YouSaid · the spoken record

Carlos Roberto Reina Idiáquez

lines on the record: 45
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 1997-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“In the case of Honduras, this work is particularly important because of the lives taken and mutilations caused by this inhumane practice that is now receiving universal condemnation, a condemnation that we firmly and decidedly support. Finally, we would like to express once again how pleased we are at the regional and world treatment of the subject of corruption. As the world becomes aware of how this scourge affects the development and peaceful existence of peoples, we will finally make progress towards vanquishing it in the various parts of the world.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“On the question of the Security Council, we would repeat what was said at the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly and reiterate our belief that a solution to the question of the size of the Council’s membership cannot be rushed. Moreover, my country endorses the statement on the strengthening of the United Nations and Security Council reform adopted at the eleventh Summit of the Rio Group. This stated that the Latin American and Caribbean region must be taken into account in any proposal relating to an increase in the Security Council’s membership. We are pleased at the mine-clearance work that has been carried out with international support.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Through the representatives here, we wish the world to learn of this great decision and to accept our aspirations, which are shared by other regions of the world. In this context, my country reiterates its endorsement of the right of the Republic of China to become a Member of the United Nations family. We support the work of that great nation, which is seeking ways to participate fully in this 25 and in other international forums without any form of exclusion or hegemony. I wish now to refer to Honduras’s support for the process of deep-rooted change in the United Nations, both in its various fields of operation as well as in its internal decision-making organs. The world in which the United Nations was created was not what it is today and we must therefore keep up with the times.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We have established a working committee to draft the bases and principles for Central American union. By the end of the year, we should have the relevant documents. The process will culminate in the signing of the formal commitment to political unity. Those who are familiar with Central American history and aware of our current efforts in the various fields of integration know that Central American union is not simply an act of faith; it is, rather, a work of engineering, an enormous undertaking that, taking into account the unique qualities of each of our States, is the key to the exercise of joint sovereignty. The peoples of the United Nations must be informed of this important decision. That is why the five Central American Presidents are here, in this highest world forum, spreading the good news of this political decision.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are now resolved, however, to deal with this lodestar and this political dimension in a gradual and progressive approach that does not run roughshod over history. This will bring us together and define us, giving substance to the vision of Central America shared by the rest of the world. Our decision is neither utopian nor romantic, although we are such stuff as dreams are made on, as Shakespeare says. We are not talking here of utopias or romanticism. Our decision is simply an act of maturity, a realistic recognition of the needs created by our internal development and by external demands which, if we are to survive with dignity, will require us to make enormous efforts that, in our case, transcend our capabilities as divided, individual States.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It seeks to avoid the negative consequences of a short-term approach and to look to the lasting prosperity of our peoples. Lastly, it exploits our new competitive advantages: our situation as an isthmus, our long coastlines, our inter-ocean facilities, our magnificent biodiversity and the beauty of the Caribbean region. We are committed to building ALIDES. It is fitting to acknowledge that the originality of our approach has been recognized at the world level and is being endorsed by important entities. The main content of the Nicaragua Declaration that I have just mentioned is the agreement on Central American union. While we have been working on regional integration, the absence of a political lodestar has wrought a lack of coherence at the regional level.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Alliance for Sustainable Development (ALIDES) was signed in 1994 and an agreement was reached to initiate the gradual and progressive establishment of the Central American union as the higher expression of the community association laid down in the 1991 Tegucigalpa Protocol, contained in the Nicaragua Declaration of 2 September 1997. The Alliance represents a radical change in the integration agenda of Central America, a new concept of development, making it integral to and indivisible from the benefit of the human individual. Sustainable development, as advocated by ALIDES, is a recognition that growth may be pursued while protecting the future — we can grow today without jeopardizing the development of generations to come. It is also an alliance with nature, a new relationship and a revaluation of our resources.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The social expenditures of the Honduran State in 1998 will account for over 30 per cent of our national budget. This is a clear message to our people. It is well known that Honduras is part of the great Central American family. We were united in the colonial period and we were united when we attained independence. Separation and fragmentation have simply been a long parenthesis, occasionally interrupted by fleeting attempts at unity. What is important, however, is the will of our countries, repeatedly expressed, to come together again and their demonstrated desire for union, which has always sought new forms of expression and can be wiped out neither by the passage of time nor by setbacks of any kind. From 1994 to today, two major events have marked life in Central America.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Honduran way of finding common ground in order to reach agreement on the kind of country we want has been to establish permanent interaction between the governors and the governed. 24 These last four years of government have to a large extent been an ongoing debate with civil society, the healthy results of which confirm, on the one hand, the advantages of participation and, on the other, the capacities of Government. This is what democracy teaches us, its most valuable lesson. Much indeed remains to be done, but we are on the right track. We have established solid juridical bases. We have made tangible progress and are building a dynamic State respectful of the law, dependable in justice and, above all, conscious of the enormous needs of the Honduran people and their inalienable right to be the principal focus of development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I am pleased to be able to report to the international community that this process will be free and transparent and that once again the people will decide the Government for the next four-year term. Economic indicators provided by national and international institutions agree that at the end of our mandate there has been a significant improvement in the Honduran economy. We are pleased to be able to hand over to the new authorities a country that is in better shape than it was when we began our term. This could well be the real meaning of democracy: constant improvement in living conditions and moving from one level to another through successive Governments — with the free vote of the people being the final judge of what is to be done.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“This is part of our belief that it is essential to move forward from formal democracy to real democracy, if we want it to be more than a constitutional expression and become part of the living culture of our people. Democratic culture as a way of life requires constant vigilance to bolster its credibility and to legitimize its existence every day. This is why in our part of Central America, Honduras, we have regarded it as essential to back up this form of government with an ongoing reaffirmation of its ethical values and a resolute campaign against all forms of corruption, which is one of the worst and most vexatious enemies of democracy. In late November this year, Honduras will hold another election to change its Government.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“That danger does exist, and those of us who know from our own painful experience the crimes that can be committed in the name of progress have a duty to alert everyone to it. In recent years, five successive Governments have come to power legitimately in Honduras through free elections. This is unprecedented in our history and it allows us to say that we are indeed practising democracy, which is a lesson we never finish learning. Our experience shows once again that free elections, while being the basis of Governments, are not in themselves sufficient to consolidate the system or to guarantee the complete satisfaction of the people. Since 1994 we have been trying to involve our people more in major national decisions and we have been trying to pay more attention to their needs through an open dialogue.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“If there is one thing which we will have to do in the future, particularly in forums such as the General Assembly, it is to find formulas that can provide for a workable relationship between democracy and development, between prosperity and equity, and between growing wealth and disappearing poverty. The United Nations faces challenges and expectations with regard to this serious matter of the viability of democracy. There is perhaps today no more important task. If freedom, the essence of this political system, is disparaged in the name of growth without values, then the loss of generations sacrificed on the battlefields in this tortured century will lose all meaning.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“But this universalization of democracy goes hand in hand with something which — for lack of a better name — we might call the malaise of democracy. Dissatisfaction can be heard everywhere; this political system is being called into question in the name of development and prosperity. Democracy with extreme poverty is not the model we seek. Representative government is a political gain of the modern age, but it is only the halfway point on the road to full human development. It must be accompanied by other elements which are essential to a life of dignity: wellbeing, justice, involvement and a full understanding of the human being as both the root and the fruit of all our efforts.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Kofi Annan, who in carrying out his mission as the Secretary-General of our Organization has demonstrated a remarkable spirit of hard work and commitment during a particularly difficult time for the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and in the complex task of restructuring and strengthening of this institution. The most noticeable feature of the world as the end of the century approaches is the generalized spread of democracy. Almost all the nations of the world share this way of life, thereby giving the end of the century a character which has no parallel in past centuries. We are finally living in an era of democracy after a long night of dictatorship and totalitarianism in various parts of the globe.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“At the outset, I would like to extend to you, Sir, my sincere congratulations on your election to the presidency of this session of the General Assembly. Your election is well-deserved recognition of your great personal qualities and a tribute to Ukraine. We wish you success in the exercise of your duties. 23 My delegation would also like to extend its appreciation to the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations, Mr. Razali Ismail, for his excellent work during the previous session of the General Assembly. We also extend our sincere thanks to Mr.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Thus, Honduras is not opposed to the establishment of new categories provided this is done in accordance with the principle of the sovereign equality of States and equitable geographical distribution. With faith in God, in truth and in justice, I shall now return to my country to continue building the society we have chosen and contributing to the attainment of the kind of world to which we all aspire. May everything work to the good of mankind.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is essential to respect the principle of equitable geographical representation, which would permit us to increase the number of permanent and non-permanent members democratically and to consider whether or not it would be desirable to create a new category - that of semi-permanent member - as has been suggested in the open-ended working group on the restructuring of the Security Council established by the Secretary-General. In this process of change, in addition to the principles that I have outlined we need to consider what basic indicators would enable us to set the number of members at the right level. This is also true of the study on the veto right, currently enjoyed by the five permanent members; my Government feels that this right should not be granted to any category, whether permanent or semi- permanent.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In the prevailing international circumstances and given the role the Security Council has been called upon to play in the maintenance of international peace and security, the reforms that the membership is calling for, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Organization, should be studied thoroughly and adopted with meticulous care. Any reform in the membership of the Security Council needs to take into account the criteria established in the relevant Articles of the Charter.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“This is becoming not merely an alternative, but a fundamental challenge to our capacity to act in these negotiations, which can stem only from the coordination and support that impart resolution, continuity and effectiveness to the actions of the group of developing countries. In the context of what the United Nations means to all of us, my Government has attached the greatest importance to and has followed with great interest the process of reform of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly with respect to the Security Council.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We must acknowledge the importance of the signing of the Final Act of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, as well as the agreement creating the World Trade Organization, with a view to strengthening the multilateral trade system. We trust that these instruments will help to ensure the liberalization and expansion of international trade for the benefit of the developing countries. But if in pursuing this goal the industrialized nations do not act in accordance with the changes taking place in international economic relations, efforts within the framework of South-South cooperation will have to be stepped up.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is important that the Assembly expand on that idea and build an awareness of the world’s environmental unity so that a new relationship between mankind and nature can emerge, allowing us to work together for its conservation and survival. 4 Regarding this sensitive matter, our National Congress is currently seized with the Conventions on Biological Diversity and on Climate Change, with a view to translating our words into deeds through their speedy debate and adoption. My Government wishes to raise one other issue today, with a sense of full responsibility and an awareness of the gravity of the effects of the crisis faced by developing countries and the risks involved for the stability of the world economy.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In this context, we reaffirm our fullest support for the joint initiatives, which are based on the principles of representative democracy, the defence and promotion of human rights, respect for sovereignty and the principles of non-intervention and the self-determination of peoples. On a different tack, I should like to inform this world forum that the degradation of the environment is a matter of constant concern to us. In this regard, my Government attaches the highest priority to the search for a solution to this problem. Mechanisms have been established to implement the resolutions adopted at the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. We reaffirm our commitment to promoting a balanced and integrated approach to sustainable development, as set forth in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We participated with similar enthusiasm and optimism in the Fourth Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government in Cartagena de Indias, Republic of Colombia. As everyone present knows, there was broad discussion there of aspects of trade and integration as elements in Ibero-American development. We attended that important meeting with the political resolve to tackle the problems that are besetting our countries and causing dangerous economic and social imbalances, thus requiring a search for concerted responses that will enable us to develop machinery to tackle the challenges of the future more effectively. In accordance with this commitment, my Government believes that, although dialogue has been strengthened, it is even more important to pursue the policies adopted at that forum.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“This is a Central American initiative in the political, moral, economic, social and ecological fields, whose agenda will be further enriched with the holding of the environmental Summit in Managua, Nicaragua, on 12 and 13 October, and the International Conference for Peace and Development in Central America, to be held on 24 and 25 October this year in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The International Conference will be a good opportunity for the international community, as it did a decade ago in the midst of a tragic confrontation, to express its solidarity with a region that has turned war into reconciliation, conflict into human progress and totalitarianism into democracy. It would be terrible indeed if the world that extended its hand to us in those difficult times were to fail now to help us enjoy the dividends of peace.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The countries of the Central American region have continued to pursue policies based on resolutions adopted at presidential Summits, with a view to creating a new economic, social and political structure for the benefit of Central Americans. In this regard, at the recent fifteenth meeting of Central American Presidents, held in the brotherly Republic of Costa Rica, new circumstances prompted us to adopt an integral strategy for sustainable development in the region, a national and regional strategy which we call the "Alliance for Sustainable Development".”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We therefore urge parties in conflict to act in a spirit of reconciliation, certain that the international community will continue to extend humanitarian assistance to them. In the case of Cuba, the Government of Honduras agrees with the overall objective of restoring democracy to that country, in the framework of the inter-American system. However, we believe that the policy pursued by the Government of the United States of America is not consistent with the need to remedy the critical political, economic and social conditions prevailing in that brotherly country, and we sincerely hope that dialogue between the parties will prevail in this dispute.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Similarly, though with a sadness that I cannot conceal, I must say that events in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the tragedy of Rwanda cause us considerable distress and anguish. These fratricidal conflicts should impel us to act urgently to eliminate armed aggression, genocide and the practice of "ethnic cleansing" once and for all. We cannot continue to waver in implementing Security Council resolutions. Although this Organization has never played as big a leadership role as it is playing now, it is also true that compliance with its resolutions in the framework of operations to maintain international peace and security has been put into question. My Government deeply regrets the resulting tragic events that have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and caused a massive exodus of refugees.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Just as we felt great satisfaction at the signing, last year, of the historic mutual recognition agreement between the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), we are gratified by the decision of the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan to sign the Washington Declaration of 25 July 1994. It reflects the aspirations of the two peoples and Governments and seeks to find formulas for mutual understanding that will put an end to their substantial differences. 3 My Government was particularly pleased to see a bleak chapter of human history in South Africa end with the coming to office of a new Government led by President Nelson Mandela. Today we look forward to seeing the aspirations to freedom, peace, democracy and development whose fulfilment that great leader desires for his people become a reality.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Let the apologists of violence and those who are nostalgic for power have no doubt that our political will to avert regional conflicts is unswerving, and that our political action is designed to promote stability, legitimacy and the development of effective democracies. We share the concern and the distress at the events occurring in the sister country of Haiti. There is a pressing need to put an end to this grave situation, which is an affront to human dignity and to the self- determination of peoples. My Government supports a peaceful settlement of the problem and is ready, within its limitations, to take part in a United Nations peace-keeping mission once democracy is restored to that fraternal country.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Indeed, there has been a marked increase in recourse to the United Nations as an instrument to prevent, avert or halt international conflicts, and in order to legitimize the right of intervention in the case of conflict between a State and its population or a State and the international community - but always in search of peace, freedom and democracy. The manifest resolve of the States Members of this Organization to work in concert towards this objective has been remarkable and vigorous, but it should be borne in mind that good intentions are of little use unless supported by the political will to take the difficult decisions required by situations such as this.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“These thoughts should serve merely to stimulate our imagination in the quest for solutions to prevent the deterioration of our political, economic and social systems. In the process of globalization, under the banner of democracy in the political field and the market economy in the economic field, we have been making intense efforts at the regional and subregional levels to reduce political and economic differences among countries and regions on the basis of the norms and institutions that should guide our collective life towards a basic model, one fashioned in accordance with the principles that underpin this world Organization. The United Nations must therefore pursue the analysis and discussion of the major issues that call for thorough reflection in this process of political, economic and social globalization.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“If this emerging new international economic order is not managed prudently, if we do not infuse it with humanism and morality, we run the risk that in the short term the already-existing rift in the world between poor nations and rich nations - what we used to call the North and the South - will widen further. The following words of a Honduran poet speak eloquently to this: "The poor are so many that it is hard to forget them - so many that they could be the pallbearers of a celestial body." It is vital to have a more equitable new international order. Now more than ever, justice in the South is a prerequisite for peace in the North. The industrialized States need to demonstrate their readiness to respond to the economic proposals of the developing countries, which represent two thirds of the Earth’s people.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“My country and people regard the development of the new international economic order with stoicism as the world becomes divided into blocs based on economic and strategic interests. The nation-State is suffering a crisis of identity and threats to its sovereignty. We are witnessing new geopolitical formations in which power is being transnationalized and the struggle for hegemony is passing into another dimension. The new structure of the world economy is marked by the supranational nature of decision- making in the field of finance and international trade.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In this period of radical transition for mankind, there are lights at the end of the tunnel: the collapse of various barriers, the weakening of racial segregation, the casting off of shackles that had kept different nationalities artificially bound together, the worldwide spread of democracy, and the emergence of détente as a feature of inter-State relations. These trends augur well for the building of a new world order based on peace, mutual support and broad tolerance. The growing realization that reason must prevail over force should prompt our national leaders to convert those rays of hope into great beacons for the maintenance of peace, security, democracy and, hence, sustainable development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Louis XIV considered himself the State: "L’état, c’est moi." Hegel envisaged the State as God’s path towards the Earth, perfect reason which never errs. That led to the doctrine of raison d’état as the motivating force behind the conduct of Governments. Now, in the post-cold-war period, a new motivating force is emerging: humanitarian reason. This change is symbolized by our passage not only from one 2 century to the next, but, indeed, from one millennium to the next. It is, in effect, a thousand-year leap: from governmental policy based on the interests of the State to international relations inspired by humanitarian concerns.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Our region - and in this respect my country is a trail-blazer - is bringing down the curtain on an era of confrontation and bringing it back up on one of unity and solidarity. In the era just past we had a lot of help; but for the one that is opening up we can see very little. Although our own efforts are the engine of our development, international cooperation can strengthen us and speed up our progress. For this reason we call the attention of the international community to the fact that all those who contributed to our destruction have a moral obligation to cooperate in our reconstruction and to help undo the reversals the region suffered because of the two decades of crisis. My Government and people view with profound optimism the positive turn of events that has taken place in the conduct of Governments.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“International cooperation for peaceful development must take place soon and to a greater degree than that seen during times of war or conflict. Central America is emerging, still licking its wounds, from the savage blows of two decades of deep crisis and bloodshed. A quarter of a million dead is the huge and tragic price that Central Americans paid for the cold war. Billions of dollars were poured into destruction and military confrontation between brothers. Now, unfortunately, only scant resources are being invested in building new democracies and new economies. This is a challenge for Central Americans and the international community alike. Our region is replacing the agenda of war with that of peace and sustainable development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We are seeing the unilateral actions of some States give way to multilateral operations framed by the legislation of this great world gathering. We see that colonialism has come crashing down like, in the words of our national anthem, a black-feathered bird, and that cooperation among free, sovereign and independent nations is growing day by day. We are participants in the historic transformation of democracy from a national value into a universal one, from something practised intermittently in certain countries into a standard form of behaviour for States. All this heralds a new dawn for mankind. But all these triumphs, however grand, are still not enough. The differences between North and South necessitate a far-reaching dialogue in order that mankind may not be torn asunder yet again.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The moral revolution means good government, economic growth with equity, transparency in the administration of the State and decency in the taking of important decisions and in daily work; it is political democracy, national identity, lush forests and healthy children; it is economics with a human face, the theory and practice of integration with the fraternal countries of Central America, international solidarity and support for the peaceful settlement of conflicts; it is, in short, a clear and resolute step towards mankind’s next millennium. On the global level we are witnessing the last rites of the cold war. We have seen the last of the after-effects of the Second World War, effects that lingered on into this decade. We are witnessing the globalization of markets and the resurgence of ethnic groups crying out for their own identity.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In the face of all the challenges of the present, we have opted to implement a moral revolution capable of straightening out the administration of the State and of transforming the country peacefully and democratically. The driving principles and values behind that moral revolution are larger than my people and Honduras’s geographical dimensions. The moral revolution, behind which I throw myself wholeheartedly, permeates our links with other States and the international legal community.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Notwithstanding the many virtues of the Honduran people, we are still afflicted by economic, social, cultural and health problems that hamper development, obstruct the full exercise of human rights and immerse many families in dire poverty. Exactly eight months ago today, I took on the leadership of the destiny of Honduras through the freely expressed will of our people. We are preparing the country for the titanic struggle against corruption, the hard battle against poverty and the fight against illiteracy, for stabilization of the economy and for conservation of the environment. Peace and development require, above all, shelter, sustenance, land and jobs for all. They require universal justice, hope for everyone and promising prospects for every woman, man, girl and boy.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“I am speaking, then, on behalf of a people whose roots go deep down into history, a people that after some centuries brought forth such world-class Central Americanists and pan-Americanists as Francisco Morazán and José Cecilio del Valle. Like the Maya, the people of Honduras are deeply peace-loving, and their democratic calling has evolved unblemished. In the midst of the Central American war, Honduras remained at peace. None the less, it was not spared the harsh consequences of the great Central American crisis that devastated the region during the last two decades and from whose aftermath we still suffer.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“From this rostrum, the rostrum of world peace, which has seen a succession of the most notable representatives of all the nations, I address the peoples of the globe on behalf of 5.5 million Hondurans. Honduras has emerged from the remarkable culture of the Mayas, who, in centuries past, invented the zero and developed mathematics, cultivated architecture, predicted eclipses, and produced an extraordinarily accurate calendar. The ruins of Copán bear eloquent and beautiful testimony to the greatness of a civilization that strove to keep a written record of all that it did. Today, on the eve of the twenty-first century, we can barely decipher the wisdom contained in their petroglyphs.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“First of all, I am happy to express to you, Sir, my personal congratulations on your unanimous election to the responsible post of President of the General Assembly. We are all the more pleased because your human qualities and professional skills are certain to make a valuable contribution to the success of this session of the General Assembly and because you represent Côte d’Ivoire and Africa, a brother continent of Latin America, whose hopes and aspirations we share. Our thanks go as well to your distinguished predecessor, the representative of Guyana, Samuel Insanally, who so skilfully presided over the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)