YouSaid · the spoken record

LUKANOV

lines on the record: 206
first: 1956-09-24
most recent: 1961-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Nevertheless, along with the other countries which suffered countless losses because of the Nazi invasion, our country cannot remain indifferent to the serious menace to European and world peace that is now being created in West Germany and West Berlin. 51. Regardless of the fact that West Berlin is not part of the Federal Republic of Germany, West German Government departments and institutions have been set up and are functioning there under cover of the occupation authorities and with the overt protection of the Western Powers; meetings of the Federal German are held and the application of Bonn legislature been extended to West Berlin. The Government of the German Federal Republic claims the right to represent West Berlin in its relations with the outside world.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“But the peoples cannot and will not forget, and the Bulgarian Government does not even intend to ask the Bulgarian people to forget, the tens of thousands who fell in 1941-44 in the fight against the Nazi invaders and their Bulgarian agents, or the tens of thousands who were killed in the war against Nazi Germany in 1944-45. 50. The Bulgarians, like all other peoples, are not vindictive. Today the struggle against nazism and all the evils it brought on our country is merely a heroic page in our most recent, history and the People's Republic of Bulgaria is ready to maintain, and does actually maintain, friendly relations with the German people.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“In the face of such assertions, together with the indisputable facts about the rapid rearmament of the West German irredentist army, no sensible person can possibly expect the socialist countries to fold their arms and wait while Mr. Adenauer calmly prepares a Nazi type of "new order" in Eastern Europe. 49. The United Kingdom Government may be trying to make the British public forget the time when Goering was "Coventrating" English cities and threatening to wipe the United Kingdom off the face of the earth, just flats the French Government is trying to induce the French people to forget the days when the Nazis marched under the Arc de Triomph and shot thousands of hostages.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Adenauer, the West German Chancellor, who, in a statement made as long ago as 1952 said: "Rearmament in West Germany should pave the way for a new order in Eastern Europe ..." and, further on: "We shall be able to seize the Soviet zone when the Western world is sufficiently powerful...". Were Goering alive, he could not have put things better "than the West German Minister of War, Mr. Strauss, who on his return from Washington last year, said: "If the plans for the expansion of our military equipment, which have been approved by the United States, are fulfilled, then in 1962 Moscow will again find itself within the range of German weapons. And this time the weapons will be nuclear." 48.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“The peace-loving peoples of Europe who, barely' fifteen years ago, suffered enormous losses in battling to crush the Nazi beast are often being urged to believe that West Germany has broken with Nazism and its Nazi past, that Adenauer is not Hitler, that the Nazi generals who hold leading positions in the Bundeswehr -and NATO are merely officials performing their ordinary duties. 47. .Such assertions deceive no one, if only because, now and then, leading figures in the Federal Republic of Germany themselves drop their pose of peace-lovers.-If Hitler were alive, he could hardly put things better than Mr.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Actively supported by the United States of America and its NATO allies, the West German militarists and irredentists have mobilized all the material resources and moral forces in West Germany for the preparation of a third world war.* The West German army is being called—it was recently hailed as such by the former Nazi General Speidel—the backbone of NATO in Europe. Its impending equipment with atomic weapons is an open secret and no attempt is made to conceal the purposes for whose achievement this army Is being prepared and trained.' 46.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Thus, German self-determination has operated in such a way that two entirely different German States have emerged, of which one—the German Democratic Republic—for the first time in history is a peace-loving socialist State that threatens no one and is friendly with all the peoples of the world, whereas, west of the Elbe, dreams are again being cherished, and at official level too, of military campaigns. 45. There can be no doubt that today the chief ganger to European peace is the feverish rearmament of West Germany.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Instead of "denazification", they took the line of overtly protecting the former Nazi leaders; war criminals of World War II are occupying responsible posts in the West German administration; former Nazi generals command the Bundeswehr; Nazi judges are in control of West German courts, persecuting and outlawing all the progressive forces in the country; ex-Nazis form the nucleus of the corps of teachers and professors in West Germany and spread Hitler's theories about revenge, the "Drang nach Osten" and "Greater Germany". Instead of decartelization, we are again witnessing the formation of big armament and other monopolies in West Germany. Instead of "demilitarization", the West German army is being feverishly expanded and equipped with modern weapons. 44.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“The fact remains, however, that the conditions laid down in the Potsdam Agreement have been complied with only in the German Democratic Republic, whereas in the Federal Republic of Germany they have been systematically disregarded to the point of becoming dead letter. 43. The ruins of Warsaw, Lidice, Coventry and Caen were still smouldering when the. Western Powers grossly violated the agreements drawn up at Potsdam and Yalta. The Western Powers created a separate West German State and admitted it to NATO.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“So, nowadays some people, pretending to be naive or posing as defenders of theoretical democracy, talk about the " right of the Germans to self-determination", it would not come amiss to remind them of the Potsdam restrictions on German "rights". Self-determination in the framework of a peace-loving, democratic Germany which did not belong to military blocs, did not have an aggressive, irredentist army, did not advance territorial claims or threaten to I annex other peoples' territories, a Germany which once and for all ceased to be hotbed of conflicts in the heart of Europe and solemnly undertook to carry out a policy of peace and neutrality—there you have a goal for whose achievement no peace-loving nation would grudge an effort. 42.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Accordingly, our country particularly welcomed the Potsdam Agreement, signed oil 26 July 1945, which was designed to eradicate : German militarism, destroy its economic foundations; in the shape of the German monopolies and denazify the whole of Germany—in a word, to make it impossible for German irredentists to rise up again and present their claims, claims that invariably involve the use of military force against other peoples. 41. It is common knowledge that, in the interests of all the peoples, i.e., on a completely democratic basis, the Potsdam Agreement made provision for certain "rights" to be denied to Germans: the "right" is to re-establish the Kaiser's and Hitler's General Staff, to rebuild the German aggressive war machine and allow the unhindered growth of German monopolies.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Khrushchev, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, that an end should be put to the abnormal situation in which the lack of a peace treaty enables the surviving remnants of the Nazi militarists and irredentists to raise their heads again and threaten peace in Europe and all over the world. 40. The Bulgarian people her a had practical experience of the consequences of Germany's aggressive, imperialist policy both in the more remote and in the quite recent past. The Bulgarian people have every reason, a keen desire and a firm intention to assist in the general task of preventing a repetition of the disasters caused by the aggressive policy of barman militarism.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“I have in mind, first and foremost, their attitude towards the problem of a peace treaty with Germany and a settlement of the abnormal situation in West Berlin. 39. The Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria his declared that it considers it an intolerable state of affairs that, sixteen years after the end of the war, no peace treaty has yet been signed with Germany and the vestiges of the Second World War have not yet been eliminated. Together with all the socialist countries, the Bulgarian Government fully supported the proposals made over two years ago by Mr. N. S.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“The guilty party is colonialism which is still alive both in its most overt, brutal form and also, more especially, in its covert but equally reactionary form—the political and economic enslavement of the emancipated colonies. 37. And yet, all that is needed to end the present-day tension in international relations is the implementation of the basic decisions of the United Nations , general Assembly, such as those concerning the abolition of colonialism, the accomplishment of general and complete disarmament, and the peaceful coexistence of all States. 38. Instead, however, of conscientiously implementing United Nations resolutions and heeding the desire of all the peoples for the safeguarding of peace, we find ourselves witnessing fresh threats' to world peace from imperialist circles.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Fresh impetus has been given to the officious activities of the colonizers and their machinations directed against the unity and national sovereignty of the Congo—machination which cost the life of the distinguished fighter against colonialism, the hero of the Congolese people, Mr. Patrice Lumumba. 36. Impartial observers of the contemporary scene can give an unhesitating reply to the query; who is responsible for all these developments which exacerbate the international situation and are a threat to peace all over the world. The imperialistic foreign policy of some Western Powers which regard any evidence of progress as a threat to their selfish interests and which have made anti-communism the corner-stone of their foreign policy—this is what is responsible for the developments that constitute such a danger for the fate of the world.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“In Angola everything patriotic is being exterminated; a whole nation is being bereft of its leaders merely because it wants to achieve freedom and the executioners of the Angolan people, with extraordinary effrontery, are claiming that Angola is their province and so they can do anything they like there. Outrages are constantly being committed against the coloured population in the Republic of South Africa. Aggressive action has been taken against the people of Tunisia in Bizerta Colonial warfare is still being waged in Algeria. Military intervention has been undertaken against free Cuba-intervention that was organized and financed by the United States, and conducted from its territory. The enemies of peace are doing their utmost to disrupt the agreement for the formation of a government of an independent and neutral Laos.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“The previous, fifteenth, session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted several sound and valuable resolutions regarding the settlement of international controversial problems which, unfortunately, because of the resistance shown by reactionary forces, were not complied with before the present session opened. Furthermore, the sixteenth session of the General Assembly is beginning its work at a time when international tension is increasing in various parts of the world. 35. For instance, the resolution on the abolition of colonialism [1514 (XV)] has not been implemented and however much the advocates of colonialism may try to claim that colonialism no longer exists, that it is measured in insignificant percentages, we are faced with a number of shocking facts.”
1961-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 16 (1961)
“Our delegation is deeply convinced that the fourteenth session, having opened under these exceptionally favourable circumstances which will, we hope, continue to influence its work — a session during which the great friend of peace, Mr. Khrushchev, has made his proposal for the elimination of war — will satisfy the peoples desires and make its contribution in the decisive struggle for disarmament for the consolidation of peace throughout the world, and for the strengthening of the authority of the United Nations.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“That outstanding son of the Bulgarian people, Georgi Dimitrov, used the following words: "The peoples, the working class, the toiling peasants — an progressive people throughout the world — want peace, a durable peace, a democratic peace; they want brotherhood between the peoples, not aggression and a new world war. " 199. The Bulgarian delegation, acting on the instructions of its Government in the spirit of the peace- loving policy of the People's Republic of Bulgaria and of the peaceful aspirations of the Bulgarian nation, also supports all initiatives and proposals directed towards the solution of the other questions on the agenda of the present session. 200.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“The Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people have unanimously supported the proposal of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Mr. Khrushchev for the creation of an atom-free and rocket-free zone in the Balkans and the Adriatic because it serves the cause of peace. The proposal for a meeting of the leaders of the Balkan states has the same aim. If these measures are carried out, they will open the road to new agreements among the Balkan countries, they will provide new possibilities for turning the Balkans into a zone of peace." [A/C. 1/818] 198. We hope that all these proposals, notwithstanding the difficulties, will ultimately be accepted by those Balkan Governments which have not yet agreed to them.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“197. Whatever the number of unresolved problems, we do not wish to solve them by force. The Bulgarian Government's statement of 24 September 1959, to which I have already referred, includes the following passage: "True to its peaceful policy, the Bulgarian Government has undertaken numerous steps to improve relations with the non-Socialist countries in the Balkans, to strengthen peace in that area. It proposed the conclusion of collective or bilateral treaties among the Balkan countries. "Not long ago our country proposed the signing of a non-aggression pact between the People's Republic of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Greece. We have twice reduced our armed forces thereby giving a new real expression of our peaceful policy.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“It is even less likely that anyone will violate the charter of a free city of West Berlin when that charter is guaranteed firstly by the State on whose territory it is located — the German Democratic Republic — and secondly by the great Powers and, as suggested, in some way by the United Nations. The rather more than two million Germans of West Berlin, about whose fate the western leaders express concern, will live as they wish, but the foreign war-mongering and provocative body in the centre of the German Democratic Republic will disappear. That will be a gain to peace. 196. The People’s Republic of Bulgaria is particularly interested in the safeguarding of peace in the Balkans; and exceptionally favourable conditions for peace have now been established in that area by the conversion of the majority of the Balkan States to socialism.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“What is to be done? 194. The States of Eastern Europe, it is true, have protected themselves by means of the Warsaw Treaty. In that way they have made certain of the final elimination of German militarism in the event of its again engaging in military adventures. But this does not completely guarantee peace. 195. We therefore support the realistic proposal for the conclusion of a peace treaty with the two German States, as well as the proposal for the transformation of West Berlin into a free city. Free cities are not new in the history of Germany, and their charters are not subject to infringement.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“The solution of these and similar problems, the collaboration of great and small States for this purpose, joint effort by the former colonial Powers and dependent countries, and by socialist and capitalist régimes — such is but a part of the practical action that will lead to the gradual re-establishment of confidence in this world of heterogeneous States and social systems. 193. I should like to refer briefly to the foreign policy of my Government in relation to these problems. As a European State, Bulgaria, remembering that both world conflicts began in Europe, is interested in the safeguarding of peace in that continent. German militarism began both the First and Second World War; to avoid a third war, the decision was taken to eliminate German militarism. Now German militarism has been resurrected with the aid of the Western Powers.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Further, why should the problem of world scientific and technical collaboration not be solved at this session? 192. At the stage now reached in the development of productive forces and economic relations, the field of scientific and technical collaboration should be one of the most important for peaceful economic co-operation between all countries. The time has come for the United Nations to take concrete steps for the development of such collaboration pari passu with technical assistance to economically under-developed countries. Why not recommend to all States Members of the United Nations that they put an end to the system of discriminatory measures in world trade?”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“There is general sympathy for the Latin American countries’ efforts to free themselves from the excessive control exercised by foreign capital in their economies. Many of the countries of Asia, Africa and South America, until recently dependent or semi-dependent, are resorting to the mobilization of internal resources in order to solve the problem of raising their standards of living. 191. The plans for the industrialization of India, and the independent national economy established in Indonesia and other States, are matters of common knowledge. The plans and actions of President Kubitschek for the rapid development of Brazil's very rich natural resources are also commanding attention. Why should such countries as these not be given disinterested aid in the form of credits made available from a reduction in military budgets?”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Why should the General Assembly not recommend, to the great Powers at this very Session, that they allot part of their military budgets to aid for under-developed countries? 190. As representatives of a country which until recently was very backward economically, we know the value of friendly mutual aid, such as that given to us by the Soviet Union and other socialist States; thanks to this assistance, the Bulgarian people are now generously remunerated for their labour. For this reason we quite understand the concern felt by the representatives of many Asian, African and Latin American countries where, despite huge natural resources, economic backwardness is not yet eliminated and a great need exists for aid unaccompanied by intervention in their domestic affairs.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“It is often said that confidence--in particular, confidence between those formerly allied in the war against Hitlerism and Facism — has been destroyed. Such lack of confidence is exploited by the opponents of disarmament. "First confidence, and then disarmament" say many, although they would be unable to explain how confidence could be re-established in the presence of an arms race. Confidence will return when each State is confident that it will not be attacked — still less attacked by surprise for the simple reason that there will be nothing with which to attack. In other words, disarmament will help to re-establish the confidence that has been lost. 189. The successful solution of other problems would also contribute to the restoration of confidence. Of such problems I would mention only a few.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Obviously the only possible use for these weapons is, not defence, but rather the execution of dark designs directed against the countries of the socialist camp. Only one answer is possible: the stationing of United States atomic and rocket bases on foreign territories is not in the interests of these countries and their peoples; on the contrary, the basic interests of these peoples demand the removal of death dealing weapons, to the farthest possible distance and with the maximum of dispatch, from their homes. 187. Lastly, we consider as urgent the proposal for the conclusion of a non-aggression pact between the States members of NATO and the States parties to the Warsaw Treaty. Such a pact would bring about calm in a region where the armed forces of the two powerful military groupings are poised against each other. 188.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“The brandishing of weapons, and even more so, of atomic and rocket weapons, on a neighbour's threshold hardly constitutes a particularly friendly act, and the neighbour cannot be expected to give the impression that such activity is of no concern to it. Surely it is absurd to assert that the placing of atomic and rocket bases of United States origin in the Balkans and the region of the Adriatic is for the "defence" of the countries on whose territories they are stationed, when it is remembered that these nuclear rocket weapons are controlled by the military command of a country, many thousands of kilometres away, whose responsible military and political leaders make no secret of their unfavourable attitude toward States with, to them, distasteful socialist systems.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“The Bulgarians and other peoples of the Balkan peninsula cannot, in our view, be indifferent to the fact that rocket bases are being built or planned close to their borders. The Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, having regard to the vital interests and the security of the Bulgarian nation, has considered and considers itself in duty bound to call the attention of Governments of nearby and neighbouring countries to the serious danger involved in the placing of rocket bases on their territories. 186. We cannot agree with those who state that this constitutes intervention in their domestic affairs.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Incidentally, does not the fact that no atomic explosions are now taking place, although there are no controls but merely a declaration of the States concerned, refute the arguments of those who advocate control for the sake of control? 184. Our delegation also believes that one of the most essential measures to be taken in the disarmament field is a prohibition on the export of atomic and nuclear weapons from countries producing such weapons to other countries. 185. Directly related to this problem is the proposal for the creation of zones free of atomic and rocket weapons. The policy of establishing atomic and rocket bases in the greatest possible number of countries creates entirely legitimate concern among the peoples.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“In this connexion, our country believes that it is necessary to move more boldly towards reaching agreement on urgent measures, such as: the prohibition of atomic and hydrogen weapon testing, the prohibition of the export of such weapons, the establishment of zones free of atomic weapons, the elimination of military bases on foreign territory, and the conclusion of non-aggression pacts between the States members of NATO, on the one hand, and the States parties to the Warsaw Treaty on the other. At present, the most urgent measure is the prompt and successful termination of the Geneva talks and the concluding of an agreement between the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom forbidding test explosions of atomic and nuclear weapons.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“To these people we would say that human society is not a pack of wolves, and that, when the means of waging war no longer exist, war itself, as a social phenomenon, will disappear. We all wish to bury war in the archives of history; and we must discover the way in which to achieve this humane objective, no matter what difficulties beset our path. Let us not shirk the difficulties but overcome them. 182. As a Member State of the United Nations and a participant in the Ten-Power Committee, our country will put forth every effort to make its contribution towards solving the disarmament problem. 183. While advocating the most radical solutions for this problem, the Bulgarian Government also regards with favour every measure capable of bringing us nearer to the settlement of the basic question — the safeguarding of peace.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“We firmly believe that only the course indicated by the Soviet Union can finally lead to the elimination of the threat of war; that general and complete disarmament will establish new conditions conducive to the rapid material and cultural development of all peoples, and to circumstances in which it may be easier to solve not only today's but also tomorrow's controversial international questions. 181. We cannot believe that the responsible leaders of certain States seriously fear that mankind will fight with antediluvian weapons when no trace of present-day armaments and armed forces remains upon the earth. Of course, there are people who are incapable of thinking in any but military terms.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“But does the alternative of war present mankind with problems that are any easier or smaller in scope? It is time for each and all of us to take a clear stand. All States, whether great or small, are vitally interested in the solution of the disarmament problem. All countries must make their contribution towards finding a way out of the present situation. 180. The People's Republic of Bulgaria has always attached very great importance to the international issues upon which the preservation and strengthening of peace depend. We, therefore, convinced that the solution of the disarmament problem is the most important question facing all peace-loving countries and the United Nations as a whole, welcome and unconditionally support the Soviet Government's proposal on general and complete disarmament.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“But these, measures have their basis in the actual nature of the threat of war, in the possibilities inherent in the waging of war under present conditions, and in the extent of the danger. They are measures capable of countervailing the evil which menaces mankind. All other measures, including those of partial and limited disarmament, while in themselves acceptable as a step towards general and complete disarmament, are inadequate in that they do not eliminate a possible outbreak of war, an event which in present conditions might easily turn into a nuclear catastrophe. 179. Of course, there are difficulties in implementing these measures, which are bound up with the solution of vast and complicated political, economic and technical problems.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“"The international control organ shall have at its disposal all the facilities necessary for the exercise of strict control." [A/4219] 177. It would be hard to put it more clearly. Control is indeed, necessary. But control is necessary when there is something to control. What good is control, if no one knows what is to be controlled? Moreover the very method whereby control is to be effected depends on what is to be subject to such control. In any case, one thing is clear: the noble purpose of the Soviet proposals warrants their being examined conscientiously. If that is done, the problem of control will be solved. 178. In fact, the Soviet disarmament proposal recommends radical measures for the eradication of war — which has always been the ultimate goal of the foreign policy of the Soviet Union and all the socialist States.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“But we have always been opposed to the idea of divorcing the control system from the disarmament measures — to the idea that the control organs should become, in effect, organs for the collection of intelligence data under conditions in which no disarmament would actually take place." [799th meeting, para. 63] 176. And the declaration of the Soviet Government on general and complete disarmament says: "For the purpose of supervising the timely implementation of the measures of general and complete disarmament, an international control organ composed of all States shall be established. The staff of the control organ shall be recruited on an international basis with due regard to the principle of equitable geographic distribution.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“What could be newer than the fact that the Soviet Union itself, at this very moment, should propose to all countries the disbandment of armed forces and the destruction of all forms of armament — in other words, the elimination of every material possibility for an attack by one country upon another? 175. In connexion with the Soviet proposal, resort is had to yet another argument — the question of control, about which that proposal, it is alleged, has little to say. Yet we all heard the words of Mr. Khrushchev, which I now quote: "We have advocated, and still advocate, strict international control over the fulfillment of a disarmament agreement, after such an agreement has been reached.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“They have applied it to all new proposals of the Soviet Union — often without having read them carefully. In order properly to understand the essence and meaning of the Soviet proposal, account must be taken of the historic circumstances in which it is put forward. Conditions are constantly changing, and something that was presented to us several years ago may now appear in an entirely different light. The Soviet proposal is new because it is put forward at a time when it has been shown that the old approach to the disarmament problem cannot, produce the desired results, and time does not stand still. It is also new because it is made by a country which has the most powerful military techniques at its disposal, a country which has sent a rocket to the moon.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“In the opinion of our delegation, what is unrealistic is to imagine that it is possible, in existing circumstances, to frighten the socialist countries by threatening to use force against them; to think that international problems can be decided by force of arms; or to consider that war can settle the vast problems facing mankind, such as the problem of doing away with that poverty which afflicts half the population of the earth, the problem of raising the living standards of millions and millions of people, or the problem of discovering the secrets of nature for the benefit of all mankind. 174. It is further said that the Soviet proposal contains nothing new, that it is a re-statement of old attitudes which have long been known. This assertion is well known as a choice argument adopted by the champions of the cold war.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“The feeling that, even after partial disarmament, one country could still attack another continues to be a source of mistrust and tension among the negotiators, and this greatly hampers talks on disarmament. We would do well to remember how many mutual suspicions and accusations accumulated during such negotiations when we were not yet, after all, in the position in which we find ourselves today. 173.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“This relative disarmament can only relatively reduce the threat of war. In the days of conventional armaments, such a relative lessening of the menace of war might have been satisfactory. Today, however, no one is in a position to determine what quantities of modern armaments in the hands of a single State can be regarded as not constituting a threat to other States. 172. It is perfectly clear that no such criterion can be applied in the case of modern types of weapons. The threat remains a threat, whether twenty or two hundred atomic or hydrogen bombs are in reserve. Not without reason have military experts predicted that the day will come when a small country maybe in a position to threaten more powerful countries.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Khrushchev that weapons are made by the hands of men and that the hands of men can, and will, destroy them. 170. In present circumstances, general and complete disarmament is more realistic than partial disarmament, in that a decision in favour of complete disarmament confronts States with fewer of those questions on which it is more difficult to reach agreement and in connexion with which the representatives of the armament kings find it easier to raise obstacles at all disarmament conferences. 171. It is known that for the last few years the word "disarmament" has mostly been taken to mean no more than a partial reduction of armaments and armed forces. Disarmament negotiations have envisaged the retention, after an agreement has been concluded, of certain kinds of weapons — that is the retention of the material capacity to wage war.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“It has been said, for example, that the Soviet proposal is "unrealistic" or even "utopian". The authors of these pseudo-authoritative statements naturally have difficulty in finding any reasonable grounds for their assessments. Why is the Soviet proposal for general disarmament considered unrealistic? Has the insane stockpiling of arms, a practice which ' must sooner or later lead to war, become so natural and inevitable in the life of human society that there are people who cannot conceive of life without armies and atomic bombs? No, of course not. On the contrary, the vast majority of peoples regard armaments as a misfortune, as a dreadful calamity, and seek to be rid of them. Those who say that the Soviet proposal is "unrealistic" and "utopian" should remember the statement of Mr.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Examining the declaration of the Soviet Government, our delegation notes that it enumerates exhaustively all the positive consequences of general disarmament. The arguments set forth in the Soviet declaration cannot be seriously contested; they are irrefutable because they strike an echo in the minds and hearts of all decent people throughout the world. 168. The Bulgarian delegation will give a more detailed explanation of its position with regard to the Soviet Government's proposal when agenda item 70 (General and complete disarmament) is discussed in the First Committee. I venture, however, to make a few preliminary remarks concerning the reaction to the Soviet proposals which is reflected in the statements and comments of a number of responsible leaders in various countries. 169.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“In the People's Republic of Bulgaria the leadership of the State is in the hands of social forces which for scores of years have had the demand for general disarmament and for the complete guarantee of peace inscribed on their banners and embodied in their programme. 166. The declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, published on 24 September 1959, includes the following statement: "The Bulgarian Government fully supports the historic programme of the Soviet Government for general and complete disarmament, and holds the view that its implementation at three stages in the course of four years is fully feasible provided the efforts of the peoples and their Governments are united, which in particular applies to the great Powers." [A/C.1/818] 167.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Khrushchev's address to the General Assembly, offers precisely that way out of the present situation, and that method whereby mankind's drift towards a new war can be halted. 164. There is but one radical solution — to eliminate the material possibility of waging war. And this can only be done through general and complete disarmament, through the destruction of weapons and war material, and through cessation of the training of military personnel. So long as armies, armed forces, military aircraft, navies, and nuclear and rocket weapons continue to exist, there can be no absolute guarantee of a lasting peace. 165. The Bulgarian Government warmly supports the Soviet proposal for general and complete disarmament.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)
“Khrushchev to this Assembly [799th meeting] and the statement of the Soviet Government on general and complete disarmament, have given a clear enough description of the prospects which would face humanity if that most terrible of all wars — which a third world war would be — were to break out. I need not, therefore, dwell on that aspect of the matter. Today everyone recognizes that there is no time to be lost. All have come to realize that a direct threat has been suspended over the world. For this very reason, having regard to the set-backs encountered in previous disarmament negotiations, we must draw the appropriate conclusions, seek out new paths to our goal, and take new steps. 163. The proposal of the Soviet Union, made in Mr.”
1959-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 14 (1959)