A/50/PV.50 General Assembly

Before we take up the item on our agenda for this morning, the General Assembly will pay tribute to the memory of the late Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin. As the leader of his country, Mr. Rabin, in his wisdom, chose to lead his people down the path towards lasting peace in the Middle East, and for this he has made the ultimate sacrifice. It was only two weeks ago that the reaffirmation of Mr. Rabin’s dedication to the course of peace resonated in this very Hall. Today, as he is being buried, I have the very sad duty to extend, on behalf of the General Assembly, our deepest sympathy to the Government and people of Israel and to the bereaved family in their tragic loss. It is our fervent hope that Mr. Rabin’s life will not have been sacrificed in vain and that the international community and peoples of the world will be inspired by that life to abandon war and violence and to embrace peace. I invite representatives to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of the late Prime Minister of the State of Israel.

I now call on the representative of Brunei Darussalam, who will speak on behalf of the Asian States.

On behalf of the Asian Group, I have the honour to express our most profound sympathy and condolences to the family of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and to the people of Israel. Israel has lost an outstanding leader and a man of peace. It is sad to witness once again a man and a leader of such courage becoming a victim of the violence that we have seen for far too long in the Middle East. I am sure that I am expressing the feelings of members of the Asian Group when I say that the sacrifice of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin will not have been in vain. His untimely death should be a reminder to all concerned of the urgency to achieve comprehensive and lasting peace in that troubled region.

I now call on the representative of South Africa, who will speak on behalf of the African States.

The member States of the African Group have learned with deep shock and sadness of the assassination of Mr. Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister The death of Prime Minister Rabin is a great loss to the people of Israel and could threaten the peace process now under way in the Middle East. The African Group urges all the parties to the Middle East peace process not to be deterred by this tragic incident, but to draw strength from the firm belief that the legacy of Prime Minister Rabin’s leadership would best be honoured by following the course set by him. The States members of the African Group convey their condolences to the Rabin family and to the people and Government of Israel. May his soul rest in peace.

I call on the representative of Albania, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

On behalf of the members of the Group of Eastern European States, I want to express deep sorrow at the perfidious assassination of the Prime Minister of Israel, the late Yitzhak Rabin. At the same time, I wish to express our most sincere condolences to his family and to the Israeli people and Government, as well as to all the peace-loving people of the region, who saw in the personality of the late Prime Minister a decisive and crucial promoter of the peace process of paramount importance to the Middle East and the whole world. The unexpected and outrageous loss of Prime Minister Rabin, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, constitutes a new noble sacrifice — the high price that the civilized world is paying to ensure that tolerance, good understanding and coexistence prevail over hatred, disagreement and exclusion. The strike against Prime Minister Rabin is at the same time an attack against the will of the large gathering which, only a few minutes before the criminal act occurred, was expressing clearly the support and hope that millions of Jews and Arabs and millions of others around the world saw in him and in other pioneers of peace in that part of the world, where war has taken so many lives over several generations. However bitter this loss is, and however hard for the long path of peace, we express again our unshaken belief

I call on the representative of Bolivia, who will speak on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States.

I should like, on behalf of the delegations of the Latin American and Caribbean States, to express profound sorrow at the tragic death of the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin. The assassination of this distinguished statesman has deprived the international community of a leader committed to the cause of world peace. The circumstances of his death reveal intolerance and the persistence of tendencies opposed to the building of a society founded on the ideals of solidarity and understanding. The crime has shocked the whole world because Yitzhak Rabin incarnated the search for ways of rapprochement and reconciliation, with a view to securing imaginative and definitive solutions in the Middle East. Therefore, the indignation and pain caused by the passing of Prime Minister Rabin commit the political will of the world to the process of transformation that he initiated, in order to bring about a lasting peace in the region and in the world at large. The Latin American and Caribbean States extend their condolences to the family of Yitzhak Rabin and to Israel’s Government and people and its Permanent Mission to the United Nations. May God give rest to the soul of this illustrious statesman and inspire political leaders to promote understanding among human beings.

I call on the representative of Norway, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and Other States.

Members of the Group of Western European and Other States were deeply shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the assassination of the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin. We all condemn this despicable act of violence. Israel and the world have lost a great statesman and a We all remember that, only a year ago, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin received the Nobel Peace Prize for his considerable efforts and for the considerable courage that he showed in taking the peace process forward. He was awarded the Prize because he brought hope and promise to all people who have been working, openly or quietly, for peaceful evolution in the Middle East. And now, on the day of the burial of Prime Minister Rabin, we all feel the necessity of continuing his work towards peace. That is his legacy, and that is our responsibility. On this day our thoughts and sympathy go to his wife, Leah, to his family, to the people of Israel and to all those who had faith in Yitzhak Rabin’s abilities to create peace.

I call on the representative of the United States of America as the host country.

A deep sadness fills our souls — a blanket that stifles our smiles, a sadness that forces us to face very starkly the troubled world in which we live and die. The tragic news of the assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, has deeply shocked and saddened my nation. As Secretary of State Christopher said on Saturday: “History will record Prime Minister Rabin as one of the towering figures of this century. He dedicated his life to Israel, its security and the cause of peace. Heroic in war and in the service of his country, he pursued peace with the same courage and determination.” Our hearts today go out to the people of Israel and to Mrs. Rabin and her family at this most difficult time. How many times have we gathered together in this Hall to mourn those who have fallen in pursuit of peace in our world? We recall our own Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld, so many decades ago, and we recall the many soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in various The world indeed has lost a leader and a statesman, and it is indeed fitting for this Assembly, dedicated to the cause of peace, that we should mourn the loss of a man of peace. Israel has lost one of its finest sons. The United States has lost a strong and true friend. But, my friends, if history has taught us anything, it affirms that out of such tragic times comes a renewed determination to seize our own destinies and drive forward toward the goals of peace which Prime Minister Rabin and his partners for peace had set for themselves and us. We will not be daunted. We will not succumb to grief. We will pledge ourselves to work with even more determination and dedication for peace in the Middle East and elsewhere in our world. With this pledge we pay tribute to Prime Minister Rabin and his vision for peace, remembering the words from The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (The Holy Bible, Matthew 5:9)

My country very much appreciates the warm words and expressions of respect, sympathy and support which were said here this morning about Prime Minister Rabin and his commitment to peace, by you, Sir, and by the representatives of the geographical groups and the host country. The day of 4 November 1995 is one that will live forever in the memory of Israel, its neighbours, and the international community. On that day, an assassin’s bullet killed the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin. The bullet was not meant for the man himself. The bullet was an attempt to stop the courageous march towards peace for all peoples of the Middle East. In the words of Yitzhak Rabin himself, in his last speech at the peace rally in Tel Aviv: “I was a military man for 27 years. I fought so long as there was no chance for peace. I believe that there is now a chance for peace.” The Government of Israel is fully committed to continuing its efforts towards reaching a comprehensive and lasting peace with all of its neighbours. It is our obligation — we in the Middle East and the international In Prime Minister Rabin’s speech to the General Assembly on 24 October 1995, he said: Let these words inspire us in our journey towards peace.

I call on the representative of the United States of America, Mr. Bart Conner, Sports Delegate, to introduce draft resolution A/50/L.15.

My name is Bart Conner. I was a member of three United States Olympic teams, earning two gold medals in men’s gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles. It is my extreme honour to represent my country at today’s consideration of agenda item 40, “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic Ideal”. On behalf of the 103 listed co-sponsors of the draft resolution “The Olympic Ideal” before us today, the United States delegation is honoured to note the presence of several Ministers of Youth and Sport, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, key figures of the Olympic Movement, distinguished Member State colleagues, and other dignitaries. We are grateful for their participation in today’s activities. As all competitors know, records were meant to be broken. This draft’s co-sponsorship may well surpass that It is important to acknowledge the following 21 co-sponsors who have joined since the printing of this draft: Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, China, Costa Rica, France, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Togo and United Arab Emirates. Given many crises clamouring for United Nations attention, why have so many delegations shown such interest in this symbolic sports issue? The answer is inherent: sport is a powerful motivating and unifying force all around the world. It is a force going far beyond mere final scores. It inspires us in our endeavours. Through it we witness — in personal drive, team sacrifice, angst and accomplishment — a devotion to the cause, to a goal, to an ideal, to the pursuit of excellence as an end in itself — and not merely to the reward. Member States understand this unifying power of sport — the drive to persist towards a shared goal — and they rely upon it in their many efforts to build a peaceful and better world. In the spirit of Olympic ethics and of fair play, the powerlessness of discrimination — racial, religious, political, or otherwise — is a glorious living demonstration of the world as one. What is the Olympic Ideal? Taken from its ancient origin, it is the cultivation of the mind, the moral conscience, and the body; it is the equilibrium of values, forces and faculties. It offers the capacity to assimilate neighbouring civilizations and to be a decisive factor of progress within them. In the modern era, for the last 101 years the guardian and promoter of the Olympic Ideal has been the International Olympic Committee. It serves the cause of peace by assisting the development of sport and culture, culminating in the global festivals that are the Games of the Olympiad. Its five interlocking rings, found to be the world’s most universally recognized symbol, represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from all nations. “The Olympic Ideal is a hymn to tolerance and understanding between people and cultures. It is an invitation to competition, but competition with respect for others. In its way, Olympism is a school for democracy”. Regarding our question on why this symbolic debate draws so much interest, the Secretary-General concludes that “there is a natural link between the ethic of the Olympic Games and the fundamental principles of the United Nations”. In this spirit, the draft resolution supports further cooperation between the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations system in joint preventive education programmes, such as anti-doping activities, drug-abuse prevention, environmental protection, and enhancing women’s participation in all aspects of the sport movement. The draft encourages ministries of youth and sport to join in this collaboration. What a pleasure it is today to be here and to see so many Olympic friends, people who have gone beyond their sporting successes to serve the goals of the Olympic Ideal, people who have taken what they have learned through sports and who are applying it to make the world a peaceful and better place. They might agree with me that in this world you can achieve money and fame through luck, but luck will not turn you into an athlete who excels, be it through a world record or a personal best. Self-improvement and self-knowledge are precious things well worth the effort. The pursuit of a goal with excellence in mind is the shared bond among athletes, and it might be most evident in those who are physically or mentally challenged — all of whom we celebrate for what they can do, not judge for what they cannot do. I have seen first-hand how sport fosters unity. But I also realize that it would be simplistic and naive to think that practicing sport is synonymous with working for peace. As I am learning from my friends here today, both sport and diplomacy seek to reinforce friendship between peoples, and fair play means involving players with various interests and abilities rather than merely demonstrating power. Whether it be a 9-year-old boy in Norman, But let us get more specific. What are the real benefits of sport? People who are involved in sports better themselves and society. It is proven that people who play sports are more likely to join a team than join a gang; they are more likely to stay in school; they are more likely to make responsible decisions in favour of clean lives away from drugs and other dangers; and they are more likely to go on to higher education. The figures are solid and impressive. Sport can help us meet the human-centred development goals proposed by recent United Nations global conferences. Also, these facts and figures have sparked the International Olympic Committee to expand into humanitarian activities for underprivileged youth around the world. Their efforts towards a peaceful and better world are happening on a daily basis: stress in refugee camps is handled through organized basketball tournaments; war-torn sports facilities are rebuilt; and coaching clinics teach rules and fair play. As we can see, the Olympic flame is a small package, yet how brightly it shines, how far its warmth extends. The International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal (1994), proclaimed at the forty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly, called on the International Olympic Committee to support the peace initiatives undertaken by the United Nations and other regional political organizations. The Olympic Truce, first sworn in Greece in the ninth century B.C., called for the cessation of all hostilities during the ancient games. Its observance in the modern era took effect only recently as a result of the forty-eighth and forty-ninth General Assemblies. Member States have agreed with President Samaranch that “The Olympic Truce must serve to promote dialogue, reconciliation and the search for durable solutions so that peace may reign throughout the world and human suffering cease”. Today’s draft reaffirms the Olympic Truce and schedules its reconsideration in advance of each Summer and Winter Games. Therefore, the United States delegation here and now affirms the observance of the Olympic Truce during the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, the Centennial Games. We invite further co-sponsorship and the consensus adoption of the draft resolution before us today, “The Olympic Ideal”, in document A/50/L.15.

Before calling on the next speaker, I should like to propose that the list of speakers in the debate on this item be closed at 11.15 a.m. I hear no objection.

I therefore request those representatives wishing to participate in the debate to inscribe their names on the list as soon as possible. I now call on His Excellency Mr. Francesco Fulci, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations.

Before making my statement, I should like to join the President and the representatives of our geographical groups in expressing the shock and profound sorrow of my country, Italy, at the tragic news of the assassination of the Prime Minister of Israel, His Excellency Yitzhak Rabin, and to renew the sincere and deep condolences of the Italian Government and people to the Government and people of Israel. Yitzhak Rabin has become a martyr of peace, for his tragic death is a loss not only for Israel but for all true lovers of peace the world over. Our sincere hope is that the courageous march to peace in the Middle East will not be stopped by a murderer’s bullet. The XXVI Olympic Games will mark the centennial of the revival of the Olympic Ideal. They will provide a symbolic opportunity to pause and reflect on the role of sport in today’s world. The United Nations cannot fail to recognize the continuing, increasing relevance of sporting activities in our societies. Sport is such a global phenomenon that it can certainly contribute greatly to building a more peaceful and a better world. At its This year’s draft resolution calls again upon Member States to observe the Olympic Truce during the upcoming Atlanta Games. In view of recent developments in attempts to reach a political settlement in the former Yugoslavia, this appeal is especially relevant. In Africa, from Liberia to Angola, prospects for a lasting peace have been revived. May the Olympic flame bring hope also to countries such as Somalia, where the darkness of hatred and violence still prevails. Italy has always been a strong, convinced supporter of the Olympic Games and of the International Olympic Committee. Our Secretary of State for the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for sports in Italy, the Honourable Lamberto Cardi, had planned to attend this meeting to further underline Italy’s commitment to the Olympic Ideal and Olympic activities. Unfortunately, last minute difficulties prevented him from being here. So he asked me to convey Italy’s support to the Committee and, in particular, to its President, the Marquis de Samaranch, support which I am glad to express also by co-sponsoring the draft resolution before the General Assembly, as already announced already by the representative of the United States. The International Olympic Committee has forged many cooperation agreements with a number of organs, organizations, programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations. In this connection, let me recall the very strong relationship between the Committee and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) through a cooperation agreement signed last February. This translates into reality the commitment of both the IOC and UNDCP to expand drug abuse prevention programmes by including sports services aimed at deprived communities and youth at risk. As a first step in this cooperation, an international conference sponsored by both organizations was held earlier this year in Rome, during which athletes of international renown were invited Allow me to conclude by expressing the hope that today’s celebration of the Olympic Ideal in the General Assembly will not remain a single event. May it instead mark a deeper involvement of the United Nations in this field, a field so close to people’s minds and to people’s hearts.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Edgar Camacho Omiste, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations.

Allow me to convey to the President of the Assembly a message of friendship from my country’s National Secretary for Sport and a warm greeting from the youth of Bolivia. I would also like to greet the Ministers of youth and sport attending the General Assembly at this session and the President of the International Olympic Committee. Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic Ideal is a lofty goal that Bolivia is pleased to share, since it reflects the international conviction that sport is a particularly apt means to promote reconciliation and unity among peoples, beyond all differences of politics, religion, ethnicity, culture and standards of living between nations. We are all a single species of rational beings and, as such, enjoy the same rights, dignity and value, wherever we may live and whatever our language, job or economic standing. In order to achieve physical and spiritual fulfilment, human beings need the recreation, hobbies and entertainment provided by games, competitions and self-expression through art and sports. Sport teaches us to value and properly preserve the environment. It promotes understanding of and respect for the diversity of peoples, cultures and countries and the Today it is unacceptable to segregate or discriminate against human beings on the basis of the colour of their skin, where they live or the altitude above sea level at which they conduct their activities. Sport must serve to unite peoples and promote peace and equality between nations and the harmonious development of humankind. The role of sport in promoting peace is one of the best legacies of ancient Greece. Indeed, there is no other human activity which possesses the same moral force and can do so much to promote universal health. Sport transmits lofty ideals, joy in living and the desire for free expression. It stimulates a feeling of healthy competition, it improves health and constitutes a factor for moral and social education. It therefore contributes to the building of a world of peace. Sport must be a primary activity for young people and should be practised at all ages, even by those with physical limitations. In a time marked by violence, hatred and drugs, sport is a sign of hope and solidarity. It is a true pleasure for Bolivia to join in sponsoring the draft resolution before the Assembly; we call upon the Assembly to support it.

I now call on Mr. Vilnis Baltin¸š, President of the Latvian Olympic Committee.

I call next on the representative of France, Mr. Guy Drut, Minister for Youth and Sports.

We came to this Assembly today to celebrate the contribution of sports and the Olympic spirit to the ideals of peace and United Nations solidarity. The tragic death on the evening of 4 November of the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin — a major architect of peace in the Middle East — has cast a pall of sadness over this day of hope and brotherhood. In the face of this crime, this injustice, our first duty is to bow our heads to the memory of Yitzhak Rabin and to associate ourselves with the bereavement of his family and of the Government and people of Israel. It is of course as a Minister but also as an Olympic champion that I am honoured today to speak from this rostrum and to participate in the celebration of the Olympic Ideal. Indeed, France, the homeland of Pierre de Coubertin, is more than ever dedicated to promoting and defending the Olympic values inherited from ancient Greece. Having been honoured to host the Congress of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Paris in 1994, 100 years after the announcement of the revival of the modern Games, my country learned a great deal from the tremendous work done there. I should therefore like First of all, France wholeheartedly welcomes the ever- growing importance of sport and the Olympic spirit at the United Nations. My presence here today confirms the priority which we attach to an Ideal of which one of the fundamental principles is: “wherever possible to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind with a view to establishing a peaceful society that strives to preserve human dignity”. The French Government fully adheres to this principle, which it applies in its own sports policies. I should like personally to thank the President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch, for his tireless efforts over more than 15 years to ensure that the Olympic Ideal enjoys its proper place in international relations. Today, sport is a fundamental element in the lives of our societies. Hence, Governments cannot and must not ignore it. In France, our organization is 50 years old, dating from a 1945 order of the Government of General de Gaulle. Ever since, particularly through the creation of a Ministry for Youth and Sports and in close cooperation with the sport movement, we have constantly striven to develop a policy aimed at deriving the greatest possible benefit from the virtues of sport. Sport is an integral part of a citizen’s education. It is above all a school for democracy because, as Coubertin said: “It combines teamwork and competition, those two essential pillars of democratic societies, without which they are liable to become so weak that they finally collapse”. Sport is also a school for tolerance and social integration, particularly for young people. On the subject of integration, I should like to emphasize the concerns surrounding the place of women in overall sport policies. France supports the activities undertaken by the IOC on this matter at the recent meeting in Beijing — where an entire paragraph of the Platform for Action was devoted to gender equality in sport — and at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 26 September 1995, where precise goals were set in this regard for the years 2000 to 2005. At the national level, we have included such requirements in the model statutes of sports federations. “can serve the great causes of our times, such as the protection of the environment”. It is thus not surprising that the major sport-related themes of States’ policies should also reflect the recent strengthening of cooperation between the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations. France is in favour of this. My country is also eager to preserve these values, to which we are deeply devoted. I wish to cite three examples of aberrations that threaten the Olympic Ideal. First, there are the violence and the lack of respect for the sporting spirit, which constitute attacks on the spirit of tolerance at the very time — 1995 — when that value is being celebrated by the United Nations. Through new national legislation and in close cooperation with its partners in the Council of Europe, with which it signed a convention in 1985, France is doing everything possible to combat this scourge, but, above all, to nip it in the bud through very active education campaigns aimed at sportsmen and the public. The next soccer World Cup, to be held in our country in 1998, will be a valuable opportunity to glorify the sporting spirit. We will, of course, support any initiatives taken on this subject at the international level. Secondly, there is the anti-doping campaign, supported in France by appropriate and particularly rigorous national legislation. In close liaison with the national sports movement and the IOC, we are intensifying our cooperation within the Council of Europe and also with certain highly motivated States. Hence, this year France joined the “memorandum of understanding” group, which includes five other countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. The essential purpose of this group is to improve the effectiveness and credibility of the anti-doping campaign through certain targeted priority actions: the harmonization and standardization of control procedures, reciprocal spot checks on athletes of member countries, and the establishment of protocols for international research aimed at achieving in the near future the ability to detect major doping agents in the body, such as certain hormones, that are undetectable today. Thirdly, for a number of years now France has raised in many forums the delicate question of the relationship between the world of sports and money. In this regard, it has attempted to spell out the role of States and of the sport movement, to which it has of course dedicated a branch of its civil service. This guarantees strict respect for a number of ethical rules. The French system, as I have said, is 50 years old and based on the principle of unity. This unity allows for coherence in a policy that takes account of the financial aspect of contemporary sport but is designed to correct its excesses and aberrations. We are also devoted to the universality of the Olympic spirit so that the trend towards a certain overweening expansion does not exclude the less-developed countries. For that reason, we also welcome the IOC’s policy of Olympic solidarity and are developing a national bilateral and multilateral cooperation strategy through the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of French- speaking countries, of which 43 francophone countries, mostly from the South, are current members. In our opinion, sport must become a genuine element of development assistance. We are working to that end by using our diplomatic services to fully integrate the sporting dimension into our foreign relations. I should like to stress the degree to which sport and diplomacy have common objectives: the aim of both is to strengthen friendship between peoples and to promote dialogue. France cannot but rejoice at seeing the Olympic Games become once again truly universal. Despite our full awareness of all the breaches of this universality — which The International Olympic Committee has been the stimulus for this through its activities with the United Nations to promote observance of the Olympic Truce during the 1994 Winter Games. France, which has been playing a leading part in re-establishing peace in Bosnia, hailed the initiative by President Samaranch at that time to go to Sarajevo, where those same Winter Games had been held 10 years earlier, and my country was proud to contribute to the success of his mission. We are in favour of the notion that, during the centenary Games next summer in Atlanta, the Olympic Truce should once again be observed. This ideal of peace was perceived by Henry de Montherlant, who, although he was one of France’s most pessimistic writers, described the inaugural ceremony for the 1924 Olympics, in Paris, in the following terms in his “Third Olympics”: “All the flags rose, mingled their folds, each covering another with the motion of a great caress. I admit it: it sent a tingle up my spine. Could it really be so impossible for us all to put up with each other? In the final analysis, was this not a promise to humankind?” As I am optimistic by nature, I do not ask myself this question. To me it seems altogether desirable that every two years, before the Olympic Games, we should be able, at the General Assembly, to look at the problems that bring us all here. I am convinced that the Olympic spirit, that torch lit by Pierre de Coubertin and whose splendour grows with every passing year, will, together with the United Nations, grant and fulfil the promise of peace.

I now call on the representative of Spain, Mr. Rafael Cortes-Elvira, Secretary of State for Sports.

My first words are to express the sorrow of the Spanish people and to transmit our condolences to the Israeli Government and people, and to the bereaved family, on the tragic loss of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Although his physical presence is no longer with us and his voice will be heard no more in this Hall, his legacy of peace remains. It is up to us all to see that the I should like to begin my speech proper by thanking the General Assembly, and the Secretary-General in particular, for including the debate on the contribution of sport to building a peaceful and better world in the fiftieth anniversary events. We have a number of reasons for our gratitude. The first is the recognition by this greatest of organizations of the values of sport, so paving the way for international politics to make one of its fundamental contributions, rapprochement between peoples and cultures. Secondly, it has provided a magnificent meeting-point for those in charge of sport worldwide, enabling us to harmonize our ideas and exchange opinions in the quest for common objectives. Thirdly, we are grateful because, in this forum of peace and concord where the paths of dialogue and agreement must always be open, sport has had the opportunity to render international relations a magnificent service by mitigating intolerance, radicalism, xenophobia, violence, racism and discrimination, which are blots on our society that give rise to marginalization, tyranny and war. It is a duty on us all to foster and assist all activities that promote peace and concord, and to use sport as much as possible in improving the way the world lives together through rapprochement between peoples — a task that is incumbent on the public authorities and also the international organizations that work for sport. Resolutions 48/11 and 49/29, adopted by the General Assembly in 1993 and 1994, are solid proof of the shared responsibility of States and the International Olympic Committee as they move forward in the relationship between general and sports politics on an international scale. Modern sport has conquered the world: this is the most important mass social phenomenon of the end of the twentieth century, and is a source of social relationships that transcend national groupings. Sport is an instrument of rapprochement between nations that enables us to rediscover happiness, understanding, communication and friendship, all of which go right to the world’s heart. In this noble task, the International Olympic Committee has not hesitated to bring its best efforts to bear to mitigate the suffering that afflicts so many countries. It is therefore quite right and proper for me to recall some of The Committee has brought down the political temperature that until recently affected the Olympic Movement, a fact that is shown tellingly by the fact that 169 countries took part in the XXV Olympic Games, which my country staged in Barcelona, and by the increasing number that are to take part in the next, in Atlanta. The International Olympic Committee has made an outstanding contribution to modern sport’s conquest of the world, which has enabled us to strengthen international cohesion. For sport to be able to realize its full value in promoting international understanding, the principle of fair play must be adhered to, and here the International Olympic Committee has been an example to follow and a bastion of hope. The Olympic Games, whose centenary we are approaching, are milestones in the lives of an increasing number of people which enable us to come up with new ideas on international issues, a necessary precursor for true and genuine political relationships. We should also point to the International Olympic Committee’s laudable cooperation with various United Nations bodies, whether in food aid programmes for children in war-torn areas or in rebuilding sports facilities destroyed by war. We cannot forget the work accomplished in 1994, the centenary of the founding of the International Olympic Committee, to promote international understanding between the world’s young people through sport and culture, with a view to advancing humanity’s harmonious development. Nor can we forget the effort to fulfil General Assembly resolution 48/11, which claims the Olympic Truce as a motor for mobilizing the world’s young people in favour of peace. These are some of the reasons that justify a rapprochement between Governments and the national olympic committees, and, moreover, that between the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee, with the objective of achieving democratic societies made up of citizens who are active in their defence of close and lasting human relations. I should not like to fail to mention my country’s sensitivity to the pain and suffering of those who are seeing their lives and hopes rent by bombs and intolerance. Our fortunate geographical situation makes us a meeting-point for the races. The mixing of cultures that forms our history forces us to be generous and sensitive in such situations, participating in the various United Nations mandates in areas where there is war or social crisis, where our men and women have not hesitated to contribute their generous efforts, and even their lives, in the cause of peace. It is therefore right and proper for me to remember them before those gathered here. Spain, which has the honour of holding the presidency of the European Union this second semester of 1995, has not hesitated to back all initiatives in favour of peace, and has therefore joined in sponsoring the draft resolution the Assembly is preparing to adopt today. The Consejo Iberoamericano del Deporte (the Ibero- American Sports Council), a body in which all the Ibero- American countries cooperate, and which works jointly with the Olympic committees in those same countries, is a good example of shared responsibility between the public and private sectors that will be further strengthened by the draft resolution which, I hope and wish, it will be possible to adopt by consensus. Spain and its Government have backed sport as an instrument of understanding among peoples; our programmes of cooperation with so many other countries are evidence of this. Here I would like to mention His Majesty The King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, and his family as firm promoters of this policy of active support for sport who recognize the positive values it conveys, especially to young people. For this reason the nation I have the honour of representing considers it of primary importance for developed countries to create collaborative sport programmes, directed towards the most deprived areas and focused on: the promotion of the construction of sports facilities and the reconstruction of those damaged by war; the training of technical personnel to enable sport promotion, programmes to be planned and developed, especially for youth; and the promotion of campaigns aimed at youth and adolescents, which will give further impetus It is up to us to extend the beneficial effects of sports as widely as possible, particularly in areas devastated by violence or marginalization. It is an obligation which Spain will live up to, an obligation in which the International Olympic Committee has a part to play, and thus its voice should be given appropriate importance in this forum which I have the honour to address. The draft resolution we are about to adopt increasingly involves the International Olympic Committee in humanitarian activities, ultimately contributing through sport and the Olympic Ideal, to the creation of a better world in which peace prevails. Thus, the Spanish delegation sponsored this draft resolution in the hope that it will be adopted by consensus, and with the conviction that it will allow progress in building a world which, inspired by sport, plays to win.

I now call on the representative of Poland, His Excellency Mr. Stefan Paszczyk, Minister for Sports and Tourism.

Sport is struggle and competition. In sport, there is confrontation between individuals and nations, which identify with their representatives or competitors. However, the world would be much happier if struggles were limited to the playing fields. The objective of sport is, however, always the same: to overcome individual limitations and weaknesses, to beat a rival in open struggle, competing in accordance with the principles and rules of a particular sport. Sport brings us closer to each other. At the same time, it is an activity of the masses, not only at the national level. The International Olympic Committee is an organization in which practically all States are represented; and its contribution to the building of peaceful relations and friendship in the world should be underlined in this forum. In ancient times the period of the Olympic Games was a time of peace. Today sport is one the best and most effective instruments for promoting mutual understanding and bringing nations closer together. On more than one occasion it has opened the way for the improvement of relations between States and societies. At the same time, in an increasingly standardized world, sport brings out differences. Through it, patriotism The positive effect of sport on young people and its educational and socializing values were stressed inter alia in the discussion and manifesto adopted this May by the European Ministers of Sport at their meeting in Lisbon, as well as a few weeks ago at the European Conference on Sport. At these meetings, and in the work of the Council of Europe, the important role sport can and should play in the struggle against all forms of discrimination and intolerance has been repeatedly stressed. This is an important challenge for all of us in the world of sport. This can be our contribution to healing social and international relations, and to building an assuredly better and more peaceful world. Such an understanding of the function and role of sport is not valid only on the international scene; it must be appropriately reflected in actions undertaken at the national level. We perceive sport and its role in a very broad perspective in Poland today. Continuing and sustaining the positive traditions of physical education and our Olympic Movement in Poland, we are fully convinced of the important role of sport in the life and social policy of a modern State. We also see the role of sport and education in the universal Olympic Ideal as an important element in the development of the country, which is in a specific phase of political, social and economic change and is opening up to the world and different communities. The watchword for us is the well-being of the individual and society — “health through activity”. The building of a better and peaceful world begins with shaping the stances, attitudes and behaviour of the youngest. We are carrying out a mass sports programme for all children, which complements physical education classes in school. We hope that in the year 2000 some 60 per cent of the school population will belong to the sports clubs for schoolchildren organized by fathers and their children, so that they will be healthier and develop better. The most gifted at sport will find places in sports schools and clubs, where they will continue their education based on the Olympic formula “Citius, altius, fortius” and compete in two national events — the School Youth Games for children and the Youth Olympics for young people. In the very names of these competitions we see the symbols and the spirit of the ideals of the Olympic Movement. We We are on the eve of the XXVI Olympic Games, to be held in Atlanta. Polish sportsmen and sportswomen will take part in this sports celebration of the end of the twentieth century. We are convinced that by both their conduct and their results they will demonstrate the rightness and effectiveness of the programmes being conducted in Poland. We would like the ideals and examples of sporting conduct learned in youth to remain strong and respected in adulthood. Hence, our determined action to promote universality and free access to the various kinds of participation in sport for all, with the family, in the locality, both in the city and in the countryside. Taking into account the unsatisfactory state of health in Polish society, we are still not satisfied with the extent to which Poles participate in sports for all. On the other hand, in the light of the increasing awareness of and the changing attitudes to the question of health in society, we hope that by the end of this century more than half of Polish people will be taking part in some form of sport. In our view, sport and education through sport provide great opportunities for the handicapped. The joy of movement, of health and of the social role of sports must be made accessible to this sector of society too. We have embarked on specific action, including the creation of infrastructures and special facilities, the number of which will be doubled within the next five years. On the other hand, Poland attaches particular importance to integration through participation in sport, bringing the able-bodied and the disabled together. We see in this endeavour both the educational and the social values of sport. These wide-ranging activities will culminate in competitions for the handicapped, leading to participation in the Paralympics and the Special Olympics. It is with satisfaction that I stress Poland’s traditions in this movement and the results that have been achieved in popularizing the Olympic ideals among the handicapped. Sport has a valuable personal and social dimension. In Poland, it is also a feature of State policy. Thus, the Polish Government is responsible for the creation of conditions for its practice. This is reflected by, inter alia, in increase in the public funds allocated for sports. Sport is also an important factor in fostering humanistic attitudes towards all religious intolerance and social or racial discrimination. A man brought up in the spirit of the Olympic Ideal can identify himself as a true member of the world’s community striving for well-being and peace. This is just a brief account of the policies and actions being undertaken in Poland. These have as their aim the development, health, fitness and increasing openness of society. They derive from State policy and responsibility in this area but, at the same time, are increasingly the result of the attitudes and activities of individuals and local communities. In this sense, they constitute a social programme in which everyone can find a place. I am convinced that, in this area, people can unite, in accordance with the Olympic Ideal, for the common good, striving, through sport, to create a better and more peaceful life. This is just one current of the change that is under way in Poland, which is becoming increasingly universal and popular and, therefore, ever more important in the building of a modern State. I am convinced that this process will thrive and will come to embrace more and more participants, creating in our country a situation that will contribute to fulfilment of the formula for a healthy life through activity common to all the citizens of a well-organized and peaceful world. At the same time, I should like, as a man of sport, to express my great satisfaction that the question of sports has found a place in this forum. For 50 years the United Nations has been promoting the maintenance of peace in the world and, through organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund, has been reaching the young generations. It is my hope that sport, with all its possibilities, will strengthen this endeavour and make its own contribution to the process.

This prestigious General Assembly Hall still echoes to the celebration of our Organization’s fiftieth anniversary, with the presence of Heads of State and Government of Member States. Throughout 1995, young people’s, women’s and workers’ organizations have joined their Governments to celebrate this event and to express their hope for peace, security and development. Today, the Olympic Movement, which was very much involved in this celebration through its sporting organizations and Olympic academies, is once again being faithful to cooperative endeavour in the service of peace and understanding between peoples and nations. I should like to take this happy opportunity to welcome the presence here of the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Marquis Juan Antonio Samaranch — who is accompanied by a large delegation from the IOC — in response to the invitation issued through resolution 42/29, adopted by the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session. The increasingly close relations between the United Nations, its specialized agencies and the International Olympic Committee may be surprising to some. However, a reading of the Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations and of the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter will reveal striking similarity and concord between the objectives of the two international organizations. The Charter of the United Nations — I refer to the second paragraph of the Preamble — says: “We the peoples of the United Nations determined ... to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, ...” Likewise, the Olympic Charter 2 proclaims the following as its second fundamental principle: It is therefore clearly established that, on the basis of these common objectives, the United Nations and the IOC have given priority, first, to serving the peoples, athletic organizations and others that are still the essential components of our nations and their respective Governments. This cooperation did not begin yesterday. Indeed, it was on 15 November 1920 that Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the then President of the International Olympic Committee, in a letter addressed to the Belgian Paul Hymans, the President of the Assembly of the League of Nations, welcomed the birth of the League. In his letter, Pierre de Coubertin said: “For 26 years now, in the field of sporting activity, our Committee, the IOC, has been introducing and applying those very principles which serve as the foundation of the League of Nations and which, from Olympiad to Olympiad, have been achieving ever closer and ever more effective international cooperation.” More than 70 years later, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch, declared: “In this International Year for Tolerance, it is our conviction that in the future, as in the past, the Olympic Movement will be able to demonstrate its conciliatory strength and its humanism on behalf of peace and international understanding.” We can add to this what was said by Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali: “In the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations has a very valuable ally in its activities for peace and rapprochement among peoples.” This is what explains and justifies the close cooperation between the United Nations system and the International Olympic Committee. It is therefore desirable for our Organization to give a more important place to its relations with the Olympic Movement, which guides and Indeed, while this session was celebrating the tenth anniversary of International Youth Year last week, the presence of a number of Ministers and others responsible for youth and sport clearly indicated the need to give our close attention to the crucial problems of the future and the destiny of our young people. In these efforts, the Olympic Movement, through its sporting and educational structures, is an indispensable and very appropriate partner. The sporting spectacle of the Olympic Games or the World Cups, which are nowadays a blend of both sport and culture, can leave no Government or people indifferent. The exemplary value of high-level sporting events relayed to the entire world through the mass media is the best training for citizenship, fair play, respect for the human individual, and friendship among peoples. One has only to have experienced the popular fervour and the joy of an entire nation — irrespective of views and feelings — when one of its athletes wins an Olympic medal or when a national team emerges victorious from a continental or world competition. It is such phenomena that enable us to gauge the impact of sport on the social and cultural life of a people or a nation. The United Nations and its specialized agencies can not overlook these realities. It is precisely because the future of the world depends largely on what becomes of our youth that the delegation of the Republic of Guinea believes that it would be highly desirable for the United Nations and the specialized agencies, in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, to consider the possibility of creating a special committee to study the holding of a world conference on the problems of youth. Returning to item 40 of our agenda, my delegation is pleased to support the request voiced by many co-sponsors that the General Assembly adopt the draft resolution which we have before us now in document A/50/L.15 by consensus. The better to mark the General Assembly’s solidarity with the youth of the world and the international Olympic Movement, I respectfully invite all Member States that have not yet become co-sponsors of

I now call on the representative of Monaco, His Serene Highness Crown Prince Albert of Monaco. Crown Prince Albert (Monaco) (interpretation from French): First and foremost, I should like to address the Government and people of Israel and to express to them the profound emotion felt in the Principality of Monaco when we learned of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. On behalf of His Serene Highness, the Sovereign Prince, on my own behalf and on behalf of all Monaco’s people, I should like to convey our most sincere condolences to the people of Israel and to the bereaved family, and assure them of our deepest sympathy. The courage of this great statesman, this man of peace, has won the admiration of all. May his example and his sacrifice serve the cause of peace, not only in the Middle East but also throughout the world, by strengthening the solidarity of the just against the forces of obscurantism, extremism and barbarity, fed by hatred and contempt. In resolution 49/29 adopted at its forty-ninth session last December, the General Assembly decided to devote a debate to the theme “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic Ideal” at its fiftieth session, which also marks the fiftieth anniversary of this Organization. This initiative is fully in harmony with the desire expressed for almost two years now by the International Olympic Committee and its President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and the world Olympic Movement. As Chairman of the delegation of the Principality of Monaco to the General Assembly, and as a member of the International Olympic Committee and former participant in the Olympic Games, I felt it was natural for me to speak in this debate. It is my feeling that the United Nations and the Olympic Movement share a single universal ideal: to promote peace and understanding among nations and among peoples, with all their differences and their complementary features, by contributing to bringing cultures closer together and to promoting friendship among human beings in this world so often battered and torn apart. Recent and distressing events have proven once again that nations and their constituent populations are capable of confronting each other, in the context of unheard-of violence and brutality, Many of these struggles are fratricidal. Hatred rises suddenly to the surface and gains sway in communities that are close to one another, between neighbours, between friends, and even within certain families who until then had been living in peace and deep-rooted symbiosis, respectful of each other’s differences, and enriched by the multiple links created through space and time. The international Year for Tolerance, which the United Nations has placed under the auspices of UNESCO, that is to say under the aegis of education, science and culture, is concluding in the intolerable. The community of nations, like the community of athletes and sportsmen, is wondering what the sources of these evil manifestations are and the reasons for their malignant nature. Undoubtedly, they are multifaceted and too numerous to be analysed and for their possible consequences to be forestalled. Efforts to ensure peace are sometimes successful in this respect, but never without great difficulty. The rapid and often far-reaching changes in the underlying causes of violence, the paradoxical evolution of some societies, and technical progress make such efforts ever more complex and their conclusions ever more uncertain. All means available to eradicate these scourges should be combined to enhance the effectiveness of our efforts: the United Nations in the political field; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the field of education, science and culture; and the Olympic Movement in sporting circles and among young people. Such cooperation between the United Nations and the international Olympic Movement was already evident with the proclamation of the International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal and with the reaffirmation of the ancient tradition of the Olympic Truce. It should therefore continue through long-term initiatives and actions to promote the Olympic Ideal and Olympic principles and values, in order to give rise to a culture based on peace and respect for fundamental human rights, in particular the right to life, to dignity and to health. It should be based on an increased determination to protect and to In this respect, the International Association for Non- Violent Sport, which is headquartered in the Principality of Monaco, has, from its very inception, pursued this objective with determination. With the help of others, it has made possible the achievement of essential progress. Our vigilance should nevertheless remain constant and unflagging. The Pierre de Coubertin international fair-play trophies — awarded annually under the auspices and with the assistance of UNESCO by an international committee of eminent personalities — deserve mention here. Indeed, they make possible the discovery and spotlighting of men and women whose sporting spirit and tokens of friendship have stood out at both the individual and the collective levels. In this connection, I would recall the unforgettable picture of the two African athletes who, hand in hand, completed a lap of honour in the women’s 10,000-meter at the last Olympic Games. That symbolic gesture, which deeply moved the entire world, must have been inspired by that moral code which we, as political and Olympic leaders, must make better known and better respected. Athletes, with the help of their national authorities, surely can play, on a permanent basis, a greater and more decisive role in bringing people together and in enhancing global understanding. I believe very sincerely that this is true. Regular cooperation between the two institutions — the United Nations and the Olympic Movement — should continue and should be strengthened in future in order to increase understanding among peoples and to promote peace. Over and above the preventive and largely educational duty — which has become clear to all — of sport and of the Olympic Movement to combat hatred, violence, racism and the conflicts that derive therefrom, the International Olympic Committee, international federations and, in particular, the national committees surely could help also to provide humanitarian assistance by cooperating closely with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Olympic athletes, and I should like in particular to mention several who are here today, such as the triple Olympic champion Johann Olaf Koss and gymnastics champions Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner — who spoke earlier in this meeting — have already taken the initiative of pointing the way in this area by joining together in the I believe that in these troubled times, which are marked by indiscriminate violence against children, the Olympic Movement should increasingly act, and play a greater role, on behalf of children. George Bernanos warned us that “the world will be judged by children”. In this spirit, I should like to propose that with the help of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), a body whose effectiveness is deeply respected, operations be undertaken to increase medical assistance to children during armed conflicts. It would be remarkable, for instance, if the forthcoming Atlanta Olympic Games could be used as an opportunity to undertake, in areas of armed conflict, campaigns for the medical care and the general vaccination of children. The Olympic Truce would then take on its full value, and its practical and concrete consequences would be of incalculable benefit to the children of the world. I am convinced that warring countries would suspend their hostilities so that these vaccination and medical-care campaigns could be brought to all those children in areas of conflict. Unarmed force in the service of the law, of the protection of the weak and of disinterested humanitarian activities would undoubtedly be one of the best contributions the Olympic Movement could make to respect for human dignity, to the protection of human rights, and, ultimately, to peace.

I now call on Mr. Enrique Otero Navarro, President of the National Sports Council of Peru.

My name is Enrique Otero, and I am President of the National Sports Council of Peru. My country has a rich tradition dating from the era of the Inca empire, an empire which occupied a large part of South America and which maintained its unity for many centuries thanks to a system of communication by which news and mail were transmitted from person to person by runners who covered specific distances. History tells us that each of them ran a quarter of a league, a measurement of that time which is equivalent to 5,572 metres. These athletes were called “chasquis”. At each We are told by the principal historian of the epoch, Garcilazo de la Vega, that news from the most distant points took just four days to arrive in Cuzco, the capital of the empire, located in the Andes mountains at an altitude of 3,400 metres. Orders were transmitted in the same way. He also tells how the Incas enjoyed meals made from fresh fish, which was possible because the route the runners used, known as “the route of the Incas”, was a straight line between the points they wanted to connect. Thus the distances to be covered were smaller, but the effort of each “chasqui” was greater. Thus, as history shows, sport and physical prowess have always been part of the development of peoples and have been at their service. Therefore I should like to state that in our own history as well as in our common history we find the fundamental concept of the Olympic Ideal, which promotes international understanding through sport and culture with a view to ensuring the harmonious development of humankind. The Olympic Ideal, which spurs us to build a peaceful and better world, is the spirit that animates the will and a philosophy of life that should always be with us, inspiring us to use sport for the comprehensive development of man in order to promote the establishment of a peaceful society committed to the preservation of human dignity. I am from a country that was for many years racked by terrorism and other social and economic problems. Fortunately, that is now history. Now we are working to build a better world for all Peruvians, and we believe that physical activity and sport are the ideal crucible in which to create the man of the future. Our one objective is to use sport to promote comprehensive and balanced human development as part of our efforts to produce better Peruvians. This would raise our sporting level in the major international disciplines so that we could try to obtain significant results that would improve Peru’s sporting image. We are pledged to attaining that goal. Our strategy is based on development in all social sectors — in schools and universities and among the workforce, the elderly and the disabled — with appropriate One example of this is a programme called “poles of development” which refers to the search for and identification of possible sporting talent among children, between the ages of 7 and 13, with special aptitudes and characteristics, in order to help them in their comprehensive training. Thus, when later on they compete in high-performance events, they will do so in the best possible physical condition and technical circumstances. This programme is being carried out across the nation. We had to identify which specialized areas or sporting disciplines to develop, bearing in mind, inter alia, young people’s traditions, Peru’s diverse climatic zones — ranging from the high sierra to the tropical coast and the Amazon forest — and, of course, the biological characteristics of Peru’s inhabitants. Highlighting a social aspect of sport, surveys carried out in the outlying districts, known as “young towns”, of Peru’s major cities showed that the third leading concern of the inhabitants was access to sports complexes for the area’s families. I am sure that attention will be drawn by the fact that families with difficult, important problems to solve long for a sports complex. But the simple fact is that such a complex would give them peace of mind with regard to their children’s recreation and promote family unity, since all its members could take part in various activities at the weekend. This, then, becomes a factor of unity within the family and the community. We should also consider that sports events provide the best opportunity to show man’s true behaviour, since competitive situations, because of the dynamism and emotion involved, reveal spontaneously the significant characteristics and features of man’s personality. I would like to state that it is an honour for me, as a representative of Peru, to be among the sponsors of and contribute to the development of such an important subject as that of building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic Ideal. Naturally, I would like to congratulate the International Olympic Committee and its President, His Excellency Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch. Candidacies would be properly documented and submitted to the General Assembly by the highest official responsible for physical education and sport of each country. The prize would be the construction of a small sporting complex in a place that needs and wants it, in recognition of the winner of the United Nations prize, thus converting a worthy act of good sportsmanship into an act of great social benefit. I hope the Assembly will find this proposal attractive. In this way, a gesture of solidarity and generosity by an athlete will be a contribution to the well-being and integration of a better and more peaceful world.

Inclusion of the item entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic Ideal” on the agenda of the General Assembly is a clear manifestation of the important role played by sport in human development. The Olympic Ideal of friendship, solidarity and fair play without any discrimination became a decisive factor in establishing contact between the youth of various peoples throughout the world and of different religious and racial affiliations. All of us, gathered in this body, deeply care about the future of mankind in the third millennium as well as about what kind of values will then prevail. Maintenance of international peace and security with the utilization of adequate means, including sport and the Olympic Ideal, has become the basis of the 50-year-old activities of the United Nations which now bring together 185 States. The delegation of my country is convinced that today’s discussion will make its contribution to the strengthening of peace. We are proud of the fact that right after Azerbaijan achieved its independence the International Olympic Committee, embodying the world sporting community, It is with a sense of particular responsibility that my country is preparing for the Centennial Games to be held in 1996 in Atlanta, the United States of America, where the Azerbaijani Republic, as an independent, sovereign State, will be represented for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games by its own national team. By decree of the President of the Azerbaijani Republic, a special State commission, headed by the Prime Minister, has been set up to carry out all preparatory work on the eve of the Games. Despite enormous economic difficulties facing Azerbaijan today, my Government decided to ensure the participation of Azerbaijani sportsmen in all international competitions preceding the 1996 Olympic Games. Furthermore, we are deeply convinced of the extremely rich potential of sport which is not confined to the achievement of good results and the broadening of international contacts and youth cooperation. Sport constitutes an important and effective part of the policy of the Azerbaijani State in the field of bringing up a morally and physically healthy young generation capable of adequately responding to social challenges. It is hard, however, to speak about either a successful and broad application of the educational potential of sport or sporting achievements in a country where the mass aspect of sport — one of its fundamental principles — has been violated as a result of aggression by the neighbouring Republic of Armenia. Instead we are dealing with another mass — 1 million refugees, 300,000 of whom are children and adolescents. Words can hardly describe all the moral and physical sufferings these people are subjected to. One terrifying example of evidence of that was the outcome of medical examinations of 250 children from the ages of 6 to 10 in one of the tent camps in the Sabirabad province of Azerbaijan conducted with the participation of experts from the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization. Two of every three children examined had physical deficiencies and were ineligible to practise sports. In this connection I would like to emphasize that such situations also prevail in many other regions faced with armed conflicts, natural calamities and other phenomena hindering due social development of children and youth. It is evident that adequate assistance has to be rendered to this particular category. My delegation believes that Member States should consolidate their efforts with a view to elaborating necessary measures and creating conditions for utilizing the rehabilitative abilities of sport in dealing with stress- affected children and adolescents. The United Nations, together with the International Olympic Committee, could play a coordinating role in this field. Such assistance would, on the one hand, considerably accelerate the process of society’s psychological recovery after surviving the catastrophe of war, and, on the other, would bolster joint actions by respective Governments and their Olympic committees in the field of propaganda for sport and its significance in bolstering the health of the nation. In short, it would make the role of sport in building a better world more significant. For 17 months now the cease-fire has been holding in the area of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. This is Further to this, we firmly support the idea of the Olympic Truce, and appeal to the world community with a proposal to go even further and proclaim the whole period prior to the opening of the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta a period of peace, and 1996 — the year of the Centennial Olympics — a year of sporting and not military competition.

Before adjourning the meeting I should like to invite representatives to remain seated, as immediately following the adjournment of this meeting we shall hear an address by the President of the International Olympic Committee.