YouSaid · the spoken record

BARRE

lines on the record: 306
first: 1977-09-24
most recent: 1989-09-24
sittings or episodes: 11
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 human genius and potentials, which are almost without limit, can provide us with newer and imaginative options at every stage of our journey towards a better world and a meaningful common future. Only if we choose to pursue the path of mutual understanding and co-operation can our collective efforts succeed. I most sincerely hope that we make the right choice at the right time, and the time is now.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“In conformity with the principle of universality, which is a fundamental feature of the United Nations, we support the aspiration of the Korean people for membership in the United Nations in order to contribute to the furtherance of international peace, security and co-operation. As the world enters the third millennium, we, the family of nations, have no option but to face the challenges of the contemporary world. The need of the hour is for fresh and bold action. We must undertake concerted efforts towards a better and nobler life for all of our peoples. Collectively, the nations of the world have enough resources to underwrite our endeavours.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“While the recently held Paris Conference on Cambodia did not fully translate the expectations of the world community into reality, we trust that all parties involved will continue to exert their influence towards an early resolution of the conflict. On the question of Korea, my Government supports the peaceful reunification of the Korean people. We hope that the contacts that have taken place between the representatives of the parties concerned will bring about greater understanding and create the necessary conditions for a peaceful resolution of this long-standing problem.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We commend the Secretary-General, whose patient efforts to promote a negotiated settlement have been a major factor in the search for an end to the conflict. We are heartened by the recent meetings conducted at the highest level between the concerned parties, which we consider a positive step forward. We urge the Secretary-General to continue with his mission of good offices and appeal to all parties involved to co-operate fully with him in a constructive spirit to find a just and lasting solution, taking into account the fundamental rights of both communities. Somalia firmly believes that the conflict in Cambodia should be settled by peaceful means on the basis of the withdrawal of all foreign forces there from, and by ensuring the right of the people of Cambodia freely to determine their destiny without outside interference.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We were heartened by the agreements reached by the concerned parties in Afghanistan last year. The phased withdrawal of foreign troops also heightened expectations for an early resolution of the conflict. However, we are deeply dismayed that the situation in Afghanistan is not yet resolved and the incessant suffering of the Afghan people continues seriously to affect peace and stability in the region. We urge all parties concerned to undertake every effort in the search for a peaceful settlement of their differences on the basis of full and consistent implementation of the Geneva Agreements. On the question of Cyprus, we would like to emphasize the need for dialogue and inter-communal talks which are the only way to reach a just solution by peaceful means.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Regrettably, however, the apartheid system remains essentially in place and, as recent events show, institutionalized oppression against the majority of the population and against all those who oppose apartheid continues unabated. Member States must undertake concerted global action to ensure the complete eradication of apartheid and the establishment of a democratic society in a united, democratic South Africa. In the event that the Pretoria regime should continue its policy of internal repression and external aggression the Security Council should take immediate action in accordance with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and impose comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against the racist South African regime. On Afghanistan, Somalia has always looked forward to an early settlement of the conflict in that war-torn territory.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We call upon the international community immediately to ensure conditions in Namibia that would enable the Namibian people to participate freely in the electoral process under the supervision and control of the United Nations leading to the early independence of the territory. Somalia urges the Secretary-General to do everything in his power to ensure that Security Council resolution 435 (1978) is implemented in its original and definitive form. The responsibility of the international community to promote human rights and remove threats to peace is nowhere heavier than in the case of South Africa. The Somali Government welcomes the increasing application of measures which demonstrate the world community's abhorrence of the policies of apartheid pursued by the Pretoria regime.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Somalia, an active member of the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, is irrevocably committed to the cause of the oppressed people of Namibia and South Africa in their just and legitimate struggle for freedom, liberty and human dignity. Somalia welcomes the commencement of the implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibia. The Secretary-General deserves our deep appreciation for his historic contribution to the Namibian cause. However, in this context I should like to enter a caveat in respect of the backdrop of the rapidly unfolding events in Namibia arising from manipulations and manoeuvres by the racist South African regime, including widespread intimidation and harassment of the civilian population aimed at frustrating the process of Namibian independence.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Somalia is one among the many countries which have consistently supported the convening of the International Peace Conference on the Middle East with the participation of Palestine on an equal footing with other parties. We believe that the Conference will provide a unique opportunity for negotiations on the basis of the constructive resolutions of the General Assembly on the Middle East. This session of the General Assembly should undertake a decisive course of action in support of the peace process in the Middle East. Another area of major international conflict is southern Africa. It is imperative for all of us to do everything possible to wipe out the last vestiges of colonialism, racism and apartheid in southern Africa.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The courageous uprising, intifadah, of the people of the West Bank and Gaza is an eloquent reminder that there will be no peace in the region unless the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are fully restored. The position of Somalia on this question is firm and consistent. We have always extended unequivocal support to our Palestinian brothers in their struggle for the restoration of their inalienable rights to self-determination, freedom and independence, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PID) - their sole and legitimate representative. We welcomed the establishment of an independent State of Palestine by the Palestine National Council last year and were among the first States to recognize it.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The situation calls for dialogue and meaningful negotiations and it was in this context that we expressed our satisfaction at the new spirit of rapprochement between the two super-Powers, it is our earnest hope that the recent changes in East-West relations will have a favourable impact on global disarmament efforts and the lessening of world tension. We are gravely concerned at the continuation of the conflict in the Middle East, which is a direct result of historic injustices and brutalities suffered by the Palestinian peoples who were forcibly expelled from their homeland. The question of Palestine is at the heart of the problem in the Middle East.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“However, while the constructive role played by the international community in promoting solutions to the major problems facing the contemporary world could be a cause for satisfaction, there still remain many intractable problems and areas of conflict that continue to threaten international and regional peace and security, Somalia believes that disarmament is a moral imperative in this nuclear age. It is a sine qua non for attaining the most important goal of the Charter, namely the maintenance of international peace and security. The unrestricted arms race has rendered international peace and security ever more vulnerable.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Unfortunately, the response of the international community so far has not been adequate. My Government appeals for the necessary support so that the programme for rehabilitation and reconstruction, as recommended by the United Nations mission, can be fully implemented. A review of current international developments would reveal that the relaxation of East-West tension and ongoing moves to deal peacefully with regional conflicts have had a sobering impact on the overall international situation.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“My Government is indeed grateful to the Secretary-General for his prompt decision to dispatch a fact-finding mission to the area to assess the humanitarian needs of the affected population. We would like to thank the United Nations mission which was entrusted with that task for the diligence with which it carried out its work and for the report which it has prepared and which is new before this Assembly. On its part, my Government has taken appropriate measures to deal with this grave disaster situation. Within the limits of its meagre resources, the Government extended all possible assistance to the affected population in terms of food, medical supplies and other basic needs. In view of the gravity and magnitude of this human problem a great deal of international assistance will be required.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Pending the attainment of that goal, the international community is under a moral obligation to continue to provide the refugees with the humanitarian assistance and support they need. The efforts of Somalia to promote socio-economic growth and development has been further impeded by the grave humanitarian situation that has developed in some of the northern districts of Somalia. Besides significant loss of human life caused by attacks against government installations and administrative centres by armed bandits, the situation has resulted in a massive displacement of the population and widespread destruction to public and private property. We are concerned about this grave situation.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Unfortunately, of late, refugees in Somalia have been experiencing drastic shortages of food, medicine and other relief aid which have created serious hardships and made their very survival almost impossible. While there is a need for a long-term refugee programme in Somalia, which my Government fully supports, we believe that the decision recently made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World food Programme to suspend food aid to refugees is unjustified and will have serious implications for their survival. Humanitarian assistance to refugees must not be linked with political considerations. The long-term durable solution of the refugee problem should be the goal that we seek to achieve.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The prevailing economic situation in Africa calls for more effective implementation of commitments by developed countries to permit full realization of the objectives of the United Nations Programme of Action for the Recovery and Development of Africa, 19 86-19 90. The socio-economic crisis that engulfed many developing countries, and particularly the least developed among them, has been further exacerbated by certain developments that have strained the capacity of these countries to survive. Somalia, for example, has become a host to large numbers of refugees, whose number has been swelling in large proportions. The international community has always recognized the Somali people as being the biggest donors to these refugees, who have been provided asylum at a considerable cost to the national economy and social development.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“During the 1980s, despite significant domestic policy measures undertaken by them pursuant to the Substantial New Programme of Action, the effects of their adverse external economic climate have been further exacerbated by the failure to implement the recommendations of the Programme and its mid-term review. In this context, we would like to underscore the significance of enhanced international efforts to reactivate the growth and development of the least developed countries. We would also emphasize the importance of the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries to be held in 1990, which should adopt a substantial plan of action for the sustained development of the least developed countries for the 1990s.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“This should include an increased net flow of resources on concessionary terms to developing countries, to meaningfully supplement their own development efforts. This is necessary in order to facilitate the implementation of their structural adjustment programmes, modernize and diversify their economic bases, eradicate poverty, improve their environment and develop their human resources. The reactivation of growth in the developing countries will also depend on their ability to solve the serious debt burden. This acute problem must be addressed in an integrated and comprehensive manner without any further delay. The development crisis is dramatized by the plight of the least developed countries, which have been facing formidable structural handicaps and experienced extreme deterioration in their overall socio-economic situation.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“A resurgence of protectionism in the developed countries continues to impede exports from developing countries. Official development assistance has stagnated and the private flow of resources to developing countries has fallen sharply. A newer and even complex dimension of the development crisis has emerged with accelerated degradation of the global environment, often caused by acute poverty. Thus, developing countries continue to remain prisoners to a system which is outside their control and which has only contributed to deepening and complicating their development crisis. Undeniably, the required acceleration of growth in the world economy and the integration of the developing countries in that process in an effective and long-term manner requires a supportive international environment.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“They are in the throes of severe crises, which tie down their economies and strangle their development process. In most of Africa, for example, per capita incomes have continued to fall. Many of the poorest countries, particularly the least developed countries, have become even poorer. Unemployment in the developing world as a whole has increased enormously. The recovery in the price structure of primary commodities continues to be insufficient to lead to a fundamental change in the overall trend in commodity markets. The debt crisis which erupted simultaneously in many developing countries in the early 1980s, continues unabated, thereby severely straining their development efforts. Real interest rates have remained exorbitant, seriously affecting the economies of developing countries.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Charter does not just stop at aiming at the creation of instruments of human rights, decolonization and peace. It also recognizes that the struggle against hunger, disease, deprivation and illiteracy would have to be waged on a global basis through the collective efforts of all nations. Peace would be fragile at best if the problem of economic and social injustice is not adequately addressed. The words "global interdependence" are no longer merely a fashionable term; they have become a key to the solution of many problems confronting our planet at the present time. In this context, it is a matter of deep concern to us that most of the developing countries continue to remain outside the mainstream of progress achieved in the world economy in recent years.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Powers and regimes that make the forcible denial of the fundamental right of peoples to self-determination the foundation and philosophy of their policy continue to hide their positions behind the shield of certain "principles" which they conveniently use to prevent action by the world community against them. The United Nations is under an obligation to oppose those forces and take concerted action in support of the legitimate aspirations of oppressed peoples. Somalia firmly believes that complete and full realization of the noble task of the total elimination of all forms of colonialism must continue to be a high priority of the United Nations in order to ensure justice and freedom to all peoples still languishing under the yoke of colonial domination and oppression.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The threefold increase in the membership of the Organization is eloquent testimony to its great success in the field of decolonization. However, the final goal of making this body universal is yet to be attained. In direct contravention of the provisions of the Charter and the Declaration, in various parts of the world forces are dominant that oppose the inalienable right of peoples to self-determination and are thus blocking their emancipation. There are numerous examples of the violation of human rights by the brutal forces of occupation and repression.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Subjection of people to alien domination and exploitation was proclaimed a denial of fundamental human rights, contrary to the Charter. It also recognized the right of all peoples to self-determination and therefore the right freely to determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development. Further, the Declaration made it clear that the process of liberation is irresistible and irreversible and that, in order to avoid serious crises, an end must be put to colonialism and all practices of segregation and discrimination associated with it. The achievements of the United Nations in the fulfilment of the hopes and the aspirations of colonized peoples in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and other areas to gain the independence of their homelands have indeed been historic.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Charter also established a new concept of international morality based on peace and justice among nations. No longer can we accept that force alone should determine disputes between nations. Each dispute must be judged in terms of its relative content and merit, and measured in the context of international law. The Charter of our Organization, in Article 1, upholds the right to self-determination of peoples under colonial rule, and enshrines it as a basic principle. A watershed in the history of the Organization's involvement was marked by the adoption in 1960 of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV). The Declaration left no doubt about the position of the world community on the question of decolonization.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“His illuminating report on the issues before us constitutes in our view a significant input to the deliberations of the current session of the Assembly. With the founding of the United Nations, mankind for the first time established a permanent institutional arrangement for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and co-operation among States. The Charter of the United Nations brought about fundamental changes in international relations, with far-reaching consequences. It expressed the determination "... to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person ... and of nations, large and small ...". It thus recognized that for world peace to be lasting, it must be underwritten by the attainment of human rights.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We assure you of our fullest support and co-operation as you discharge your onerous responsibilities. I take this opportunity also of extending our congratulations to the other members of the Bureau. We express our deep appreciation also to Mr. Dante Caputo for the valuable contribution he made to the cause of international peace and co-operation during his term of office as President of the forty-third General Assembly session. Similarly, we pay a tribute to the Secretary-General of our Organization, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, for his total dedication to upholding the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter and his untiring and relentless efforts to strengthen the Organization as an instrument for the promotion of world peace, security and development.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is a great privilege for my delegation to participate in the deliberations of the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly. I bring to you, Mr. President, and the delegations assembled here the warm greetings of the President, the Government and the people of the Somali Democratic Republic, and best wishes for the success of this important session of the General Assembly. Permit me at the outset, Sir, to extend to you the sincere felicitations of my delegation on your unanimous election to the high office of President of this session. Somalia has close brotherly ties with your country, Nigeria, which continues to play a leading and constructive role in furthering the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and in promoting world peace, freedom and development.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Those solutions reflect the collective wisdom of the world community, and thereby bring moral pressure to beat on events. To conclude, the United Nations must continue to remain the centre for promoting the rule of international law and for fostering co-operation among States for the good of all. In this unique human endeavour, the United Nations can always depend on the full support and co-operation of the Government and people of Somalia.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“We believe that the promotion of the status of women, the rights of the child and the needs of youth, the aging and the disabled admirably carry out the humanitarian and social purposes o£ the world body. Campaigns against such evils as racial discrimination and the traffic in drugs illustrate the continuing vitality and relevance of the Organization. We are all aware that many issues in critical areas of peace and security, self-determination and human rights remain unresolved. This calls for deep concern because all the goals of human endeavour and human aspirations are encompassed by these three fields of international action. My delegation is encouraged by the fact that practical solutions, based on the principles of the Chatter, have proved successful in many critical situations that have come before the United Nations.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“I believe there must be great recognition of the direct connection between the economic plight of developing countries and the constraints of the existing world economic order. It should be stressed that when the developing countries call for a North-South dialogue on interrelated questions of trade, money, debt servicing and development, they are not speaking of ideologies or economic abstractions. They are speaking of matters of life and death. They are speaking of the need to overcome conditions of widespread hunger, poverty, ignorance and disease. Somalia strongly supports United Nations policies and programmes dealing with the related questions of the environment, population and human settlements.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“My Government is grateful to the donor countries and United Nations agencies which have given the refugees a measure of hope for the future. Nevertheless, I must take this opportunity to make an urgent appeal for the fulfilment of food aid pledges. At the present time, there are serious food shortages and outbreaks of nutrition-related diseases in many camps, and unless speedy and effective measures are taken the situation could soon become catastrophic·, We hope that generous and prompt support for immediate and medium-term needs will continue to be made available to the refugees, in accordance with the commitments made at the Second International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The pervasive constraints of underdevelopment and the effects of climatic and other disasters cannot be overcome easily. For example, Somalia has been host for over seven years to successive mass influxes of refugees. Even though basic needs are met through international assistance, the presence of 700,000 refugees in official camps, and as many more in the country at large, continues to place a heavy burden on our weak infrastructure, economy and resources. We naturally hope that efforts to create a climate of peace in the region will help to promote the optimum solution to the refugee problems - that of voluntary repatriation, unfortunately, the majority of the refugees are still not assured that they can return home to safe and stable conditions.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“I turn now to the economic issues that are of great concern to my Government. Unfortunately, the lack of progress towards the solution of international problems in the political sphere is also evident in the major economic problems before the General Assembly. The stalemate in efforts to establish a North-South dialogue and to promote a more just world economic order is again cause for disappointment and concern. For African States, the question of greatest urgency is the economic situation on our continent - a situation that continues to generate unacceptable levels of deprivation and misery. The worst ravages of natural and man-made disasters have abated, but one year after the convening of the Special Session on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa, it cannot be said that the crisis on our continent is over.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Without doubt, the nuclear arms race overshadows all other issues in importance and urgency. That is why my Government warmly welcomes the negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union for the elimination of medium-range nuclear missiles. This development certainly has historic significance as it represents the first agreement, in principle, on the elimination of a specific class of nuclear weapons. Of equal significance, in our view, is the spirit of co-operation which has fostered agreement in the crucial area of arms control. The world community is now encouraged to hope that a first step has been taken in a process which will lead to the elimination of long-range strategic missiles, to the conclusion of a comprehensive test-ban treaty, and to a freeze on the production and deployment of all nuclear weapons.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The independence, sovereignty and non-aligned status of Afghanistan must be fully respected, and the Afghan refugees must be allowed to return home in safety and with honour. On the question of Cyprus, we urge the parties concerned to take full advantage of the good offices of the Secretary-General in working for a peaceful settlement. In our view, the resolution of this problem lies in the recognition by all concerned that the fundamental human, civil and political rights of the ethnic groups which constitute the population of that island State, must be fully respected and safeguarded, if there is to be lasting peace and internal harmony. The strengthening of peace and security throughout the world depends more heavily, of course, on progress towards disarmament, in particular nuclear disarmament.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The case for mandatory sanctions is, of course, further strengthened by South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia, and by its use of the Territory as a springboard for military aggression against sovereign States. In our view, it is the inescapable duty of the Security Council to take firm action to ensure that the plan for Namibia's independence contained in resolutions 385 (1976) and 435 (1978) is implemented speedily and without pre-conditions. In a number of other areas of conflict it is essential that international pressures continue to provide the momentum towards just and peaceful solutions. In this context, Somalia joins the vast majority of States in calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“My Government welcomes the increasing application of measures that demonstrate the world community's abhorrence of South Africa's apartheid policies. Regrettably, the apartheid system remains essentially in place, and institutionalised oppression against the majority population and against all who oppose apartheid has been intensified. Undoubtedly the situation in South Africa today is one of dangerous crisis, as the confrontation between the forces of oppression and those of the liberation struggle becomes increasingly violent. My Government strongly supports the international consensus on the need to impose comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against the Pretoria regime. This is the only peaceful and effective measure available to the United Nations in its effort to promote the establishment of a just society in South Africa.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The world community must demand an end to those policies and to the arrogant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity · My Government will continue to support United Nations resolutions calling for a comprehensive Middle East settlement, which would include the right of the Palestinians to return home and to establish a state in Palestine and Israel's withdrawal from all annexed and occupied Arab territory, including Jerusalem. We also support the convening of a peace conference on the Middle East as an important step towards a just and lasting settlement. The responsibility of Member States to promote human rights and remove threats to peace is nowhere heavier than in the case of southern Africa.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Bringing an end to this tragic war is in the best interests of the peoples of the area, of Arab and Islamic solidarity and of regional world peace and security· In the Middle East, after decades of tension and conflict, the path to peace is still being obstructed by Israel's contempt for the rule of international law. Clearly, there will be no peace while Israel continues to deny the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, while it violates the human rights of the Arab people under its occupation and while it pursues expansionist policies of illegal annexation and occupation.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It has continued for almost 8 years without any prospect of an end in sight. It has exacted a heavy toll in human lives, in the destruction of property and in the depletion of the resources of both countries. Somalia welcomed the Security Council's mandatory resolution calling for a cease-fire, which we considered to be an appropriate response to the destruction and bloodshed and to the widening repercussions of the war. We appeal to both sides and especially to Iran to respond speedily and explicitly to international efforts to end the hostilities and to achieve an honourable settlement. The good offices of the Secretary-General in this regard must certainly be given appreciation and support.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“We believe that the search for a just and lasting settlement could then go forward, based on a realistic appraisal of existing conditions and, most importantly, with a firm recognition of the legitimate aspirations and fundamental rights of the peoples involved. It is our firm conviction that respect for the inalienable rights of peoples to justice and self-determination constitutes a solid foundation for peace and stability in the area. In spite of some difficulties and setbacks, Somalia will continue to promote the peace process that has been set in motion - which would be in the interests, and contribute to the welfare of, all the peoples of the region. I should like now to state Somalia's position on another urgent and grave international problem: the tragic war between Iran and Iraq.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“My Government is strongly committed to the success of the ongoing talks aimed at creating conditions for the normalization of relations, the resolving of fundamental problems and the establishment of a just and lasting peace. We believe it is a measure of progress that the last meeting of the Somali-Ethiopia Joint Committee held in April of this year agreed that the two sides would continue the dialogue and refrain from any action which might jeopardize the peace process. In our view a climate of confidence and trust must be created in which negotiations on substantive issues can be successfully pursued.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It is against the background of these thoughts on peace, self-determination and human rights that I shall address myself to specific international issues of particular concern to Somalia, The question to which we give the highest priority in our foreign policy is that of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. Our region has suffered from decades of conflict and tension, from the ravages of drought and desertification and from the human misery caused by mass refugee flows. The establishment of a climate of peace and stability would enable the people of the region to carry out with greater success the tasks of rehabilitation and development. It was in recognition of this need that the Heads of State of Somalia and Ethiopia initiated a process of dialogue between the two countries at their meeting in Djibouti in January 1986.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Somalia strongly supports the efforts of the United Nations on behalf of oppressed peoples. We believe that the world community must take an unequivocal stand when confronted by racist, aggressive and genocidal policies. The United Nations responsibilities in the promotion of human rights do not stop, however, with attempts to put an end to intolerable oppression. Its responsibilities must also include the creation of a climate in which all States have the opportunity to provide adequately for the economic and social needs of their peoples. This, undoubtedly, is the meaning of the Charter's injunction that we promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The task of creating a community of sovereign States with universality as the final goal is not yet completed, but the work of the United Nations in this area has strongly reinforced the hopes and dignity of millions of former colonized people in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and other areas who have recovered their national identity and now enjoy statehood. Somalia believes that the completion of this task must be a high priority of the United Nations. It has been said that peace, in the last resort, is a matter of human rights. I do not think there can be any question about the fact that gross violations of human rights, which undermine the dignity and worth of the human person, provoke both national and international tensions and conflicts.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It was their wisdom and foresight which provided the basis for the General Assembly's historic Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. Today, the concern expressed in the Charter and the efforts by the United Nations to promote self-determination have been strongly validated. One of the clearest lessons of the history of our times is that attempts to suppress the will of peoples to self-determination and independence inevitably lead to violence and conflict and are in the end doomed to failure. Oppressed people will make any sacrifice, including the sacrifice of their lives, in order to establish conditions of freedom, justice and human dignity.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“However, world peace can today be more specifically identified with a strong commitment to disarmament and collective security, and particularly with full adherence to fundamental human rights. As a former colonial territory which achieved independence under the aegis of the United Nations, Somalia is particularly conscious of the importance of the right to self-determination and independence in the strengthening of regional and international peace and security. In our view, the world community owes a debt of gratitude to the framers of the Charter for affirming those rights at a time when the process of decolonisation was in its infancy and the likelihood of its success far from certain.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Is there effective international co-operation to promote fundamental freedoms and human rights, including the right to economic and social stability? The extent to which we can answer these questions in the affirmative is the extent to which our obligations as Member States are being fulfilled. Obviously, there is a large gap between the statement of the goals we profess to seek and the attainment of those goals, and the effort to reduce that gap must be a constant one. With regard to peace and security, it can be said that these benefits ultimately depend on the widest possible compliance with all the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)