YouSaid · the spoken record

Boolell

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS BOOLELL

lines on the record: 46
first: 1987-09-24
most recent: 1989-09-24
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

“I conclude by reaffirming my faith in mankind's willingness and ability to survive and to create conditions for a better tomorrow.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“My Government has taken drastic measures to combat drug trafficking, and we will support all steps taken at the international level in this respect. We are almost on the threshold of a new millennium, and we have no doubt that the major intractable global problems facing mankind and our planet will be handled with wisdom, vision and foresight, bearing in mind the enlightened principles of the United Nations Charter. The challenges we face prompt us to arm ourselves with a spirit of solidarity enabling us to confront the future with confidence and serenity. Man has survived many wars and conflicts, and I am confident that in the nuclear age he will be able to muster courage and fortitude and use the natural intelligence with which he has been endowed to keep premature death and destruction away from his doorstep.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“While we welcome recent initiatives on global environmental issues, such as the Montreal Protocol on the ozone layer and the Hague Convention, and take note of the positive actions relating to dumping of toxic wastes, we urgently appeal for remedial measures to be taken in favour of the most affected regions and we call for international support and solidarity in checking the pollution of our environment. At the national level also, the protection and the preservation of the environment must become an important factor in the conception, implementation and execution of new projects and programmes. Finally, I should like to refer to a problem which has assumed alarming international proportions. Drug trafficking and addiction, to which the problem of AIDS is intimately connected, is already the new scourge of mankind.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Island countries which are already prone to natural disasters such as cyclones and hurricanes are now facing grave threats from the rising seas - which is a direct effect of environmental imbalances. Furthermore, the oceans are being polluted by the irrational dumping of industrial wastes. Unless immediate measures are taken to prevent the aggravation of the situation we shall run the risk of compromising an important source of food supplies and raw materials.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Such a liberalizing philosophy will mirror international solidarity and true partnership, m order to address adequately the pressing issue of international debt, there is an urgent need to reactivate the North-South dialogue and convene, as proposed by the recent Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Countries, an appropriate forum under the auspices of the United Nations to review ail aspects of the problem of external debt within the context of an improved environment for development and international economic co-operation. We are deeply concerned by the state of the world environment. The warming of the atmosphere and the depletion of the ozone layer constitute a threat to the ecosystem which nay in turn affect the very existence of mankind.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“International agreements aimed at stabilizing prices of primary commodities must be negotiated and implemented. The countries of the industrialized world, which has the skills, the technical know-how and the economic means, are better placed to restructure their industries so as not to affect the nascent industries of third world countries, which otherwise will have to face severe competition. Growth and prosperity can be realized only by these measures.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany and others, in alleviating the debt burdens of several of the most indebted developing countries, we cannot but re-emphasize that as long as the third world is made to retain the role of mere supplier of raw materials at non-remunerative prices, its future will continue to be bleak and the scourges of poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy will continue to exist as we step into the next century. A redefinition of economic co-operation is therefore essential to the prevention of a further deterioration in the situation. Economic relationships must be based on equality, partnership and interdependence. It is imperative that products originating in the third world countries should receive fair and remunerative prices and should not be subjected to various constraints.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Their economic conditions are worsening, their social services are deteriorating, and the political stability is endangered. This negative trend in the world economy is likely to persist in the years to come unless decisive steps are taken globally. The combined effect of the debt problem and the scarcity of new financial flows has further exacerbated the economic crisis in the developing countries. African debt has risen sharply from $78 billion in 1980 to $230 billion in 1988. African countries are having to borrow more and more to service their debts, thus enduring more severe economic hardship, while we appreciate the gestures made by some industrialized countries, such as France, the United States.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We still believe that all foreign troops should leave Cambodia - and we welcome the withdrawal of the Vietnamese troops - and that the Cambodians should be given the opportunity to determine their destiny freely and without any hindrance. There should, however, be a guarantee that there will not be a return to the "killing fields", to the genocide that still haunts the people of Cambodia. It is an undeniable fact that the economies of the industrialized countries have been steadily growing during the last few years. Unfortunately, the developing countries have not benefited from this growth. On the contrary - their economies have been declining. Most countries in Africa and Latin America and several in Asia have fallen into a deep and protracted crisis.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“My delegation welcomes the recent initiatives of the Presidents of the five Central American countries in their quest for peace and stability in that region. We are glad to learn that a United Nations mission will be sent to observe the elections in Nicaragua early next year. Similarly, we commend the ceaseless efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General in bringing about the resumption of intercommunal talks in Cyprus. We hope that a permanent and durable solution will be found, to the satisfaction of both communities there. We also wish to see peace and stability prevail in South-East Asia. The people of Cambodia have gone through great sufferings in recent years. The International Conference in Paris did not bring about the much-desired agreement between the parties engaged in the conflict.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“My delegation notes with regret that the hopes have not been realized because of the non-observance of the spirit of the Geneva Agreements. Afghanistan presents a harrowing picture of devastation, of a million dead and 5 million refugees. The flow of more, lethal weapons will not break the stalemate that has settled over the conflict. The civil war since the pullout by the Soviet troops, during the last six months, has amply demonstrated that there can be no military solution to the Afghan conflict. A political settlement is the only way out. We appeal to the United States and the Soviet Union, to bring the diverse elements together with a view to bringing an end to the present bloodshed in Afghanistan and restoring peace under an Afghan Government of national reconciliation.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Arab League, the tripartite Committee on Lebanon and the international community must continue their efforts towards bribing peace and security in this war-torn country. My delegation also deplores the fact that despite the Korean people's aspirations for the peaceful reunification of their homeland, Korea remains divided. This situation remains a great threat to peace. We welcome the efforts of the Korean people to reunify their homeland peacefully without any foreign interference and by means of dialogue and consultations between the North and the South. The signing of the Geneva Agreements and the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan had raised high hopes that peace would soon come to that country.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The PLO's desire for peace has been expressed emphatically, at the Palestinian National Council meeting in Algiers and at the United Nations General Assembly session in Geneva last year. This has entailed a major shift in the attitude of many nations to the PLO. Tb prevent the tragic scenario in the Middle East from deteriorating further into a global crisis, the convening of an international conference under the aegis of the United Nations, with all parties, including the PLO, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 335 (1973), is of the utmost necessity. NO one can be insensible to the tragedy which has engulfed Lebanon. Such tragedies will recur unless and until we see the withdrawal of all external forces.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We are deeply concerned over the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East as a result of the continued Israeli occupation of the West Bank end the Gaza Strip, which poses a serious threat to international peace and security. We fully support the just struggle of the Palestinian people and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the recovery of their lost territory. The intifadah, which has been going on for nearly two years, has made it clear that the Middle East stalemate cannot continue for ever. Israel must negotiate with the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, the PLO. Any attempt to create a local Palestinian leadership in the West Bank is doomed to failure.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is our fervent wish that peace will prevail in Mozambique, which has endured untold sufferings for far too long, similarly, we greatly commend the initiative of President Mubarak, the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity, to mediate in the tragic conflict between two neighbourly African countries, Mauritania and Senegal. My delegation last year rejoiced at the cessation of hostilities between the brotherly States of Iran and Iraq and their acceptance of the implementation of Security Council resolution 598 (1987). We pledge to support the Secretary-General in his ceaseless efforts to quicken the pace of negotiations and entreat both parties to co-operate in good faith in order to reach a common understanding and a lasting peace between the two countries.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG, needs all our political and diplomatic support to lead and organize a smooth transition through free elections without interference and intimidation. We wish Namibia and the valiant Namibian people a new dawn and a bright and prosperous future. With the resolution of the Namibian problem there was hope for a quick end to the conflict in Angola. We note with much regret, however, that the recent Gbadolite accord has failed to be given concrete effect, leaving the people of Angola still in the grips of war.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We demand his immediate release and that of all political prisoners. The lifting of all political restrictions, the withdrawal of troops from black townships, the lifting of the state of emergency and the cessation of all political court proceedings can only help to create a climate of confidence for the pursuit of a real and meaningful dialogue between the South African Government and its people. The opening of dialogue with the African National Congress will be a test of the sincerity of the new South African Government. The liberation of Namibia has been a cause near and dear to us. Mauritius has always stood firmly by Security Council resolution 435 (1978, and its reaffirmation this year in resolution 632 (1989), as well as the United Nations plan for the independence of Namibia.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We all agree that apartheid is the root cause of conflict in that region, and we have repeatedly called for its total elimination. It is a matter of comfort to note that many of our elder statesmen in Africa are initiating contacts with the South African Government in the true spirit of dialogue with a view to Pressing that Government to make the necessary changes to the satisfaction of one and all. We fervently hope that the changes promised by the new South African Government are genuine and that it will soon embark on the total dismantling of apartheid and the establishment of a free, united and democratic society based on universal suffrage. We cannot accept that a leader of the calibre of Nelson Mandela should be eternally confined to house arrest simply because he dared to raise his voice against apartheid.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The dismemberment of Mauritian territory constitutes an unacceptable affront to our sovereignty. Mauritius cannot and .ill not remain silent until Diego Garcia and the Chagos Archipelago, as well as the Tromelin Islands. are returned to us. Our claim is just and legitimate. We have the total support of the Organisation of African Unity and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, we appeal to the international community and to all peace-loving countries to assist us in the restoration of our territories. Our islands should not serve as a nuclear base and should not constitute a threat to our own security and to that of all the littoral „d hinterland states of the region. The current political situation in South Africa calls for careful reflection and handling.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Our concern for peace should be global, we must take advantage of the new rapport between Washington and Moscow to liquidate any area of tension and confrontation, wherever it happens to be. It is high time that the littoral and hinterland States of the Indian Ocean started the process of the demilitarisation of that ocean by calling for the convening of the long-overdue Conference not later than 1990, with the active participation of all permanent meters of the Security Council as well as the major maritime Powers. AS the Assembly is aware. the Government and people of Mauritius have not accepted the fact that an important part and parcel of their territory has been excised by the former colonial Peer in contravention of United Nations General Assembly resolutions 1514 ,XV| and 2066 (XX,.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“In the sphere of multilateral disarmament the Paris Conference on chemical weapons, held in January this year, gave support and impetus to the Geneva Conference on Disarmament. My delegation looks forward to the day when an effective and universal chemical-weapons convention banning the production, storage and use of such weapons can be implemented. My delegation notes with satisfaction the progress achieved in the negotiation on conventional arms in Europe, proposals for military reductions and confidence-building measures have been admitted by both Western and Eastern Groups at the recent Vienna meeting. It is hoped that those talks will lead to an effective and concrete reduction in the armed forces and conventional weapons in that region.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to express to our Secretary-General my delegation's congratulations for his outstanding contribution in the pursuit of world peace and stability. He has succeeded in solving a number of pending regional crises and in improving the work of the Secretariat under difficult financial constraints. He can rest assured of our continued support. This year we have witnessed the consolidation of peace processes. Great progress has been made in relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Treaty on the elimination of inter mediate-range and shorter-range missiles signed by the United States and the Soviet Union and ratified in June 1988 is a historic agreement because it is the first in recent history to abolish a whole category of nuclear weapons from the arsenals of the superpowers.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“I should like to extend to Ambassador Garba, on behalf of my delegation, my sincere congratulations on his election to the high office of President of the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly. That this important session has been placed in the hands of a distinguished son of Africa is a matter of great pride to my delegation and to Africa as a whole. There can be no doubt that he will conduct our deliberations with authority and efficiency. I Should also like to express our deep appreciation to his predecessor. His Excellency Mr. Dante Caputo, Foreign Minister of Argentina, for the exemplary manner in which he presided over our deliberations during a very eventful year.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is a means of dialogue and communication and the surest safety-valve in a turbulent world.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“We are therefore very much concerned every time the principle of multilateralism becomes the object of assault by those who perhaps harbour nostalgia for earlier times when only a handful of nations controlled the fate of the world. The present financial straits of the Organization are the result of such attacks. But in the end, even those who are among the fiercest critics of the United Nations have occasionally to resort to this forum to draw international support for their own policies. We must therefore never fail to reaffirm our faith in the principles of the Charter and continue to strengthen its provisions on international peace and security. May I conclude by reasserting that the United Nations is a vital forum for airing differences among nations of the world.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Until then, international co-operation in the war on drugs had been less effective as consumer and supplier countries shifted the main responsibilities for drug abuse control on one another. We are therefore grateful to the Secretary-General for his timely initiative to put an end to this sterile debate. Among the measures for fighting against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, we wish to emphasize those which would improve exchange of information on narcotic trafficking, improve and harmonize extradition treaties and facilitate the disclosure, forfeiture and seizure of assets obtained from trafficking. As we have often affirmed in the past, the smaller and weaker members of the international community have no other alternative than to turn to the United Nations in times of crisis.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“But we are encouraged by the glimmer of hope provided recently as the IMF and World Bank annual meetings ended with promises by some industrialized countries to take a more active role in reshaping the world economy. Every year as we gather here and debate repeatedly the numerous protracted issues that still elude solution within the framework of the United Nations, we should also remind ourselves of the equally numerous problems, especially in the economic and social fields, that the Organization is continuously dealing with much more successfully. The International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, held in Vienna earlier this year, constitutes perhaps the most important milestone yet in the concerted action by all Governments against this scourge.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“He in the developing world very much hope that a more favourable climate will be created to help alleviate the untold difficulties besetting us. In this connection, we appeal for improved trading opportunities with the industrialized countries for primary commodities and textile and other manufactured goods. Such action would help us to sustain the export diversification policies we are pursuing. While many developing countries are under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMP) to liberalize their exchange and trade systems at high political and social costs, industrialized countries are resorting to trade restrictions and subsidies in various guises.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Measures for clearing the books on official debts, for example, especially in the case of the poorest sub-Saharan countries, should be more comprehensive than is such measures, and other debt-relief plans, including more lending from banks, are among the key components of the international support action required to establish sufficient financial flows to reverse the negative trend in development of several African countries. And as UNCTAD VII has emphasized, action by developed countries on commodities and international trade is urgently required. Such action will assist African countries that are highly dependent on earnings from the export of primary products in restructuring their economies and honouring their debt obligations.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Together, those two meetings represent a welcome and significant boost to the revival of the North-South dialogue. Although it may be premature at the present time to offer a meaningful assessment of the progress made in implementing the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery, it nevertheless appears that the pace and magnitude of the flow of resources required have fallen short of expectations thus far.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The recent adoption by consensus of the Final Act of the seventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) represents a timely and essential contribution to the prospects of multilateral co-operation for resolving some of the aforementioned problems. It is noteworthy that this document spelled out the respective responsibilities of both the developing and the developed countries in this tremendous task, particularly with respect to the debt crisis. The results of that conference, which followed closely the overall positive outcome of the special session of the General Assembly devoted to the African economic crisis, thus reaffirm the spirit of equal partnership which should prevail between developed and developing countries in multilateral co-operation activities.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“World trade has followed the same trend. It increased in volume by only 5 per cent last year, and by only 3.2 percent in 1985. Primary commodity prices have fallen to their lowest levels in nearly 50 years, and the majority of developing countries, which depend on trade of primary products for most of their export earnings, have seen a 30-per-cent decline in their terms of trade with developed countries. Protectionist measures by large developed countries have further compromised the creation of a more favourable environment for accelerated growth in international trade.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“We in Mauritius have always been proud o£ our record of living peacefully among groups of people of various ethnic origins, and we welcome the peace settlement in Sri Lanka as it reinforces our own conviction that people of diverse origin can successfully build up a peaceful and harmonious nation. In regard to Korea, the Korean people have now waited almost 40 years for the peaceful reunification of their country. Hostile diatribes must give way to confidence-building measures. We have no doubt that all the people of Korea, both of the North and of the South, will eventually join the rest of the international community in the United Nations. The world economy appears to be continuing its sluggish course, as some of the major industrialized countries still seem reluctant to stimulate their economies and generate demand and production.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“That success of regional concertation must be given every chance to be implemented, and we sincerely hope that no extraneous constraints or pressures will be brought to bear on that indigenous Central American peace process. It is heartening to note that a peace settlement has recently been achieved in Sri Lanka, a country that has known war and strife for many months. In this connection, I must particularly praise the role played by both the Indian and the Sri Lankan leaders and the display of statesmanlike qualities and spirit of compromise and conciliation so readily shown by the two sides.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“As has been stated here and in numerous other forums, by nearly the whole international community, the Palestinian problem is the central issue in the Middle East situation. There appears to be some indication that the idea of an international conference on the Middle East has recently gained ground. Such a conference, as we have often repeated in the past, must include the full participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization. To be lasting, any settlement must include the full restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. For the first time in more than 150 years, the peoples of Central America were recently able to meet and discuss their common problems and succeed in achieving an agreement that has been welcomed overwhelmingly by the international community.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“As we near the end of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless, we fish to highlight the special plight of those who are not only homeless but have also been driven from their own lands by foreign military occupation - the Palestinians, Kampucheans and Afghans, among others, who must wait for peace before :heir double objective can be attained. All foreign intervention and military occupation must be brought to an end in Afghanistan and Kampuchea and their non-aligned status restored without further delay. For too many years, the incessant flow of refugees from those two countries has created tension and security problems in neighbouring States. Far too often in modern times, liberation has been used as an excuse to deny some people their inherent right to self-determination.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“This endless war has already had appalling consequences in terms of material and human losses, and the tally continues to rise on both sides. In a very rare and welcome show of unanimity. Security Council members recently adopted a resolution demanding the immediate cessation of hostilities. We appeal to both belligerents, with whom we are on friendly terms, to abide by the resolution's provisions as a first step towards a just solution of the conflict. The consequences of an escalation of the war and possible chain reactions at the regional and international levels have become so unpredictable in the face of the awesome display of foreign military forces in the Gulf that it would be horrifying as either side to raise the stakes.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The key strategic role now assumed by Diego Garcia has brought the nuclear peril right into the heart of the Indian Ocean region. The loss of Chagos has also meant the denial to the Mauritian people of access to the significant ocean resources around the archipelago. We renew our demand for the rightful restitution of the Chagos archipelago to the national heritage of Mauritius. We are grateful to the States members of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, as well as to other friendly countries, for their strong and consistent support of our just claim. The Iran-Iraq war now poses a new level of threat to peace in that region drawing to the recent entry into the Persian Gulf of military units belonging to several major Powers.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It is deplorable that there appears to be a definite lack of collective will and effort to turn the Indian Ocean into a zone of peace, yet the necessity for such a move is more than obvious. It is our view that only the full and active participation of all the permanent members of the Security Council and the users of the sea lanes for either trade or communications will ensure the convening of the conference, which is long overdue. I should like to remind this Assembly in this connection that the Chagos archipelago, which belonged to Mauritius, was excised from our territory before we obtained independence, in clear violation of the principles of the United Nations. Its inhabitants were coerced into permanent exile to clear the way for a military base in Diego Garcia.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Practically all the conditions required for the implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978) have now been fulfilled, yet Pretoria, in its obstinacy in perpetuating its Illegal occupation, continues to hold the freedom of the Namibian people hostage to the resolution of completely extraneous issues. Once again we are concerned that preparatory work for the conference on the Indian Ocean is still far from being completed. In fact the report of the Ad hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean seems to suggest that the holding of the conference could be postponed indefinitely. In the meantime the militarization of the region continues to be built up, thus increasing the peril to world security.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Mere moral exhortations or attempts at coaxing Pretoria into a genuine change of heart have failed so far to bring about any significant change. All the half-hearted pressures that have been applied by those who possess the economic leverage to have an effective influence on the South African regime have not had the desired effects. We therefore wish to reiterate the numerous declarations adopted at several international meetings and conferences to the effect that the Security Council should impose measures for comprehensive and mandatory sanctions as provided for in Chapter VII of the Charter. Pretoria still continues to stall and manoeuvre against the process of the emancipation of Namibia.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“While we regret the lack of concrete financial commitments, we fully endorse all the measures contained in the action programme of the draft final document of the Conference and appeal to all Member States, particularly the major producers of arms, to implement them fully. Only a temporary and uneasy peace can be achieved through armaments; lasting peace is more likely to be established through economic development and the sharing of wealth and resources on an equitable basis. I feel it is my duty to refer again to the abhorrent system of apartheid in South Africa. The consensus is now universal that the system of apartheid as it stands today cannot be reformed; indeed, there is a growing awareness that the system should be dismantled.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“We have on many previous occasions spoken on the tremendous amount of resources and human ingenuity devoted to devising more and more elaborate and efficient instruments of death. Global arms expenditure is now close to $US 1 trillion annually - that is nearly $US 200 a year for every individual on earth today. The per capita gross national product figures of several of the least developed countries do not even match that figure, while other developing countries are hardly better off. This stark contrast must surely constitute one of the most profound paradoxes of our time. The adoption of the Final Document by the recent International Conference on the Relationship between Disarmament and Development is an important step by the international community towards rectifying this anomaly.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Should this vital problem not be resolved in the minimum lapse of time we face the prospect of mass destruction and annihilation. It is to this task, in my opinion, that we should address ourselves with all our energy and courage. It must be obvious that massive and sophisticated weaponry can be no guarantee of world peace. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate. I am confident that we are level-headed enough to promote collective security arrangements in the name of future, unborn generations. The positive contribution of the peace-keeping forces of the United Nations cannot be denied and it is my view that every effort should be made to strengthen those forces for the sake of stability in world affairs. Sanity dictates that course of action.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“I wish also to place on record our deep appreciation of the dedicated work of Mr. Perez de Cuellar in pursuance of the goals set by the Charter of the Organization. Thanks to his vision and statesmanship, the United Nations has played a key role in the maintenance of stability and world peace. The tasks ahead of the Organization remain as complex as ever. Although it has been said time and again that the United Nations has no teeth, yet the decisions taken by the Assembly have without doubt influenced the march of events. That goes to show that United Nations resolutions still matter, although more often than not only as a moral coercive force. Disarmament, and especially nuclear disarmament, is one of the major problems of our time.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It is a privilege and a great honour for me to address such a distinguished gathering. May I take this opportunity to congratulate most warmly Mr. Peter Florin on his unanimous election to the presidency, a fitting tribute to his personal qualities and to his country. My delegation has no doubt that with the benefit of his extensive diplomatic skills and vast political experience our deliberations will take place in a spirit of understanding and friendship. I wish also to extend my congratulations to his predecessor, Mr. Choudhury, for the skills and finesse with which he conducted the last session. We are grateful to him for his valuable contribution to the resolution of critical issues, so vital to the survival of the United Nations, which is the repository of the hopes and aspirations of mankind.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)