YouSaid · the spoken record

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

lines on the record: 70
first: 1990-09-24
most recent: 1994-09-24
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

“13 These new imperatives express not only enormous needs but also the aspiration for the equality of nations in the building of a future that will hold promise only if it belongs to all of us. That is the meaning of "international community" as embodied in the Charter of San Francisco: a future that no one has the right to deny to future generations. Today, as then, peace can be preserved only through the observance of law; today, more than in the past, security requires the greatest development of every nation, every country, so that together we can make a reality of the hope for a common future. The United Nations - our Organization - continues to be the forum par excellence for the achievement of those noble goals.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Our times call for making development a priority for world peace and security by encouraging global policies of financial coordination and free trade with clear and equitable rules; by recognizing nature as an ally in the development of each nation, and the equally shared responsibility of all nations in maintaining global balances; and by deploying information networks to effectively combat drug-trafficking and terrorism, which constitute attacks on the security of all. Fundamentally, our times call for the uniting of all our efforts, in democracy and freedom, to reduce poverty in the world. Otherwise there can be no possibility of peace and no lasting security.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The new world balance calls for new mentalities and new priorities: a reordering of international realities in accordance with rules agreed upon on the basis of respect for the sovereignty of each nation and recognition of the pluralities of peoples. The new vision turns differences into opportunities, opposing views into dialogue and cooperation and demands for justice into a commitment of solidarity among peoples.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Recently, Mexico’s federal elections proved to be an enriching democratic experience. More than 36 million citizens participated in the elections, which is to say, more than 77 per cent of registered voters. They were the elections most closely monitored by political parties, national observers and international visitors in our history. The Mexican people opted for legality and peace. Here, I wish to express my gratitude for the technical support provided by the Secretariat of the United Nations, at the request of the Mexican Government, in training and advising groups of Mexican election observers. Today it is no longer possible to pursue peace, security and development as isolated goals, whether in the international order or at the national level.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“From social liberalism comes the difficult but gratifying task of building new forms of political consensus to make progress in democracy; from it come the enormous efforts made to correct our macroeconomic imbalances and improve the competitiveness of our country; from it too stems the consolidation of our Programme of Solidarity to benefit those who have least; from it come our efforts to make environmental protection a component of development; and from it come our economic diversification abroad, our entry into organizations such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, the establishment of the North American Free Trade Agreement and similar agreements within Latin America, and our membership of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in which new forms of international agreement and cooperation are being developed.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We are forging a reformed State that depends not on its size but on its effectiveness in achieving, with freedom, conditions of greater justice. In 1990 I spoke to this Assembly about the objectives of Mexican change. Today we have results that strengthen our hopes and give us a better understanding of world challenges.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“With this approach to the future, we will be able to address existing imbalances by taking shared responsibility for just and civilized coexistence. In brief, it is a question of adopting and recognizing pluralism as an expression of freedom, and justice as an essential prerequisite for security in the coexistence of nations. In Mexico, this approach is called social liberalism. It has served as a guide for the changes that we have undertaken to respond appropriately to the challenges of our times. A product of our history and of our shared universal aspiration to justice, social liberalism has led us to undertake far-reaching democratic reform, changes in our economic structures, a frontal attack on poverty, and a new linkage between Mexico and the world.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The globalization of the economy, an undeniable fact in our times, must be reconciled with the existence of diverse and sovereign nations whose status and will to exist cannot be denied, much less violated, without seriously jeopardizing peace. Only on the basis of recognizing and respecting pluralism will we be able to implant new and better world mechanisms for coordinating economic matters to achieve a better distribution of capital, technology and joint forms of production. Only on the basis of respect for the sovereignty of each nation and the right of all peoples to self-determination will we be able to build a broader and more enduring political consensus. Only on the basis of this awareness and of renewed solidarity will we be able to sustain action aimed at achieving effective justice in social matters.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Here, the Agenda drawn up by the United Nations at the historic summit in Rio de Janeiro continues to be more an aspiration than a reality. It is imperative to move on from words to deeds. In next year’s summit on social development, there will be a new 12 opportunity to respond to this link between environment and development, which is essentially one of justice. In brief, we need a major cultural change based on a simple truth: political pluralism within countries and among nations is not a hypothesis; it is a reality that defines and characterizes all human groups. Consequently, Mexico stresses its opposition to illusory assumptions that sovereignty is a vanishing concept.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“To settle that debt, the United Nations must grant clear priority to development and cooperation within a framework of multilateral action, rather than giving priority to actions backed by arms to maintain security. We have before us the opportunity to reorder our priorities as we deal at this forty-ninth session of the General Assembly with the topic of a new Agenda for Development, and thereby to move toward lasting peace based on comprehensive, balanced worldwide de- velopment. Fully achieving development also presupposes the sustainable use of natural resources and the maintenance of the fragile balance of ecosystems that are frequently overexploited, resulting in the impoverishment of those living under such systems.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As progress is made in trade agreements and treaties, it is imperative to recognize the asymmetries between nations and to avoid conditioning trade on such matters as labour and environmental issues, which, although legitimate aspects of trade, can be used artificially to conceal new forms of protectionism. These actions comprise the major tasks on our economic agenda for the end of this century. In the sphere of social justice - an element essential to peace - there is in the world a long-standing social debt still to be paid. If we fail to pay it, it will be utopian to think of progress in democracy or any widespread and enduring peace and security.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“To that end, we must consolidate the present opening of markets to competition. No instrument will be of greater assistance in attaining that goal than the launching of the World Trade Organization, which will complement the Bretton Woods institutions. It is essential for us first to guarantee that the results of the Uruguay Round are ratified by countries that have not yet done so, and subsequently to ensure the effective functioning of the new world-trade system. Today, it is essential to maintain and expand large free-trade areas and, in the new organization of world trade, to build new forms of coordination and cooperation so that free-trade areas will act as an impetus rather than an obstacle to world trade.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“This new liberalization is also a reason for us to feel optimistic that freer trade will contribute to the eradication of poverty. More trade will translate into more and better jobs. Nevertheless, there are still obstacles that must be overcome: we must be wary of new protectionist trends; we must recognize that the new financial resources are still insufficient for the needs of the developing countries and that many of those countries continue to experience less favourable terms of trade as well as instability in interest rates. The challenge we face is to eliminate conditions that impede the free circulation of goods and services, that limit the creation of jobs and produce growing migration, that exacerbate xenophobic attitudes and that stand in the way of world recovery.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In the coming years the most important growth of markets for the products of industrialized nations will occur in the developing countries. We know, too, that aid may prove to be ineffective and insufficient, when the basic need is to move toward equality of opportunities worldwide by opening markets to the products of developing countries. In the past few years the world has undergone a transition toward a liberalization of trade that is unprecedented in modern history. This movement toward true globalization, in which a large number of developing countries are participating for the first time, is indicative of the renewed confidence of nations in their capacity to compete and gain integration into world markets.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is not by chance that democratic stability flourishes where there is economic stability and growth; nor is it by chance that more human rights violations occur where the population is prey to poverty, illiteracy and disease. Making progress in democracy and respect for human rights requires new efforts to eradicate inequalities between individuals, groups, peoples and nations. In the economic sphere, we are facing both the challenges and the opportunities posed by interdependence and globalization. We must now make progress in the harmonization of financial, technological and production policies within the world economy in order to achieve generalized growth. We are well aware that the development of the most industrialized nations may prove to be insufficient without sustained growth in the developing countries.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Therefore, coordinated action by nations to deal with these grave problems of our times can help to broaden political participation and 11 ensure better conditions to improve well-being and provide for the protection of human rights. The efforts made thus far by the United Nations in this field - such as the creation of the post of High Commissioner for human rights - are notable but still insufficient. Reconsidering the question of the defence of human rights and the strengthening of democracy also involves reconsidering the issue of development on the basis of fair access to markets, capital and new technolo- gies.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As a form of political organization of peoples, democracy is certainly the best way to facilitate development with justice; it is also the system which best guarantees respect for human rights. For the civil and political rights recognized by the vast majority of the Members of our Organization to be fully effective, economic conditions in which all individuals can develop their potential are required. Hunger and unemployment, drug-trafficking and the depletion of natural resources, forced migrations and new forms of trade protectionism impair development and the full exercise of human rights and hinder the democratic participation of individuals in shaping their own destinies.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The use of force and the threat of its use, when world peace is not in danger, are no longer valid means for sovereign nations to achieve their goals. What are needed instead are economic exchanges, political dialogue and a common willingness to recognize and respect one another, unconditionally and without exception. With that willingness, which will benefit us all because it commits us all, we can undertake thorough reforms of international organizations, and in particular of the United Nations. Recognition of plurality, respect for sovereignty and the reaching of consensual accords are also bases on which the United Nations can construct new forms of cooperation and technical assistance aimed at consolidating democracy and at achieving the effective protection of human rights.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“That is precisely the path that might be followed, through the dialogue reopened regarding illegal migration, to put an end to the longstanding differences in the hemisphere between the United States and Cuba, within a framework of full respect for the sovereignty and the right to self-determination of the Cuban people. With regard to the crisis in Haiti, Mexico reiterates its commitment to the re-establishment of the constitutional and democratic order. It also reiterates the need to give preference to peaceful and diplomatic means above all others, as well as to foster specific forms of cooperation to ensure better living standards for the Haitian people, for without them democratic institutions will be weak and short-lived.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It would also like to express, once again, its satisfaction at the end of apartheid in South Africa and at the establishment of a democratic Government in that country. Mexico will continue its enthusiastic and unwavering support for the peace processes in Central America and congratulates the parties involved, which are making progress along the path of dialogue and negotiation. As a member of the group of countries that are friends of the Secretary-General, Mexico has taken part in the efforts to arrange direct talks to put an end to conflicts between Latin American sister countries.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Faced with a painful experience in Chiapas, in the south of our country, Mexico turned the armed challenge with which we were confronted on 1 January into political dialogue 10 days later; it listened carefully to the voices of the neediest and committed itself to finding a political way to solve their problems through dialogue and in freedom, instead of attempting to crush the uprising, as was the custom throughout the world during the cold-war period. This is the spirit of political dialogue and peace with honour required by the new era; this is the path of new hope. The world has certainly seen many achievements in recent times. Mexico welcomes the progress made in negotiations leading to lasting peace in various parts of the world, especially in the Middle East.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“My country is pleased at the recent accession by Argentina, Brazil and Chile to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and by the forthcoming accession announced by Cuba, which fulfil the Latin American ideal of inhabiting a nuclear-weapon-free region. We should now continue the negotiations on, and put into effect, the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty and the Convention on chemical weapons, signed in January 1993 and thus far ratified by a mere 14 States. But this is not sufficient. In the political sphere, we face the challenge of keeping the peace while maintaining respect for the sovereignty of nations and for their cultural diversity and political plurality, which, far from succumbing to interference or being diluted into uniformity, demand their own spaces, both within our countries and within the United Nations.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Thus, it is essential to find and apply new solutions to the problems resulting from the end of the bipolar confrontation and from the new economic 10 contests between powerful regions, whose effects sometimes have an even greater impact on nations remote from these centres of finance and trade. Today the answers lie not in weapons, but in the will to build consensus; not in interference, but in the ability to coordinate development policies within a framework of fair competition, ruled by standards recognized by all participants. In building up new hope, we must unquestionably persevere in our efforts to eradicate the nuclear threat and the risks posed by chemical and biological weapons and the arms race. Mexico has always taken part in contributing to reducing those dangers.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Now, at the end of another war - the cold war - it is time to recognize a new content in the objectives of our world Organization and new conditions for providing deep-rooted, lasting responses to the aspirations for justice and well-being shared by all mankind. What kinds of peace, development and solidarity are required at the end of this century? Today internationalization of the economy is increasingly pronounced and the cultural plurality of nations is being manifested by the heightening of tensions in relations between groups, countries and regions. The major dilemmas of our times therefore stem from profound complexities in the economic and political spheres and in the opportunities open to all peoples to attain a decent standard of living.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“At that time also, world development depended on financing for recovery and, therefore, on the recycling of resources by the victorious Powers, which were net exporters of capital, in the form, very often, of "international aid". That peace, that security and that concept of development are no longer with us. Today, without the bipolar balance of power and faced with the intense financial competition and the regional ethnic and religious conflicts of recent years, we recognize that there are other ways in which the United Nations should promote peace, security and development, as set forth in its founding Charter.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Its achievements and limitations alike have reflected the world power structure prevailing since 1945, as well as the efforts of its Members: countries that are equal and sovereign but diverse in their beliefs, cultural expressions, geographical endowments and levels of development. The United Nations is a child of its times, of the period following the Second World War. It was born with a mission to work for world peace and security and for development. At that time, peace meant avoiding the nuclear conflagration toward which the bipolar arms race had been sweeping us since the 1950s. Global security then meant avoiding the escalation of peripheral conflicts into which the nuclear Powers could be drawn.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is a great pleasure to attend the beginning of this forty-ninth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Now that the threat of global war is receding and local conflicts are proliferating, the untiring efforts undertaken by Boutros Boutros-Ghali on behalf of peace are increasingly arduous and deserve our deepest appreciation. My congratulations go also to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire, Amara Essy, who is serving as President of this important session of the Assembly. During its first half-century, the United Nations promoted highly important diplomatic negotiations, prevented disputes between nations, fostered the settlement of regional controversies and prevented global conflicts. It also encountered serious limitations - and was, at times, close to paralysis - in the attainment of its ends.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“This is the only way to find hope for the world.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The most important events in history have always been the result of achieving something previously regarded as impossible. It would be futile to attempt to place limits on the progress of free men, but it would be even more futile to try to place constraints on the effects of the commitment to act with goodwill. Today in the United Nations we have a world Organization that gives full priority to respect for international law and the principles of its founding Charter, an Organization that guarantees the search for solutions to the global problems of our time and that upholds the indissoluble link between peace and development. In short, we have an Organization that promotes respect as one of the founding principles of democracy and of open, equitable co-operation to make international justice a reality.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“It cannot be otherwise, because it is our conviction, rooted in our history and our geography, that the international principles of Mexico and the United Nations do indeed constitute a framework for action that better promotes our interests. Law ultimately constitutes an objective barrier - although unfortunately not an insurmountable one - to the arbitrary exercise of power. The United Nations is the most nearly perfect form of political organization for the sovereign interrelationships of States. As the interdependence among States increases, so too will the need to move forward to more effective levels of organization. May the task of the United Nations for the twenty-first century be to establish democratic justice in the world.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“International law will thus become all the more relevant, because the interrelationship of interests and the globalization of political values will necessarily lead to the joint solutions of common problems. The unquestionable link between development and peace makes it necessary to pursue dialogue and to act in accordance with the law. Mexico has maintained and will always maintain a firm commitment to a policy of principles. We believe in law as the foundation of a culture of respect among nations. We believe in democracy as a measure of peoples' own will. We seek a more deeply rooted justice, both within our country and among nations.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“If the twentieth century wore to leave us only this legacy, it would be making its full contribution to mankind. For all nations, however, there is still a long way to go, and the ideal is still far from becoming α reality. World justice must become the heritage for the twenty-first century. Our passion for democracy must take into account the need to bring into being the conditions that make it possible to exercise political and civil rights, enabling them to flourish and make men brothers in spirit. Beyond any doubt, the initial effort must be internal, national and continuous. But it also calls for the participation of the international community, through its institutions, in support of the hardships suffered by entire peoples in their efforts to achieve more prosperous lives.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Are we prepared to give politics and diplomacy a chance to work, despite their limitations, their slow results, their unavoidable but indispensable commitments? In this regard the universal democratic idea is the great legacy of these last years of the century. Fragile though it is, it is being built throughout the world in the face of waning but still dangerous resistance. The democratic idea reflects the complexity of present-day societies agreement between different men and women who wish to live as a productive community under democracy; respect for their dignity and for their basic rights; the sum of talents that are free and capable of facing global challenges. In a sense a new utopia, richer than any that preceded it, is emerging, born of a true confrontation between doctrinaire principles and historical facts.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In the words of Mexican internationalist Genaro Estradas "No country should ask for something which the sovereignty of its own people gives it the right to receive." Uncertainty can cause fear, but it can also give rise to unexplored opportunities. More than ever before, the current situation offers unique conditions for constructive encounters between nations. In order to take advantage of this, we must cast aside our fear of the unknown. The effective protection of nations requires giving free rein to their capabilities, not limiting them. It means interacting and reaching agreement, not responding unilaterally. It means having confidence in ourselves so that we may take an active part in shaping world history, which is one and the same and belongs to all.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Only thus will self-government serve to make commitments, forge links and be open to the community of nations. Only a real detente can lead to genuine changes. The lawful defence and promotion of the sovereign interrelationship of nations does not conflict with the certainty of national identity but rather requires it. The scale of the world's great problems can no longer be used as a pretext for practising new forms of interventionist and hegemonism. To each citizen, each family and each society, forming part of a political community is something of decisive value. Only those that are sovereign agents respected by the international community can be participants in international affairs.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The challenge of our times is to recognize that the trend towards globalization demands the effective application of international law to establish the rules governing co-operative efforts in the face of problems that, by their very nature, are international. But this should never mean a weakening of the sovereignty of States on the pretext of a supposed world community of individuals. Let us not repeat the mistake of establishing a universal rationale aimed at wiping away the history of peoples. It is possible for us to view the world as an entity only because we hold a point of view, our own, that of each nation. That is why our attachment to values, to history, to culture, which is the cement of societies, persists and indeed is growing stronger. Sovereignty and democracy are essential in a world of interdependence.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The interdependence of the modern world and the conviction that there are global problems whose solution can be attained only through international action have led some to cast doubt on the validity of those principles. That is an erroneous view; the most progressive forms of international organisation that have emerged in recent times have had as their point of departure the twin rights of territorial integrity and political sovereignty. That is where the ultimate legitimacy of the Organisation resides, and that is what offers the possibility of achieving agreements aimed at constructive and effective international action. States are the arena of self-determination, and only through respect for them is international determination possible.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The circumstances that favour the strengthening of the United Nations demand responsibility. The momentum of these times bears with it the risk of tempting us to act in haste, to create functions for the United Nations that go beyond the provisions of its Charter, functions that not all of its Member States are willing to undertake. Let us, therefore, reflect on our present condition, so that we can envisage a future that, while not free from problems, will have common rules for resolving them. What cannot be put off is the implementation of the fundamental principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, which are Mexico's principles as well.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In the midst of the immense chaos that the French Revolution caused in Europe two centuries ago, in a world suddenly left without points of reference and threatened by new forms of despotism, a philosopher of that age and of all ages enthusiastically but cautiously distinguished between universal law, the promise of everlasting peace among nations and respect for the freedom of all. Today, when the end of the cold war is changing the world's geopolitics, when the people of Eastern Europe are once again finding the magnificence and the risks of freedom and when, at the same time, the danger of a war with unprecedented consequences is emerging and new problems are gaining priority, we must return to the principles of that centuries-old perception. What should the future of our Organisation be?”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We are protecting whales, dolphins and a dozen of the world's remaining 14 species of sea turtles that lay their eggs on our beaches. We are providing more protection for our tropical forests and are actively participating in the world strategy for preventing changes in the global climate. We seek more co-operation, especially financial and technological co-operation, in attacking the problems of pollution in Mexico City. This is a struggle in behalf of civilisation, the civilisation that will come after us, which we cannot abandon without rejecting our own nature.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Development and environmental protection are compatible if all of us accept our responsibility for the environment and if the necessary resources and technologies are channelled to the developing countries to enable them to offer their inhabitants options that do not despoil the environment. Horns of coexistence that did not include the developing nations in the building of prosperity would ignore the international community's reason for existence and waste the benefits of peace. The 1992 world Conference on Environment and Development should be a turning-point in the firm commitment of the community of nations to alleviate the harmful effects o£ environmental deterioration. Mexico is doing its part and is seeking to balance its industrialisation with a healthy environment.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Lack of development and of social progress holds the same potential for disrupting global stability as have conflict and war. The highest hopes for this new age of multipolarity, an age characterized by respect and co-operation, will mean little if the promotion of growth and productive employment to reduce poverty is nullified by protectionist barriers, negative terms of trade and the net transfer of the South's resources to the industrialized world. The grievous and widening gap between rich and poor countries is a source of concern to all. World-wide environmental deterioration and pollution jeopardise social development and undermine the productive endeavours of our nations. This problem, whose origin and consequences extend across national frontiers, demands a multilateral solution.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In the course of my administration, Mexico has lost more than 100 people in this war, has arrested over 20,000 drug traffickers and has prevented 7 billion doses of marijuana and 3 billion doses of cocaine and heroin from reaching the youth of the world by confiscating drugs with a street value of $120 billion. Such is the depth of Mexico's commitment to the war on drug trafficking. It must not be forgotten, however, that the rule of law prevails in its fight at all times. We cannot allow rights to be violated when we wage this war, much less permit the sovereignty of States to be violated for such a purpose. Unswerving determination and full and respectful collaboration are the civilized solution, as they are in all questions of war and peace.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“It is a chain of terror that includes production, distribution and consumption as different parts of one and the same threat. Simultaneous measures must be taken to provide production options in places where drug crops are planted, to fight drug traffickers and to educate and rehabilitate those who consume drugs. The 1988 Vienna Convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and the preparation of a world plan of action are highly encouraging efforts. We trust that the new structure of United Nations agencies will effectively assist in multilaterally approaching this scourge. In Mexico's case, drug trafficking not only threatens the health of our young people but also undermines national security and the strength of our institutions.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Efforts to solve the Cambodian conflict involve the resolute participation of the members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries in the region. Progress in solving the problems of southern Africa have been based largely on the efforts of the front-line countries: the regional agreement is a gaga of the processes leading towards peace. We expect the invaluable co-operation of the Arab League in finding a prompt solution to the problems in the Persian Gulf, Another war of global dimensions is being waged against drug trafficking and terrorism, increasingly united in their criminal conspiracy against humanity. Here again, a new concept has been accepted that recognises the true international nature of the problem and eliminates any pretext for not acting.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Achieving peace in the region depends, first of all, on the tenacious efforts of the countries in the zone; the Esquipulas agreements are among the best examples of these. The Central American Governments are on the road to reconciliation and peace. They demand and deserve international support for their efforts. Just as resources were delivered to the warring parties during the time of conflict, they should now be provided to the Governments responsible for the development of the region. That is not occurring, and is alarming because the population dynamics and the age-old deficiencies of the region mean that there can be so lasting peace unless it is based on economic improvement. Regional peace-seeking groups are irreplaceable.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Let us reduce the levels of conventional weapons and military budgets, and may the savings achieved thereby be directed towards development and not towards destruction. The search for peace has led us to recognise concerted regional agreement as one of the most suitable ways of creating favourable conditions for negotiations. Central America, the pain-wracked isthmus of our continent, has been assailed by armed conflict and a draining of its economies for more than a decade. With respect for all concerned, Mexico has worked, first bilaterally, then multilaterally and subsequently through its present efforts within the Group of Eight and under the San Jose Accord, to bring the conflict to an end and to initiate a stage in which there will be development.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, and the understanding reached on a SO per cent reduction in their strategic long-range nuclear arsenals are very positive factors. These have helped to create a favourable atmosphere for the European negotiations on the reduction of conventional arsenals, and have contributed favourably to an enhanced climate of detente. Respect for others, both within each nation and between States, is the political basis for negotiation and the underlying principle of international law. We call on all nations in our hemisphere and throughout the world to subscribe to treaties such as those of Tlatelolco and Rarotonga.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The fundamental tasks of international law are those concerned with world stability, with the agendas of war and peace, of development and social justice in the world. The far-reaching changes have given a global character to potential responses to these major threats to the desire for productive and peaceful coexistence. The world-wide effort to eliminate the origins of conflicts again finds its firmest resolve in the establishment of law. To a large extent, the danger represented by the regional conflicts that we are experiencing today derives from the arms race. Commitments in the field of arms reduction, particularly the reduction of nuclear and chemical weapons, and agreements for reducing trafficking in armaments, are key issues for peace in the decade of the 1990s. There are encouraging signs.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Today, the General Assembly san also be the conduit of the new era of exchanges based on the principle of sovereign equality and in keeping with the norms of international law. Thus, it is painful to recall how many times in the past adopted resolutions have been ignored, and heartening today to see the norms respected. I come to this General Assembly persuaded that all Member States are committed to strengthening the process of recovery of the United Nations which has now begun. There is a historic mission to carry out, and today we are closer than ever before to accomplishing it. We embark upon the decade of the 1990s beset by international uncertainties, but knowing that we have it in us to resolve them.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)