confrontations and an opportunity to reflect on ways to end them. I wish to conclude by expressing my delegation’s hope that our words will be transformed into actions, conflicts into dialogue, and the Olympic Truce into a lasting peace. The enmity that fuels these conflicts will not disappear because we say so; we cannot conjure up understanding with a magical incantation. This is a difficult, long-term task that Today, the General Assembly has the opportunity to serve as a special instrument for these efforts aimed at making peace and harmony the expression of a renewed determination for understanding among people.

On behalf of the European Community and its member States, I have the honour to speak on agenda item 167, "Building a peaceful and better world through sport". In 1994 the International Olympic Committee will mark its hundredth anniversary. A century ago, inspired by the Olympic Games of ancient Greece, Pierre de Coubertin made his historic appeal for the modern revival of the Olympic Games. In antiquity and in modern times, Europeans have shown, by their presence and their active participation, their lively interest both in sport and in building the goals of the Olympic Movement. Beyond sport itself, we fully subscribe to the ideals of the Olympic Movement, as proclaimed even during the games in ancient Greece. Those ideals were aimed at helping build a peaceful and better world by encouraging young people to practise sport free of discrimination, in a spirit of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair play. All those ideals, indeed, further the purposes of the United Nations Charter. In this context of sport, peace, humanism and tolerance, the European Community and its member States welcome the two draft resolutions before the Assembly. We welcome the appeal made by the International Olympic Committee and endorsed by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to declare 1994 the International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal. Through sport and culture, the Olympic ideal promotes international understanding among world youth; hence, we think it is proper and timely to link it with the International Year of the Family, to be declared on 7 December 1993. We therefore call on the International Olympic Committee, international sport federations and national Olympic Committees to work together to coordinate their activities with the administrative structure already set up by the United Nations, in order to avoid duplication. The European Community and its member States also join in the International Olympic Committee’s appeal for the revival of the Olympic Truce to be observed by all parties The adoption of the two draft resolutions before us by the broadest possible consensus would send an important message to the international community, and especially to youth - which still embodies our hopes for a better world.

It is in a spirit of building a peaceful and better world through sport that my delegation is pleased to join in sponsoring the draft resolutions before the General Assembly today entitled "Observance of the Olympic Truce" and "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal". In 1889, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, himself but a youthful 26 years of age, set for himself an Olympic-sized goal: to build a better and peaceful world by educating the youth of the world through sport and culture. To that end, he conceived the idea of reviving the classical Olympic Games of ancient Greece, where the spirit of fair play prevailed. At an international congress in 1894, he found support when he stated: "Let us export our oarsmen, our runners, our fencers into other lands. That is the true free trade of the future; and the day it is introduced ... the cause of peace will have received a new and strong ally ... so that together we may attempt to realize, upon a basis suitable to the conditions of our modern life, the splendid and beneficent task of reviving the Olympic Games." The International Olympic Committee was founded, independent of Governments or any organizations, with the key aim of collaborating with others to place sport at the service of humanity. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in April 1896, with 13 nations sending nearly 300 participants to 42 events involving 10 different sports. Now, over 170 nations send over 11,000 athletes to participate in more than 400 events involving more than 41 different sports. During those years, the world has witnessed glory and tragedy on the playing field, but, more significantly, on the battlefield. My delegation has joined in sponsoring today’s draft resolution entitled "Observance of the Olympic Truce" to promote the peaceful settlement of all international conflicts as a visible symbol to the youth of the world. The revival of the Olympic Games gave an impetus to sport that has gradually spread throughout the world, so that the number of encounters between countries in various sports has increased exponentially over the years. I refer not merely to world championships in sports, but, far more, to the interchange of individuals and of club and national teams, and to the sharing of their talents. My country is therefore honoured today to join in sponsoring also the draft resolution entitled "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal".

May I, in the first place, refer to the statement just made by the representative of Belgium in his capacity as President of the European Community; I fully support that statement. The Greek delegation welcomes, as is only natural, the initiative undertaken, within the framework of our world Organization, to observe the Olympic Truce. In this instance, we are particularly pleased that the initiative is also being supported by the Organization of African Unity, as represented by the representative of Egypt, and that the draft resolution before us, namely, draft resolution A/48/L.9/Rev.1, has been so widely sponsored. This proves that an idea and a practice that originated long ago in ancient Greece is expanding around the world within the framework of the modern Olympic Movement. The origins of the Olympic Truce go back to the eighth century B.C., and its originators were Iphitos and Kleosthenes, leaders of city-States in the region of ancient Olympia. It soon - and for a long time - became a generally accepted practice among the Hellenic city-states of the time. Refraining from military operations during the Olympic Games - the Olympic Truce - may, in our troubled times too, provide an opportunity in the quest for the peaceful settlement of disputes; such settlements, as experience has so far, unfortunately, shown, are harder to seek in the heat of warfare. This, as a matter of fact, is contained in the spirit Needless to say, we hope to see the draft resolution before us adopted unanimously; for the same reason, we hope that draft resolution A/48/L.8/Rev.1, on the Olympic ideal, will also be adopted without a vote. This would indeed be an important and welcome message to the world, a message in whose expression young people will have a prominent role to play.

The Assembly will now proceed to take decisions on the draft resolutions before it, in I should like to announce that the following countries have become sponsors of both draft resolutions: Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Eritrea, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Seychelles, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan. For draft resolution A/48/L.8/Rev.1 alone, the following two countries are additional sponsors: Latvia and Lithuania. For draft resolution A/48/L.9/Rev.1 alone, Angola is an additional sponsor. The Assembly will first turn to draft resolution A/48/L.8/Rev.1, entitled "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal". May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/48/L.8/Rev.1?

The Assembly will now turn to draft resolution A/48/L.9/Rev.1, entitled "Observance of the Olympic Truce". May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/48/L.9/Rev.1, as orally revised?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 167?