YouSaid · the spoken record

Solana

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS SOLANA

lines on the record: 46
first: 1989-09-24
most recent: 1993-09-24
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

“If in truth we have an opportunity - as has so often been said since the end of the cold war - to turn the Organization into the cornerstone of a truly new, more just international order, then let us take action.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The central strategy of the foreign policies of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari are diversification and the deepening of our relations with all regions and countries of the world. Mexico has already begun preparations for the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. In my country this will not be an occasion for meaningless celebrations and self-congratulatory gestures. We are making a serious effort to give serious thought to the future of the Organization. The first question that we must answer, however, is: What functions do we want the United Nations to perform in the coming century? All the rest will follow by accretion.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We have also been invited by the 24 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). We appreciate the invitation. We are working out the details of our entry into this prestigious group. We congratulate the leaders of South Africa, President De Klerk and Nelson Mandela, on the agreements that they have reached and we are ready immediately to initiate full relations with that Republic. We recognize and fully support the efforts that have been made in Haiti. Our Ambassador has now returned to Port au Prince. We reiterate our offer to the Secretary- General to give technical and economic resources for the general recovery of Haiti. Forty-eighth session - 29 September l993 21 We wish to continue to be respectful friends of each and every one of the States that are Members of the United Nations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“With Chile we already have an agreement which has been in existence since January 1992. We are also having talks with other countries in the area. We participate actively in the Ibero-American Conference, which is gaining the kind of standing that befits an organization of 21 Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in America and Europe. As an Atlantic country we feel very close to Europe, where we have our principal partners and friends. We feel especially close to the European Community, with which we have a standing dialogue. We are also a Pacific country and have significantly expanded the number of our representatives and our trade with Asian countries. We appreciate the support that has been given to us by the countries of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Council to help us to enter that body very soon.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“On that basis we hope to promote, regulate and ensure trade flows, services and investments among these three countries. In due course this will be the largest free-trade area in the world: 360 million people with a product worth $7 trillion, a moving force of principal importance for the world economy. But Mexico is also a substantial and proud part of Latin America. We have our cultural links and historic alliances in Latin America. We give priority to our cooperation with Central America and with the countries of the Caribbean. We participate actively in the Rio Group and in the Latin American Economic System (SELA). We, together with Colombia and Venezuela, are involved in negotiations on free trade with the Group of Three, and we hope that these will be completed this year.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The community of States participating in the Conference expressed their political determination to implement these agreements in a non-selective manner, with objectivity and respect for universality. This is a fundamental aspect of the protection and promotion of human rights throughout the world. Mexico would repeat before the Assembly that full respect for human rights requires us to direct our efforts towards the weakest groups: those that live in conditions of poverty, refugees, ethnic minorities, and all those people in need of respect for their way of life and their culture. Mexico’s total trade with the United States of America and Canada is equivalent to 20 per cent of its gross national product. For this reason it signed the North American Free Trade Agreement and parallel agreements.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“President Carlos Salinas de Gortari has said, time and time again, that in order to consolidate any programme of adjustment and economic stability, the promotion of social programmes is indispensable. He has also stressed that the expansion, modernization and proper orientation of educational programmes was the only way, in the long term, to increase productivity and raise the living standards of the people. The convening of the World Summit for Social Development in 1995 shows that the United Nations has acknowledged the priority nature of this item on the international agenda. Mexico is already participating with enthusiasm in preparations for this important event. In the course of this year the World Conference on Human Rights was held at Vienna. The agreements reached must lead to a strengthening of already existing legal instruments.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Only in this way can we ensure that whole peoples will not try to leave in search of better economic opportunities. Extreme poverty has increased in all areas of the world. For as long as the richest one fifth of the world’s population represents 83 per cent of total income, we will have failed in our efforts at economic cooperation. The countries of Latin America and those of Central and Eastern Europe have made special efforts to make internal adjustments to bring about economic reforms that would have been hard even to imagine a few years ago. The problem of critical poverty, however, cannot be left to the whim of market forces. In Mexico the State has not abdicated its social responsibility. Indeed, we have strengthened our development policies based on solidarity.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“During this period of difficult transition towards a new ordering of power and balance in the world, internal tensions, protectionist tendencies, the global recession and the disintegration of numerous States have combined to make certain countries perceive the phenomenon of migration as a threat to their national security. Let us keep this phenomenon from overwhelming us by adopting restrictive measures that are only superficial palliatives. Mexico proposes that the Assembly begin serious thought on this subject as soon as possible. 20 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session The national plans of any State must be based on policies which make it possible for the inhabitants to live in a dignified manner in their own country.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Every wave of migration throughout history has its own explanations, and the explanations are not necessarily related. However, they always include the search for a better life. Changes in the world’s structure are both a brake on migration and an encouragement. In 1989, 1 per cent of the world’s population - more than 50 million people - lived outside their country of origin. In 1992, only three years later, this figure had doubled. At the beginning of the 1990s, the number of refugees in the world had reached 17 million. Those countries which, because of their economic development and social peace, seem to be able to accept new groups of migrants are today undergoing internal conflicts at times expressed through manifestations of ethnic and religious intolerance.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We must intensify our political determination, imagination and strategic creativity and, above all, international cooperation in which there is respect for sovereignty and no one claims preeminence, in order to stop the growth of this terrible social cancer. Another central issue of our times is the great migratory currents which are developing with renewed vigour as the century draws to a close. The great international migrations are a result of the polarization of wealth and well-being. They are a problem which affects the entire world, exceeding the capacity for action of individual States. We need new plans for international cooperation to seek solutions to the most distressing problems relating to economic underdevelopment.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We cannot question the merit of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, an instrument which has served to guide State policies and coordinate international cooperation. Certain local and national battles have been won as a result of them. But the war has not been won, and it is now a world war. In view of the uncontrollable spread throughout the world of the dirty business of drugs, of their consumption, production and traffic, and all the related illegal activities, we must give thought to the ineffectiveness of the strategies we have followed, and we must adopt a new course.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Mexico stresses the priority of the negotiations, both on their own merits and because of the effect they will have on the next Non- Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which will determine the future of this important international instrument. For Mexico, the complete cessation of nuclear tests is inextricably linked to the fate of the non-proliferation regime. The community of nations must now confront another danger: drugs. Now the largest illegal business in history, they are putting an end to human lives, corrupting the forces of order and harming political institutions, and they can even affect the stability of States.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Peace plans come and go, but there has been no end to the killing and suffering of innocent people. Mexico urges all the parties to the conflict to agree on concrete confidence-building measures which will allow the conditions for a broad, lasting agreement to be created. Mexico welcomes the recent decision by the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Russia unilaterally to extend the moratorium on nuclear testing. This decision will make it possible for the Conference on Disarmament finally to begin negotiations to ratify a treaty completely banning these tests. We hope that all the nuclear Powers, including China, will join the moratorium. This historic decision, inspired and encouraged from the beginning by my country, will be a vital step in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“This is demonstrated by the Forty-eighth session - 29 September l993 19 agreement between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the State of Israel regarding autonomy for the occupied territories. Mexico congratulates both the parties involved, as well as those who assisted them in this great success of political intelligence, of concertation and respect for the rights of the other side. Weapons are yielding to the rule of reason. The self-determination of peoples and the right of every State to live within secure and recognized boundaries - principles to which Mexico has always subscribed - are beginning to gain strength in the Middle East. In contrast to the signs of hope we are seeing in the Middle East, the failure of the efforts to bring peace to the former Yugoslavia is clear.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“My Government is concerned that the scope of activity of the members of those forces can be widened in situ, and that their areas of competence are confused with other collective actions based on the enforcement measures outlined in Chapter VII of the Charter. In Somalia United Nations forces should only ensure that the international humanitarian aid reaches its intended beneficiaries. The international community’s support for peace-keeping operations and humanitarian relief depends on their impartiality and transparency. Mexico makes an urgent appeal to Member States immediately to lay down parameters regulating all aspects of the establishment and functioning of peace-keeping operations. No force can replace political will in finding solutions to international conflicts.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Mexico sees peace-keeping operations as an excellent instrument for containing the effects of conflict situations. Such operations exist to create the conditions for a political solution to be reached by peaceful means. They are an opportunity for peace, but they are not peace itself. Before the Security Council decides to set up a peace- keeping operation, all parties to the conflict must have given their consent. Only in this way can we guarantee the inviolability of the sovereign rights of States and respect for their internal jurisdiction. A clear mandate is also indispensable. Precisely because their functions have become diversified, the Blue Helmets must have clearly delimited fields of activity.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The right of veto is not democratic, and therefore Mexico has never supported it. Together, we must seek new ways to control the exercise of that right and ensure that no permanent member alone can decide or obstruct the Council’s action. Transparency in the working methods of the Council will restore to the General Assembly the primacy derived from its universality and pluralism. We propose that a General Assembly working group be established to make recommendations on all aspects of the Security Council’s reform. In recent years peace-keeping operations have increased considerably. This shows that the world has not yet managed to resolve its most pressing problems. Nationalisms persist. Xenophobia and racism are on the rise. Extreme poverty has increased.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The question of the Council’s composition must be addressed having regard to the overriding need to guarantee the legitimacy and transparency of the Council’s actions. Those who make the greatest contributions to the maintenance of peace, not necessarily those who are the largest producers and exporters of the world’s weapons, should be members of the Council. Carrying out peace- keeping operations is not simply a question of placing military contingents at the Council’s disposition. We must recognize the efforts of all those countries which have brought about the peaceful settlement of international disputes. The recent frequent recourse to the Security Council has tended to hide the fact that our first obligation is to resolve differences by peaceful means. A representative body must be democratic.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Mexico sees in any reforms a historic opportunity to strengthen the democratic life of this Organization. The question of equitable representation in the Security Council plays a central role in the reform of our Organization. There is a consensus on the need to increase the number of seats in the Council. Whereas in 1945 there were 51 Members of the United Nations, today there are 184 of us. For this reason, we should perhaps try, at the very least, to double the number of seats in the Council. But simply increasing the membership would not be enough. The restructuring of the Council must take into account, first of all, the fact that the Council lacks authority of its own. It acts by the mandate of those of us who have decided, as sovereign States, to delegate our authority to it for the delicate task of maintaining world peace.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The drastic increase in the number of Members over the last four years, something that had not been seen since the days of 18 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session decolonization, underscores this characteristic and is also proof of the confidence that we States place in the United Nations. This community of nations now wishes to internationalize certain issues which in earlier times fell exclusively within the internal jurisdiction of States. Mexico, as a country aware of its international responsibilities, is acting within the requirements of the new consensuses. But we must repeat time and again that we reject the idea of international action developing to the detriment of national sovereignty. All the peoples represented here must participate in forging the Organization of the future.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The United Nations has embarked on an irreversible process of profound transformation. Efficiency and flexibility will be the defining features of this process. But an effective United Nations must continue to be in the service of peace and development. The United Nations of the next century must not be a mechanism, however efficient, for balancing the interests of the most powerful. The Organization must move ahead as the world’s primary instrument for promoting development and solidarity among nations and among men. Our Organization is first and foremost a body of sovereign nations. It does not and cannot have any other will than that expressed here by Member States.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The Assembly must move towards recognizing that the United Nations is more necessary than ever given the interdependence of the modern world. We cannot take pride in what we have achieved if we do not accept that the growth of the developing countries is an issue that affects us all. This requires a fresh approach to international co-operation, since only social and economic progress in the developing world can guarantee security and stability in the twenty-first century. The persistence of stagnation and poverty in the world's most populous regions is the most serious challenge we face. Let us see to it that this session of the Assembly marks the beginning of a period in which the international community as a whole makes a clear commitment effectively and realistically to take up and meet this challenge.*”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Demands throughout the societies of the world that democratic institutions be increased and improved are being channelled through the existing structures of each country. Those voices can no longer be ignored. Each nation has the capacity to draw upon the lessons of its own history and experience, which will tell it how to modernize its institutions in order to strengthen its sovereignty. This climate of change throughout the world has made us aware that the solutions to global problems cannot be left in the hands of only a few countries, however powerful they may be. Halting the deterioration of the environment, combating drug addiction and trafficking and predicting natural disasters are tasks requiring multilateral action.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“we are nearing the end of a period of mistrust and ill will which, for more than 40 years, blocked possibilities for agreement and negotiations, The artificial barriers of the cold war are crumbling on all sides. We are entering a more open world, one with better communications and more receptive to the need for human rights to be respected and for all to participate in the building of democratic government institutions. Myths that for years have served only to hide injustice are no longer acceptable. Peoples around the world have decided to take their destinies into their own hands. This flourishing of determination must increase our spirit of tolerance and our concern for legality.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Together with Peru, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Yugoslavia, we are taking the initiative in presenting an amendment to the agreement prohibiting nuclear-arms testing in the atmosphere, outer space and under water, which has received the general support of the international community. Encouraging progress has also been made towards eliminating the terrible threat of chemical weapons. It is very satisfying to note the consolidation of the negotiating process between the countries of the Warsaw Pact and those of the Atlantic Alliance concerning the reduction of conventional armed forces. We are now living through one of the most promising times in the life of our Organization since it was founded in 1945.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Mexico will continue to give its support to those efforts, upon the success of which lies the possibility of achieving a better world. Mexico attaches the utmost importance to the question of general and complete disarmament. Activities undertaken by the Group of Six, an organization which at first was erroneously judged as Utopian, have already achieved concrete results. The repeated appeals of the Group to the nuclear Powers to stop the arms race have been well received and have hastened the climate of detente in which we live today, as well as the agreements readied by the super-Powers. I shall now refer to the question of general and complete disarmament. Mexico unequivocally supports the complete cessation of all nuclear weapons testing as demanded by the majority of mankind.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The State must participate as a directing and an economic agent and should do so efficiently, productively and competitively, lb consider the role of the State in these times in a more wide-ranging and realistic manner, in both North and South, is a fundamental task, and one which we think should be carried out by our Organization. Whether on its own initiative or in response to express requests, the United Nations today is an indispensable part in negotiating and implementing agreements to put an end to protracted conflicts throughout the world. However, there is still no peace in various regions, and the threat these conflicts represent is a real danger. In the Middle East, Cambodia, Namibia and Central America our Organization takes the leadership in or supports delicate conciliation efforts at establishing peace.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The fourth topic deserving of our attention is the reappraisal of the function of the State as a protagonist in economic processes and as agent of social well-being. Redirecting the function of the State to concentrate its efforts to serving the least protected sectors in our societies, which are undoubtedly in the majority, does not mean diminishing its power of governance and transformation. The demands for justice coming from developing societies must be channelled by the State and its legitimate representatives.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We also view with admiration and great respect the very valiant efforts being deployed by the Government of Colombia to combat the drug traffic so resolutely in its country. The war in Colombia is not just a war involving Colombians) it should be a war waged by all countries of the world, as the problem is everyone's problem. Mexico, for its part, is making a significant effort to combat drug trafficking. We know, though, that the struggle will be in vain unless there is a parallel campaign to combat consumption and against all the processes which finance and encourage drug abuse. To combat only drug production or traffic without at the same time resolutely tackling consumption will achieve only a shift in production sites and trafficking channels.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The demand for narcotics and psychotropic substances and their production, traffic and illicit consumption threaten the physical health of peoples and the political, economic, social and cultural structures of States. This is another of the global and interdependent problems of our times, and eradicating it requires efficient and constructive action through international co-operation which unfailingly respects the sovereignty and cultural identities of nations. We therefore welcome the signing of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in Vienna in December last year. We hope that the signatories will immediately decide to ratify it, and we urge those countries which have not yet ratified it to do so now.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It should not be overlooked that the principal cause of ecological imbalances and the solutions for then lie with these who have the most, with those who pollute the most and emit toxic substances, with those who consume the most fuel and have consumed the most fuel in the past. It is those very countries which have the most resources to combat environmental degradation. The new dimension of the problem and its international nature require a wide-ranging and intense process of debate and discussion. The objective will be to achieve concrete commitments in keeping with the responsibilities and capabilities of each country. The International Conference on Environment and Development proposed for 1992 will be an extremely important exercise towards those ends.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“For the Government of Mexico, the defence of fundamental freedoms is of Particular importance. We will continue in our resolute support for the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Commission on Human rights with a view to guaranteeing effective protection for the rights inherent in the human condition. The United Nations will also have to devote greater efforts to the consideration of women's rights and the protection of children, the most vulnerable Ecological issues are obviously global. in scale. The need for all nations to join efforts, every type of effort, make the United Nations the forum we need to deal with these urgent matters so vital to our future. An understanding that revitalizing growth in the developing countries is indispensable for achieving adequate protection of the environment is crucial.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The third key issue for society today is the commitment to deal with the international critical problems of our times with a genuine sense of shared responsibility. At best, interdependence should mean our ability to turn international co-operation into an effective tool to encourage economic and social progress and take joint action to solve problems of interest to mankind. Shared responsibility is based on the recognition of the legal equality of States and on strict respect for their sovereign decisions. This is the only legitimate framework for North-South dialogue. With this spirit of solidarity, we shall be able to cope successfully with the common defence of human rights, with environmental protection problems and the fight against drug addiction and trafficking.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is the developed countries - those creditor nations benefiting from the net transfer of capital - which must take the necessary steps to correct the imbalances in this area, it is up to them to realize that when structural adjustments are made, they mean growth and prosperity, and not frustration as has been the case in many of our societies. Prescriptions for good economic management and financial discipline cannot be measured with one yardstick for the North and another for the South. It was encouraging to hear various representatives of the industrialized countries refer to this problem of the great economic difference between North and South. We are sure that these statements imply that a commitment on this will be made in this new era of the United Nations we are witnessing.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The result has been encouraging, it has been reflected in a significant reduction in inflation and an economy confident of its future. The correction of our economies is indispensable, but it is not a sufficient condition. There is no internal adjustment, however deep and lasting, which can bear fruit unless the country in question encounters a favourable international climate. The new international development strategy will have to put forward ambitious yet feasible and realistic objectives and goals. To this end. it will have to be designed in keeping with the efforts for cooperation and for maximization of the benefits of interdependence, which must in no case mean a loss of sovereignty. The revitalization of international economic co-operation is urgent.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is certainly true that changing prices and financial fluctuations have been cruelly unfavourable for us in recent years, but there is no doubt that the internal effort of each country is the fundamental and determining factor in correcting our present situation. Let us begin by adjusting and modernizing our economies and making them efficient. Only in this way will we be able to increase our productivity and international competitiveness to the benefit of our peoples. Let us accept that the future of each of our nations depends precisely on what each one of them does. By means of a wide range of concerted action and dialogue between the various sectors of our society, Mexico is resolutely making progress in an effort towards structural change, which entails sacrifice and discipline on the part of the Mexican people.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is incomprehensible that day after day we ask the Organization to shoulder more responsibilities and yet we fail to provide it with the means to do so. The second theme is the need for the United Nations to intervene in problems of economic co-operation and development. The Organization cannot be left out of this great effort to create a more equitable international economic situation. Mexico vigorously supports the holding of a special session of the General Assembly for economic co-operation and revitalization. The developing countries know that the solution to our problems depends fundamentally on ourselves. We have lost much time in talks trying to resolve these problems, with very tenuous results.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We believe that we shall be able to entrust our Secretary-General with the task of closely examining the different proposals that have been formulated for reorganizing the Organization's structure and operation, as well as the distribution of authority between the Security Council and the General Assembly, in order to reach a consensus which will give a new thrust to the Organization so that it can efficiently carry out its future responsibilities. The United Nations urgently requires our effective support. Mexico urges every country with financial contributions outstanding to make them immediately. The financial crisis is so grave that it could bring down the United Nations at any moment.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Organization's institutional structure will have adequately to reflect the profound changes and the multi-polarity which characterize current international society. We continue to be constrained by the system devised by the victors in the Second World War, in spite of the fact that we are living in a very different world, whose make-up has been radically changed by the widespread process of decolonisation and the redistribution of economic and financial power at the international level.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is now necessary to apply the same dedication to correcting economic imbalances as we have applied to the correction of political imbalances. Notwithstanding some differences of approach, there is general agreement that we are now at a watershed in world history. The next century must be spared the agonies of war and the extreme poverty that still afflicts millions of human beings, if liberty is to flourish and democracy is to have a real chance to survive. How can the United Nations contribute to shaping the twenty—first century? The decade of the 1990s will be a crucial stage in fashioning that new reality. The agenda for action is long and complex, but Mexico considers that there are four major themes around which our thoughts and actions may converge. The first theme is the democratisation of international society.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The accomplishments on the political front have not meant parallel advances in the international economic arena, while States have committed their power and prestige to the solution of political conflicts, they are seeking to correct the profound economic imbalances by turning loose market forces, forgetting that those are the principal cause of the political tensions in many regions of the world. The economic gap between North and South is wider than it was a decade ago, and we have done little to reverse the trend. For Latin America this has been a period of outright stagnation. The enormous transfer of resources to the developed world which we have made during this time has tested our peoples to the limit and threatens to destabilize our political institutions. We cannot be ambiguous in confronting the problems facing us.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We urge the international community to support the agreements and to ensure that they are not obstructed by interests from outside the area. The responsibilities entrusted to the United Nations in the process of bringing peace to Central America are clearly of the utmost importance. The success of the United Nations elections observer mission in Central America and of the International Verification and Follow-Up Commission will largely depend on the co-operation they receive from member States and on full respect for the wishes of the region's Heads of State. Mexico will continue to extend its firm support for the efforts of the Central American Presidents to achieve peace, since peace is vital for the development of the peoples and the consolidation of democracy in the region.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Over the past few months the international community has witnessed changes pointing to the end of an era of confrontation. For Mexico it is encouraging that the stereotypes of rivalry have been replaced by new concepts of co-operation and understanding. These advances teach us that solving the grave problems confronting international life is not an impossible objective. The Mexican Government warmly welcomes the conclusion of the Tela agreements, signed by the Presidents of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador aid Nicaragua. We unconditionally support the efforts made to find a lasting solution to a conflict which has bled white the Central American isthmus. Tela is the culmination of an arduous and complex negotiating process.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“On his behalf, I again express my country's commitment to the purposes and principles of our Organization. Mexico is a founding Member of the United Nations. We have invariably supported its activities. The principles embodied in its Charter and its guiding purposes are fully in accord with our firm belief in an international community of nations, equal before the law and committed in peace and solidarity to the goal of growth with justice. We believe in the United Nations, because it enshrines the need to ensure that reason prevails over force. In a world still marked by the inequality and despair of so many, the United Nations is a clear example that we as human beings ore capable of working together for a better common future, regardless of ideologies and passing interests.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“On behalf of the Government of Mexico, I congratulate the President on his election to preside over the work of this forty-fourth session of the General Assembly. To the Secretary-General of our Organization, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, we again extend special thanks for his positive, judicious and persevering work at the head of the United Nations. Thanks to his diligence, no one can now question the Organization's decisive role in international relations, as the essential catalyst in the diplomatic activity of resolving through negotiation and dialogue the conflicts threatening our collective peace and security. This is the first time the Government of Carlos Salinas de Gortari, President of Mexico, has taken part in the Assembly's general debate.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)