YouSaid · the spoken record

BONGO

lines on the record: 401
first: 1976-09-24
most recent: 1993-09-24
sittings or episodes: 15
sources: un-general-debate

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“In this respect, we welcome the progress achieved at the Pattaya Conference in Thailand. The process initiated during that meeting to find a peaceful solution should be resolutely pursued so that, at last, a global settlement can be reached guaranteeing the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia. In Latin America, Gabon is extending its support to the peace process initiated under the auspices of the United Nations for the restoration of security and stability In that region. He support a just and lasting peace in Europe, because we are very concerned about the tensions and conflicts which are growing in Central and Eastern Europe and which are endangering international peace and security.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“While welcoming the fact that the three main pillars of apartheid in South Africa have been removed, Gabon has not forgotten that the principle of "one man, one vote", does not yet prevail in the political life of that country. That is why the Gabonese authorities reaffirm their unconditional commitment to this universal principle which South Africa must respect. With regard to the latest developments in that country, Gabon welcomes the conclusion of the tripartite peace agreement and appeals to the contracting parties to apply the provisions so that a new democratic and multiracial South Africa can emerge. A just and lasting peace is also necessary In Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Afghanistan. With regard to Cambodia, in particular, encouraging signs of a return to peace have emerged in recent months.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Our concern for peace and security can be seen again in the unreserved support which Gabon has extended to all the efforts undertaken to solve the problem in Angola. It is appropriate here to reiterate the total support of my country for the efforts undertaken on behalf of national reconciliation and, in this connection, to welcome the signing of the Estoril Agreements on 1 May 1991 between the Government of Angola and UNITA, under the auspices of the Portuguese Government. The conflict in Western Sahara appears to be evolving in a positive way and the Government of Gabon welcomes with satisfaction the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 690 (1991) on the referendum. We believe that this is a decisive stage on the path to a definitive settlement of the conflict.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We must also have a just and lasting peace in Africa where this year the increase in civil war and internal conflict has led to an increase in problems facing the people of our continent. For example, over the past two years the daily lives of innocent individuals in Liberia nave been profoundly disrupted and many refugees have fled to neighbouring countries. Gabon sincerely hopes that peace will be restored, along with security and stability in that fraternal country. We welcome the efforts made to that end by the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The same applies to the situation in the Horn of Africa. People in that subregion are helplessly suffering from the effects of shortages of rainfall and conflicts which have set their world afire.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“It must commit all those who, for various reasons, have an influence on the behaviour of the different protagonists so as to bring just and lasting peace to prevail in the world. We must have a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, in the settlement of the Israeli-Arab conflict and the question of Palestine, on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). Gabon wishes to reaffirm its support for these two resolutions and fully endorses the idea of holding an international peace conference on the Middle East, which should lead to negotiations among all the parties concerned. Along the same lines, Gabon welcomes the prospects opened by the restoration of security in Lebanon.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“However, the end of the cold war and the "policy of blocs" had bean generally perceived with euphoria as real progress of democracy and freedom in the world and as ushering in an age of peace and security. Unfortunately, the many upheavals which occurred in Eastern Europe and the Middle East have, since then, disappointed the great hopes resulting from this evolution. Among all these conflicts, the Gulf conflict, more than any other, has profoundly called these hopes into question. That is why my country welcomes the restoration of the sovereignty of Kuwait and the efforts made by the international community to that end. In this connection, the search for an overall settlement of the problems in that region, based on respect for the rights of all, is necessary. This does not depend only on the will of the peoples and States of the region.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We surely all have the impression of witnessing an acceleration of history, for the events of recent months have profoundly challenged the major balances that emerged from the Second World war. Let us have no illusions; this is no longer a challenge. These are models which have collapsed and collapsed abruptly. Let us not rejoice in the failure of some because the threats and imbalances are still evident, not only between the North and the South but also in societies that are referred to as developed. Dialogue, joint discussion and solidarity are particularly necessary. This is the price for our avoiding the third millennium being an age of confrontation.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Javier Peres de Cuellar, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for the invaluable work he has carried out at the head of our Organisation for the past decade. His intelligence and dedication will Indeed considerably strengthen the credibility and prestige of the United Nations. Lastly, allow me to welcome the delegations of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Baltic Republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The admission of these new Members confirms once again the universal mission of the United Nations. Rest assured that the delegation of Gabon, which I have the honour to head, is motivated by a constant desire to ensure that this session will lead to positive results.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“It is both a pleasure and an honour for me to speak for the first time from this rostrum of the United Nations. I wish to express the congratulations of the Gabonese delegation to Mr. Samir Shihabi on his brilliant election to the presidency of the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly. It is clear that his authority, competence and extensive experience of international relations, and in particular of our Organization, represent certain advantages for the complete success of our deliberations. I wish to include in these congratulations his predecessor, Mr. Guido De Marco, Deputy Prime Minister end Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malta, on the energy and effectiveness with which he exercised his functions and which today earn him the recognition of our Organization. I wish also to pay a heartfelt tribute to Mr.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Nevertheless, we must on each occasion deal with those burdens by trying to be imaginative enough to cope with them, and in doing so we would not be the first to travel the road: the generations that came before us were faced with the same challenge. However, better armed than they as we are, we should enter into the next millennium, which is almost upon us, with confidence and determination.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“This must surely be a sign of the times; a reflection as it is of the diversity and the financial strength of its Members, the United Nations holds within itself all the trump cards it needs for its revitalization. This is a general rule, in fact a universal law in the progress and future of any organ. Each Member State must naturally, therefore, do its utmost to help the United Nations achieve its revitalization. This comes down to saying just how essential is the issue of what resources to grant the Organization. The United Nations cannot escape the burdens of all kinds which weigh on the progress of mankind towards a better world.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“As to the environment, the objective is to make public opinion in our respective countries aware of the dangers threatening the security of all of us - anarchical deforestation, soil erosion, water and atmospheric pollution, depletion of the ozone layer, illicit traffic in toxic waste, and so on. These fundamental problems could be debated at the conference on the environment to be held in Brazil in 1992. The question of the future of world population is at the forefront of the concerns of our Organization. The operation launched a few years ago by the United Nations Population Fund bears witness to that fact. If I were to sum up my comments so far, I would say that our Organization's rehabilitation is going hand-in-hand with a genuine touch of humanization in its consideration of the major issues.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“How can we stop playing the simple role of producer of commodities, to which we are restricted? How can we ensure equilibrium in the balance of payments and the renewal of export income? But it would be illusory to review the models of development adopted by our countries if we did not acquire financial resources, if we did not learn more about trade in commodities and improve the role of our countries in world trade. That is why we believe it is urgent that there be agreement on an equitable and final solution to the problem of debt, an increase in the resources allotted to development, co-ordination of national macro-economic policies, and promotion of a system of international negotiation. If current international political and economic issues are matters for concern, so are questions relating to the environment and population.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“This initiative is proof of the role of international solidarity in the handling of economic difficulties. We renew the appeal repeatedly made by the Group of 77 for the debt of developing countries to be cancelled. During the last two years the world economy has, it is true, grown more rapidly than was expected, but balance has not been achieved in the global development of economic relations between industrialized and developing countries. In the case of Africa in particular, there remain reasons for deep concern for the future of the continent. Standards of living in general have deteriorated for the fourth consecutive year because of lower commodity prices and because of Africa's small role in international trade. To confront this imbalance, which is endemic, the models of development in our countries must be restudied.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Indeed, in addition to an ever-worsening balance of trade from year to year, there is an ever-heavier burden of debt, amounting, for the African countries alone, to about $260 billion - that is to say, one fifth of the total debt of developing countries. Our countries have adopted programmes of structural adjustment, and have participated in agreements for the rescheduling of debt. On this basis, they have taken, individually, measures to improve their finances and their budget procedures, and have done so despite negative consequences at the social level - consequences that might become less dire if creditor countries were to lessen the debt burden. In this respect, Gabon - a country of medium-range income - welcomes the reduction in the rate of interest on the public debt unilaterally decided upon by France.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The Assembly's conclusions on the situation of the world economy in the 1980s, the prospects for improving that situation, and the commitments that were made by the Assembly make possible a positive view of that event. The renewed assumption by the United Nations of a role in respect of the problems relating to the North-South dialogue, if it is characterized by a global approach, should result in new hope. The advantages of such an approach are obvious. Applied to the thorny question of the treatment of debt, for example, it would avoid priority being given to economic aspects over social aspects, or to political aspects over moral aspects. As was said by the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa in his last report, external constraints are an essential element of the economic standstill in Africa.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The changes that have taken place in East-West relations, which formerly were based on the balance of terror, should, logically, result in radical changes in the political role allotted to nuclear weapons. Indeed, since 1988 the main owners of nuclear weapons have agreed on the principle of reduction, and they may conclude an agreement on the means by the end of this year. These changes and the continuation - of such efforts should lead to a climate favourable to a new balance based on dialogue, trust and respect for mutual interests. Only in this way will future international relations, whether political or economic, become more secure and more stable. It was entirely appropriate that the General Assembly devoted its eighteenth special session to international economic co-operation and development.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The gravity of recent events in the area - since the entry of Iraqi troops into the territory of Kuwait - is a matter of concern to us all. In considering the situation thus created we must mobilize all the political and diplomatic means at the disposal of the international community, in keeping with the relevant resolutions of our Organization. There have recently been significant developments in the situation in Cambodia. We welcome, among other things, the agreement expressed by the parties to the conflict on the framework, proposed by the five permanent members of the, Security Council, for a comprehensive and lasting political settlement of that conflict.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Unfortunately, the crisis in the Middle East, which continues because of the increasing lack of understanding, has just experienced another episode, which adds to the complexity of the debate on this region and thus weakens the efforts being made in the search for appropriate solutions. As to the classic aspects of this debate - that is to say, Lebanon and Palestine - Gabon advocates resort to machinery whose creation and setting up, on the basis of relevant United Nations provisions, would make possible comprehensive Solutions to these questions, in particular, the proposal to convene an international peace conference on the Middle East, with the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), should be implemented as soon as possible.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Indeed, we organized, in Gabon last March, a tripartite meeting at the ministerial level, during which we proposed to the parties to the conflict a draft protocol for the implementation of the Algiers agreement. This proposal was partially agreed to by both parties, which undertook to continue negotiations on some outstanding points. Now that this Organization, through the International Court of Justice, is seized of that problem, we should like to express our appreciation to the other States that have contributed to the quest for a political solution to the dispute, as well as our conviction that we have done everything possible in that direction.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Gabon is therefore in favour of maintaining sanctions against South Africa. But the fate of these African populations is not predicated only upon apartheid; internal and border conflicts are also causes of the same problems. In themselves, border conflicts, because they involve sovereignty, raise the problem of their settlement within the machinery advocated by the United Nations or the Organization of African Unity (OAU). In the specific case of the Chad-Libyan border conflict, my country, which presides over the Ad Hoc Committee set up by the OAU, took an active part, in the past year, in the process of implementing the agreement concluded in Algiers on 31 August 1989. Thus we have observed carefully the functioning of the Joint Technical Commission provided for by that agreement.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The continued unjustified practice of apartheid has given rise to mass movements of peoples and is indeed the main cause of the phenomenon of refugees in southern Africa. We should see there an additional reason to address an appeal to the international community that it do everything to bring about the full implementation of relevant decisions adopted by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). We should also support initiatives within and outside South Africa to achieve as soon as possible the dismantling of that odious system of apartheid. In this spirit Gabon welcomes the liberation of Nelson Mandela and the legalization of anti-apartheid movements, but we note with regret the paltry nature of the measures supposedly leading to the elimination of apartheid.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We must note here that the forces that led to the reunification of some parts in the world that had previously been divided are based, not only on the universal need for the self-determination of peoples, but also, and above all, on these same changes. The decision of the two Yemens to merge into a single State, the imminent reunification of the two Germanys, and the high-level talks recently undertaken between the two Koreas testify to the genuine capacity of the peoples we represent here to contribute peacefully to the course of history. We are however far from being secure from all sorts of tensions because many problems still remain with us. If we consider the situation now obtaining in Africa, it is regrettable indeed that the history of that continent will have meted out a particularly painful fate to some of its peoples.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The new institutions, which will now serve as a framework for Gabonese political life, will be built, above all, on the primacy of law as a guarantor of stability and respect for our institutions. We should like therefore to affirm here that democracy, in its universal avocation, is a secure path for the transition of societies that have reached a certain stage in their evolution. In my prefatory words I stressed the role played by our Organization towards its rehabilitation. I note that some of the subjects on the agenda of this session of our Assembly point precisely to this trend. The profound changes that took place in international life through the consolidation of the climate of détente led to the beginnings of genuine peace perspectives and the settlement of some regional conflicts.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“There resulted a national consensus, thanks to which a new constitution now rules Gabon's political life; a national charter of freedoms has been adopted; a government reflecting several political views has been established; and to watch over the smooth functioning of the fledgling democracy, a national council for democracy and a committee entrusted with following through on the decisions of the national conference have been created. That same mission will be assured in the media by the National Communications Council that will be set up following legislative elections. These multiparty elections, the first held in my country in more than a generation, mark a crucial stage in the strengthening of democratic mores in Gabon.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Indeed, from a study of these last few years we can conclude with certainty that contemporary societies are becoming more democratic. It is in this context that profound institutional changes are now being brought about in Gabon, where, by means of elections that are taking place, we are embarking on the setting up of a multiparty parliament. In response to the wishes of its compatriots, the President of the Republic, His Excellency El Hadj Omar Bongo, convened a national conference on democracy, which was held at Libreville in March and April last. That historic meeting involved all the views represented by many political or social/professional associations. The debate on ideas was held in a spirit of openness, freedom and responsibility.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We declare our readiness to become firmly involved in the building of a new order of security in the interest of all and in the struggle for development. We could not succeed in that endeavour without being animated by a firm resolve to eliminate persistent scourges, such as apartheid, drugs, and economic and social underdevelopment, to which the General Assembly has recently devoted special sessions. These are some of the main challenges that we must face. But it is none the less true that the spirit of peace has made great progress as an essential fact of the coexistence of nations. Other human values, such as democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, are also observed more closely today.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“I should therefore like to express to him the sincere congratulations of Gabon and assure him of its readiness to work towards the achievement of peace and justice in the world. Gabon would like to welcome the recent admission of Namibia and Liechtenstein to our great Organization. The course of present international relations causes some disquiet as compared with the serenity characterizing them not so long ago. This contrast, which appeared in a rather brief period, has caught the United Nations short because of its unexpected nature. Through the United Nations, each one of its Members must take any initiative conducive to the restoration of a climate of confidence more in keeping with the ideals that have brought us all together here. Our Organization seems to have reached an important moment in its evolution.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Sir, your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session is a tribute to your personal qualities. It reflects the contribution of Malta, your country, to our common work of peace and co-operation between peoples and nations. The delegation of Gabon considers it both a pleasure and a duty to extend to you our wishes for full success in the discharge of your heavy and honourable task. Major-General Joseph Garba, your predecessor, through his dedication and competence has also served the United Nations well. My delegation joins in the tribute unanimously rendered to him today. Indeed, the United Nations will remember the extremely positive action of Mr. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar in the restoration of our Organization to the role given to it by its founders 45 years ago.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Our times demand that detente not be thought of as immobility, or as a breathing spell for the great Powers, lb the contrary, by its underlying dynamism detente should serve the cause of world peace. Our common destiny requires that we work towards this together in order to achieve one of the major objectives of our Organization, to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war". More than ever it is time to act with determination in order to achieve this end. Our Organization has so many commitments to meet, that only this prospect will allow for the achievement of the ideal of peace, which is the basis of all of Gabon's policies. Peace, justice and harmony in Africa and in the rest of the world: that is the message that my country wished, through me, from this lofty rostrum, to address to this Assembly.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The developing countries, committed as we are, along with international financial institutions, to programmes of structural adjustment, cannot overlook the effects of those programmes on the poorest strata of our society, especially the risk of social upheaval, which is bound to threaten international peace and detente. Thus, after the Bamako Initiative, the proposals made by the United Nations Children's Fund for "adjustment with a human face" - the only way our countries can hope to begin developing - were welcomed by us. While efforts made in recent years for international detente are worthy of praise, it seems nevertheless necessary to call the attention of our Assembly to the fact that its gradual establishment has not yet led to significant changes in international relations.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Our countries, whose health infrastructures still have to be improved upon, are particularly concerned over this threat and we are following with the greatest of interest the efforts made by researchers the world over to find a cure. Gabon, thanks to its facilities for advanced medical research at the international centre in Franceville, recently organized a symposium on AIDS. We are firmly determined to continue, through this machinery, to make our contribution to the campaign against this terrible illness, and hope to see an intensification and diversification of exchanges with similar facilities in the rest of the world.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“That situation led my country to convene, in June 1989 its first national seminar on the drug problem, and the recommendations to be adopted will include the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee to combat drugs, the development of a toxicology laboratory in Libreville for regional use, and the introduction of legislation on the use of, and trafficking in, narcotic drugs, adapted to the requirements of the penal code and the public-health code. These recommendations, which are similar to those enunciated by the President of the United States, and to those contained in the Secretary-General's plan, will we hope, help to stamp out this scourge of our times. Among all the ills that afflict our world today, AIDS is the most mind-boggling. Its lightening-like progression, as well as the devastation it wreaks, are staggering.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We also support the convening, in 1992, of a United Nations conference on the environment and development, described as a development which will help to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs. Over and above the fears caused by degradation or deterioration of the environment scourges such as the problem of drugs are no less serious in undermining our societies. Although confined, so far, to certain regions, the spectre of this calamity haunts the rest of the world.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“In the face of what might seem to be a brake on progress, my country has adopted measures that should alleviate the repercussions on its people. I am thinking particularly of the establishment, in the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of Nature, of a national anti-pollution centre and the establishment of a policy on the recycling and treatment of waste produced by our country and programmes to improve and preserve living resources through the reforestation of specific areas. It is in this spirit that, in international terms, my country welcomes the recent decision of the World Bank to include the idea of protection of the environment in the development projects that it finances.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“By and large, the economies of the developing countries will not show real growth so long as the prices of raw materials are not at a level that takes into account the movement in those of manufactured goods and the sluggishness of international markets. The international detente which we all agree should be emphasized and the development efforts agreed on for my country are aimed at achieving a better life for mankind in a sound environment. As regards the environment, the perils of the modern world - such as industrial pollution of the air, the warming trend in the planet, the greenhouse effect, the depletion of the ozone layer, and the dumping and storing of waste of all types, to name only a few - call for world-wide attention.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Even though Gabon aid other medium-income countries have not benefited from this last measure, these are initiatives that we hope will lead to additional resources, and they are a real cause for satisfaction. In any case, they demonstrate the emergence of solidarity between North and South. Gabon, for its part, hopes that provisions to reduce the volume of trade debt and alleviate the cost of servicing it will be adopted. In this spirit, my country urges the creditor community to be impartial by establishing greater equity in the treatment of debt. I should like to take this opportunity to salute the Canadian Government for its recent initiative in writing off the debt of medium-income African countries.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“This approach is in accordance with the general guidelines suggested in the African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes for Socio-economic Recovery and Transformation (AAF-SAP) , submitted last July at the fiftieth session of the Council of Ministers of the OAU, which adopted it, and by the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa. Gabon requests that the General Assembly, in turn, adopt the AAF-SAP and hopes that the Development Committee of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as the Group of 24, will do likewise. Furthermore, my country notes with interest the American initiative - the so-called Brady Plan - and the announcement, by President François Mitterrand in Dakar, of the intention to write off the public debt of 35 African countries.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Gabonese Government, for its part, has, since 1986, established an adjustment programme with the objective, on one hand, of remedying the medium-term imbalances, both internal and external, and, on the other hand, of reducing the vulnerability of our countries to fluctuations in the price of oil. We must admit that these efforts have not yielded all the desired results. Therefore, taking into account the reasons for these distortions, the African countries have advocated, within the framework of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), collective steps with a view to tailoring structural adjustment programmes to the specific characteristics of the countries concerned.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“As regards the delicate problem of debt, which in 1988, according to the estimates of the World Bank, had reached the outrageous sum of 31,245 billion for all the developing countries taken together, including 3230 billion for African countries alone, it is well known that the current cost of servicing this, by absorbing a growing proportion of export and budgetary income, is undermining adjustment efforts and is a major obstacle to the development prospects of our countries. I . spite of the rescheduling agreed to by creditors, our countries have not yet been able to achieve an overall improvement in the financial balance. The African countries in particular, with the assistance of international financial institutions, have even set up programmes of structural adjustment in order to cope with their serious indebtedness.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“If we have seen a slight improvement in 1988 and 1989, as compared with previous years, we are bound to note that the developing countries have not really benefited from it. The trend of negative net transfers from our countries to the industrialized world and the international financial institutions, the deterioration in the terms of trade, the increase in international interest rates and a reduction in the gross domestic product of our various countries are the best illustration of this.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“furthermore, we ask those who still support that regime to face the facts and to help in the total eradication of that shameful system. I could not conclude my statement on the political situation in Africa without referring to the burning question of the Comorian island of Mayotte. Gabon reaffirms its solidarity with the fraternal people of Comoros and reiterates its determination to continue its efforts to have the Comorian island of Mayotte returned to its homeland. I come now to international economic issues, which various parties have met to discuss. Among other issues, I want to mention the Interim Committee of the International Monetary Fund, which met in Washington on 31 March 1989 and at which Gabon presided, and the last summit of the seven most industrialized countries held quite recently in Paris.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The desperate manoeuvres at intimidation of the civilian population and the attacks against the leaders of the South West Africa People's Organization - all plots hatched by a minority of proponents with a backward-looking, anachronistic vision of history - cannot stop or delay its implementation. The situation in Namibia is not the only source of tension in southern Africa. Apartheid, which has become a crime against humanity, is also a considerable source of tension. That is why, now more than ever before, and taking into account current political developments - the results of the sustained action of forces for change within South Africa and of external pressure - Gabon demands that the state of emergency be ended and that all political prisoners, including in particular Nelson Mandela, be released.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“As regards Namibia, my country welcomes the implementation of the United Nations plan for the independence of that territory. Furthermore, we express full appreciation to the Secretary-General for his efforts within the framework of Security Council resolutions 629 (1989) and 632 (1989) and urge the South African authorities to co-operate with the United Nations Transition Assistance Group in their implementation. Finally, we are grateful to the Security Council for its vigilance, shown recently in resolution 640 (1989), whereby it requires that all parties concerned, especially South Africa, comply, among other things, with the provisions of resolution 435 (1978). The process of Namibia's accession to international sovereignty - long overdue - is today irreversible.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“At the twenty-fourth summit of the OAU His Excellency El Hadj Omar Bongo proposed that pride of place be given, as a necessary prerequisite for peace, to the establishment of a climate of confidence between the two countries and the dynamics of dialogue, bringing the two parties together, which would be very significant. The Angolan issue, also, was dealt with by Heads of State of the African sub region, including the President of Gabon, and they reaffirmed their support for the plan for peace and reconciliation in Angola formulated in the Gbadolite declarations. In international terms, Gabon would like to express its satisfaction to those countries that have provided military observers and international officials, and to the United Nations for all its technical assistance for the verification mission in Angola.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“I could not conclude this part of my statement without touching on the conflicts that beset our dear continent of Africa. As regards the Chad-Libya border dispute, the Heads of State and Government, at the twenty-fifth summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), renewed the mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee, which has been chaired by my country since 1977. I take pleasure in emphasizing in this connection that the recent conclusion in Algiers of the framework agreement on the settlement of the Chad-Libya border dispute is the logical culmination of the various initiatives of the Ad Hoc Committee and its Chairman.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We cannot talk about the situation in the Middle East without dealing with the painful problem of Lebanon because above and beyond the ordeal suffered by its people for more than 15 years, it is Lebanon's survival, that should concern us today. Gabon, therefore welcomes the resumption of the work of the Tripartite Committee of the Arab League on Lebanon, which should form part of overall broad-based diplomatic action, and supports its efforts to find a lasting solution to this real human tragedy. As regards the situation in Central America, Gabon hails the conclusion of the Esquipulas II and Tela agreements, which pave the way for the return of peace to that region. It also welcomes the Security Council's firm support for these agreements, which should facilitate the achievement of the objectives set forth in the plan.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“As regards the Middle East crisis, my country has always held the view that its settlement requires the total and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from the Arab occupied territories, de jure recognition of the PIO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and free exercise by the latter of its right to self-determination, and its right to have its own State with internationally recognized borders. Gabon, then, fully subscribes to the idea of an international peace conference on the Middle East under the aegis of the United Nations, with the participation of all the parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization. I commend here the excellent relations Palestine has had with my country, which were manifested in the opening in 1986, in Libreville, of Palestinian diplomatic representation.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Taking advantage of the overall climate of detente, the parties to the Iran-Iraq conflict have agreed to negotiate in Geneva on the basis of Security Council resolution 598 (1987). We can only welcome this, while exhorting the two parties to commit themselves to doing their utmost to help the Secretary-General in the full implementation of that resolution. That is how they can show their true willingness to achieve peace.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“As regards Cambodia, we take pleasure in noting with interest the role played by the ASEAN countries at the Jakarta meetings, and the first peace initiative of France, which has led to the creation of three so-called monitoring, safeguard and refugee committees, as well as to the establishment of an ad hoc committee. The mission of inquiry of the Secretary-General in Cambodia, as well as the establishment of machinery for international monitoring, are not only a useful tool but also and above all a prerequisite for a return to peace in that country. Concerning the Korean peninsula, my country has always worked for peaceful unification in a framework of sincere joint efforts that take into account the will of the Korean people as a whole, a necessary prerequisite for the genuine representation of that country in our Organization.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)