YouSaid · the spoken record

Maynard

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS MAYNARD

lines on the record: 121
first: 1985-09-24
most recent: 1990-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
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

“It is our joint responsibility to ensure the Organisation's operational efficiency so that its prospects for positive accomplishment can be enhanced. You see, the United Nations remains our best alternative to international chaos and our best approach to international order. Important new dynamics have been introduced by the rapprochement of the super-Powers, and by dramatic events in various parts of the world such as Eastern Europe and Namibia. Collective security has been allowed to work for the first time. As a result, the Organisation has been greatly strengthened. As always, the Bahamas pledges to continue to be a committed and active participant in all efforts to improve our Organisation and our world.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Member States are increasingly requesting the United Nations to assume a leadership role in a myriad of social, economic and humanitarian questions. We have collectively taken decisive strides to address crucial international issues, including drug abuse, illicit trafficking, debt, poverty, development, crime and apartheid. Commitment to the well-being of the children of the world was reaffirmed by Heads of State and government in the recent historic Summit for Children. High hopes and expectations are being placed in the United Nations; yet its weak financial situation continues to jeopardise its ability to perform Expectations must be matched with requisite financial commitments. We hope that arrears will be addressed as a matter of priority so that the Organisation may cease having to juggle resources to survive.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The Bahamas advocates work for the successful conclusion of the Uruguay Sound. In this view the Bahamas hopes also that the conclusions reached by meetings of the least developed countries in Paris this year will help reverse their marginalisation in the world economy. Strategies for development must also be environmentally sound. The Bahamas firmly supports the Conference on Environment and Development, scheduled to be held in 1992. We are confident that the opportunity will be grasped not only to consolidate current efforts to save the world's environment from degradation, but to establish a new and affective regime for Managing and safeguarding our environment, particularly the marine environment.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Greater effort must be exerted to reorient the global economy to make it more responsive to the needs of the developing world and to sustain growth and development. The Bahamas is therefore encouraged by the international consensus on the Declaration adopted by the eighteenth special session of the General Assembly. We consider particularly relevant its call for specialised agencies with specific developmental mandates to play a vital role in international co-operation for the revitalisation of development in the 1990c. The importance of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations to alleviating the plight of developing countries cannot be exaggerated. Hence comprehensive reform in areas of trade of particular interest to developing countries will become a realistic prospect.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Because of important linkages with the economies of the United States of America, Canada, Japan and an integrated Europe, the Bahamas especially applauds the determined efforts of those countries to bring their economies into balance and encourages them to pursue a fresh and vigorous programme dramatically to increase and redirect real transfers of public and private finance, aid, technology and trade to enhance world economic development. We invite the United Nations itself to adopt a fresh approach and to take another look at areas which have held out promise in the past but have yielded little success in the development of many developing countries. The Bahamas is of the view that every effort must now be made to ensure that the 1990s is a decade of opportunity.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Ws seek investment not only in agriculture, fisheries and tourism, but also in the sophisticated service and light industrial sectors with high employment and export and import-substitution potential. Political, social and economic stability is a critical element in maintaining confidence and hence in stimulating investment and output. But stability alone is not sufficient. The challenge is to shift our emphasis to the economic and social well-being of moat of the planet and to keep it on a path of sustainable growth. I have therefore instructed my delegation to focus store on economic development and investment promotion and on reorienting the Organisation to deal afresh and more effectively with the economic issues I have mentioned.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The rise in the price of energy, the massive increase in external-debt servicing and the loss of or reduction in foreign-exchange earnings have all combined to sake the 1980s a lost decade for development. The United Nations and individual Member countries should pay increasing attention to reversing that trend. Indeed, in the Bahamas we work even harder in traditional economic sectors such as tourism and banking. He follow the axiom that we must do better what we know how to do well. He must make our good better and our better best. That has certainly been our experience in tourism and financial services. At the same time, we continue to exploit every window of opportunity for diversification, restructuring and investment.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“At the national level, the Bahamas follows a comprehensive strategy encompassing interdiction efforts, prevention, public information, severe sanctions for drug offenders and compulsory testing for security forces. Our co-operation with other States at the bilateral and multilateral levels, particularly in operational activities, has been widely recognised as being exemplary. Consequently, the traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances into and through the Bahamas has been drastically decreased, and there has been a slowing, though not a halt, of drug abuse by Bahamians. We will continue to take vigorous national action, and will join in international initiatives to make drug control more effective. The first year of the final decade of the twentieth century is ending with signs of both hope end disillusionment.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The international community took the opportunity to review, at the level of experts, the capacity of the United Nations to lead the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking and to arrive at a better understanding of the complex illicit drug trade. Indeed, the Bahamas already has in place strong regulations and laws aimed at counteracting money laundering and at forfeiture of the proceeds of drug crimes. We are convinced that, with adequate safeguards to protect legitimate international banking, we can deprive international drug cartels of the proceeds of their evil trade, and destroy their sole purpose for existing. Does the political will exist to halt and reverse the deadly affects of drug abuse on our societies and to stem the violence it engenders? The answer must be "Yes”.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Startling and dramatic events in Latin America last year considerably elevated the search for solutions to the illicit drug problem. This year has been one of urgent and intense international activity, aimed at devising new strategies to counteract the drug problem. At the seventeenth special session of the General Assembly, convened in February of this year, the commitment to fight the scourge of drug abuse was affirmed at the highest political level, as demonstrated by the adoption by consensus of a political Declaration and a global programme of action. To our satisfaction, it has been widely recognised that measures to reduce demand must not be neglected and must be given equal emphasis with production and trafficking.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We believe that an effective solution to this situation will greatly facilitate the maintenance of peace and stability in the entire Caribbean region. We are pleased that the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances will come into force in November of this year. The Bahamas stands ready to join other States parties to the Convention in the strict implementation of its provisions. We consider that action taken by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders, specifically in the area of organised crime, and the adoption of model legislation in areas including extradition, will greatly facilitate the process of implementing of many of the provisions of the Convention.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), meeting recently in Jamaica, once again took note of this encouraging position, and reiterated their unequivocal commitment to the goals and objectives which Haiti had set for itself. We believe that the United Nations must also be actively involved in Haiti's quest for democracy, and we are confident that the Organisation will overcome attendant difficulties and respond favourably to Haiti's request for security and other assistance in the holding of elections. We must envision more for Haiti. In keeping with the decision of the Heads of CARICOM, the Bahamas would urge the convening of an international conference on the reconstruction of Haiti, following successful democratic elections in that country.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Sanctions should not be lifted until there is real and irreversible movement towards the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. These conditions have not been met. The Bahamas, therefore, continues to support sanctions, and urges the international community also to maintain and renew its resolve. The experience in Namibia clearly indicated that change is possible, even in seemingly intractable situations. We have witnessed what could be accomplished by a people's drive for self-determination, when supported by the commitment of the international community, The Bahamas would now wish to see a commitment to the process of peace and democracy demonstrated to the fullest extent in Haiti. The Government and the people of Haiti have made clear their desire to move their country forward on the road to democracy and development.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Continuing violence and dissension lead us to conclude that the pillars of apartheid remain intact. The opportunity presented by the conclusion of the Pretoria Minute between the Government of South Africa and the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) and all efforts to remove obstacles to negotiations for a democratic, non-racial South Africa must be energetically pursued. It is in this context that the Bahamas welcomed the consensus adoption by the General Assembly at its sixteenth special session of the Declaration on South Africa, which is drafted in full compliance with international principles. It ought not be that we adhere to these principles sometimes, disregard them at other times and shun them in favour of yet other principles at other times.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The Bahamas has endorsed all action taken by the Security Council in this regard and, in particular, it has undertaken to uphold the sanctions imposed under Security Council resolutions until they achieve their desired results. A comprehensive peace in the Middle East is urgently needed. Therefore, we support the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations and involving all parties to the conflict. We urge those directly concerned to create conditions that would ensure the success of such s conference. He again reiterate our full support for Israel's right to exist within secure and recognised borders, and reaffirm our commitment to the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Our hope for a more enduring world peace has been challenged by Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait. The Bahamas urges all nations involved to exhaust every effort to resolve this situation without further violence. Central to international relations are the prohibition of the threat or use of force, the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. These are principles which small States, such as the Bahamas, hold dear. Hence, the Bahamas joined the world community in denouncing the invasion and occupation of Kuwait, and in calling for the immediate withdrawal of all Iraqi troops and the restoration of the legitimate Government of Kuwait.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“I should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly. Given your experience and political skills, we are confident that the affairs of this Assembly will come to a successful conclusion under your wise leadership. May I take this opportunity to express my appreciation and congratulations to your predecessor, Ambassador Joseph Garba of Nigeria, who was exemplary in his conduct of the affairs of the General Assembly. I also wish on behalf of the Government and people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas warmly to welcome Namibia and the Principality of Liechtenstein to membership in the United Nations. I also extend our heartfelt congratulations to Germany on its reunification.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Years later the United Nations has undeniably vindicated itself. We owe it to present and future generations to establish a legacy of peace and security which can be realized only through an effective United Nations.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Before closing, I should like to join with those of my colleagues who have expressed caring concern over the human suffering, loss of life and serious damage to property caused by natural disasters in our fellow Member States of Bangladesh, Jamaica and Mexico. Bahamas is encouraged by the wide expressions of sympathy by, and commitments of support received from, the international common. We are hopeful that the support of the international community will assist those Member States in the immense task of their reconstruction. I conclude by referring to a view which I quoted from a leading national journal of a Member State some years ago. It said: "... the sad, even bitter, truth is that the United Nations is no longer in the mainstream of world politics". At the time I stated my opposition to that statement.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“That breakthrough may be considered the result of pressure which the February report of the Secretary-General's Advisory Group on Financial Flows to Africa brought to bear upon the creditor nations. Equally encouraging is the fact that preparations are in the final stage for an in-depth review of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Recovery and Development 1986-1990, just two years after its adoption by the General Assembly, in June 1986. The review will focus on the economic policy changes undertaken by African Governments and will also spotlight the role of the international common and the United Nations in supporting Africa's recovery and development efforts.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The progress made toward solving some of the world's most serious problems are indicative of what can be achieved if more support for and less bashing of the United Nations is encouraged. The Bahamas takes positive note of and applauds recent decisions to deal with the troubling question of arrears in contributions. The Bahamas is heartened by the fact that, after months of discussion about Africa crushing debt burden, the major Western creditor countries have finally agreed to ease the plight of the world's most indebted nations. At their summit conference in Toronto on 19 to 21 June the leaders of the leading Western industrial States - the Group of Seven - agreed in principle to a set of options to alleviate the debt-servicing burden.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Although regional Governments agree on a common vigorous course of action against the drug trade, overzealous and unilateral measures are nevertheless taken which threaten the stability of co-operative Governments themselves. The pursuit of such attitudes, pronouncements and measures is a blatant abuse and is not in the interest of peace and security in the region and particularly of small States such as the Bahamas, which ensure vulnerable because of their geographical locations. The antidote for such interventionism is the strengthening of multilateral co-operation. Small States, such as the Bahamas, with a stable economy, low inflation level, balanced budget and one of the highest per capita income in its region, must rely on the multilateral approach which this world Organization alone affords.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“In our own Latin American and Caribbean region, the Inter-American Drug Control Commission has taken up the challenge to co-ordinate a comprehensive hemispheric response to the phenomenal illicit prediction, traffic and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the Americas. The activities of the Caribbean Community (CARIOOM) accurately reflect the critical concern of Member States in reducing the vulnerability of the region to the illicit transit traffic in narcotic drugs. CARIOOM's initiatives are substantially focused on protecting the people of the subregion from the scourge. Also of concern to the Bahamas are the increasing interventionist attitudes, pronouncements and measures adopted in the region, which arise from the war on drugs.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“With the necessary political and diplomatic will, a plenipotentiary conference could adopt a new convention against the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances later this year. last year more than 130 States represented at the International Conference against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, convened on the initiative of the Secretary-General, unanimously declared drug control to be the collective responsibility of all States. The United Nations efforts for drug control are paralleled by standing bodies in virtually all regions of the world.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The Bahamas has always supported Israel's right to exist. The Bahamas also strongly supports the right of peoples to self-determination. Self-determination should be guaranteed to the Palestinian people. The Bahamas therefore supports the convening of the international peace conference on the Middle East, with all the parties to the conflict being represented. Although the Palestinian issue is complex, we are satisfied that until it is resolved the chances of peace may be remote. Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances remain a burning issue for our region and for the entire international community. The threat that drug abuse and drug trafficking pose to the security, stability and socio-economic viability of many States continues to elicit an unprecedented multilateral response.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We encourage all concerned to continue to strive for the achievement of that noble objective at the earliest date possible. The cease-fire is most welcome in the war between Iran and Iraq which has for eight years threatened international peace and security. The Bahamas was therefore pleased to note the recent developments which may at last lead to peace in that region. It is our fervent hope that all parties to the dispute will continue to search for a negotiated settlement in accordance with Security Council resolution 598 (1987) which would end the war and the attendant loss of life and destruction of property. The Bahamas wishes to record its appreciation for the mediation efforts of our Secretary-General and hopes that all States will lend him their full co-operation and support.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The sovereign States neighbours of South Africa ought to be protected from incursions and bombing by the South African military, which murder innocent civilians and wreak havoc on their societies and economies. The Bahamas continues to encourage the United Nations and all Mender States, especially these with significant economic relations with South Africa, to implement effective economic sanctions in an effort to abolish apartheid, for its part, the Bahamas will continue to lend full support to all efforts leading to the eventual dismantling of apartheid. In the midst of international despair regarding the apartheid regime of South Africa there is a glimmer of hope. Recent developments in Namibia increase our optimism that Namibia may at last achieve its independence.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The rising tide of black resistance to apartheid is evidence that the black majority is undaunted by the brutal and savage repression of frequent and lengthy states of emergency such as the present one. Democracy, racial desegregation, social justice and the abolition of apartheid are now considered by many to be indispensable life-and-death issues. Economic pressures have forced South Africa to offer the black majority only trivial concessions thus far. What is required is a range of economic sanctions that are sufficiently costly to compel South Africa to initiate the process of dialogue with representatives of the African National Congress and other legitimate organizations of the black population with a view to establishing a non-racial democratic Government.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We join the international chorus in calling upon all parties to continue to search for peace, and challenge all States to support their efforts, encouraging but not pressuring them as they seek to find their own paths to lasting peace. In our region, Bahamas wishes to encourage the parties to territorial disputes to continue to work towards a negotiated settlement. In welcoming the new initiatives, the Bahamas reiterates its support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belize and Guyana. As the international common confirms its commitment to democracy and human rights. South Africa remains the bastion of racism and apartheid. The racist policy has as its foundations discrimination, denationalisation and the brutal repression of the black majority.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Internal and regional conflicts have been experienced on every continent, resulting in catastrophic casualties. Natural and created disasters have taken their crippling toll. It could be salutary were the diplomacy and enthusiasm brought to solving problems between the super-Powers in military matters to be applied and paralleled, with similar understanding, to these other problems, which are just as important to the survival of mankind. Over a year ago there was much cause for optimism when the countries of Central America signed the peace accord. The Bahamas is convinced that Esquipulas II remains the most effective mechanism for achieving lasting peace in Central America.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Indeed, we hope to translate this commitment into specific action by serving on the Economic and Social Council and the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination, for which out candidature is known, and on the Security Council, for which we will be a candidate during the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly. This action will be reinforced by the experience of more than 15 sovereign years of stability, moderation and prosperity, a record unmatched by any State of similar size and natural resources. The recent momentum in solving some of the globe's most pressing problems has served to underscore inconsistencies that may challenge the solution of others. The AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) epidemic has escalated to alarming proportions, while unabated drug abuse and addiction defy the powerful and baffle the weak.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Thirdly, although a consensus text could not be produced at the third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, last June, a spirit of co-operation governed the deliberations of the working groups. That success in arms limitation and disarmament holds the key to reducing military confrontations and minimizing the danger of nuclear war cannot be denied. This fact has provided the impetus for the role that the Bahamas played in the negotiations at those several meetings and as Chairman of the Disarmament Commission. Today, the confidence of the Bahamas in the United Nations is as strong as it was the day we joined the Organization in 1973, and our commitment to the United Nations has not faltered and will not falter.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The Secretary-General is to be thanked and commended for his great efforts, and the United Nations may feel justly proud of this achievement. The question of arms limitation and disarmament is timely today and will be much discussed in the foreseeable future. May I point out three examples that show the process of multilateralism at work. First, at the 1988 session of the Disarmament Commission, last May, the Commission was able to make specific consensus recommendations on two of its eight substantive items: verification and guidelines for confidence-building measures. Secondly, later in May the members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, meeting at Havana, Cuba, continued the process by adopting a consensus appeal to the two major Powers to reach agreement on disarmament.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Within the grasp of the United Nations is the potential for the resolution of other intractable problems of the decade, which include those of Kampuchea, Cyprus and Namibia. It is encouraging also to hear that southern Africa may have set its schedule for peace. A new international convention against narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is near completion. All of this indicates vitality and purpose and makes it imperative that Member States renew their commitment to the United Nations and to multilateralism. Further, the soldiers who are deployed around the world in the United Nations peace-keeping force, ensuring armistice and reinforcing the peace structure, ate to be warmly congratulated on the recognition they have received by winning the Nobel Peace Prize.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“I warmly congratulate Mr. Dante Caputo on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-third session. I am confident that his vast experience and reputation will ensure that our work at this session is greatly facilitated and enhanced. The Secretary-General has been an untiring champion of peace. I wish to common him highly for the tremendous strides made in the past year in his efforts to resolve the problems of long-standing areas of conflict. Much has transpired since I last addressed the Assembly that gives cause for optimism. It may be that a glorious era of peace is about to bless the generations of our time. The super-Powers have reached accord on the elimination of a whole class of nuclear weapons. The international common is on the verge of negotiated settlements affecting Afghanistan and the Iran-Iraq war.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“By way of conclusion I wish to remind members that we are living on a shrinking planet, made so by technological breakthroughs in communication, transportation and science. It is self-evident that decisions taken at the United Nations can be transmitted technologically and through direct personal intervention to all parts of the globe within seconds or a maximum of a few hours. Therefore no member can continue to plead ignorance or helplessness with respect to the plight of our brothers and sisters on this planet. We are either victims or beneficiaries of our own actions. It is thus essential to accept that we are our brother's keepers and cannot sit idly by when he suffers. I am convinced that under your guidance, Mr. President, some if not all of the issues confronting our community will be fully aired and resolved.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The success of efforts such as ICDAIT and the new convention ought not be measured simply in terms of consensus documents. The level of success will become evident with time as Governments exercise the political will expressed in the Declaration and implement through regional and national legislation and practices, the measures recommended in the comprehensive multi-disciplinary outline, as well as the Treaties and relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations on drug abuse control. The Bahamas will remain part of this struggle against drug abuse and drug trafficking because it believes that in the interests of domestic, social and global stability the war against drugs must be won.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The most significant effort in recent years was the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (ICDAIT) held in Vienna earlier this year, ICDAIT successfully brought together those in the forefront of drug control - representatives from the United Nations system. Governments and intergovernmental organizations. Of equal importance was the spirit of compromise and co-operation that guided the work of the Conference and resulted in the adoption by consensus of its principal documents - the comprehensive multidisciplinary outline and a Declaration. The momentum of ICDAIT also had a positive effect on the work of the intergovernmental group of experts which met immediately after the Conference to begin work on a new convention against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“In this context, the Bahamas therefore encourages relevant United Nations organs, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to offer every practical assistance to Central American Governments at every stage of the implementation timetable for the peace plan. Given the serious economic and social problems which are to a large extent the root causes of conflicts in Central America, international assistance is a crucial element if peace is to result from a return to the path of progress through economic and social justice. The resolve of the international community to counteract the devastating and destructive phenomena of drug abuse and illicit trafficking has resulted in unprecedented drug control initiatives.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The Bahamas is heartened by the demonstration of political will in the Central American sub-region, which has followed the direction and the intensive efforts of the Contadora Group and its Support Group to find a peaceful solution to the intra-regional conflict. The Bahamas, therefore, welcomes the Central American Presidents' plan on procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America, signed on 7 August, and the act of installation of the International Verification and Follow-up Commission, signed 15 days later by their Foreign Ministers, the Contadora Group and Support Group countries and the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States. Both these initiatives merit maximum international support as evidence of genuine commitment to the restoration of peace in Central America.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The Bahamas supports disarmament-fuelled development to bring all people everywhere an acceptable standard and quality of life. The situations in Afghanistan and in Central America, to cite two glaring examples, are instructive in that they both illustrate that rigid adherence to spheres of influence by the two super-Powers in the context of balance-of-power politics does not contribute to a stable world order. The Bahamas, therefore, continues to call for the total withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and additionally submits that the negotiation of agreed guarantees for the restoration of non-alignment to Afghanistan is perhaps the only enduring solution to the internal suffering and political stalemate which the conflict in that beleaguered country has produced.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“There are at present encouraging signs that the United States and the Soviet Union, aided by the courageous and historic commitment of Chancellor Kohl of the Federal Republic of Germany, are on the verge of an agreement which could draw the world back from the threat of the use of nuclear weapons. My Government applauds these rare acts of political will in the interest of national and international security. The benefits to the world of reduced spending on armaments are incalculable. The Bahamas would support all measures aimed at disarmament-fuelled development, especially those that would enable the expertise and technology now expended on the arms race to be applied to global problems such as pollution control, prevention of disease and other projects which only await funding.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“These should be supported by complementary arms-control agreements extending to other nuclear, militarily significant. States. Serious efforts at arms control must also be accompanied by such meaningful acts as the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and the abolition of the use of chemical weapons. The World Disarmament Campaign and the world disarmament conference proposed in paragraphs 15 and 122, respectively, of the Final Document of the tenth special session of the General Assembly, devoted to disarmament, constitute golden opportunities for challenging the people of the world, young and old, to make a concrete contribution to disarmament, or at the very least to global agreement that arms at their lowest quantitative and qualitative levels must be only the last resort in conflicts among nations.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The consensus document that emanated from that session can serve as a significant guiding light for the international community in efforts to rectify the world economy. I wish to underscore here its prescriptions for sustainable and non-inflationary growth in developed countries and an environment conducive to accelerated growth for developing countries. Those prescriptions are a co-operative and flexible strategy on the question of international debt, a halt to protectionist policies and the shouldering by industrialized countries of their responsibility to foster a more stable and predictable economic environment, especially in the area of commodity prices. The Bahamas Government continues to direct a strong appeal to the super-Powers to work together to reach mutually satisfactory bilateral accords.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“That, of course, was to the detriment of many developing countries, particularly those in Africa. Developing countries with the least amount of economic diversity have suffered the most as a result of this worsening situation. Overwhelmed by foreign debt, many of these developing countries find themselves in unstable domestic situations and with negative growth entrenching itself as a way of life. Compare that debilitating economic scenario of developing countries with the situation of the developed market economies, which experienced growth in per capita income in 1986. This is a picture that does not say much for the implementation by the United Nations of the economic principles of its Charter. The correct path was indicated to us at the seventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“To ignore the elements just enumerated is to nullify the sacrifices, personal and financial, which many nations, organizations and individuals have made with a view to dismantling apartheid. It could contribute to the fire of revolution, which could make ashes of the achievements of the billions of dollars from Western developed nations invested in South Africa. Moreover, it could cause the poison of Pretoria to suffocate forever the independence and freedom of Namibia. Therefore, despite the attention now being focused on the internal situation in South Africa, renewed emphasis must be placed on the blueprint for the independence of Namibia contained in Security Council resolution 435 (1970). In 1985 the world economy slowed down, and in 1986 aid so again.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It has been ascertained not only that South Africa uses internal and external aggression to frighten front-line States into abandoning their support for the black majority, but also that it exploits their economic dependence through the jobs given to nationals of front-line States. Further, the provision of those jobs ignores mass unemployment among black South Africans, depresses the general wage level and enables the South African Government to maintain control of the labour force. To assist in curbing front-line States' economic dependence on South Africa, the Bahamas has contributed financially to United Nations programmes as well as to the non-aligned fund for the front-line States.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The Bahamas Government has also consistently supported United Nations programmes for oppressed and refugee South Africans, including the United Nations Fund for Namibia and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Also, to curb significantly front-line States' economic dependence on South Africa and to safeguard their security against South African aggression it is imperative that assistance to these States be increased. Apart from the question of economic dependency on South Africa, the security of front-line States is constantly being violated by South Africa either by direct aggression or by material assistance to armed opposition within front-line States.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“In the view of the Bahamas there must be unqualified acceptance of the urgent need for action to dismantle apartheid in South Africa. Meaningful measures must also incorporate practical commitment to infrastructural issues such as the abolition of discriminatory education. In that context, the Bahamas Government welcomed and supports, through contributions to the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth South Africa Scholarship Fund, which administers the Commonwealth Nassau Fellowships established at the 1985 meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government in the capital of the Bahamas to help educate South Africans disadvantaged by apartheid, so that they can acquire the skills likely to be required for the progress of a post-apartheid South Africa.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Consequently, the Commonwealth convened a mini-summit of seven countries in London to attempt to place increased pressure on South Africa. With Sir Lynden Pindling as Chairman, the Governments of India, Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Britain, Zambia and the Bahamas reaffirmed a commitment to the Commonwealth accord on southern Africa concluded at Chogm in Nassau. Because of Pretoria's unwillingness to negotiate, the group of seven, with the exception of Britain, agreed to adopt economic measures against South Africa as a moral and political imperative. When Commonwealth Heads of Government convene in Vancouver next week, the Bahamas assuredly will be in the forefront of the fight for racial equality and freedom in all southern Africa.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)