YouSaid · the spoken record

BARRE

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306

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1977-09-24

most recent

1989-09-24

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11

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un-general-debate

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1. “World inflation of course affects all States but its effects on developing countries have been particularly cruel. Where in developed countries inflation means the curtailment of luxuries, in the least developed it often t leans deprivation of the necessities of life. For the (ïeast developed, many of which, like Somalia, suffer from natural and man-made disasters, the enormous debt problems caused by inflation, the worsened conditions of trade and the drop in development assistance have been catastrophic. 259. It is no doubt true that, except in the case of a few relatively prosperous developed countries, the development goals to which the United Nations membership is committed have never been so far from achievement as at the present time, when we have already entered the Third United Nations Development Decade. 260.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

2. “In this regard the start of talks between the United States and the Soviet Union on the reduction of strategic weapons and the high level of public interest and involvement in disarmament issues are grounds for some optimism. 257. It has been repeated so often that the nuclear-arms race and the search for new weapons of mass destruction endanger mankind's survival, that this very real threat is unfortunately in danger of losing its persuasive power to bring about progress towards nuclear disarmament. One pressing reality which cannot be denied or ignored is that the astronomical sums spent each year on nuclear and sophisticated conventional weapons fuel world inflation and obstruct the establishment of amore just international economic order. 258.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

3. “We deplore also the continued spiralling of the arms race in nuclear weapons, the setback to negotiations for a test-ban treaty and the stalemate on the establishment of a convention prohibiting the use of chemical weapons. 255. It is clear therefore that there must be redoubled efforts on the part of the nuclear Powers and militarily significant States to translate the goals of the tenth special session into practical terms. 256. Bold new initiatives and higher levels of statesmanship will be required if the nuclear Powers are to break out of the vicious circle of mutual suspicion in which they are caught and if they are to remove the threat of nuclear annihilation that hangs over the world.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

4. “Colonialist Ethiopia must therefore be forced by the international community to evacuate its forces from Somali territory and to desist from committing further aggression against our soil. For our part we remain ready to co-operate in the search for effective political solutions to the problems of the area. What is certain is that these problems will not be solved by oppressive measures and premeditated aggression. Peace and stability can be achieved only if historical wrongs are redressed and legitimate national aspirations are recognized and respected. 254. My Government is deeply disappointed by the failure of the second special session on disarmament to draw up a comprehensive programme of disarmament.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

5. “strongly condemned Ethiopia's invasion and called for, among other things, the immediate, total and unconditional withdrawal of all foreign forces from the territoryof the Somali Democratic Republic Similarly, the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference held at Fez in September, also strongly condemned Ethiopia for its invasion and called for the strict observance of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. 253. The Somali people are united in their determination to stand firm against Ethiopian aggression, and the Somali armed forces will continue to repel the attacks against our country. However, it is not my Government's wish that the Horn of Africa should become a permanent trouble spot threatening regional and international peace and security.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

6. “from which Ethiopian planes make their murderous attacks on the Somali population, is the same airport which the Ethiopian regime requested the United Nations, through a report of the Secretary-General of 12 September 1980,8 to finance and reconstruct, supposedly as a centre for humanitarian missions in the area. 252. The international community has strongly condemned Ethiopia for its invasion of my country -its shameless denials notwithstanding. By way of example, the 69th Inter-Parliamentary Conference. which was held in Rome in September.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

7. “However, the recorded statements of deserters and prisoners, along with captured documents in Russian and Amharic, substantiate beyond any shadow of doubt that it is the Ethiopian army which has undertaken the large-scale aggression mounted against my country. 250. The use of T-55 tanks, MIG-23s, armoured personnel carriers and heavy artillery, much of them new and complete with Soviet operation manuals dated 1982 and bearing Ethiopian military insignia is indisputable evidence of Ethiopia's direct responsibility for its invasion. 251. It is ironic that the major Ethiopian air base at Gode in occupied Ogaden.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

8. “The town of Galdogob and the village of Blambal1e have been captured and Galcayo, the regional capital of Mudug, has been subjected to several aerial attacks by MIG-23s. 248. Somalia has opposed this invasion of its sovereignty and territorial integrity in conformity with its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter and has so far repelled further incursions into its territory. Unfortunately, both sides have stuttered heavy casualties and considerable damage has been caused to property in those areas of my country which have been attacked. 249. Ethiopia has attempted to spread the fiction that its forces are not responsible for this naked act of aggression against Somali territory.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

9. “As representatives are no doubt aware, my Government has addressed several communications to States Members of the United Nations regarding this invasion and has given details of the nature and extent of the unprovoked aggression, in which tanks and armoured personnel carriers, long-range artillery and fighter bombers, supplied to Ethiopia in massive quantities by a super-Power have been deployed. Heavily armed Ethiopian infantry brigades. supported by foreign forces, have managed to cross the de facto border-at one point as deep as 32 kilometers in an effort to cut the important arterial road which links the southern and northern parts of the Somali Democratic Republic in order to disrupt a major lifeline of our country.”

   1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

10. “The dangerous situation already existing in the Horn of Africa, owing to colonialist Ethiopia's policies of repression and genocide at its denial of the right to self-determination to the people of Western Somalia-and, indeed, to the other subject peoples within the Empire State of Ethiopia such as Eritrea, Oromia and Tigray-has been further aggravated by that country's wanton invasion of the territory of the Somali Democratic Republic since 1 July of this year. 247.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

11. “Unless the problem of Western Somalia is resolved on the basis of the exercise of self-determination by the people of Western Somalia, the refugees will not be able to return to their homes in safety and honour, and there is every likelihood that their presence in Somalia and other countries of the Horn of Africa besides constituting a grave danger for the peace and security of the region will also take on a permanent character necessitating continued relief aid and assistance by the international community.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

12. “I take the liberty of recounting these historical facts not only to refresh the memory of representatives present in the Assembly but also to underscore the fact that the Territory of Western Somalia is no different from other Territories which have since the Second World War benefited from the process of decolonization in recognition of the universal principle of the right of peoples to self-determination and national independence, as enshrined in the Charter. It is the denial ofthat right by the Empire State of Ethiopia which is at the root of the conflict in the Horn of Africa. 246. As I have already stated, Ethiopian colonial repression has generated refugees numbering millions. In Somalia alone there are 700,000 persons in camps and a similar number are living among the population all over the country.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

13. “During the Halo Abyssinian war of 1935-1936 Western Somalia was occupied by Italy. Shortly afterwards the British conquered former Italian Somaliland and Western Somalia and, together with Somali territories already under British colonialism, virtually all of Somaliland was united under a single colonial Power. In "1942 Britain restored Ethiopian sovereignty in Ethiopia proper which it had captured from Italy during the war, but it retained the administration of Western Somalia. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of the territory were once again betrayed by the British Government and transferred against their will to Ethiopian rule in 1948 and 1955. 245.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

14. “Unfortunately, it served the interests of the colonial Powers to support Menelik's territorial ambitions, and in typical imperialist fashion illegal treaties purporting to transfer Somali territory to the Ethiopian Empire were concluded-without the knowledge of the people of Western Somalia. It was particularly ironic that the supposed authority for transferring Somali territory was the series of treaties between the colonial Powers and Somali chiefs which guaranteed that the Somali people would be protected by those same Powers and that their territory would not be ceded to any other Power. 244. It should be noted that Ethiopia was unable to exercise sovereignty over an area which was clearly outside its normal political, cultural and ethnic influence until after the Second World War, and in some instances as recently as 1955.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

15. “Certainly, if the European colonial Powers had opposed the freedom struggle in Africa with the same arguments which Ethiopia continues to advance today to explain its continued occupation of Western Somalia, very few colonial peoples would have been able to take advantage of the provisions of resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV). 242. It is important for the world community to understand that until the 1890s when the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik joined the European Powers in their scramble for Africa, the people of Western Somalia enjoyed an independent existence and controlled their own affairs. It was in the course of MeneJik's presumptuous attempt to extend the Ethiopian Empire from Khartoum to Lake Nyanza that the Ogaden was brutally seized. 243.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

16. “The exodus of the hundreds of thousands who fled from persecutions and oppression to take refuge in Somalia and other neighbouring countries involved great human suffering, placed intolerable burdens on host countries and continues today to be a disaster situation calling for humanitarian assistance from the international community. 241. My Government's overriding concern in its approach to the problems of Ethiopian colonialism is that the peoples of Western Somalia and Eritrea be allowed to exercise the rights guaranteed under General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV).”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

17. “The Horn of Africa, my own area, continues to be affected by tension and conflict, not because of territorial or boundary disputes, as Ethiopian propaganda would have the international community believe, but because of the denial of the right to self-determination by the colonial regime of Ethiopia to its subject peoples of Western Somalia and of Eretria.. The importance of this right is emphasized in Chapter I, Article 2, of the Charter, which directs the United-Nations to develop friendly relations among States based on respect for the principle of equal rights and the right to self-determination of peoples. 240. The grave regional and international repercussions of the denial of those rights continue to trouble the Horn of Africa.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

18. “It is, therefore, more important than ever for Member States to reaffirm their commitment to the principles enshrined in resolution 2832 (XXVI) and to the provisions of the Final Document of the Meeting of the Littoral and Hinterland States of the Indian Ocean. 238. In supporting these principles and provisions my delegation places particular emphasis on the dismantling of all foreign bases and the withdrawal of all foreign forces, including surrogate troops, from the regional and on the obligation of the regional States to settle disputes with one another by peaceful means, on the basis of the principles of the United Nations Charter. 239.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

19. “Since the adoption of General Assembly resolution 2832 (XXVI) on the Indian Ocean, serious obstacles have been placed in the way of implementing the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace by Soviet military intervention in the affairs of the countries of the region and in their local conflicts. Moreover, with the military and naval forces of the Soviet Union firmly entrenched in bases provided to it by certain regional States, there has been a steady deterioration in the stability and security of the countries of the region. These dangerous developments have set the stage for the escalation of super-Power confrontation and military rivalry in the Indian Ocean.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

20. “The presence of foreign troops in Democratic Kampuchea is another example of the subversion of national independence through foreign domination. Here again military aggression and alien rule have given rise to a tragic refugee situation and to chronic tension and conflict. My Government hopes that the efforts of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other States to ensure the restoration of legitimacy and national independence in Democratic Kampuchea will be successful and that the constructive proposals made at the recent International Conference on Kampuchea will be fruitful. A political settlement would undoubtedly have far-reaching effects on the peace and stability of the whole South-East Asian region. 237.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

21. “The same super-Power which invokes in the United Nations the doctrine of the non-use of force in international relations is responsible for the loss of thousands of innocent lives at the hands of its invading forces, for the devastation of Afghanistan's economy and for the creation of one of the world's largest refugee populations. 235. The ruthless nature of this war is further illustrated by the use of Afghanistan as a testing ground for forms of chemical warfare long condemned as barbarous by the international community. The General assembly must continue to keep the plight of Afghanistan before the attention of the world and to stand firmly by its resolutions and those of the Security Council which call for the unconditional withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country. 236.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

22. “In our view, there will be little progress on Namibia or on other southern African issues unless South Africa is made to understand General Assembly-Thirty-seventh Session-Plenary Meetings that it will certainly face comprehensive economic sanctions if it continues its intransigent, aggressive and inhuman policies. 234. The growing use of brute force as an instrument of foreign policy is disturbingly evident in the Soviet Union's continued occupation of Afghanistan, a small non-aligned State, and in its attempt to crush the resistance of the proud and courageous Afghan people.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

23. “It is now four years since South Africa began its machinations aimed at obstructing Namibia's independence. No longer can the international community tolerate South Africa's bad faith, its oppressive domination of the Namibian people and its brutal war against their liberation movement under the leadership of SWAPO. 233. My Government sincerely hopes that the current optimism over the prospect of a Namibian settlement is justified. However, in view of South Africa's past performance we believe that the General Assembly must not fail to remind the five Western States of their commitment to independence for Namibia as speedily as possible.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

24. “In the long history of the uprising of peoples against tyrannical and colonial forms of oppression, revolutionary wars have been fought for much less pressing reasons than the degrading inhumanity of apartheid. 231. The liberation movements within and outside South Africa deserve the strongest moral, material and political support for their efforts to regain the human dignity and fundamental right of the majority of the population. As for South Africa's ruling minority, it should be ostracized and isolated until it is prepared to take steps to establish a just society. 232. In the case of Namibia the salient factor is the illegality of South Africa's presence in the Territory, a status determined by the International Court of Justice and Security Council resolution 435 (1978), which remains the only valid basis for a settlement.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

25. “Unfortunately, the Pretoria regime is encouraged by the continued political, economic and military support of its main trading partners to intensify its racist oppression in South Africa, to remain illegally in Namibia and to attempt to dominate the southern African region through military aggression, political pressure and economic subversion. Clearly, the General Assembly must reiterate its call for unremitting efforts by the world community to eliminate apartheid and to enable the United Nations to carry out its legal responsibility for leading Namibia to independence. 230. Within South Africa the racist policies of the apartheid system are being applied with ever- increasing severity as the liberation struggle gains in effectiveness and strength. The legitimacy of that struggle cannot be over-emphasized.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

26. “My Government sincerely I hopes that the ongoing mediation efforts will succeed in the difficult and sensitive task of bringing an end to this conflict which has destabilized the Gulf area. Somalia adds its voice to the appeals of other Member States for the immediate cessation of hostilities and the start of negotiations which would ensure a return to peace and amity in the region. 228. The problems of southern Africa have always involved the fundamental principles of the Charter and over the years have increasingly threatened regional and international peace and security. These problems remain acute in spite of the fact that the struggle against South Africa's racist and colonial policies is in its final stages. . 229.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

27. “It is more than time for it to be disabused of this belief. Israel has undoubtedly breached the peace of the Middle East and threatened world peace and security. Its outright rejection of all proposals which could serve as a basis for negotiations shows that it has turned its back on peace and that it plans to continue with is expansionism at any cost. In our view, if the Security Council is to maintain any credibility and authority in world affairs it must be prepared to take significant action, including the imposition of sanctions, in order to check Israel's dangerous and irresponsible course. 227. The tragic conflict between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran is another unfortunate reflection of our troubled times.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

28. “The General Assembly must also keep inter-national public opinion focused on Israel's arrogant annexations of Arab territories, including the Holy City of Jerusalem. It must be reaffirmed that the status of the city, which is sacred to Moslems and Christians as well as to Jews, cannot be unilaterally determined. The increased level of persecution in the West Bank and Gaza and the defiant escalation of the illegal settlement policy must also continue to be strongly condemned. . 226. The failure of the Security Council in the past to take effective measures against Israel for its violations of international law certainly encouraged the Israeli Government to believe that it could flout any international convention, commit any act of aggression or carry out any atrocity with impunity.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

29. “Israel has in the past claimed in inter-national forums that its actions stem from a special religious and moral authority. Are we now asked to believe that the wanton destruction of life and property in Lebanon was carried out at the dictate of a just Creator, or that tragedies of the past which have no bearing on the Middle East justify Israel's expansionist greed and genocidal policies? 224. My Government hopes that the General Assembly will be uncompromising in its condemnation of Israel for the carnage in Lebanon and will also be vigilant in opposing any Israeli attempts at imposing new faits accomplis with regard to Lebanese territory. It must demand Israel's 'immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon. 225.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

30. “In pursuit of their final solution to the problem they have launched a criminal aggression against a sovereign State, and they have had no qualms about the destruction of cities through saturation bombing and the killing and maiming of thousands of civilians, including women and children, by the use of vicious phosphorous and anti-personnel cluster bombs. 223. The recent massacres in the Shatila and Sabra camps in west Beirut have confronted us with horrors similar to those of the holocaust of the Second World War. Israel cannot escape responsibility for aiding and abetting the perpetration of the crimes against the defenceless civilians of those camp-rimes which have been strongly condemned by the entire world community.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

31. “Unless Member States address themselves seriously and sincerely to this dilemma, they cannot hope to achieve workable solutions to 222. In the Middle East Israel's denial of Palestinian rights is the driving force behind its lawless and barbarous devastation of Lebanon. International anarchy is nowhere so rampant as in this area, where Israel has shown that there are no limits to its con-tempt for international law and its callous inhumanity. Not content with denying Palestinian rights, the Israelis are seeking to exterminate the Palestinians themselves.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

32. “In the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, southern Africa, Afghanistan and South-East Asia and in the recent Falkland (Malvinas) Islands dispute, the United Nations has not been able to fulfil its most fundamental purposes of peace-making and peace-keeper. In many cases when people suffering from injustice, oppression and foreign domination turn to the United Nations for redress, basing their hopes on the provisions of the 221. After nearly four decades of experience in using the Charter as the legal standard governing inter-national relations, the wisdom and validity of its principles remain incontestable. However, its wide, global objectives continue to be subordinated to narrowly conceived national interests. In our view, this is the cause of the current breakdown in inter-national law and order.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

33. “He has faced the challenges of his office with courage, realism and persistence. By his efforts on behalf of world peace and the authority of the United Nations, Mr. Perez de Cuellar has shown himself to be worthy of the great responsibility upon his shoulders. 219. As the General Assembly takes stock once again of the world situation, there can be little cause for satisfaction over the state of international" affairs. Whether we consider the proliferation of dangerous regional conflicts or the inability of the United Nations to maintain peace and security through collective action, the outlook is not encouraging. 220.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

34. “I wish to extend, on behalf of my delegation and on my own behalf, warm congratulations to Mr. Hollai on his well-deserved election as President of the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. His accession to this high office is a tribute to his personal qualities and wide knowledge and experience of international affairs. I assure him of my delegation's co-operation in the months ahead. I should also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Kittani on the wisdom and competence he displayed in guiding the debates of the thirty-sixth session, and to express our gratitude for his devoted service to the work of the General Assembly. It is a pleasure for me to pay a tribute also to the Secretary-General, whose first year in office has been particularly difficult.”

    1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)

35. “In conclusion, it is a matter of great satisfaction to us that the United Nations continues to respond in an active and creative way to the problems and the needs of our interdependent world. The world Organization clearly has the ability to surmount and survive any attempts to weaken or discredit it, and it deserves the firm allegiance and support of all States.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

36. “Projects such as the combating of desertification, the securing of drinking water and sanitation over the next decade and the exploration of new and renewable sources of energy are indispensable for the survival of underdeveloped countries and will also benefit mankind as a whole. 39. The drawing up of a treaty on the law of the sea has been a monumental task, and the recent achievement of the world body pointed to its ability to establish a world order governed by both humanitarian and legal concerns. My Government sincerely hopes that the outstanding objections to the treaty can be overcome and that there will soon be general recognition that the proposed treaty represents a fair balance of the interests of various groups and that it has been negotiated for the ultimate benefit of all. 40.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

37. “My Government regrets that it has not been possible for a date to be set for the convening of the conference on the Indian Ocean and reaffirms its belief that the conference is an essential stage In the formulation and adoption of guidelines for the implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace [General Assembly resolution 2832 (XXVI)]. In addressing itself to the central issue of the growing superPower presence in the Indian Ocean in the context of their global rivalry, the Conference will have to take note of the presence of foreign interventionist troops and surrogate forces which continue to subvert legitimate liberation struggles and to undermine the stability of the area. 38. Each session of the General Assembly reminds us of the wide sweep of the global activities of the world Organization.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

38. “African States have a primary responsibility for channeling available resources into agriculture, but without substantial assistance in this endeavor and in the absence of medium-term and longterm planning for food aid their best efforts could fail to avert widespread food shortages and famine. 36 The very real specter of famine in underdeveloped areas of the world provides an ironic counterpoint to the astronomical sum now routinely spent on the arms race in nuclear and other weapons. My Government renews its call for a comprehensive test-ban treaty and for substantial reductions >n the quality and quantity of the nuclear arsenals of the superPowers. Without significant leadership of this kind, other disarmament goals such as horizontal nonproliferation are unlikely to be reached. 37.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

39. “My Government fully supports the Lagos Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Economic Development of Africa and the Find Act of Lagos, which emphasize these goals and place African development within the framework of a more just world economic order. 35. The broad and valuable cooperation that exists between the OAU and the United Nations system will undoubtedly be a vital factor in the implementation of plans for Africa's social and economic development. We believe that one of the areas in which this cooperation will need to be intensified is that of food production and supply.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

40. “It is the hope of my Government that the international community will take concrete steps to follow up and implement the Substantial New program of Action for the benefit and economic progress of the developing and the developed world. In addition, the implementation of the Substantial New program of Action will lay the foundation for the future establishment of the new international economic order. 34. On the African continent we are seeking to gain ground in the struggle for economic stability through increased interAfrican cooperation and continental self-reliance.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

41. “The United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Paris from 1 to 14 September, highlighted the need for the cooperative effort of the international community in leveling and reversing the downward trend of the world economy. The compromise reached in' Paris with the adoption of the Substantial New program of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries' will no doubt constitute a new era of international economic cooperation which will lead to better understanding and further economic progress. 32. My delegation fully supports the outcome of this Conference and will spare no effort to implement its program at the national level. We pay a special tribute to the United Nations system and other organizations for their tireless efforts in organizing this Conference. 33.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

42. “Recent developments in the world economy reflect the little progress made so far in the achievement of the goals and objectives of the sixth and seventh special sessions of the General Assembly. The economies of the developing countries, and in particular those of the 31 least developed countries, have reached an alarming situation. It is distressing to note that many of the adverse trends of the past few years have brought about unbearable economic difficulties. The continuous inflationary trends in the world economy have given rise to worsening terms of trade, an adverse balance of payments situation and crippling debt burdens, which are far beyond the capability of the least developed countries to meet their debt-service obligations. 31. The international community has realized the magnitude and urgency of this problem.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

43. “We join the vast majority of Member States in calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and the restoration of sovereignty and neutrality to the people of Afghanistan. 29. The situation in Kampuchea is yet another example of the ominous trend towards foreign interference in the affairs of sovereign States and denial of the right to national independence. The recent International Conference on Kampuchea contributed constructive proposals for negotiations on a number of issues. We hope that, in spite of the absence of one of the parties directly concerned, communications will remain open between all the States of SouthEast Asia and that negotiations will continue to be actively pursued to bring about the withdrawal of all foreign forces and the restoration of peace and tranquility to the area. 30.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

44. “The crises and conflicts in various areas of the world continue to be engendered by foreign intervention, military occupation and denial of the right to self-determination and independence, all of which conflict with fundamental principles of the Charter. 27. My Government deeply regrets the existing situation in Afghanistan brought about by superPower military intervention in the affairs of a third-world nonaligned country, in contravention of international law and morality. The SecretaryGeneral and the Organization of the Islamic Conference are to be highly commended for their efforts to bring about a political settlement of this tragic conflict. 28. However, the mounting bloodshed and the enormous refugee problem engendered by foreign occupation are an intolerable addition to the sum total of human misery in the world.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

45. “It should be obvious that Israel will continue its illegal occupation and annexation of Arab territory and its denial of Palestinian rights as long as it feels protected from the punitive measures available under the Charter. My Government hopes that those most closely concerned will address themselves honestly and objectively to the real causes of turmoil in the Middle East, in the interest of regional and international peace and security, through unequivocal commitment to the right of the Palestinian people to independent existence in their own homeland, the withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territory and the restoration of Al Quds Al Sharif to Arab sovereignty. 26.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

46. “The wanton destruction of Iraq's nuclear facility, which operated under international safeguards, was an act of overweening arrogance on the part of a State which has refused to be a party to the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons [General Assembly resolution 2373 (XXII), annex] and which, as everyone now knows, used the most questionable methods to develop its own nuclear capability. Israel, however, remains defiantly committed to its irresponsible course, a course which can lead only to continued conflict and bloodshed. The futility of mere condemnations by the Security Council has been illustrated time after time in the past, and graphically in recent times.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

47. “That pressure must not be withdrawn now. South Africa must not seem to be rewarded for its intransigence over Namibia, for its savage acts of military aggression against neighboring States and for the continued application of its abhorrently racist policies. 23. The Middle East question remains a cause for grave international concern. My Government strongly deplores the steady deterioration of the situation in the area, where Israeli belligerence has escalated to new heights of military aggression. 24. We ask where Israel's arrogance will end. We wonder also for how long the world community will accept that country's position that it is not accountable for any action, however contemptuous it may be of international law, the sovereignty of States and human rights, and however dangerous it may be to world peace and security. 25.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

48. “We hope that the Western Powers have overcome their initial hesitation and now recognize the need to prepare a new and more determined approach to implementing Namibia's independence within the guidelines already approved. 21. My Government remains firmly committed to its support of the South West Africa People's Organization [SWAPO] as it seeks to achieve those same political and social rights long ago acquired in the Western world through revolution and armed struggle. 22. The successes achieved so far in the liberation of southern Africa have been brought about, first of aJl, by the determination and sacrifices of the oppressed people themselves to achieve freedom by all means available. However, the United Nations has given important support to that struggle by bringing moral, political and economic pressures to bear on South Africa.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

49. “We are dismayed that the treacherous Pretoria regime has been allowed to repudiate three years of painstaking negotiations and to negate the constructive approaches of the representatives of the Namibian people. The Western veto of Security Council sanctions against South Africa has undoubtedly confirmed the Pretoria regime in its belief that it can continue to defy the United Nations with impunity. 20. My Government is further concerned by the apparent hesitation of the Western Powers about their commitment to Security Council resolution 435 (1978). Adopted by the Security Council without a dissenting voice, that resolution remains as the legally valid framework for a settlement of the Namibian problem.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)

50. “While I have dwelt on Somalia's need for additional assistance, I must also emphasize the fact that it is difficult to imagine what the situation in my country would have been over the past three years, in the face of the refugee situation and the disastrous drought, had we not been able to depend on the concern and active assistance of a number of States Members of the Organization, governmental and nongovernmental agencies, the United Nations system and voluntary humanitarian organizations, to all of whom we express our gratitude and appreciation. 19. Uppermost in the minds and hearts of Africans is our profound disappointment that Namibia remains under South Africa's illegal and oppressive occupation.”

    1981-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 36 (1981)