YouSaid · the spoken record

Azeredo da Silveira

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS AZEREDO DA SILVEIRA

lines on the record: 104
first: 1974-09-24
most recent: 1978-09-24
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

“We do not deny that certain States are immensely more prosperous and more powerful than others. What we cannot continue to accept is that a few States seek to resolve the political and economic destinies of the world, with the United Nations kept on the margin and without regard for the interests, of the great majority of its Members. To these latter, participation in the process of making decisions which directly or indirectly will affect their fates can no longer be denied.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“The United Nations Conference on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, which took place recently in Buenos Aires, was an important landmark for multilateral efforts in this field. 31. The United Nations is the only universal body with the duty of maintaining international peace and security and simultaneously promoting co-operation for the social and economic development of all peoples. It is an imperfect system, much in need of reform. But, above all, it is a system imperfectly utilized. 32. The Charter of the Organization itself establishes, as the first of its basic principles, that of sovereign equality among all States. But that provision, which should be the foundation of universal co-operation for the solution Of the great problems of today's world, is undermined every moment.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“Brazil will always continue to be pledged to the promotion and improvement of international co-operation, but it sees with disenchantment the gradual fading of the hopeful picture that had been sketched as a result of the seventh special session of the General Assembly. This thirty-third session will, consequently, be of crucial importance in determining the direction which the North-South dialogue will take. 30. It is in the light of these facts that we attribute special importance to the development of machinery aimed at filling the gaps in North-South co-operation. With this aim in mind Brazil has put forward and supported efforts _to promote, enlarge and intensify horizontal and equitable co-operation among the countries which strive for development.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“It is worth remembering that the Conference on the Law of the Sea is, in the judgement of many, the most important negotiation since the San Francisco Conference, at which our Charter was established and our Organization was created. 28. Another glaring recent example of this situation was the suspension some days ago of the work of the Committee Established under General Assembly Resolution 32/174,; known as the Committee of the Whole, a body which, in principle, should have decisive influence on the progress of specific negotiations within the framework of the North-South dialogue. 29.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“During that part of the session which took place in Geneva we had noted some progress on important issues, but the continuation of the work in New York seems to have provoked setbacks and withdrawals, a fact which does not allow us to declare ourselves even modestly satisfied with what was achieved. 27. The prospect of having national legislation on matters under negotiation adopted unilaterally, in direct opposition to resolution 2749 (XXV), which was accepted without dissenting voices, did not contribute to better results. We cannot yet evaluate precisely just how far the consequences of such actions will go, but it is not possible to view them without deep concern.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“The situation, which tends only to become more grave, is a source of concern, especially as it fits into the increasingly bleak picture of North-South economic relations, marked in practically all its aspects by a worsening of trends, such as protectionism contrary to the establishment of a more just and equitable international economy. 26. It is to be regretted, in this context, that the lack of political will on the part of a large number of our developed partners continues to block the progress of constructive negotiations. Two weeks ago, the seventh session of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea held its last meeting in these halls. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to be able to affirm that that session, the latest in a long series, arrived at positive results. Unfortunately such was not the case.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“Within the limits of its possibilities, Brazil will exert every effort to help those bodies to achieve the results urgently required in the field of disarmament, particularly in the field of nuclear disarmament. 25. The obstacles that certain developed countries try to raise against the acquisition by the remaining States of technologies indispensable to development, including nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, are only one area in which some highly industrialized countries, aware of the g-owing political and economic importance of technology in a world of more and more limited natural resources, systematically try to hinder, restrict or block the access of developing countries to the means which are needed for the promotion of the welfare of their peoples.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“The Final Document of the special session [resolution S-10/2] contains serious omissions and confers disproportionate importance upon issues of secondary urgency in the general field of disarmament. 24. Since it was not possible to achieve significant progress on the substantive issues of greater priority and urgency during the special session, it is symptomatic that the main practical results of the Assembly on disarmament lie precisely in the procedural area of machinery for future negotiations and deliberations. Willing to continue contributing, in good faith, to all constructive efforts in that area, we supported the decisions on the new negotiating body and on the new Committee on Disarmament.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“Although we were conscious of the limitations which would inevitably follow from the realities of power, we nurtured the hope that the special session would be a first step, albeit a modest one, towards the solution of priority problems relating to nuclear weapons. 23. Aware of the need to ensure the co-operation of all States, particularly of the nuclear Powers, we all agree that the appropriate method of work was to seek solutions by consensus. Nevertheless, we witnessed the blockage even of successively diluted versions of texts that addressed themselves effectively to disarmament. Entire sections dealing with the really urgent problems relating to nuclear weapons were completely suppressed or made ambiguous.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“The situation today demands decisive action on the part of the international community, which has complacently and for many years contemplated the uncontrolled accumulation, by a few States, of arms of mass destruction and the terrifying and permanent refinement, by those same States, of instruments capable of annihilating human life on earth. The threat to us, to each of us in this room, and to each one of the 150 countries we represent, lies not only in the danger that those weapons may one day be used, but also in the very existence of that weaponry. 22. The spirit of frankness which should inspire this general debate leads me to say that, in this sense, the results of the first special session devoted to disarmament—the tenth special session—which was held in May and June of this year, were disappointing.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“We await with interest new stages in the process that is now under way, and we are attentively observing the degree of acceptance it is being accorded by the other parties more directly involved in the question, while cherishing the hope that it will be possible to arrive at just and lasting solutions compatible with the principle of the non-acquisition of territory by force, with the principle of the recognition of the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and with the right of all parties to the conflict to survival and self-determination. 20. I cannot avoid making special mention of a problem which increasingly endangers the very existence of mankind. I refer, obviously, to the arms race and, in particular, to the nuclear arms race. 21.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“In this sense, the extremely volatile situation in the Middle East gives all of us reason for the most profound concern. The continual resurgence in that region of the mistrust and hostility that have so often marked its turbulent history and, in particular, the tragic events in Lebanon, which caused the convening of the eighth special session of the General Assembly this year—all contribute to create a climate of disquiet and discouragement. 19. The recent negotiations at Camp David are a new element in the search for peace in the region of the Middle East.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“But our cautious satisfaction with the apparent progress of that African country towards independence-the object, this year, of the historic ninth special session of the Assembly-is not enough to counterbalance the continued frustration of the expectations of the international community in relation to the self-determination of the people of Zimbabwe and the abolition of the apartheid regime. 17. Nor can we be reassured by the relatively unstable peace which prevails over a great part of the world when we observe the persistence of explosive situations and, in some cases, their rapid deterioration. In a world of solidarity and interdependence, there is no peace while there remain focuses of tension, of injustice and of conflict, even when localized. 18.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“The past years have brought great rejoicing to Brazil with the independence and admission to the United Nations of all former Portuguese territories in Africa. But our attention is still turned to the peoples of Namibia and Zimbabwe, who still seek their self-determination and independence, not to mention other peoples, in other parts of the world, who still remain under the yoke of foreign domination. We anxiously await the occasion, which we hope will come very soon, to welcome to the United Nations the nation of Namibia, free and sovereign at last, with its territorial integrity fully preserved.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“Thus, a solid base has been created on which Brazil can stand in the coming years, a country firmly devoted to the task of promoting its ideals of peace, justice and development in harmony with the other nations of the earth. 15. In that same speech of September 1974,1 underlined certain grave problems afflicting the international community which were included in the General Assembly's agenda and which, directly or indirectly, also affected and continue to affect the country I represent. In some of those cases the balance of these last four years has been positive, although still unsatisfactory. In others it was clearly negative. 16. To mention only one of those problems, I then referred, first of all, to the general theme of decolonization and to the inhuman policy of apartheid.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“Zealous for our sovereignty and independence, we have reaffirmed whenever necessary by word and deed our unshakeable adherence to the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of States, mutual respect and self-determination. And we have lived in peace, always trying to solve with serenity our differences of opinion with, or eventual divergences, from other nations. 13. We have sought, as far as possible, to break obsolete patterns of international relations and to replace them with more equitable and more balanced arrangements. This has enabled us to open up new diplomatic horizons. And we have thus revealed the true international profile of Brazil, ever sensitive to changes in the world reality. 14.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“I stressed, further, that we were ready, wherever Brazilian national interest might move us, to look for areas of convergence and zones of coincidence with the interests of other peoples, acting always in pursuance of objectives that were clearly identified and accepted by the Brazilian people. 12. That, in brief, has been the guideline followed by Brazil during these years in its external relations, both bilaterally and multilaterally. And the balance, I believe, is positive. We have greatly increased the areas of co-operation and understanding with our neighbours of the Latin American region, with our overseas neighbours, the sister republics of Africa, and with the other countries of the world. Traditional friendships have been strengthened and new and mutually beneficial friendships have been developed.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“When I spoke in this forum precisely four years ago as the Foreign Minister of President Ernesto Geisel's Administration, whose work was then beginning, I pointed out that we wished our language in the international field to be plain and straightforward, that we desired frank and uninhibited communication among the States Members of the United Nations and that we would explore all roads to understanding, for we held the fundamental belief that co-operation is more effective than antagonism and that mutual respect is more creative than the ambition of preponderance.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“The tradition to which I referred in my opening words gives Brazil not only the .privilege but, above all, the responsibility, which falls upon me, of opening this debate, the only one to be held every year at a high political level among the representatives of the international community as a whole, without distinction between the powerful and the weak or the rich and the poor. 11. This is the fifth time I have addressed the General Assembly as the Minister for External Relations of my country.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“Mojsov our appreciation of the manner in which he accomplished in this past year the task of presiding over the General Assembly during its thirty-second regular session and the unprecedented total of three special sessions. 9. Thirty-three years after the creation of this world Organization we have arrived, as a result of the process of decolonization promoted and accelerated by the United Nations itself, at a membership of 120 States. Solomon Islands now joins the community of nations with full rights, and we bid them welcome. 10.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“7. Mr. President, the tradition which offers Brazil the privilege of opening the general debate at the United Nations General Assembly gives me this year the very special pleasure of being the first among the speakers to compliment you on your election by acclamation to the presidency of this thirty-third session of the Assembly. Without stressing the strong and traditional ties that bind our two countries, neighbours and sisters, it is for me a source of particular personal satisfaction to see the labours of this main political body of the United Nations entrusted to the skilful and experienced guidance of my Colombian colleague and friend, Indalecio Lavano Aguirre. 8. Nor can I fail to express to Mr.”
1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)
“To allow the United Nations fully to discharge its great duties, it will be necessary to encourage the equitable participation of all States in the political process, thus reinvigorating the international system and giving new momentum to common efforts towards peace, security and development Brazil has confidence in the world of tomorrow.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“We have seen within the United Nations the expansion of the capacity of countries to express their national aspirations and to influence decision-making processes the consequences of which effect everyone We want to see this reality consolidated and strengthened. We want to see the complete abolition of the gap which still keeps many States at a distance from international consideration of questions affecting their interests. This is an urgent matter, for the accelerated technological development of some States may result in a new factor which will facilitate the survival of obsolete forms of international relations. 40.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“But this, however, should not let us lose sight of the imperative need to continue to work, both at the operational and normative levels, to obtain structural changes in the intrinsically unjust nature of those rules. 38. It is, therefore, with a confidence tempered by realism that we identify the usefulness of two important coming conferences to be convened under the auspices of the United Nations: that on technical co-operation among developing countries and that on science and technology for development. I believe that few areas hold so much promise of beneficial results for the international community. 39.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“Brazil expects developed countries to discourage discriminatory attitudes and to pledge themselves to give equitable treatment to exports from developing countries. 36. The recognition of the fact that difficulties do exist and the small margin of progress achieved do not dishearten us in our search for new ways. The developing countries must, above all, make use of their own efforts, of the growing weight of their economies and of their solidarity, which was tested under severe conditions, to continue pragmatically to act with strength, even within the present rules of the game, to overcome the difficulties and obstacles facing them. 37.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“I do not wish now to begin the examination of the substance of the talks at the Conference, but I should like to recall that unfulfilled hopes and non-binding manifestations of goodwill are not substitutes for effective action. 35. If the weight of congealed structures and the immense obstacles raised by history in the face of those countries which arrived later to the process of industrialization is not enough, I must point out with special concern another aspect of the present picture of international economic relations: the re-emergence of protectionism in some developed countries. To overcome these additional difficulties, international co-operation is ever more necessary for the benefit of both the developing countries and the industrialized countries.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“In 1974, the Brazilian proposal on collective economic security for development proceeded from that finding to demonstrate that social justice and economic progress are essential to the system of guarantees among States and thus inseparable from the goal of peace and security. 34. The results arrived at after 18 months of work by the Conference on International Economic Co-operation cannot be described as encouraging. It had been expected that that Conference, even though it might have found it impossible to solve immediate problems, could have been the source of a new spirit which would prevail in the examination of sensitive and controversial questions when they were the subject of negotiations in specific forums. That did not come about, as demonstrated by the fruitless nature of the Paris negotiations.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“Almost 20 years after the launching of the First United Nations Development Decade, almost 15 years after the convening of the first session of UNCTAD, and more than a generation after the creation of the Economic and Social Council where the central problems of world economic relations have been discussed, the developing countries still face severe obstacles and encounter structures and machinery which no longer respond to the claims of the present world. 33. Brazil was among the first to understand the threat to international security necessarily constituted by economic inequality. We were able to see in the international structures as they were then, and still are today, a grave restriction on the development process.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The machinery and procedures already available to the United Nations for the consideration of human rights problems seem to us ample and sufficient to enable the work to proceed at the rhythm required by the complexity of the subject and preserved from passing factors and circumstances. 29. International co-operation cannot and must not be an instrument to be resorted to for momentary convenience nor must it serve as the last resort for help in circumstances of acute crisis. It must be a continuous, constructive and creative effort An objective evaluation of the field of international economic relations demonstrates that such an effort is truly indispensable. 32. Initiatives and projects succeed one another without, as we should wish, any change occurring in the harsh realities facing the developing countries.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“Finally, the solution of the problems of the rights of man lies within the responsibility of the Government of each country. In a world which is still, unfortunately, marked by interventionist attitudes, be they open or veiled, and by the distortion of certain matters, no country or group of countries should enjoy the status of judge of other countries on such serious and intimate questions of national life. 28. Bearing in mind this conceptual heritage, Brazil has recently associated itself with the work of the Commission on Human Rights, an association which will allow it to contribute more effectively, at the normative international level, in the promotion of these rights.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The creation of conditions favourable to the generalized respect for human rights will depend on the substantial improvement of political and economic security at the international level. As long as the nuclear arms race continues unchecked and as long as no satisfaction is given within the framework of North-South relations to the just aspirations of the developing countries, the basic prerequisites will be missing to permit human rights, in their wider and truer meaning, being effectively respected on a global scale. The refusal to facilitate the establishment of a more just and more stable international economic order, one that would meet the claims of collective economic security for development, is a factor that cannot be ignored or overshadowed in the interest of respect for human rights. 27.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The first component of this heritage is the conviction that the problem is one of a fundamentally ethical nature, a basic fact that does not always seem to be present when the matter is being examined in this body or elsewhere. Very often the subject is dealt with intentions that differ from the sincere desire to protect the rights of man. 25. A second component of our common heritage lies in the conviction that the question of human rights is of a universal character. To justify discriminatory treatment on the basis of national interest is to destroy the very foundations of the defence of those rights. 26. Thirdly, it would be unrealistic to imagine that these question are, in practice, isolated from consideration of other problems which afflict the community of nations.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The treatment of this question at the multilateral level might assist the creation of favourable conditions for the full exercise of those rights which, in our view, embrace not only civil and political aspects but also social1, and economic questions such as the right to food, to education, to culture, to work, to a life free from pauperism and to support in old age. All these matters must be dealt with within a broad and integrated perspective. 23. International concern over human rights is not new, and there is no novelty in the efforts of many States to see those rights respected. It would be useful to recall, even though briefly, the common conceptual heritage accumulated over the years in the consideration of this subject at the international level. 24.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The treaties are an important step towards the re-establishment of justice and of the respect that all countries deserve, be they great or small, powerful or not powerful. 22. As I have pointed out, co-operation—which is urged upon us by the Charter of the United Nations—presupposes as a basic requirement respect for national identity and for the sovereignty of States. The Charter places the theme of human rights precisely within the field of international co-operation, and within that field makes the promotion of those rights one of the most important tasks of the Organization.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“Non-intervention in the internal and external affairs of other States and attachment to peaceful and effective means for the solution of occasional disputes, which stem very often from the very closeness of their relationship, constitute the incalculable heritage of the countries of that region. 21. Within the inter-American framework it is with satisfaction that I record a significant event, both for the countries in the hemisphere and for the international community, namely, the signing on 7 September of the treaties on the Panama Canal. This is an historic episode in which the search for convergence and an effort at cooperation prevailed. Panama and the United States of America have demonstrated a sense of opportunity and of realism in finding a mutually satisfactory solution of a question of long and painful duration.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The practices of apartheid deserve condemnation both at the ethical and juridical levels and at the political level, for, in addition to offending the moral conscience and transgressing human rights, they represent a factor that disturbs peace. 19. I should like also to mention, although very briefly, the geographical region to which we belong and with the aspirations of which Brazil fully identifies. It is with pleasure that I refer to the constructive relationship among the countries of Latin America developed on the basis of open friendship and positive co-operation aimed at mutual benefit. 20.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The international community has the undeniable moral and political duty to create conditions to accelerate the solution of these international questions. In spite of the numerous obstacles raised by those who still benefit in the region from the present situation, the path to negotiation must be trod will perseverance. The options provided by the Charter of the United Nations should be utilized, among others, so as to make it perfectly clear that the international community is determined to see that the negotiations are conducted with speed. 18. Discrimination, segregation and racial hatred constitute one of the most extreme violations of the rights of the human person.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“As a result of racial oppression and the persistence of colonialism, southern Africa is another region where serious tensions are widespread and put at risk the very maintenance of international peace and security. Brazil has repeatedly made plain its repudiation of racism and colonialism, together with its growing apprehension at this situation which is a challenge to the conscience of humanity. It was thus with special interest that we participated in the major meetings that took place this year in Maputo and in Lagos, namely, the International Conference in Support of the Peoples of Zimbabwe and Namibia and the World Conference for Action against Apartheid. 17. The questions of interest to the peoples of southern Africa must be solved without further ado.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“True to the guiding principles of our nationality, we consider as indispensable elements for a just and lasting solution respect for the right of all States to their existence and for the right of all peoples and countries of this region to enjoy self-determination, to exercise their sovereignty and to live in peace. True, furthermore, to the principle of the non-acquisition of territory by force, we share the widely manifested concern with regard to the recent initiatives that run counter to United Nations resolutions and that pretend to give a kind of de facto legitimacy to situations created by force. These initiatives make more difficult the establishment of peace in the region. 16.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“We trust that the next special session of the General Assembly dedicated to disarmament will be a positive step in the multilateral negotiations concerning the problems in this field. Having in mind the preparatory work under way, we are especially confident that it will be possible to concentrate the attention of the General Assembly on the most critical of the areas of disarmament, namely, the negotiations for effective measures of nuclear disarmament. 15. Our community is annually called upon to pronounce itself on the Middle East, an area where advances and retreats occur on the road to peace. The Brazilian position has been reiterated in this plenary Assembly and in other bodies.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“Brazil is convinced that international co-operation, supported by appropriate safeguards, is the best means of ensuring the objectives of the development of the utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without the risks of the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The same directive, incidentally, was elaborated in the United Nations itself, for IAEA, whose long experience accumulated over the last two decades has proved so useful, was conceived and created precisely in order to attempt to accelerate and increase the contribution of nuclear energy to the peace, health and prosperity of the whole world, ensuring that such co-operation is not used in a way that would contribute to military ends. 14.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“We believe that the true 2 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction. 3 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, held at Geneva from 5 to 30 May 1975. meaning of non-proliferation is to ban the diffusion of nuclear weapons, not the dissemination of nuclear technology. Given adequate safeguards, access to the technology for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy should not be subjected to discriminatory restrictions. 13. The Brazilian decision to implement an important nuclear programme for peaceful purposes was based on a careful evaluation of the energy needs of the country and the possible options for meeting such needs.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“This criticism was put forward by the signers of that Treaty themselves, during the Review Conference which took place in 1975. 11. In this regard, the Brazilian Government has recently had, in an official document with wide international distribution, the opportunity to state its position on the ensemble of questions related to the use of nuclear energy. The essence of our thinking bears repetition here. 12. Brazil is a peaceful county. The dominant concern of the Brazilian nation is its integrated, harmonious economic and social development. Brazil is opposed to all proliferation of nuclear weapons, whether vertical or horizontal, and is ready to participate in international efforts aimed at reducing and in due course eliminating nuclear arms, as well as preventing their proliferation.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“Especially cruel weapons continue to be invented. These developments, as well as the dangerous experiments being made in genetic engineering, jeopardize the rights of all peoples and the integrity of the human person, both now and in the future. 10. We must not forget that it is in this context—in which negotiations among States coexist with the still inexorable pursuit of the arms race—that are rightly placed the efforts being made towards the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, although these are not the only element in the problem. It does not seem to me necessary to repeat at this moment the criticism of the gaps and grave imperfections of those efforts, as mirrored in the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The Convention on bacteriological weapons was made possible only because the countries which do not possess such weapons in their armouries have made great concessions, including the relinquishment of a mechanism for verification and safeguards and the acceptance of a separate negotiation of a convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction. 9. The arms race goes on. Strategic weapons are still being perfected and multiplied. The introduction of new generations of tactical nuclear armaments seems to be accompanied by the generalization of a tolerant attitude towards their possible use. By this course—and apart from the fact that the new weapons have an enormous potential for destruction—almost insensibly a new option is open for a possible nuclear escalation.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The international acceptance of these values is not a simple matter of convenience but, in the world of today, a condition for survival. 8. The inefficacy of multilateral efforts on disarmament and the paucity of results achieved up to now can only be a cause for disquiet. The ban on nuclear tests in three environments, besides being incomplete, has contributed little or nothing to the aims of disarmament or even to arms control. There is little confidence that international undertakings now in force will be sufficient to guarantee the use of outer space for exclusively peaceful ends. In relation to the seas and oceans, the only progress achieved relates to the ban on placing nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction on the sea-bed, on the ocean floor and in the subsoil thereof.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The first of those needs, it cannot be repeated too often, is the very survival of human beings; and it is in the light of this, the greatest of all needs, that all others should be seen, such as the establishment of true conditions of international peace and security in order to benefit all peoples without distinction and to offer them tranquillity and the advantages of economic and technological progress. 7. The States which have the greatest potential ability to jeopardize our life on earth also have a correlated specific responsibility for facilitating the progressive attainment of understanding among all nations, with a view to the setting up of a more stable and equitable international political and economic order.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“The reason is that among the areas of action of the United Nations, that of disarmament is perhaps the one in which the positive results have been fewest and on which the strengthening of international peace and security is most dependent. 6. In spite of that, Brazil continues to regard disarmament as one of the central endeavours of our time. New and redoubled international efforts in that direction must be made, for the meagre results hitherto obtained fall far short of the needs of the international community.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“To Brazil co-operation is a spontaneous gesture flowing from the ecumenical nature of its people. As Brazil understands and practises it, co-operation presupposes respect for national identities and for the sovereign right of States to seek the most adequate ways to reach the goals of welfare and progress of their peoples. It presupposes, therefore, respect for the principle of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of States which, more than a general principle of the United Nations, is a legal obligation assumed by all States upon signing and ratifying the Charter. 5. The factors which contribute most to the frustration of the first of the purposes of the Organization, namely that of guarding peace and avoiding the use of force in the settlement of international disputes, still exist.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)
“4. The United Nations mirrors a concept of international relations based on mutual respect and co-operation among States. Although in some Articles of the Charter allowances were made for the realities of power, it is undeniable that the principle of equality among States is one of the fundamental pillars of the Charter. The co-operation which is sought is horizontal co-operation among sovereign States, in which there is no room for hegemony or subordination. The Charter of the United Nations as the supreme instrument of contemporary international law urges each of the States here represented to co-operate and to harmonize our interests in accordance with the parameters defined in its principles and purposes. Such co-operation naturally presupposes the seeking of a point of convergence which would be of benefit to all countries.”
1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)