YouSaid · the spoken record

Simmonds

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS SIMMONDS

lines on the record: 103
first: 1988-09-24
most recent: 1994-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Relief convoys come under fire, and food intended for the victims of war is hijacked and ends up in the coffers of those whose very actions are perpetuating the crisis. I am aware of the outstanding efforts of the Secretary-General to ensure that the United Nations has responded to these crises with urgency and in positive and practical ways. We must however do more. We must mobilize the resources, diplomatic and other, of the Member States to bring an end to the fighting and, secondly, we must continue to intensify the relief effort for those in need of the basic necessities of food, shelter and medicines.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“On the one hand, we are shocked by the gruesome and intense savagery of the fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The reports of detention camp atrocities, indiscriminate killings, starvation and torture, seem like a reincarnation of less civilized times, and it is difficult to accept them as part of the twentieth century. On the other hand, the scenes of human degradation, suffering and death from starvation and disease emanating from Somalia appear at last to have jolted the conscience of the international community and stimulated a humanitarian response to the crisis. In these theatres of civil strife, our relief efforts are disrupted by those who are seemingly untouched by human suffering.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In my address then I said: "The enhancement of education, the eradication of poverty, the reduction of unemployment, the maintenance of good health, the provision of affordable housing, the adapting of science and technology to socio-economic development these must be the dividends that flow from diverting global financial resources away from the amassing of armaments, to be invested in human development. This is the challenge we face. This is the new battle we must join and we must not fail." (A/46/PV.25. p. 6) It is perhaps too soon to say that we have failed, but we have certainly not succeeded. Once again, the attention of the international community has been distracted by fierce and despicable atrocities in far-flung theatres of regional conflict.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who has been serving the cause of our Organization with diligence, dignity and dexterity in the face of challenging times. The Government and people of Saint Kitts and Nevis welcome you, Mr. Secretary-General, to this, your first session of the General Assembly as Secretary-General, and we have every confidence in your commitment to international peace and security as the bases for democracy and development. When we met last year for the Assembly's forty-sixth session it was in an atmosphere of great optimism. The cold war was over, Kuwait was liberated, freedom and democracy were breaking out all over Europe and in the former Soviet States, positive steps for the reduction of nuclear arms were taking place. The world waited with anticipation to reap the benefits of the all-embracing peace dividend.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“I bring heartfelt greetings from the Government and friendly people of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and I am particularly pleased and, indeed, honoured to be called upon to address the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Let me first join those speakers who have preceded me in congratulating the former President, Mr. Samir Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, on his efficient and proficient handling of our past deliberations. Then I must hasten to welcome our new President, assuring you, Sir, of my country's active support and cooperation. Clearly, Mr. President, the very skilful and methodical manner in which you have been guiding and conducting our work augurs well for a productive session. Next I wish to commend most highly our Secretary-General, Mr.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Let us commit and re-dedicate ourselves to rise to the challenge of making peace mean development for people everywhere, but let as make it specially meaningful for our children as we provide for their health, educational, recreational and psychological needs. In this we can have no nobler objective.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In addition, my Government commends the United Nations and the Organisation of American States on the role they have played and will continue to play in providing avenues through which workable solutions can be found to territorial disputes. At this time in our history we are seriously challenged to bring an end to conflicts and to stimulate a resurgence of human development. Within the parameters of this broad objective, there must be a place for special attention to be given to the welfare of our children. We gave that process special emphasis when we met here at the special Heads of State and Government Summit for Children.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“There have also been positive developments in our region in relations between neighbours. I must commend the Governments of Belize and Guatemala on having reconciled their differences in the interest of good neighbourliness. The declaration that Guatemala recognizes Belize as an independent State not only allows Belize to participate fully in the Central American integration process but gives a tremendous boost to Caribbean-Central American relations. My Government looks with optimism to the prospect of both Governments' continuing negotiations so as to iron out remaining difficulties, in the interest of peaceful coexistence between the two countries.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“While our location provides, on the one hand, opportunities for development, particularly in tourism which is important for all of us, it is also a source of great challenge and danger. We are also vulnerable to the narco-terrorists, the drug traffickers. Together we must continue to wage all-out war on these purveyors of death and destruction. We continue to need more assistance in reducing demand through education, health care, and rehabilitation, and we must intensify our combined efforts in the area of interdiction and enforcement. At this time when the attention of the international community is taken up by events of monumental proportions throughout the world, I feel I must endeavour to keep the development concerns of island developing nations on the international agenda.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We are vulnerable to natural disasters, vulnerable to global economic developments over which we have no control. He are vulnerable to an international economic order that determines and sets at a low level the prices of the things we sell, and escalates the prices of the things we buy. We find ourselves consigned to a treadmill of poverty, debt, and underdevelopment. However, because of our location close to the Americas, and the cross-fertilisation of cultures and values, fuelled by the revolution in electronics and communication, our people have developed high expectations. We have helped ourselves considerably through individual and regional effort, and international support.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Additionally, it must be appreciated that environmental concerns differ from country to country, and from region to region. In the developed world the accent is on issues like the ozone layer, acid rain and toxic waste. In Saint Kitts and Nevis, however, we need direct assistance in the areas of solid and liquid waste management, marine life protection, beach conservation, reef preservation, the prevention of coastal erosion, and the full integration of marine resources into the national development plans. I must at this point make particular reference to the Caribbean, stretching from Belize to Guyana, and linked by small, island developing States from the Bahamas to Trinidad. We are a string of pearls linking North and South America, beautiful but vulnerable.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“On the other side of the ledger, however, we find the disturbing trend where environmental questions, sometimes real and sometimes imagined, are becoming major conditionalities attached to development assistance for poor countries. Are we to understand that development must take priority over environment in developed countries, but that the environment must take precedence over development in developing countries that are being strangled by a hostile world economic system? The ensuring of environmental protection and development must not run counter to a country's strategies for socio-economic advancement. There must be a balance between environmental concerns and a country's overall development so that environmental issues ought not to become a deterrent to development in the poorer countries.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The international community must rally around the system if it is to fulfil its obligation to restore and ensure international peace and security in order that economic and socio-cultural development may prosper, blows, and bear good fruit. The issue of development and the environment is so fundamental to the achievement of a better quality of life that I must address it. It is axiomatic that all of us share a responsibility for protecting and preserving the environment. It seems, however, that in this regard some countries are more equal than others. In 1966, a major airline manufacturer found it necessary to destroy 630 acres of lush forest to establish a factory complex. This was a case of development taking priority over environment. The significant development value of that decision is totally accepted and unquestioned today.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“There must be a redirection of resources, and a mobilization of additional resources, away from the economy of war to the economy of development. The United Nations must be an instrument of peacemaking and enhancement of the quality of life. The Organization can thus direct and coordinate responses to the developmental needs of small States. We need an Organization that remains committed to the sustained growth and development of all of its Member States, in order to build and maintain a world partnership. We must, therefore, commit ourselves to reinforcing the multilateral approach to the solution of our problems. It behoves us to strengthen the international system of which the United Nations forms the nucleus.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We call for all constructive efforts to continue until the reaching of a settlement which brings m and to conflict and ushers in an era of development. My Government supports the new direction towards fundamental reform and democratisation in the Soviet Union. It has undoubtedly contributed to the removal of East-West tensions, r development that has been received with a global sigh of relief. I have no doubt that there will be a major mobilization of financial, technical and material resources to assist with the economic transformation of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. This is as it should be. However, the United Nations must be particularly vigilant to ensure that the socio-economic problems of developing countries, like mine, are not marginalized and relegated to the backwater of human development.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“He consider the lifting of sanctions now to be premature, and caution that it could result in delaying the inevitable end of apartheid. I call on the international community not to retreat when the end is in sight. I call on the international community not to abandon the oppressed people of South Africa at this critical time, but to stand fast until justice, equality and freedom become realities for all. Democracy and individual rights and freedoms are all part of our Caribbean way of life. We want nothing less for our African brothers and sisters. It is cause for deep concern that peace and justice continue to elude the people of Cambodia. They, too have a right to aspire to the fruits of economic development.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“South Africa continues to be another area of grave concern to us. While we welcome the steps taken by the De Klerk Administration to dismantle the pillars of apartheid, we must keep in mind that apartheid is not ended. Until there is equality and respect for individual rights, regardless of race, our objective has not been achieved. The ultimate objective must continue to be the achievement of one person, one vote. We cannot accept one standard of freedom and democracy for people in Europe and the Americas, and a lesser standard of freedom and democracy for the people of South Africa. The people of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and, indeed, the Caribbean community, will maintain our principled stand of continuing sanctions against the regime in South Africa, and we oppose the wholesale lifting of sanctions at this time.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“They have offered signs that it is possible for us to move forward together. I think that the recent announcements made by the Presidents of the United States and the Soviet Union about reducing nuclear arms are most welcome initiatives. So are the encouraging responses given by other nuclear Powers. They indicate that a new process is under way. I believe that it may start to answer the repeated calls for action in this area which have been made by many United Nations Members. The intransigence of Iraq continues to cause disquiet in the international community. We must maintain appropriate sanctions until the relevant resolutions of the Security Council have been implemented in full and until the people of Iraq, as well as their neighbours, can live without fear of intimidation from either conventional or nuclear armaments.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“I am worried most of all by the fact that we do not seem to have found a way to control the development and spread of such technology. These issues represent security problems which are just as dangerous as any act of open hostility. They reflect a disturbing level of uncertainty. Despite positive global changes, they add up to a host of problems which no one country can solve alone. They are all likely to lead to disputes. The only way we can stop these turning into open war, I believe, is for us to act in unity. Therefore we need to identify security concerns in a global context. If that can be done, then we must work together to find solutions. I see those two needs as crucial. As I have said, I do not overlook the positive developments we have seen in the post-cold-war period.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The development of all our peoples through peace must be placed against the backdrop of the need for a comprehensive political settlement, of disputes, self determination through free and fair elections and full respect for national sovereignty, together with the repatriation and rehabilitation of displaced persons balanced against continuing violence, social unrest and grave civil strife in several regions. Moreover, three specific global issues present themselves. I refer here firstly to the risk that certain development programmes may lead to great environmental damage. Secondly, I note that the drug menace is presenting a lasting threat to the welfare of the young people who constitute the productive sector of all nations. Finally, I add to these our ever-increasing ability to cause human and material destruction.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The world must work as assiduously at building the foundations of peace as it did at erecting the bastions of war. The enhancement of education, the eradication of poverty, the reduction of unemployment, the maintenance of good health, the provision of affordable housing, the adapting of science and technology to socio-economic development - these must be the dividends that flow from diverting global financial resources away from the amassing of armaments, to be invested in human development. This is the challenge we face. This is the new battle we must join - and we must not fail.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The Initiative taken by President Bush of the United States of America to implement a unilateral reduction of nuclear weapons Is timely and welcome. The response of President. Gorbachev of the Soviet Union is a further significant contribution to the reduction of International tensions. We must now seize the opportunity of the moment and work towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. However, world peace must not be viewed only In terms of the absence of world war, the elimination of East-West tension or the achievement of cease fires. The concept of world peace must be far more fundamental and pervasive. It must mean an acceptance of human equality and dignity, the achievement of social justice and the global preservation of Individual human rights.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“I call on this body, the United Nations, which has acted decisively in other areas of crisis, to move with urgency and purpose to ostracize the illegal regime in Haiti and to take all appropriate measures to restore democracy and the constitutionally elected Government in Haiti. The people of Haiti cry out in anguish to the world community for deliverance. Let us not fail them this time. I wish to focus today on the subject of development through peace as the basis for the new international order. East-West tension has abated; the Berlin Wall has fallen beneath the surge of freedom; Kuwait has been liberated; some challenges to democracy are being thwarted; and diplomacy and negotiation are more and more being accepted as alternatives to violence and bloodshed.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“This monstrous and outrageous action by the Haitian military is an unacceptable repudiation of the declared will of the people of Haiti, which was overwhelmingly and unambiguously manifested in the elections of December 1990. Saint Kitts and Nevis, and indeed the entire Caribbean community, unreservedly condemn this flagrant assault on the unfolding democratic process in Haiti, and demand the restoration of constitutional order and of Father Aristide to the presidency of the Republic. The Caribbean community has in the past called for concerted international assistance to consolidate democratic gains in Haiti. We repeat that call today. The Caribbean community is working within the Organization of American States to restore democracy to Haiti.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“I welcome the Marshall Islands and Micronesia, as well 33 the Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. I am pleased to assure the Governments and peoples of these new Members that my Government and people will extend to them most active cooperation in the cause of world peace and human development. While democracy is breaking out all over the world, somehow the beleaguered people of Haiti continue to be denied the opportunity to breathe the pure air of freedom. My country, Saint. Kitts and Mavis, and indeed the entire Caribbean community, are deeply shocked by the action of the armed forces in Haiti in illegally sailing President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and members of his administration and usurping the authority of the duly constituted Government.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“This assembly of nations has acted to ensure the restoration of sovereignty to one of its smaller Members, Kuwait, and the world looks on with appreciation. Most are supportive, some are still derisive, none remain indifferent. The United Nation system is experiencing its finest hour - still, it is a time of enormous challenge and opportunity. The vibrancy of the Assembly is reflected in the plethora of new Members. Saint Kitts and Nevis was warmly received into this body, and today I deem it a pleasure and an honour to extend a warm welcome to the new Members. I welcome the Republic of Korea, our friends of long standing, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. An is well known, my Government has consistently advocated the admission of both countries for several years.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Next, I wish to pay a special tribute to Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, who continues to serve cur Organization with demonstrative dignity, elegance, and excellence, amidst difficult and trying times. His focus has always been International peace and security for the peoples of the world. His leadership has been masterful In a period of great upheaval and tremendous change. Mr. Secretary-General, my Government, and people salute you; we stand In awe of your indefatigable commitment; and we pledge our support as you continue to serve the international community in the proficient and effective manner to which we have grown accustomed. There have been times in the past when the relevance of the United Nations has been questioned, when the will of its Members to be resolute in defence of the weak has been in doubt. Not anymore.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“I bring the Assembly most sincere greetings from the Government and the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and deem it an esteemed pleasure and a distinct honour to address this our forty-sixth session of the General Assembly. I join in all sincerity with those who have preceded me in congratulating the former President, Guido de Marco of Malta, on his skilful handling of our past deliberations during a period of unprecedented challenges. Then I hasten to welcome our new President, Samir Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, whom I wish to assure of my country's firm support and continued cooperation. The very astute way in which you have been guiding this session, Mr. President, deserves our highest commendation and portends well for a successful and fruitful forty-sixth session.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“However, we must return to war. Indeed I am calling for a new declaration of war, a war to be fought with an intensity hitherto unknown, on the most violent of battlefields a war to be fought to the finish; a war on poverty; a was: on drug production, drug trafficking and drug consumption; a war against the destruction of the world's resources; a war on economic slavery. This must be a true world war, fought with the present resources and the creative ingenuity of all mankind; a war in which the North fights alongside the South, the East alongside the West; a war that is waged till all mankind is truly free to realize its vast potential and to live with dignity and an uplifting quality of life.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Secondly, conditions in the Caribbean, and indeed in many third-world countries, are almost perfect for the spread of the harmful heavy metals and toxic chemicals found in the waste -· for example, porous soils, wind and water erosion and tropical temperatures. Dependent as we are on our environment, our marine life and our human resources for development, this trend is a very serious threat to our survival, a menace to relations between States and a threat to international peace. My delegation supports the request that an item addressing the problem be placed on the agenda of this session of the General Assembly. It is a problem that demands international co-operation and immediate attention. It seems to be true that the world is weary of war. The world has decided, in the words of a famous song, to "give peace a chance".”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Recent investigations carried out by governmental and non-governmental environmental groups reveal that in the past few months there has been a proliferation of proposals and actual attempts to ship hazardous industrial and nuclear waste from industrialized countries to third-world countries. The developed countries must keep their waste. They have the resources to devote to its safe disposal. Caribbean countries are among the targeted dump sites. For us, this phenomenon has serious implications. First, we lack the adequate legislative and administrative mechanisms to control the management and proper disposal of the waste. Exposure to the environment will result in irreversible damage to ecosystems and human lives.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The widespread increase in drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking has created a world awareness that the problem transcends national and regional boundaries. It menaces the fabric of all our societies and destroys our young people. Countries of the Caribbean are particularly vulnerable as by the nature of our geography we are used as transit points for drug trafficking, with the possibility of also becoming points of consumption. It is time for a co-ordinated global effort aimed at eliminating production, interdicting trafficking and eradicating consumption, especially where the market is greatest. Similarly, the increasing reported incidents of dumping of hazardous waste in third-world countries indicate that a matter has arisen that requires urgent international attention.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Certainly this community of nations cannot accept that the right to basic amenities, to life, to liberty and to the pursuit of happiness is to be enjoyed only by people in large metropolitan societies. Many resolutions have been passed in the General Assembly on island developing countries in the last decade. Let us seize the opportunity of the day and translate these laudable resolutions into effective action. While we have temporised and failed to address seriously the grave economic problems of developing countries, new crises have arisen which threaten to destroy the social and economic fabric of our societies and take a heavy toll on human lives. I refer to the problems of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking, and the dumping of hazardous waste in third-world countries.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“It is essential, therefore, that there be flexibility in designing and supporting development strategies which are appropriate for addressing our special needs. One of our major handicaps is vulnerability to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, from which islands in the Caribbean are especially at risk. Jamaica's devastation by hurricane Gilbert is graphic testimony to this fact. Other problems include: small internal markets, lack of natural resources, heavy dependence on imports and the high per capita cost of building and maintaining economic and social infrastructure. Snail islands lack the critical mass to provide basic services economically for their populations. However, if island people are to enjoy an acceptable quality of life, these services must be provided.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Peace must not become an international vacuum signifying only the absence of war. Peace must be a well-spring of opportunity and hope for the young, the elderly, the sick, the handicapped and the poor. Peace must be a powerful force that moves us forward, upward and onward. Peace must inspire us to achieve the greatest heights of humanitarian excellence of which we are capable. I send out a clarion call for peace between East and West to become a harbinger of a new era of co-operation between North and South. In this context, I must issue an appeal for special consideration to be given to the unique problems of island developing countries, a number of highly reputable studies have shown that island developing countries have characteristics distinct from those of developing countries in general.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We can only hopes that the development strategy for the fourth United Nations development decade will be more fruitful. In the developing countries, however, we must do more than hope. We must seize the opportunity of the current wave of peace initiatives, first, to divert our own energies and resources away from areas of conflict to confront the challenges of development on our own terms and on the basis of our own realities. Then we must challenge the developed countries to engage immediately in meaningful dialogue with us so that significant resources can be diverted from the battlefields and from the silos to improve the housing, the education, the employment opportunities, the infrastructure and the social and economic fabric of the developing countries.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“A total restructuring of the world economic order is imperative if our goal of world development is to be achieved. We in the developing countries continue to experience relatively slow or negative growth in our economies. Sharp commodity-price declines, unavailability of external sources of finance, adverse terms of trade, debt-re-servicing problems - all still frustrate our economic ambitions. Clearly there is a pressing need to reassess the present international economic order to create greater opportunities for the developing countries to share equally in the world's resources. We must concede that the international achievement of development strategies for the First, Second and Third United Nations Development Decades have been limited.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“According to an analysis done by the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers, trade and financial sanctions ate having a debilitating impact on South Africa's economy and this impact would be even more far-reaching were the sanctions themselves more widely adopted and their application tightened and intensified. Further disinvestment programmes must be pursued. On a more positive note, however, in preparation for a free and democratic South Africa the international community needs to address the stabilization and security needs of the front-line States and to offer training to the black people of South Africa so that they may be adequately equipped to accept the task of rebuilding their country. The world's economic situation is another problem of enormous proportions for developing countries. We appear to be caught in a quagmire.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We call for early ratification of the Cartegena Protocol as a contribution to the lowering of tensions. International political issues constitute but a fraction of our common preoccupations. Continued human rights violations and worsening economic conditions provide equal cause for perplexity and consternation. Chief among our human rights concerns is the total eradication of the evil system of apartheid perpetuated in South Africa. My delegation reiterates its abhorrence of that inhumane system and continues to support the call for comprehensive sanctions to be taken against South Africa. With the many sanctions already imposed, and with the perpetuation of apartheid in the face of them all, countries are prone to question the effectiveness of those measures. We are assured that comprehensive sanctions are working.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Clearly, political events have made it difficult for meaningful economic development to proceed. We in the region stand ready to assist the people of Haiti as far as is practically possible, and we also invite the attention of the international community. We must recognize the basic truth that social and economic problems have become both a cause and an effect of aggravated political tensions. Peace and development are inextricably intertwined objectives and we cannot achieve the one without the other. In May this year the United Nations approved a special economic plan for Central America which will assist the peoples of that region in restructuring and stabilizing their economies. This is clearly a step in the right direction. My delegation notes the willingness of Belize and Guatemala to enter into dialogue.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The restoration and preservation of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kampuchean people as well as their right to determine their own destiny, should continue to be the goal, supported most assuredly by the international community. In our own region, conflicts in Central America have set back the process of economic development. It is commendable that the Governments of Central America have mapped out a plan of action to restore peace and stability to their countries. We applaud the persistent efforts of the Contadora Group. We believe its efforts and those of others in the region deserve the full support of the international community, so that the United Nations objective of turning swords into ploughshares may be achieved. We are deeply concerned about the unstable situation which exists in Haiti.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“· My Government also shares the view that the convening of the international peace conference on the Middle East, under the auspices of the United Nations and at the invitation of the Secretary-General and all parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict, would be another appropriate step towards achieving a peaceful, comprehensive and just settlement of the conflict. The Secretary-General is therefore urged to continue his attempts to make the convening of this conference a reality. Another area of continued concern to the international community is the situation in Kampuchea. Hostilities have entered a tenth year and there seems to be no foreseeable end. My delegation stands firmly behind the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on this question since its thirty-fourth session and awaits their implementation.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We support member ship in the United Nations for both countries on the Korean peninsula as a positive step to enhancing their dialogue towards reunification within this Organization's structured and sympathetic framework. While we can see rays of hope in several of the areas of conflict, that is not at present the case in the Middle East. Hope for an end to the conflict can lie only in solutions which recognize the rights of the Palestinian people to a well-defined homeland must co-exist with the tight of the people of Israel to live within secure borders. A first step to peace would be for all parties to adhere to the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on the issue.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“By the same token, my delegation regards with cautious optimism the talks between the Governments concerned to bring an end to the illegal occupation of Namibia by South African troops. We have always supported the United Nations Flan for the Independence of Namibia under the leadership of the South West Africa People's Organization and take this opportunity to reaffirm that support. We must remain firm in our resolve to bring about a liberated and an independent Namibia and take bold initiatives to make it a reality. We renew our call for the United Nations to play a positive role in bringing about reconciliation between South Korea and North Korea.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Theirs is the task of establishing the Government of their choice and undertaking the restructuring of their country. We regard with optimism the prospects for resolution of the status of Western Sahara. St. Kitts and Nevis notes with satisfaction the manifestation by both POLIS AR 10 and the Kingdom of Morocco of the political will and co-operation required in order to bring a peaceful end to this conflict which has persisted for more than a decade. The combined efforts of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations must be recognized as practical arrangements for a referendum by the Sahraoui people are formulated. My delegation urges both parties to intensify the negotiation process and bring a speedy settlement to the conflict.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The situation in Afghanistan also shows signs of responding to international dialogue. For some eight years the General Assembly and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted strongly worded resolutions condemning the foreign occupation of Afghanistan. For eight years the international community kept the pressure on the occupying country by calling for the withdrawal from Afghanistan of all foreign troops. Those actions were supplemented by the efforts of former Under-Secretary-General Diego Cordovez. At last, this year, the Geneva accord was signed by all parties involved, and today troops are being withdrawn from Afghanistan. My delegation is only too aware that the real settlement of the problem lies in the hands of the Afghan people.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“My delegation reflects sadly on the thousands of lives lost and the millions of dollars worth of damage that resulted from the nine-year conflict, and remains grieved at the fact that the suffering and loss were allowed to escalate to such proportions. I trust that the decision of both Iraq and Iran to abide by the Security Council resolution is now reflective of a desire to coexist peacefully. The role of the Secretary-General in this initiative must be lauded. He drew on his vast and proved diplomatic skills and displayed tenacity and endurance while mediating the complex negotiations that led to acceptance by both nations. My delegation would like to encourage him in his efforts to pursue this initiative to the desired goal of a stable and lasting peace.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“My delegation continues to agitate for comprehensive disarmament, which includes not only nuclear weapons but conventional and chemical weapons as well. Let us be conscious that the survival and well-being of future generations is the responsibility of us all - nuclear and non-nuclear States alike. Similarly, the situation in the Persian Gulf gives us cause to be optimistic about the prospects for peace in that troubled region. Just a few months ago the Islamic Republic of Iran announced its formal acceptance of Security Council resolution 598 (1987). That decision was welcomed by Member States as it signified that a cease-fire between Iran and Iraq could now be affected and negotiations to bring about lasting peace in the region could be set in motion.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Within the category of world events that respond to dialogue fits the recent agreement on arms limitation and disarmament. The ratification of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, which calls for a 50 per cent reduction of the strategic nuclear arsenals of the United States and the USSR signifies a major achievement for the entire world in the process of arms limitation and disarmament. We are all aware that divergent positions plagued the agreement, but we are heartened by the display of political will between the two major military Powers to reach an agreement. This movement in disarmament could augur well for the long-range goal of comprehensive disarmament called for by the General Assembly. Its prospects no longer seem as remote as they were a few years ago.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“For it can achieve only as much as its Member States permit it to achieve. The success of our concerted efforts to resolve global disputes is highly dependent on international dialogue and conciliation. It is the role of this body to foster such dialogue and such conciliation. However, the responsibility for good-neighbourliness and international peace and security remains that of each nation State. My delegation is particularly encouraged by the noticeably improved international political climate, which has provided a favourable ambiance for the conduct of fruitful negotiations this year. Certain recent developments identify 1988 as a diplomatic and political watershed year, heralding long-awaited compliance with United Nations resolutions on prolonged conflicts.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)