YouSaid · the spoken record

Zea

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS ZEA

lines on the record: 123
first: 1963-09-24
most recent: 1967-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“He who in the midst of innumerable and disquieting difficulties has handled with singular skill the grave international problems that confront the world today is without doubt the person best qualified to draw the attention of the United Nations to the fact that "no decisive progress has been made by the Governments of Member States in co-operative efforts which are essential if the Organization is to serve effectively the cause of peace and to contribute significantly to the economic development of the poorer regions of the world" [A/6400]. 17. I wish on behalf of my Government to pay a tribute of admiration and gratitude to the Secretary-General.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“Some of the comments which 1 have with all due respect made before this Assembly were also made by Secretary-General U Thant when he indicated his decision not to offer his services for a second term of office. The document submitted by the Secretary-General in this connexion must be a matter for deep thought on the part of the Governments and people of the world.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“The refusal of the socialist countries to participate in the financing of these operations, the disagreement among the other Governments on the amount of the contributions that should be paid and scepticism about the possibility of reaching agreements that would guarantee the effectiveness of the system are all indications that our Organization is still very far from being able — without major financial difficulties and without having to depend on the caprice of the great Powers, on political circumstances or on what may at the moment suit purely national interests — to exercise consistently and decisively its indispensable function of eliminating the danger of war, punishing aggressors and warding off threats to peace. 16.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“In spite of the praiseworthy efforts of its members, the Special Committee on Peace-Keeping Operations, established under resolution 2006 (XIX), has been unabled to reach any practical or concrete conclusions.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“This explains the constant endeavour of the General Assembly to overcome the paralysis of the Security Council in initiating the actions assigned to it in this regard by the Charter. It was thought that resolution 377 (V), the "Uniting for peace" resolution — so ardently defended not only by some of the great Powers but also by the smaller countries, both when it was adopted and now — might be an adequate solution. The truth is that since then we have gone through a process of confusion and complexity so bedevilled by political interests that it can be said that we have not taken a single step forward since the adoption of that resolution, which, although well conceived and motivated by the best of intentions, has proved in practice to be completely ineffective.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“The old yearning of the international community, arising from the inability of the former League of Nations to maintain peace or, rather, to prevent war, was taken into account by the inclusion in the San Francisco Charter of Chapter VII prescribing what action should be taken with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression. 15. The provisions of that Chapter regarding the re-establishment of international peace and security by means of regular United Nations forces have remained words only. We must realize that all the urgent activities of the United Nations, even if completely successful, will be entirely in vain if we fail to endow the Organization with the power to prevent war.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“In this respect, my Government has adopted legislation to implement the relevant recommendations of the General Assembly and the Security Council regarding Southern Rhodesia, and with respect to the question of South West Africa, allow me to reiterate the view expressed at the last session of the Assembly that this territory should be placed under the administration of the United Nations. 13. At all events, the outstanding fact, the one that we must stress before this gallery of nations, is that what has been done so far has not been sufficient to restore in certain areas the effectiveness of those essential principles for which the United Nations was created to put into practice. 14.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“We are alarmed, however, to see that Governments are arising in Africa with the same abominable characteristics. The continuance of this situation in the world of today is an affront to mankind and a cause for shame and reproach on the part of all of us seated here in this Assembly. The truth is that it has not been possible to solve this problem satisfactorily in the last few years and that it has now been aggravated by the situation in Southern Rhodesia and by the problem of South West Africa. The practices of apartheid must be completely stamped out. Colombia is willing to support, and even to sponsor, measures which might prove effective against such Governments.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“The San Francisco Charter states that the peoples of the United Nations are determined "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small". This principle led to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, but today we see how the repeated, shocking and inhuman violation of this instrument constitutes still another matter with which we have been powerless to deal. 12. There seemed to be some basis for believing that the abominable practice of a privileged minority dominating large subjugated majorities who were denied the most elemental rights might be restricted to one country and gradually disappear.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“It was to be an opportunity for starting a huge movement of world public opinion that could bring pressure to bear on the atomic Powers. Today, the possibility of entertaining any illusion of this kind is remote, and hence we must also admit that the United Nations is incapable of dealing with this crucial and decisive question. The nuclear tests will continue and with them the horrifying prospect that, as the number of atomic Powers increases, the third world war will become inevitable before the end of this century. 11. There are, however, other events weighing down world peace, which are extremely grave and are related to one of the basic objectives of the world Organization, the second objective after the preservation of peace.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“Since then, however, there has been no effective progress, and it is now apparent that the tests are continuing as all people, including those whose Governments persist in carrying out the tests, look on with fear, indignation and horror. 10. The intention of our Organization as expressed in General Assembly resolution 2030 (XX) on the question of convening a world disarmament conference has so far been merely another vain hope. This was to be an opportunity for providing a universal forum where all the factors impeding the necessary understanding between the peoples of the world could be analysed with the participation of the nuclear Powers and particularly of those which are continuing to increase and perfect these weapons of destruction.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“Ever since the first atomic bomb, w*th its lethal aftermath of radioactivity, was tested, the efforts of the Governments and people of all countries have been directed towards halting the ominous production, of nuclear weapons. The Assembly has adopted innumerable resolutions urging the atomic Powers to cease their tests so that the terrifying power of destroying civilization might not be expanded or increased and that broad areas of America, Africa and Asia might be free of this peril. As a result, the treaty banning nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water was signed in Moscow on 5 August 1963 and was welcomed with joy by the people of the entire world.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“Because of the obstinate refusal of the great Powers to yield in matters which could be settled if they were analysed with a real and deep desire to find intelligent solutions, general and complete disarmament now seems a more unattainable ideal than ever. The same is true of the hope that the enormous sums being devoted to a mad and criminal armaments race might be used to fight under-development and to banish backwardness from vast areas of the globe. 9. The splitting of the atom and the discovery of nuclear energy have presented the world with the gravest of threats to the very existence of the human species, and there is a universal clamour that this threat, which may one day become a reality, should be banished forever.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“This in turn raises the question of whether the Organization does or does not have the means to operate effectively, at this stage of history, in order to achieve the purposes for which it was created. 8. What is more, however, those fundamental questions which have demanded the attention and concern of the United Nations during the twenty years of its existence are now in a discouraging state of paralysis. Take, for example, disarmament. Public opinion no longer expects any great progress to be made in the discussions which have been going on now for a number of years at Geneva in the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“Many of its best efforts have come to nought, and this should cause us to ponder the best way of overcoming the enormous obstacles which ignorance, ambition, greed or the thirst for power have placed in the path to peace, to a better understanding among peoples and to the satisfaction of basic human needs. 7. When the crisis which paralysed the nineteenth session of the Assembly was surmounted, we felt great hopes for the future of the Organization. However, the results which we so ardently desired have not been forthcoming. The truth is that we are unable to exert any decisive influence on events which are unfolding before our eyes and which we can only watch with increasing anxiety. We are unable to stop the conflict in Asia, which is continuing with the greatest bitterness and which could lead to the outbreak of a world conflict.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“We have helped new States towards independence and aided them in the establishment of their institutions, and these States now act as a balance between the various blocs of nations and are a decisive factor in world decisions. We have provided economic, technical and cultural assistance to help overcome the phenomen of underdevelopment, and even military assistance to alleviate tensions which at the time might have led to a new conflagration. 6. Our Organization has been going forward and has been growing stronger despite the wide ideological and political divergencies of the great Powers, and it has gradually taken on the character of universality which it must have. But, we must admit that it has not always been as effective for the solution of world problems as it should have been.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“The general debate which is held in this Assembly each year is not merely an occasion for analysing the international situation and learning the views of each of the Member States; it must in addition, as in fact it does, provide an opportunity for analysing the shortcomings and possibilities of our Organization in carrying out its basic purposes. If, having reached the twenty-first session of the General Assembly, we now look back, we find that its achievements have indeed been great and positive. We have preserved world peace for more than twenty years, although vast sectors of humanity have been shaken by violence and cruelty from time to time.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“All this has strengthened my conviction that whatever might be done by Member States to defend its existence, this is but little by comparison with what the absence of its beneficial influence on the lives of nations could mean for our own generation and even more for the generations to come. This would mean the disappearance of the principles which have been enshrined in the Charter with the aim of putting an end to the millennia of suffering endured by man since his appearance on this planet; it would, above all, deceive the hopes of the millions of human beings who are looking to the dawn of a better world free of the heavy burden of poverty and ignorance. 5.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“The admission of this new Member has a very profound significance for Latin America because it conforms to the anti-colonialist spirit of its inhabitants and their desire for that part of the world to be composed of free nations, the masters of their own destinies. 4. I have had the honour of representing my country in this Organization for four years. In hope and in fear, I have lived through some of its most serious crises: on several occasions, we faced the appalling possibility of its dissolution, and on others, we noted it effectiveness in preventing catastrophies that might have been irreparable.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“I am confident that their work at this session of the Assembly will be inspired by a common desire to strengthen peace and ensure the well-being of the human race. Colombia comes to these meetings in this spirit and with the unshakable resolve that justice preside over relations between peoples. 3. I also wish to express our deep satisfaction at the admission of Guyana as a new Member of the United Nations, and I accordingly extend our hearty congratulations to its Government and people and to the delegation that represents them. This young State has come to join the ranks of the Latin American nations, and we are sure that its contribution will be consonant with our continent's traditional policy of solidarity with the rest of the world.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“1. Mr. President, knowing your skill as a statesman, your experience in dealing with international questions and your complete devotion to peace, which you have tirelessly propagated in the United Nations, the Government of Colombia believes that the General Assembly could not have made a better choice than it did in electing you as its President. May I therefore extend to you and to your great country my warmest congratulations and sincere good wishes for the utmost success in your difficult and complex task in the interest of the welfare of mankind and of the prestige of this Organization. 2. At the same time, I most respectfully extend the greetings of my Government to all the representatives gathered here.”
1966-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 21 (1966)
“Gromyko, the Foreign Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and if man's mentality should change to the extent of making him place the interests of his own species above the lesser interests of each nation, that would do more to preserve peace on this earth in the years to come than would the destruction of the atomic arsenals.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Colombia comes to these meetings imbued with the same spirit of brotherhood that has always inspired it in this world forum. I do not think that I need recapitulate the principles of international law which have shaped its juridical traditions. Long before the noble doctrine enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was formulated, Colombia had brought its international conduct into line with these principles. Today we restate those principles, in the conviction that if the spirit of optimism and good fortune that has marked the opening of this eighteenth session should spread to the rest of the world, spurred on by the stimulating words of Mr. Kennedy, the President of the United States, and of Mr.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“There is an encouraging similarity in the way the Latin American Governments assess the problems of their peoples and the measures required to solve them successfully. This is the task on which they are concentrating. They are also counting on the advantages to be derived from a great hemispheric enterprise, which we are convinced will not fail although its initial stages have been beset by difficulties. All this, however, is dependent on the preservation of the democratic character with which the Inter-American system was originally conceived and which it must retain. There is an urgent need, too, for vigorous and united efforts to be made to prevent the recurrence of the coups d'état, which openly conflict with that system and are a source of alarm and shame to our region, 151.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“As far as Colombia is concerned, I can state that their activities do not dismay us and that our Government and people are determined to preserve their freedom, democratic traditions, legality and peace. 149. On the other hand, we realize that the ancient moulds must be broken and that is why reforms are under way in some of our countries. We welcome the step taken by Costa Rica in proposing the study of agrarian reform as an item on the agenda of the General Assembly. Very few people would today dispute the fact that the misery and poverty afflicting large sections of humanity in various parts of our continent are the result of the antiquated and inadequate agrarian structure and the existence of a system of land tenure tantamount to serfdom, with its unexploited latifundia and unproductive smallholdings. 150.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Those who advocate such a course, that is to say, the members of the Communist parties of our hemisphere, represent only tiny minorities in our countries and have never carried any appreciable weight in elections, as has been made evident even in the most purely liberal circles. 148. It is even less likely that they will achieve their aims by resorting to the criminal acts of terrorist bands, whether acting on their own account or supported and directed from outside. Apart from the destruction, death, cruelty and horror brought about by their sinister activities, they are doomed to total failure. Such at least is the position in my country and I think it is the same in other Latin American countries.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“It is certain, however, that the initial admiration and enthusiasm gave way first to mistrust, and then to disapproval and utter rejection, when it was seen how that revolution was diverted towards the brutal suppression of freedom and the introduction of bloodthirsty totalitarian methods. Faced with the danger or prospect of falling a prey to the same treatment, the peoples of Latin America reacted vigorously and will continue to do so. As the Foreign Minister of Brazil stated in this Hall, freedom is the one thing on which we cannot compromise. Any attempt to curtail freedom by imposing a single-party system or the practices of contemporary Marxism is utterly futile.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“The poorer classes, the professional men, the workers, the peasants, the students and the middle classes all suffer from the effects of economic backwardness, and in their precarious political situation are resolutely trying, either overtly or covertly, to find a way out of their sad plight. That way, however, will assuredly not be the one that led to such tragic consequences in the Caribbean area when the victorious revolution betrayed its initial ideals. Indeed, the chorus of admiration and enthusiasm which the achievements of the Cuban rebels excited in our countries, and the hatred and resentment that the tyrannical practices aroused among our masses could have given rise to movements designed to bring about through a fundamental change the improvements which had been vainly awaited for so many years.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“The efforts to improve the situation made by the Governments and peoples of Latin America, with international assistance, cannot be overlooked. Unfortunately, however, the problems are of such magnitude that the means available always fall short of the minimum requirements. Yet there is no doubt that the ills of our continent cannot be cured by economic means alone, not even with outside assistance however great that assistance may be —and it is far from being so. Its great afflictions can, in the last analysis, be remedied with international assistance, but thanks also to the will, the resolution, the persevering efforts and the mutual co-operation of the Latin American peoples themselves. 147. In any event, we find ourselves at the outset of a process of transformation which is already characterized by certain distinct features.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“The public conscience appears to be profoundly aware of the need for substantial changes in the political, economic and social structure of the Latin American nations. In recent years it has become almost a commonplace for statesmen and commentators in our continent to invoke revolution as the sole means of achieving the level of development that our peoples are urgently demanding. The only point on which there has been disagreement is the procedure to be followed. Can the desired objectives be attained within a reasonable time by a process of gradual evolution, or would it be necessary, at least in certain places, suddenly to cast aside all the long-established forms of servitude that have been perpetuated in a feudal type of organization?”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“We could never tolerate acts of State which by the use of force impose the will of minorities, purely on account of the colour of their skin, thereby denying the inalienable rights of their fellow-men whom they deem to be inferior. We have never accepted such discrimination and we respect all human beings whatever their colour or origin. Nor could we conceal our disapproval of the acts of discrimination and religious persecution which the world is witnessing in an important region of Asia. All these are forms of backwardness, of spiritual blindness and of barbarity which are inconsistent with either cultural enlightenment or scientific progress. My country hopes that the United Nations will take vigorous action to condemn such outbreaks and to suggest effective remedies at the appropriate time. 146.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“We must also express our satisfaction that the widespread efforts being made to put an end once and for all to the abominable practice of racial discrimination are making appreciable headway, and it is only fitting to acknowledge the determination with which the United States Government has confronted this problem in order to bring the realities of present-day life in its country into line with the concepts that shaped its emergence as an egalitarian State, with the precepts of such great American statesmen as Jefferson and Lincoln and with its status as a leader in the struggle now being waged for freedom. 145.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“We consider it inadmissible for any other State to attempt for any reason whatsoever to exercise control over peoples and territories that have just become independent, and that only the United Nations could be justified in intervening in certain countries in order to restore law and order when circumstances clearly make this imperative. We reject so-called neocolonialism, that is to say, the enforcement on ideological grounds of certain ways of life or systems of government against or in the absence of the clearly expressed will of the people. In our view, colonialism imposed for economic purposes is just as odious as colonialism imposed for purely political reasons. 144.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“We consider that the United Nations Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, which Colombia supported wholeheartedly, in full awareness of its purposes and its scope, should be applied immediately and unconditionally. In our own continent we have problems of this type which we trust will be satisfactorily settled in the near future. It is accordingly our hope that all peoples may have complete freedom to choose their own leaders and the type of government that suits them best.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“We could hardly fail to recall that our own independence was described as premature by leading statesmen at that time and it may be that this view is still held despite our century and a half of self-government and our consistent adherence to apolitical system with profound philosophical roots. Consequently, we do not believe that lack of preparation of a people for independence can be a valid argument for delaying the recognition of their intrinsic right to manage their own affairs. Nor do we accept the theory that possessions in distant continents, having ethnically distinct populations, and which are held under no legal title save the right of occupation or of conquest —the latter often accompanied by bloodshed— can be deemed to form an integral part of a territory for purposes of nationality and submission to sovereign authority.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“For that reason, my delegation considers that there is an urgent need for the establishment of a United Nations Capital Development Fund, or at least, as a compromise measure, for an immediate increase in the resources of the Special Fund, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee concerned. In this connexion we welcome the increase in the capital of the International Development Association which according to the announcement made yesterday in Washington by the Chairman of the Association, has just been decided upon. 143. Colombia has constantly and emphatically proclaimed its anti-colonialist position and it is therefore glad to see the great work the United Nations is carrying out in this field.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Nevertheless, the Advisory Committee of Experts established pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 873 (XXXIII) has proposed the creation of a United Nations Industrial Development Agency, an idea which has reconciled the conflicting points of view. We consider that this proposal represents a satisfactory compromise and we are therefore prepared to support it. It is undeniable that the United Nations will have to intensify its activities in the field of industrialization, as it has already done, for example, in the fields of education, agriculture and health. 142. It is obvious, too, that if the objectives proclaimed in the resolutions on the United Nations Development Decade are to be attained, new and bold measures will be required to increase the capital available for the development programmes of the low-income countries.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Colombia hopes that the Conference on Trade and Development will lay solid foundations for a new relationship between the nations, for a system of true, constructive, creative and fruitful international cooperation, which will indubitably involve great sacrifices for some but will in the final analysis be of tremendous benefit to all. 141. It must also be admitted that the imperative need of the developing countries for industrialization has not aroused an adequate response in the United Nations. Some countries, including Colombia, have consistently advocated the establishment of a specialized agency for industrial development, but that project has not found support among many delegations.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“A revolution in this field is an imperative necessity of the times. The developing countries can no longer submit to the tremendous injustice brought about by the progressive deterioration of their terms of trade. The low incomes of the developing countries have delayed the implementation of their programmes, and international financial aid, when it does materialize, is not even sufficient to make up for the heavy losses which that deterioration constantly entails. The conditions of international trade must undergo a fundamental change and the time has come for the industrialized countries that have achieved a high degree of development to realize that the economic imbalance between different countries is the outstanding problem of the hour and that its prolongation will entail the most serious dangers for them too.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Among the most significant methods devised by the world Organization in its efforts to achieve economic equilibrium, there are two to which my Government has wished to devote preferential attention: one is the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, which is to be held in Geneva in the spring of 1964, and the other is that concerned with the promotion of industrialization. We have no hesitation in asserting that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development must, and can, be the most important international event of this decade. The whole world already realizes that it is essential that a "new international trade and development policy", as is stated in resolution 963 (XXXVI) unanimously approved by the Economic and Social Council, should be adopted and accepted by all nations.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“In spite of so many expert groups, so many agencies for economic co-operation, such splendid advances in science and technology, so many studies and surveys, such mountains of documentation on development, the world economic situation has not improved, because the gap between the wealthy countries and the countries with low per capita incomes, instead of narrowing, has been widening year after year. Unless the developed countries resolve to contribute decisively, and with a high sense of solidarity, to solutions capable of immediate application, all the theoretical plans we make here will be of no avail. 140.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Our desire to play our part in the Council is evidence of the importance my Government attaches to the urgency of improving the deplorable conditions of great masses of humanity in our continent and of ensuring that all countries attain economic levels now enjoyed by only a few. As has already been said here, the economic advancement of the underdeveloped areas is now the primary objective of the United Nations, so that the most glaring and serious factor of unrest in the world, human despair, may be eliminated. Without accelerated economic advancement in those areas it would be very difficult, and indeed almost impossible, to ensure peace. Despite the great effort being made to find solutions to the formidable economic problems of the day, it must be acknowledged that thus far the outlook is discouraging.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“It would not be possible, therefore, to promote a continental defence policy or to conclude new agreements on the subject without the participation of all States solemnly bound by this defensive alliance. It would be curious, to say the least, and perhaps futile to boot, for the Latin American nations to enter into an agreement in the absence of the one country which is non-Latin but which alone possesses the object of the proposed ban —nuclear weapons. 139. As Colombia has been a member of the Economic and Social Council since 1962, it has had a special opportunity to participate in United Nations economic development activities.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“It would be desirable, however, to conclude an agreement covering all regions of the globe, since the use of nuclear weapons in one region would inevitably affect the whole face of the world, and it would be even more desirable that it should be accepted by the nuclear Powers themselves. 138. As regards the drafting of a treaty between the Latin American nations, my Government considers that the general policies of our continent should reflect not only Latin American feelings, but also a common political purpose. These policies have not been devised in isolation, but are based on legal precepts binding also upon the United States of America —as, for example, those of the Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance signed at Rio de Janeiro.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“My Government agrees that the adoption of defence measures and the reduction of the threat of nuclear weapons is the most pressing need of the world today. 136. There are two aspects of this question to be considered: first, the General Assembly's wish to recognize Latin America as a denuclearized zone and, consequently, its recommendation to the Latin American nations to reach an agreement on that point; secondly, the drafting of the treaty itself which, as the Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs said here, is the objective of the statement by the five Heads of State already mentioned. 137. Inasmuch as peace is today an indivisible concept linking all the peoples of the international community, it is most logical that declarations of this kind should be conceived and brought forth in the United Nations.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Since the Brazilian proposal was submitted, the Presidents of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Mexico, in a letter to the other Heads of State of the continent, have invited them to conclude a treaty to ban nuclear weapons in Latin America. The matter will be considered at the current session and will no doubt receive the greatest attention and consideration by delegations. 134. Without prejudice to my delegation's right to express its views in greater detail at the appropriate; time, I should like to say briefly, in anticipation, what the position of my Government is on the subject. 135. First of all, my Government thinks that the lofty humanitarian spirit which prompted these proposals should be stressed and applauded.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“It should be a vital concern of the great Powers —and a very potent factor In safeguarding peace— to exercise care in the distribution of arms, to scrutinize most carefully every situation where change Is sought through the use of arms, and to be certain that the arms supplied will never be used to satisfy a gross lust for domination and against unarmed masses of people. 133. A very important part of the disarmament problem is the question of the denuclearization of various geographical regions. The General Assembly has already taken such action with regard to the continent of Africa, and since last year the United Nations has been studying the Brazilian proposal, later supported by Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador, that Latin America should also be declared a denuclearized zone.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“There are more powerful and convincing weapons which Governments can use to retain power —their achievements in the social field, and efficient and disinterested service to the governed. Of course, there are legitimate, democratic and progressive Governments which yet have to combat forces of disorder and which undoubtedly must be given the policing instruments they need to protect their Institutions; but that does not mean that they need to have a formidable war machine, ready to go into action at the slightest sign of dissent.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Why cannot the great Powers resolve, by agreement among themselves, to suspend deliveries of arms and all military aid, and to make them available only for defensive action in cases of flagrant aggression? 132. Arms deliveries to countries that are not at war with their neighbours, and are not even threatened in any way, often serve merely to keep undesirable Governments In power against the will of the people. This has happened in the past and it is happening now. Latin America has experienced such an unwarranted state of affairs time and again. This means that arms manufactured in good faith for the defence of world freedom have many times been used to suppress freedom, to subjugate and victimize peoples.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“However, the great Powers, which manufacture arms, supply them to their allies, and store them in arsenals of their own already full to overflowing, can and must make a start now in cutting back this ominous output, or at least they should stop flooding the world with such dreadful destructive power. What need of arms have the developing countries? What they do need, urgently, is machinery and equipment, ploughs and tools, means of transport. To acquire all those things with the resources at their disposal is practically impossible; yet it is relatively easy to obtain arms because of ample stocks and over-production, and because they often grow obsolete in their vast storage depots.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)