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

“This session of the General Assembly, like others before it, has a long agenda covering a wide range of topics, I think it is true to say, however, that there are just three broad categories into which those items fall - namely, peace and security, self-determination, and human rights. It is to those three areas that the purposes and principles of the Charter ace directed. I believe it to be essential that we never lose sight of those purposes and principles as we address ourselves to the specific problems before us. We must ask ourselves, for example, whether the world community is taking effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace. Is the principle of equal rights and the self-determination of peoples being fully respected?”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“On behalf of the delegation of Somalia, I extend our sincere congratulations to Mr. Peter Florin on his unanimous and well-deserved election to the presidency of the forty-second session of the General Assembly. I assure him of the full co-operation of my delegation in the successful discharge of his responsibilities. I take this opportunity to express our appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Huraayun Rasheed Choudhury, under whose skilful guidance there were significant achievements at the forty-first session. I wish also to pay a tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Perez de Cuellar, for his active role in promoting just and peaceful solutions to international problems.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“My Government will continue to do all it can to support the United Nations as it responds appropriately to the challenging problems of our times.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated repeatedly, in both political and economic spheres, that even the critics of the United Nations are obliged to turn to it when other alternatives fail. If progress towards the resolution of political problems is often slow, the fault usually lies with a lack of political will to take advantage of United Nations peace-keeping and peace-making efforts. We would certainly have to consider the United Nations an indispensable instrument of progress and peace if we only took into account its remarkable achievements in the economic, social and humanitarian fields. In our complex world, limitless possibilities for the betterment of mankind exist side by side with dangerous regional and international tensions and with the threat of nuclear catastrophe.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Unfortunately, the nuclear dilemma does not involve the security and status of the nuclear Powers alone: it involves the survival of civilization, of mankind and possibly of our planet. My Government hopes that the two super-Powers are at last prepared to talk to each other at the highest level and to make serious commitments to nuclear disarmament, to the prohibition of new weapons of mass destruction and to the preservation of outer space for peaceful purposes. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm my Government's belief in the enduring validity of the principles and purposes of the United Nations We share the concern of many States over the emergence of a tendency to downgrade the importance of the world body and even to undermine its authority and effectiveness.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Narrowing the economic gap between developed and developing countries used to be an established goal of the United Nations but it is a goal that seems to be receding from sight. The abandonment of that goal would endanger the survival of millions of people in the developing world? it would have an adverse effect on world economic growth and it would be inimical to world peace and security. The resumption of vigorous efforts to narrow the gap between rich and poor countries would be in the best interests of all the members of the world community. Whatever the particular economic, political or social concerns of Member States may be, they all live under the threat of global disaster posed by the nuclear confrontation of the super-Powers.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Africa's plans for recovery and development, and indeed the development plans of all the developing countries, depend ultimately for their success on the reform of the imbalances in the world economic system and the creation of a world economic climate FavorFable to development. The debt burdens imposed by imported inflation are without doubt the most crippling of the many constraints which impede the development process. The call of the Organization of African Unity for an international conference on Africa's external indebtedness underlines the disastrous proportions of this problem. Clearly the gains of the thirteenth special session will be nullified unless creative solutions to the debt problem can be formulated.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“It is for this reason that we contributed to the establishment of the Inter-governmental Authority for Drought and Development in East Africa. Somalia is of course affected on a catastrophic scale by the problem of massive refugee flows. International assistance ensures the survival of the refugees, but their continued presence in our country for almost a decade, of late by a new influx, has placed an intolerable burden on our overstretched resources and over-used environment. We appeal to donor countries to give renewed attention to the commitments made at the Second International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa with regard to emergency assistance, medium-term needs and the search for durable solutions.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Africa's priority program for economic recovery gives a clear indication of the determination of African States to take the steps necessary for recovery and steady growth. I hope that the adoption, by the General Assembly at the thirteenth special session, of the United Nations program of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, indicates a new and constructive spirit of partnership between developed and developing countries in the task of Africa's rehabilitation. Each of Africa's most affected countries has its particular challenge in addition to the familiar constraints of underdevelopment. In Somalia we are doing all we can to combat drought and desertification both at the national and regional levels.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Innumerable lives have been saved and hundreds of thousands given hope for the future as a result of an extraordinary exercise of good will and co-operation by the United Nations and its agencies, governmental and charitable organizations and concerned groups and individuals. However, the task of shoring up our infrastructures and economies against future onslaughts by natural and other disasters must now be undertaken. That task demands the strong resolve of African States to rectify past mistakes in development planning and to shoulder the major responsibility for their economic growth. It also demands sustained flows of development assistance to provide an essential boost to rehabilitation efforts.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We hope that the Indian Ocean and hinterland States, the permanent members of the Security Council and the major maritime users will co-operate in efforts to convene the long-delayed Conference on the Indian Ocean before 1988. In our view, the convening of the Conference remains an essential step towards the attainment of the goals of the Indian Ocean Declaration. The critical economic situation on our continent continues to be foremost among the concerns of African States, even though the worst aspects of the crisis have been relieved. African Governments and peoples are deeply grateful for the generous response of the international community to the plight of millions made destitute by a combination of natural and man-made disasters.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“In a similar vein, we also join other States in supporting the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General to find a peaceful solution to the long-standing question of Cyprus. If the mistakes and inequities of the past are to be avoided and a peaceful and harmonious future achieved for the two communities of Cyprus, there must be agreement on constitutional arrangements which would give equal rights to all the citizens of that State and provide the necessary protection and guarantees of those rights. It is our hope that the parties concerned will reach an understanding leading to an early and amicable settlement of the problem. Another regional concern of my Government is the implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We join in the universal call for a sincere response to all efforts at mediation to achieve an immediate cease-fire and to promote a peaceful settlement of this tragic conflict. We also regret that the people of Kampuchea are still unable to determine their own future free from outside interference. The world community must continue to support regional and international efforts to establish independence, neutrality and peace for all the countries of South-East Asia. The world can ill afford the development in Central America of a new area of tension and conflict. The peace initiatives of the Contadora Group provide a valuable opportunity for settling problems through dialog and negotiation. That opportunity should not be lost.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“My Government strongly supports the efforts of the Secretary-General to bring about a political settlement based on the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan, respect for its sovereignly and non-aligned status and the return of the Afghan refugees in safety and with honor. The proliferation of areas of conflict is clearly related to the low level of respect apparent on the international scene for principles of international law such as the peaceful settlement of disputes, non-interference in the affairs of States and the non-use of force in international relations. In this context, ray Government deeply regrets the escalation of the war between Iran and Iraq, which has resulted in great loss of life and destruction of the resources of both countries and has also endangered world peace and security.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We believe that the convening of the International Peace Conference on the Middle East would be a major step towards the achievement of a just and lasting peace. Ho be effective the Conference would require the full participation cm a basis of equality of the representative of the Palestinian people, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PI0). It must be recognized that time is not on the side of peace in the Middle-East. Every effort must be made to ensure that a new generation will not again be handed a legacy of hatred and despair. The grave situation in Afghanistan and the attempt to suppress the freedom struggle of a courageous people continue to be a matter of major international concern.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“To this end, it is imperative that confidence-building measures first be undertaken to create a climate conducive to meaningful negotiations on fundamental issues, based on respect for the human rights of the peoples of the area. The Middle East is among the world's most troubled areas, in spite of the fact that the principles which must govern a just and lasting settlement have been widely acknowledged. Peace in the area will continue to be elusive unless all those concerned exert the political will to bring about a comprehensive settlement. My Government fully supports the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council which call for the total withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and the restoration of Palestinian rights, in particular the right to statehood in Palestine.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The Security Council has issued a great many ultimatums in the context of South Africa's gross violations of international law and its breaches of regional and international peace and security. I hope that the General Assembly will call upon the Council in a strong and unified voice to enforce those ultimatums. Another problem of international concern is the situation in the Horn of Africa. It is unfortunate that protracted conflict in the area has given rise to large-scale human suffering, massive destruction of property and huge refugee influxes. It is essential that concerted action be taken to remove the sources of tension and conflict and to establish a solid foundation for peace and stability in the region.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“In no other issue before the United Nations is the authority of the world body so clearly defined and at the same time so deeply compromised as in the case of Namibia. The importance of this question is attested to by the recently concluded special session of the General Assembly, the third on Namibia, which called once again for action under Chapter VII of the Charter. The special session could hardly have done otherwise in view of South Africa's continued illegal occupation of Namibia, its obstructive tactics against the implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978) and its policies of occupation, terrorist aggression, subversion and economic pressure directed against front-line States.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Without doubt, violence and bloodshed will continue to escalate unless the Pretoria regime is pressured into abolishing apartheid, releasing imprisoned leaders such as Nelson Mandela and taking steps to establish a truly just and democratic society. My Government joins in the call for the imposition of mandatory economic sanctions against South Africa, including an oil embargo - a call which is supported by a rising tide of public opinion around the world. We heartily welcome the growing recognition that this measure is the only peaceful and effective means available to prevent a protracted and bloody racial conflict in southern Africa. The demand for sanctions against South Africa is made even more urgent by the Pretoria regime's intransigence over Namibia's independence.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“International attention is today rightly focused on the critical situation in southern Africa, but more than 20 years ago the General Assembly called for comprehensive mandatory economic sanctions in order to deter South Africa's white minority from imposing its criminal apartheid plan on the black majority. We are now witnessing the inevitable confrontation between the oppressed majority, determined to regain its basic human rights at any cost, and the racist minority, prepared to use its oppressive police and military forces with the utmost brutality in order to retain its privileged position.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“There needs to be a renewed understanding of the fact that membership of the world Organization entails a sincere commitment to the rule of international law as established by the United Nations Charter and to the promotion of human dignity, on the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations has consistently promoted just and reasonable solutions, based on the principles of the Charter, in order to establish conditions of peace in numerous conflict areas of the world. Regrettably, these solutions remain implemented, and in consequence tension and conflict continue to take a heavy toll in human lives and constitute a setback to the search for stability and progress.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Unfortunately, the constructive response that has been made to the internal needs of the world Organization has not yet been Batched by efforts to strengthen its authority as it seeks to resolve problems which endanger world peace and security. Many of the political issues which trouble our times have their origin in the violation of two fundamental principles of the united Nations Charter - namely, the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, and respect for the human rights of individuals. It is indeed tragic that many States are prepared to uphold Charter principles in situations where their countries are not directly involved, but ignore those same principles when they find it expedient to do so.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The first line of action has been set in motion as a result of the efforts of the Group of high-level intergovernmental experts set up to review the administrative and financial functioning of the world body, My Government welcomes the recommendations of the Group as a valuable starting point for the process of reform, and we believe that they should receive careful consideration. Where sensitive financial and budgetary issues are concerned, I trust that these can be addressed in a spirit of goodwill and with a consistent application of the relevant principles of the Charter, bearing in mind also the specific responsibilities of the Secretary-General.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The consensus which emerged from the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations was that the world Organization, with all its faults, still represented mankind's best hope for peace and progress. That consensus, I believe, envisaged two lines of action: it called for the reform of those shortcoming typical of any 40-year-old bureaucracy, and it called for the strengthening of the central role of the United Nations in the system of collective security established by the Charter.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“On behalf of «y delegation and on my own behalf I extend Ambassador Choudhury warm congratulations on his election as President of the forty-fir st session of the General Assembly. Our deliberations will undoubtedly profit from the learning, wisdom and diplomatic skills which he brings to his high office. I take this opportunity to express ny Government's gratification at the strong ties of friendship which link our two countries. I also wish to express our deep appreciation for the skillful guidance provided by Ambassador de Pinies of Spain during the fortieth session. His well-known diplomatic experience and statesmanship made a valuable contribution to a historic occasion.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“We must all pay the closest attention to the sober and constructive assessment of the world situation given in the Secretary-General's report to this Assembly. None of us can ignore the opening words of the report which point out that, while we face a world of almost infinite promise, it is also a world of potentially terminal danger. We need the opportunities provided by the United Nations to steer a course by which we can realize the hopes and aspirations enshrined in the Charter.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“The trend away from multilateralism and international co-operation in both the economic and political spheres is a disappointing setback to hopes for a world order based on justice, progress and peace. It can perhaps be hoped that the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations will encourage us to take a new and appreciative look at the experience of the past four decades and resolve to build with greater dedication and vigor on the foundations of international co-operation tLat have been so firmly laid. In this connection, I wish to pay a tribute to the dedicated work and effective diplomacy of Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar in the search for solutions to the many complex problems of our times.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“It is also clear that support is needed at the same time for efforts to improve transport and communications. We believe that particular note needs to be taken of the extent to which the African economic crisis is an offshoot of the wider problem of an unbalanced and inequitable world economic system. Unfortunately, the countries of the North have yet to show that they share the developing world's vision of a new and more just economic order to the mutual benefit of both developed and developing countries. We regret that the struggle being aged in international organizations for better terms of trade, effective commodity agreements, reduced protectionism, debt relief and increased development assistance has been for the most part unsuccessful.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“However, without a new and concerted resolve on the part of the international community to mobilize substantial medium-term and long-term, as well as emergency, assistance, our countries will continue to be like swimmers against the tide who cannot go forward in spite of exerting their strongest efforts. My Government hopes that the necessary international assistance will be forthcoming and that it will be focused on the areas of high priority identified this year by the twenty-first session of the Assembly of Heads of State or Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Improving Africa's food situation, rehabilitating agricultural development across the continent and alleviating Africa's external debt burden are critical areas for immediate attention.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“The lives of millions of African people and the hopes of millions of others for a tolerable existence in the future are clearly threatened by the combination of natural and man-made disasters which affect a great many African countries. In my own country, the problems of cyclical drought, desertification and a catastrophic refugee influx have been superimposed on the weak economy and fragile infrastructure of underdevelopment. Those problems would have been crippling enough without the additional constraints imposed by adverse terms of trade and intolerable debt burdens caused by high interest rates. African States are fully committed to the Lagos Plan of Action, which calls on them to take primary responsibility for their development and to make the fullest use of regional co-operation in the solution of common problems.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“In the case of Kampuchea, where the long-suffering people have lost their freedom and have been denied the right to determine their own future, we hope that regional and international efforts will bring about conditions of liberty, justice and peace in Kampuchea and in the region of South-East Asia as a whole. One of my Government's deepest concerns is of course the critical economic situation in Africa. This situation is certainly grave enough to give rise to the call for a special session of the General Assembly which would consider how the world community might best help the continent overcome its crippling economic, social and ecological problems.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“In this context, my Government once again joins in the universal call for an end to the tragic conflict between Iraq and Iran, a conflict which serves no cause and can benefit neither country. We also view with serious concern the continued foreign occupation of Afghanistan and the military operations directed with cruel force against the courageous Afghan people. We highly commend the efforts of the Secretary-General to bring about a political settlement, including the return home of the Afghan refugees in safety and with honor, the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country, and restoration of Afghanistan's independence and non-aligned status.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“My Government is of the firm belief that there can be no peace in the Middle Bast without Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, including the Holy City of Jerusalem, and without the fulfillment of the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and the establishment of a State of their own. These realities of the Middle Bast situation must continue to be driven home in this Assembly and in the Security Council so that there may be a concerted international effort to bring about a just and comprehensive settlement of the conflict. My Government shares the concern of many States that world tension and instability continue to be heightened by a number of political problems, which are becoming unwelcome fixtures on the agenda of the General Assembly.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“The world community has witnessed with grave concern the escalation of violence in Lebanon, carried out with contempt for the accepted norms of international behavior and with savage ferocity, which has brought widespread death and destruction to Lebanese population centers. The recent attack by Israeli aircraft against civilian targets in Tunis and the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization is again typical of the arrogance which characterizes Israeli policies, we wish to state in this forum that Somalia condemns such actions. States which sow a harvest of injustice, aggression and contempt for the rights of others cannot expect to reap peace and tranquility.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“We hope that Ethiopia, too, can be persuaded to choose that path. The Middle East question must still, unfortunately, be numbered among those which have remained unresolved in spite of 40 years of United Nations involvement and concern. Israel persists in its forceful occupation of Arab territory and its denial of the right of the Palestinian people to justice and self-determination, in total disregard of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law. An international consensus of long standing has established that the denial of Palestinian rights is at the heart of the Middle East conflict.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“For the past seven years the refugee presence has placed a crippling burden on my country's already fragile economy and constituted a heavy charge on the generosity of the international community, a permanent solution to the catastrophic refugee problem in the Horn of Africa depends to a large extent on the establishment of conditions which would encourage the refugees to return home without fear of political repression. Regrettably, a solution of this kind is still not in sight. A just and lasting solution of this long-standing problem can be achieved only if it takes into account the legitimate aspirations and inalienable rights of the oppressed and colonized peoples of the Horn of Africa. Unfortunately, our efforts have not met with success. Somalia is prepared to respond to the challenge of peace.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“The presence in the Horn of Africa of a super-Power and its surrogate forces, which were called in to suppress legitimate liberation struggles, also raises the level of conflict and further destabilizes the region by drawing it into the arena of cold-war rivalry. Unparalleled suffering has been visited on large sections of the population in the Horn of Africa, not only through drought and famine but also through the fear and terror generated by political repression carried out by Ethiopia through forced population transfers and the effects of the inevitable military confrontations between national aspirations and colonial domination. These factors have all contributed to the massive and continuing flow of refugees into neighboring countries. In Somalia this flow has resulted in the largest political refugee population in Africa.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“This typically brutal and wanton assault caused numerous deaths and injuries and the destruction of the homes of innocent villagers. My Government calls for the strongest condemnation from the international community of Ethiopia's persistent violations of international law. Peace and stability in the Horn of Africa and in the strategically important Indian Ocean area are essential not only for the progress and welfare of the people of the region but also for world peace and security. However, as long as Ethiopia, the empire State of the region, continues to deny the right to self-determination to its colonized peoples in Western Somalia, Eritrea and Tigre, tension and conflict will remain endemic in the area.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“Unfortunately, southern Africa is not the only part of the continent threatened by outdated colonial policies and policies of military aggression. My Govern went is obliged to call the attention of the international community to the continued threat to peace and deterioration in stability in the Horn of Africa as a result of the acts of Military aggression repeatedly launched by Ethiopia against the Somali Democratic Republic. These unprovoked attacks take the form of terrorist bombardments of villages and border settlements, large-scale incursions across our borders and military occupation of our territory. The latest aggression of this kind took place only three weeks ago, when civilian centers in north-west and central Somalia were attacked by Ethiopian artillery and aircraft.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“However, South Africa's murderous terrorism and its gross violations of international law call for stronger action. Effective measures are needed to bring about for the implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978), which remains the only legal basis for Namibia's independence. We hope that the political will can be found to end a situation which seriously undermines the credibility of the United Nations. The strong commitment of African countries to the struggle against apartheid and for Namibian independence demands that we give high priority also to measures to counteract South Africa's attempts to destabilize and undermine the economies of front-line and other African States. We call for the close co-operation of the international community in initiatives in this area.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“We believe that the only peaceful means of preventing the tragedy of a protracted and bloody racial conflict is the isolation of South Africa, particularly through the imposition of mandatory economic sanctions by the Security Council. We hope the Council will not shirk this grave responsibility, which involves regional and world peace and security. The necessity for imposing economic sanctions on South Africa is heightened by its continued illegal occupation of Namibia in defiance of the resolutions of the Security Council. We welcome the Council's condemnation of the latest attempt to impose a puppet government on the people of Namibia and of the repeated acts of military aggression directed by South Africa against the people and sovereign territories of Angola and Botswana.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“In the view of my Government, it is imperative, in this new and critical phase of the struggle inside and outside South Africa, that the cause of liberation be supported by intensified international pressure directed against the ruling white minority. We know from experience the duplicity of the Pretoria regime and the emptiness of its promises of reform. The salient facts today are that black leaders such as Nelson Mandela remain imprisoned, children and adults alike are daily victims of the murderous suppression of legitimate protest, and the regime has clearly indicated that it will not negotiate with the leaders of all groups to ensure the dismantling of apartheid.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“Over the years the United Nations has rightly kept before the conscience of the world the fact that apartheid is a crime against humanity. It has called on Member States to take action to end a system which is not only morally evil but also a serious threat to regional and international peace and security. Today we are seeing the inevitable and dangerous confrontation between the black majority - whose frustration and just anger can no longer be contained - and the militarily powerful racist minority, desperate to preserve its unjust privileges. The time has surely come for all States to respond to the voices of conscience that are being raised in every corner of the world and to co-operate in implementing the measures long promoted by the General Assembly for the establishment of a just society in South Africa.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“The hopes and aspirations of all the people of our planet are overshadowed by their dangerous global rivalry and by the steadily increasing capacity of their nuclear weapons for global disaster. My Government joins in the universal call to the super-Powers to seize every opportunity to strengthen peaceful coexistence and to reach agreement on the mutual reduction of nuclear stockpiles and on ending the development, testing and deployment of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The world community rightly calls for investment in the quantifiable benefits of development rather than in death-dealing weapons which cannot bring security to anyone. A challenge of another order is presented to all Member States by the grave situation in South Africa.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“Regrettably, our celebration of the Organization's achievements must be accompanied by a realistic assessment of the world scene - a scene where the principle of collective security receives little attention; where colonial, imperialist and foreign domination are all too apparent; where the persistent denial of the right to self-determination ensures endemic tension and conflict; and where the violation of human rights takes a tragic toll in human misery. The world situation certainly holds out a challenge to all States to bring a renewed sense of responsibility to the discharge of their obligations as members of the world community of nations. A particularly heavy responsibility for world peace and security lies with the nuclear Powers.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“When we consider the wide range of United Nations concerns - a range which includes improving the status of women, halting refugee flows and establishing a law of the sea - it must be acknowledged that the existence and the work of our Organization represent a significant and historic development in human affairs. If the United Nations often seems ineffective in resolving conflicts or bringing about just solutions to international problems, the fault lies in the failure of States to subordinate narrowly conceived national interests to the demands of world peace and security. The fault is not in the structure of the Organization.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“While this essential task is not fully completed, the far-reaching achievements of the United Nations in this area have strongly affirmed human dignity and the aspirations of millions of people throughout the world who have recovered their freedom and now enjoy the right to national identity and statehood. It is also a towering accomplishment that the world Organization's global overview of political, economic, social, technological and scientific problems is being used each day in practical and effective ways for the benefit not only of small or underdeveloped States but of mankind as a whole.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“Whether we wish it or not, we live in an age when the only hope for a sane and peaceful future lies in implementing those purposes and principles which were formulated with prophetic vision by the framers of the Charter. While it cannot be said that their vision has yet been translated into reality, it is certainly true that a firm foundation has been laid for international co-operation in every field of human endeavor. In promoting the process of decolonization and the self-determination of peoples, the world Organization helped set in motion the creation of a community of sovereign States with universality as its goal.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“Before I go into the substance of my statement, permit me to express, on behalf of the people and Government of Somalia, our profound sympathy to the people and Government of Mexico on the tragic loss of life and destruction of property that has been suffered as a result of the earthquake. I feel privileged to be taking part in this session of the General Assembly, at which we are observing the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations. This occasion must be cause for celebration because the world body, despite its failures and shortcomings, has established itself as an indisputable element of our complex and interdependent world.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)
“I wish first of all to extend to Ambassador de Pinies, on behalf of the Somali Democratic Republic and on my own behalf, our sincere congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at the fortieth session. It is certainly fitting that a diplomat with his great experience of united Nations affairs and one whose wisdom and learning are well known should guide the deliberations of this historic session. I also take this opportunity to express our appreciation to his predecessor, Ambassador Lusaka, who discharged his responsibilities as President at the thirty-ninth session.”
1985-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 40 (1985)