YouSaid · the spoken record

Mahathir

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS MAHATHIR

lines on the record: 147
first: 1982-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

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

“The great liberation movements after the Second World War could be understood only when people knew that Gandhi was not "a half-naked fakir", nor Kenyatta a representative of the forces of evil and darkness, nor Nasser an upstart and an irresponsible trouble-maker. Similarly, what is happening in the Islamic world today must be understood as a movement that seeks to consolidate political freedom, economic justice and cultural identity; a catalogue of values which everyone, if he is to be true to any notion of decency and civility, must surely support. 95. It is not my purpose in these remarks to place the current Islamic resurgence in its historical context. There is a long and turbulent history of relations between Islam and the West during which many prejudices became ingrained.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“But the concentration on these aspects—which, I repeat, are aberrations typical in any historical movement—to the exclusion of all others that are true and good does harm to the world. It leads to misunderstanding, fuels suspicions and reinforces prejudices to the detriment of us all. 94. And yet there are some who, for their own racist reasons, are only too prone to highlight and gloat over every excess, real or imagined, which they can focus upon. If all the money, time and energy spent on distorting what is going on in the Islamic world were spent instead on a careful and objective understanding of one of the most important developments in the contemporary world, how much better off we would all be.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Surely no one can deny that, historically, there have been aberrations in all religions and it is plain prejudice or deliberate distortion to allow these aberrations to determine our perception and our judgement. Let us ask ourselves: would it be fair to judge Christianity by the excesses of the Spanish Inquisition, or by the obscenity of apartheid, or of Nazism? Would it be fair to judge Judaism by the perversities that political Zionism represents? 93. The answer is obvious. The current revolution in Islam deserves to be judged fairly and objectively. I do not deny that violence, injustice and much that is against universal good values have been perpetrated in the name of Islam.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“I refer to the misunderstanding that is so prevalent in the Western world, fed by deliberate distortions by interested parties about what is happening in the Islamic world. 92. The fact is that there is a resurgence of faith in the Islamic world as well as among other religions. Do not allow yourselves to be manipulated so as to fear this resurgence or even the word "fundamentalist", which has triggered so many ancient suspicions and prejudices. Yes, we are the Islamic "fundamentalists", because we believe in the fundamentals of Islam—in peace, tolerance and justice—and, yes, there are extremists just as there are extremists everywhere in every religion and in every phase of history.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“More efforts can be made through the process of negotiation and consultation to arrive at solutions of principle that are both realistic and practical. 90. But the principles must remain at the core of any solution. The United Nations, if it is to mean anything at all, must stand firm on principles, and there will be a need for adjustments and compromise on the means, the processes and the modalities. We, the smaller nations, cannot be blamed if we insist on that. It is hypocrisy to accuse us of being emotional or unrealistic, irresponsible or irrelevant only because those principles are now inconvenient to the major Powers, 91. I turn now to another subject of equal importance to contemporary international and human relations.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The smaller nations are disillusioned at the ineffectiveness of the United Nations, which has been paralysed on so many occasions because the major Powers have prevented effective action. But Malaysia has always believed that just as the major Powers must avoid alienating the smaller .countries by their obstructive policies, so also must the small countries prevent the alienation of the major Powers from the Organization through the wholesale imposition of decisions by majority vote. Speaking as a representative of a small developing country, I am very conscious of the fact that a United Nations resolution that is obtained by majority voting along group, political or ideological lines will not in itself solve any problem. There is often a need for greater realism and restraint.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The fact is that the further development of the United Nations depends first and foremost on the attitude of the major Powers. It is they, more than anyone else, that are in a position to decide the future of the Organization. This is because the major Powers cannot be ignored. The resolutions of the United Nations can be ignored, as they have been. The weak developing countries can be ignored, as they have constantly been. The question then is: do the major Powers want the United Nations to become what it can become—a centre for resolving conflicting interests and a catalyst for peaceful change—or will they abandon it because they can no longer manipulate it? 89. But, of course, the responsibility is not theirs alone.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“As we stand on the eve of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, let us first of all pledge ourselves once more to the United Nations and, in that spirit, to a practical and realistic appraisal of where we can go from here. 87. Looking back at the past four decades, I believe that from time to time we have succeeded in acting in the true spirit of the Charter. No one can deny that the United Nations has had its successes and it still does much valuable work, often in unspectacular ways. All this has been due to the consciousness that there exists an international community and that our national interest can in fact be safeguarded in the larger context of the international interest. It is this consciousness that we must constantly cultivate. 88.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Unhappy about the direction and leadership of these agencies, they sometimes make these threats under the guise of management or budgetary concerns. 86. To that I wish to respond: we, the small and the poor, also pay. What we contribute may not be much, but in terms of our own budgets it is substantial indeed, sometimes even more substantial than the contributions of big nations. We do not like to see anyone squandering our money any more than the rich. But what we would like to see is not savings through the destruction of the agencies but a thorough overhaul of the system to ensure that it is cost- effective and serves the agreed objectives. Undermining the agencies is definitely not the way to tackle the problem, and so let us say: enough of this short-sightedness; enough of cynicism; enough of distortions and falsehoods.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Malaysia, for one, would like to believe otherwise. Yet we see the big Powers continuing more and more to ignore and to belittle the United Nations. They have established a network of relationships outside the United Nations system to resolve world problems. They have formed their own economic clubs, to which from time to time the developing countries are permitted to make their supplications. But the clubs, like all exclusive clubs, essentially look after the interests of their members. In the meantime, in the economic as in the political field, the United Nations continues to be ignored. Indeed, we witness something even more negative, namely, the threat to withdraw from certain United Nations agencies.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“For the first 15 or 20 years of the Organization's existence, we did not hear anything about the disproportionate voting strength of small States— and there were small States—or about the tyranny of the automatic majority—and there was often an automatic majority. Instead, we heard about the virtues of a more democratic international life as exemplified in the United Nations. What has happened to those sentiments? Were we naive to believe that those countries which loudly proclaimed such ideals in the early decades of the Organization did, indeed, believe in them? What, then, are we to make of the constant barrage of perverse criticism, the threats and the denigration which have now become fashion in certain quarters? Is it because the United Nations can no longer be manipulated and manoeuvred? 85.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“These were the ideals of international co-operation and justice proclaimed by the founding fathers of this institution: not a world in which only the rich and the powerful make the important decisions; not a world in which small nations fight proxy wars on behalf of big nations; not a world in which might is right; not a world half-rich and half-poor, half-well- endowed and half-deprived. What has happened now to those ideals? We who believe in them want also to believe that the founder-Members of the Organization meant what they said when they proclaimed the Charter of the United Nations. It is understandable that the excitements and the expectations of the dawn of 1945 should inevitably be tarnished in the cold light of experience over the last 39 years. But the sad truth is more than that. 84.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“For far too long now, we have been hearing about the so-called tyranny and irresponsibility of the majority, about waste and "paper" resolutions and double standards. We all know that the United Nations is not without fault, but in the face of ignorance and bigotry, of myths and falsehoods, we must continue to proclaim our faith in what the United Nations at its best stands for—a world which is secure for all, just for all, prosperous for all and humane for all. 83.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Sir, it is with special pleasure that I greet you, a distinguished son of Zambia and of Africa, as President of the General Assembly and offer you my warmest felicitations on your unanimous election. Yours is a heavy responsibility as you guide our work during a very difficult period for the United Nations, and I want to begin by assuring you of the fullest co-operation of the Malaysian delegation in all your efforts, because Malaysia's support for the United Nations is unstinting and unabashed. 82. It is this support which has brought me here twice to address the Assembly although I have been Prime Minister of my country for only three years. For far too long, the United Nations has been abused, denigrated and ignored.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“But we must use it wisely,not in pursuit of sophisticated weaponry for purposes of war; we must instead harness it for peaceful and beneficial uses for the common good. 39. It is an imperiled world in which we are living, and we must put it right at all costs. This could come about if nations were willing effectively to implement past and future resolutions of the United Nations and related agencies, for this would not only help to restore the international community's confidence in the United Nations but also contribute to the reso¬lution of the current conflicts and crises. I urge all Members of the Organization to give their fullest co¬operation and all support towards this end so that international peace, stability and security may be achieved.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“While there is some merit in this Treaty, it is nevertheless an agreement between a select group of countries and does not reflect 6he true feelings of the Members of the United Nations or their just claims. A new international agreement is required so that historical episodes are not made into facts to substantiate claims. 38. As I said at the beginning, the world is today beset by crises of various kinds. To believe otherwise would be to ignore the realities before us. It is imper¬ative that we take cognizance of this fact and mobilize all our efforts to overcome these crises. We can do this if we choose to, or we can let the opportunity slip by. Never before has human ingenuity in science and technology reached such a level of development as it has today.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“At present the exploitation of the resources of Antarctica is too costly and the technology is not yet available, but no doubt the day will come when Antarctica can provide the world with food and other resources for its development. It is only right that such exploita¬tion should benefit the poor nations as much as the rich. 37. Now that we have reached agreement on the law of the sea the United Nations must convene a meeting in order to define the problem of uninhabited lands, whether claimed or unclaimed, and to determine the rights of all nations to those lands. We are aware of the Antarctic Treaty,' concluded by a few nations, which provides for their co-operation for scientific research and prohibits non-peaceful activities.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“A number of countries have in the past sent expeditions there which have not limited themselves to mere scientific exploration but have gone on to claim huge wedges of Antarctica for their countries. Those countries are not depriving any natives of their lands, and they are therefore not required to decolonize. But the fact remains that those uninhabited lands do not legally belong to the dis¬coverers, just as the colonial territories do not belong to the colonial Powers. Like the seas and the sea-bed, those uninhabited lands belong to the international community. The countries now claiming them must give them up so that either the United Nations can administer those lands or the present occupants can act as trustees for the nations of the world.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“According to present norms, territories colonized by the old colonial Powers must be decolonized—that is, they must be returned to the natives or the original inhabitants. United Nations concern on this issue is reflected in the permanent Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. However, there are still land areas which have neither natives nor settlers. There is therefore no one to inherit the land and to set up viable governments should the claims of the metropolitan Powers be given up. Because of this, little attention has been paid to these areas. 36. It is now time that the United Nations focused its attention on these areas, the largest of which is the continent of Antarctica.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“There is no reason why the minerals and other resources now found on the exposed surfaces of the planet will not be found in the sea-bed! The problem is, of course, one of exploration and extrac¬tion. The high cost and the sophisticated technology required will be well beyond the capacity of the poor nations. Unless they can have a share as of right whenever this wealth is extracted ^ the gap between them and the rich nations going to widen even more. When finally they do have the capacity, much of the readily accessible wealth will have been exhausted. It is to be hoped that, given the agreement on the law of the sea, the poor nations will get their fair share. 35. But there remain certain areas in the world which are not covered by any international agreement.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The world has suffered enough from this depression. We need action now. We need the reversal of policies that are so obviously wrong. We should like to appeal to those people who wield so much power to heed the needs of the world. Reverse the policies you have made, and the world will remember you as saviors. 34. The participating Members of the United Nations must congratulate themselves on the successful conclusion of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. The days when the rich nations of the world could take for themselves what¬ever territory and resources they had access to be over. Henceforth all the unclaimed wealth of this earth must be regarded as the common heritage of all the nations of this planet. The seas and the sea-bed are undoubtedly going to be the source of wealth for the future.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The world's economy cannot go on like this for long. There will be violence, riots and revolutions; Governments will fall, and anarchy will prevail. The longer the depression lasts, the longer it will take to recover. 33. As this depression is man-made, man must unmake it too. The first need is the lowering of interest rates, even if it causes slightly higher inflation. Secondly, the protectionism of the rich nations must be reduced if not done away with altogether. If this cannot be done, at least the protectionist policy should be made more discriminating. The developing nations should not be subjected to any protectionist measures. This should at least soften the impact of the recession on them. The rich countries, too, would benefit as the improved income of the poor would enable them to buy more manufactured goods.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Yet suddenly, no one wants to buy what only yesterday he could not get enough of. And those who want to buy are without the necessary foreign exchange. Indeed, many poor countries have virtually to sell their souls in order merely to survive. 31. As I have said, this world-wide depression is man-made. It is made in the powerful countries by short-sighted people. Foremost among the decisions that led to the diminution of world trade is the increase in interest rates. The high cost of money has reduced investments, shrunk inventories and stifled new business initiatives. Thus a lot of commodities are floating around unsold and unsought, further depressing prices. 32. True, some people have waxed rich in this depression, but the price is high in terms of unem¬ployment, bankruptcies and misery for the poor.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“We are trying to set up a more suitable system which will maintain reasonable prices while ensuring adequate supplies of tin and rubber to the world. To that end, we have tried to form a viable and effective producers' asso¬ciation. There is no intention to create a monopolistic situation. We know full well that unreasonableness on our part would result in reduced consumption and a switch to substitutes. We hope that producer countries everywhere will appreciate the need for this strategy and participate in it. 30. Commodity prices today arc at their lowest. We can blame the recession for that. But what we regret is that this recession is man-made. There is no shortage of supply, nor is there a shortage of demand. Energy is plentiful and the level of technology is unprece¬dented^ high.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“We fully support the needs of the United States for strategic reserves, but the administration of that reserve is clearly not influenced by problems of strategy. The stockpile is merely a rich nation's monopolistic weapon, used to depress prices of commodities for the benefit of the consumers. 28. Such is the fate of the producers of primary commodities that they now have to sell three to five times as much of their produce as they did 20 years ago in order to buy the same amount of manufactured goods from the developed countries. In other words, the gap between rich and poor has widened by 300 to 500 per cent in the last 20 years or so. 29. Malaysia is trying to break the vicious circle of the old commodity market system.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The brokers and others who trade on the exchanges are the same people who make the rules, apply the rules and arbitrate. Is it any wonder that whenever their profits are threatened they change the rules so as not only to save themselves, but to make a handsome profit as well? 26. That is the situation in the tin and rubber markets today. It has played havoc with my country's eco¬nomy. We have tried to reduce price fluctuations by having producer-consumer agreements, but this is an arrangement that taxes the producers when prices are down but which benefits the consumers when price trends are upwards. It is a case of "heads I win, tails you lose". 27. As if all that were not enough, the United States maintains a stockpile, ostensibly for strategic —meaning security—reasons.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“While the manufactured goods that we buy are priced according to the costs of production and marketing—plus, of course, a hefty profit—the prices of primary products seem to bear no relation to any of those costs. They are priced according to the whims and fancies of a host of people who have nothing to do with their production. The various exchanges located in the developed countries literally manipulate prices in order to make a profit for the brokers, the dealers, the speculators and others. These people make money when the prices go up. They also make money when the prices come down. Therefore, it suits them to cause a "yo-yo" effect in commodity prices. In addition, these exchanges are exclusive clubs, where the producers are unable to secure membership.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“As a producer of primary commodities like tin, rubber and palm oil, we are as much entitled to a fair return on our outlay as any producer of manufactured goods in the developed countries. Producing these primary products is no longer merely a question of having enough land or minerals and cheap labour. These days, expensive capital outlay is needed to explore, extract and develop them, and also to do the required research and development. The indications are that these costs and the technology required will increase steadily in the years to come. Thus, money is needed, not merely for profits, but for future development, for our own income and for the needs of the world. 25.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“There are many reasons for this, and among them is the banding together of the rich nations in order to maintain eco¬nomic dominance, which some say is actually a form of imperialism. 24. We in Malaysia are very much affected by this. As a nation, we have tried to live within the rules, formal and informal, which govern economic relations between nations. We have even refrained from nationalizing industries set up during colonial days, which were engaged in literally extracting wealth from our country for foreigners who frequently do not even know where Malaysia is, much less care for the well- being of its people. But our patience and sense of fair play are being taxed to the limit by the market manipulations abroad which, in effect, reduce our people to the status of underpaid laborers.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Another area of great concern to us is the problem of drug abuse. The world community has for a long time treated the drug problem as a social problem akin to poverty, slavery, child abuse and other social ills. In fact, drug addiction is all those social ills rolled into one. The youths afflicted with this problem are mental slaves with deviant tendencies who are per¬manently impoverished. The problem must be tackled at its source, and this can be done only if the United Nations acts positively. Failure to arrest this spreading scourge will destroy whole generations to come. 23. The age of empires and imperial Powers is practically over, but the world has not as yet become a better place for the previously colonized.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Malaysia enjoys close and cordial relations with both Iran and Iraq and we therefore implore them to cease fighting and to accept mediation and reconcilia¬tion so that an honorable and enduring solution can be found. 21. My Government abhors South Africa's inhuman policy of apartheid. It is a travesty of justice and an affront to human dignity coupled with the Pretoria regime's deliberate and provocative armed incursions into neighbouring States, constitutes a major cause of tension and instability, not only in Africa, but throughout the world. Malaysia will con¬tinue fully to support the cause of the oppressed people of South Africa in their struggle for equality, justice and dignity, and against those who champion human rights, or claim to do so, would do better to condemn the Pretoria regime, and treat it like the freak it is. 22.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“We support the efforts of the Secretary-General in initiating indirect talks with the parties concerned to find a political solution consistent with the United Nations and resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on the Afghan problem. 19. It is disconcerting that the war between Iraq and Iran continues to rage. The conflict has gone on, far too long. It has taken a heavy toll in lives lost, in property destroyed, in wounds inflicted and in human misery. We must all therefore apply ourselves earnestly to the task of reconciling the two countries in the interests of the peoples of those countries themselves and those of the world at large. The fact is that there can be neither victor nor vanquished in this conflict. 20.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Indeed, the situation within Afghanistan, and that of the 3.5 million refugees forced into exile in neigh¬bouring countries have given cause for unprecedented anxiety, particularly for weak and small nations of the world. To these nations, the continuance of the Afghan nationalist struggle is crucial. It is incumbent on the international community to see that this struggle succeeds. 17. We in Malaysia are fully committed to the restora¬tion of the lawful rights of the Afghan people, including their right to determine for themselves their future, free from coercion, and to the return of the Afghan refugees to their homes in safety and with honor. 18.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“This initiative presents to the interna¬tional community a formula which will enable the Palestinians to return to their homes and freely exercise their God-given inalienable rights in their own home¬land, Palestine. The Israelis have of course rejected the proposal outright. The world and the supporters of Israel must prevail upon that habitually intransigent country to return to sanity and the ways of civilization. 15. In Afghanistan, too, we continue to witness another example of the blatant use of force. There, too, we continue to find the misery and the travails of a people locked in an unequal struggle to preserve their faith, national identity and character, their sovereignty, dignity and freedom. 16.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“I also take this opportunity to salute Chairman Yasser Arafat for his statesmanship, foresight and courage in leaving Beirut in order to spare the civilian population of that city continued Israeli savagery. Unfortunately, the sacrifice made by the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] has been in vain. 14. Malaysia would also like to welcome the initiative taken recently at Fez by the Arab leaders at the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference, which reflects the reasonableness of their stand as much as their courage, statesmanship and, above all, their reaffirmation of their commitments to the Charter of the United Nations and to regional and international peace and security.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Apart from its systematic and premeditated use of lethal and sadistic weapons on occupied Palestine and Arab territories, Israel continues to propagate the myth of the non-existence of the Palestinian people, thereby frustrating all peaceful efforts to find adjust and enduring settlement of the West Asian conflict. Indeed, the lesson we have learned from the Israeli invasion of neighbouring Lebanon and the destruction of Beirut is that, if Israel is not stopped, the West Asia problem will not only continue but also escalate until we are all swallowed up in the conflagration. At this point, I wish to pay homage to the valiant Palestinian freedom fighters for their outstanding qualities of fortitude, patriotism and courage in the face of overwhelming odds in their just struggle for their inalienable rights.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“It attacks at the slightest provocation—even imagined provocation. The neighbors of Israel are going to be under constant threat and again and again they will be invaded, and atroc¬ities committed against them. In the interest of Israeli security, there will be no security for its neighbors. Can we accept that only the security of Israel is important and that its Arab neighbors have no right to security? 13. Israel is a bully. If it were any bigger or stronger, the world would not be safe. I should therefore like to call upon the United States, as the main supplier of weapons to Israel, to reconsider its position. Those weapons are for nothing less than murder.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“In order to assuage the conscience of the anti-Semites, the land of the Palestinians has already been taken away from them to create a Jewish home-land. Must the Palestinians now be butchered and driven from refuge to refuge? Must they also be exterminated? We understand the conscience which bothers the people that were once cruel to the Jews. We understand their need to make amends for their past misdeeds. But are we going to condone massacres because we or, rather, the powerful nations of the world are unwilling to hurt the feelings of the Jews? Some may think that the massacres in the Sabra and Shatila camps will satiate the Israelis and that they will go back to their Israel. This can only be a wrong assumption. Recent history has shown, and the Israeli Prime Minister has admitted, that Israel never really fought in self-defense.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“They are not even treated as humans, as the brutal massacres in Lebanon amply demonstrate. 12. We remember vividly the horrors of Belsen, Dachau and other Nazi concentration camps of the Second World War. We know of the sufferings of the Jewish people then and the pogroms of centuries past. We were appalled at those atrocities. Nevertheless, nobody—not even a people that has suffered as much as the Jews have—has the right to inflict upon others the horrors of Sabra and Shatila. The Palestinians and the Lebanese were not responsible for Belsen or Dachau. Has the international community lost its conscience that it could stand aloof while such horrors were perpetrated against the helpless and the innocent?”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“I am indeed happy about the presence and participation at this session of His High¬ness Prince Norodom Sihanouk, President of Demo¬cratic Kampuchea and the beloved leader of the Kampuchean people. I hope that the Assembly will respond appropriately and positively to his noble cause. We await with keen anticipation his triumphant return to Kampuchea to restore the freedom and inde¬pendence of that country and the honor and dignity of the Kampuchean people. 11. In West Asia, the situation has also taken a turn for the worse since the thirty-sixth session of the General Assembly. Since the Palestinians were evicted from their homeland, they have been forced to move from one refuge to another countless times. Their rights us a people are still being denied.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“In consonance with the efforts for a peaceful settlement, Malaysia and ASEAN are extremely gratified with the agreement reached among the three resistance groups of Kampuchea to join hands in the coalition in which His Highness Prince Sihanouk has assumed the presidency of the Government of Demo¬cratic Kampuchea. The determination, wisdom and, above all abiding sense of patriotism of the three leaders, in standing together to restore freedom and honor to their country, deserve our profound admiration. Malaysia welcomes this development, as it is a positive and important step towards the attain¬ment of a political solution. Malaysia feels honored for having been able on 22 June 1982 to act as host during the historic signing of the declaration estab-lishing the coalition by His Highness Prince Sihanouk, Mr. Son Sann and Mr. Khieu Samphan.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“It has brought in its wake big-Power rivalry into a region where five peace-loving nations have agreed to a concept of a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality. Members of the Association of South East Asian Nations find in the Kampuchean problem an insurmountable obstacle to their cherished dream of a conflict-free neutral area. 9. The world must give serious attention to the situa¬tion in Kampuchea before big-Power rivalry escalates into open confrontation, for when this happens, the United Nations will once again be powerless to do anything. The Members of the United Nations must act while there is still time for them to do so. They must give their stamp of approval to the valiant coalition that has been formed. 10.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“They must revitalize the Organization which they created. They must breathe life into it by abiding by its decisions and lending it their weight. 7. In South-East Asia, the Kampuchean problem continues to pose a threat to peace and security. Three times the General Assembly has called for the total withdrawal of foreign forces and the exercise of self- determination by the Kampuchean people. The International Conference on Kampuchea laid down the principles for a political settlement of the problem. But again those who are in a position to help achieve this political settlement have shown little concern for the accepted norms of international practice. 8. The foreign military invasion and continued occupation of Kampuchea is a crime against the Kampuchean people and a threat to regional peace and security.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Resolution after resolution is adopted by the various United Nations committees, but the invasions, the atrocities and the economic bullying go on. The credibility of the United Nations is indeed at its lowest ebb, and we who are weak and small live in real fear—fear for our independence, our well-being and even our lives. 6. The need to restore faith in the United Nations is very pressing. The United Nations must regain its credibility. I should like to say that countries like Malaysia must help to restore the trust and confidence of the international community in the Organization's ability to play a constructive role in resolving problems and crises and in maintaining world peace and stability, but that would be pure rhetoric. What is needed is the full backing of the powerful nations.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Weak coun¬tries like Afghanistan, Kampuchea and Lebanon are trodden upon by this boots of invading armies as the rest of the world stands by. The economies of the poor nations are wrecked by recession resulting from man-made policies in the powerful commercial and financial centers of the world. The pleas of the poor are but secondary subjects for discussion by the rich as they meet to plan their own world in places like Cancun and Versailles. And in Lebanon, thousands of Palestinians are murdered in the name of security for the Israelis and their cohorts. 5. There was a time when the United Nations sent a multinational force to stop an invasion and it did in fact succeed. But now it is helpless.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The world continues to remain in the grip of crises of various kinds stemming from unresolved political and military con¬flicts, economic stagnation and recession, widespread poverty and privation, and various inequities, all of which seem to defy solution. Through all this there is continued escalation of armaments, consuming enormous funds and resources and threatening mankind with destruction and possibly extinction. The General Assembly, meeting against this backdrop, must get the full backing of the Members so as to reassert the authority of the United Nations and play a truly effective role. 4. As we look around us, we have to admit that this time international law and order has truly broken down. Might is now the only thing that is right.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Sir, at the outset I wish to extend to you my sincere felicitations on your unanimous ejection as President of the General Assembly. Your ejection bears testimony to the recog¬nition and respect that you enjoy as a diplomat of outstanding ability. Under your presidency, I am con¬fident that the Assembly will be able to complete its work successfully and with distinction. Your election is also an added honor to your country, with which Malaysia enjoys friendly relations. In welcoming your election, I wish also to pay a sincere tribute to Mr. Kittani, the outgoing President, on the outstanding manner in which he conducted the thirty-sixth session of the General Assembly. 3. Since the General Assembly last met, the interna¬tional situation has not improved. On the contrary, it has deteriorated even further.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)