YouSaid · the spoken record

Andersson

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS ANDERSSON

lines on the record: 111
first: 1974-09-24
most recent: 1989-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
sources: un-general-debate

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“Today we have reason to be more optimistic about the United Nations peace-making role than Ralph Bunche could be. The united Nations is the primary forum where together we can meet the challenges of the future, the challenges of peace-building. This makes tremendous demands on the world Organization, on its Member States and on our solidarity with each other. We all know that in a happy and harmonious family all members show solidarity with each other, in the same way justice and progress in a nation cannot be achieved without solidarity among the citizens. The same principle applies to the world. Peace-building demands solidarity among nations.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“To meet new demands the United Nations must of course have adequate resources. The financial crisis of the United Nations is perhaps less acute, but it is not over. Budget reform has had positive effects and must be pursued. It is not acceptable that certain Member States owe the Organization a total exceeding half a billion dollars. Financial obligations under the Charter must be fully honoured, and when new or increased demands are placed on the United Nations we must all be prepared to accept the costs. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate and veteran United Nations diplomat Ralph Bunche once said, "if we in the United Nations could be as successful at peace-making as we are at peace-keeping, then our problems would be greatly reduced".”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Peace-building through the United Nations involves a wide diversity of co-operative efforts. In one such area the challenges have recently been dramatically demonstrated in recent months and weeks. I am referring to the global problem of narcotic drugs, and in particular to the events in Colombia. These developments have demonstrated how closely the fight against narcotic drugs and terrorism is linked to peace and security. It is now high time for an international offensive against the scourge of narcotic drugs. An offensive can be made effective only through multilateral co-operation. Only the United Nations can provide suitable machinery for this urgent peace-building task. Sweden will propose at this session of the General Assembly the realization of a global programme of action against narcotic drugs.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“This is true even when these rights and principles are violently suppressed, as they have sadly - not to use stronger words - have been in China and Burma this year. The United Nations provides a forum and machinery for holding Governments accountable to the international community for human rights violations. This platform must be used and extended. The Commission on Human Rights has transmitted to the General Assembly two important draft instruments on human rights. The first is the convention on the rights of the child. It would constitute an important step towards improving the situation of children all over the world. The second is the optional protocol on the abolition of the death penalty. Sweden fully supports the adoption of these two instruments at this session of the General Assembly.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The super-Powers have a special responsibility with regard to disarmament in general and nuclear disarmament in particular. For example, the practice of the nuclear Powers neither to confirm nor deny the existence of nuclear weapons on board their warships is out of date and confidence-blocking. We hope, and expect, that their new and better understanding in the field of security will soon put an end to this practice. Concern for human rights all over the world is very much a part of Peace-building. There is a wide discrepancy between the human rights standards subscribed to by Governments and the reality existing in many States. At the same time we are witnessing in many parts of the world the strength and vitality of popular faith in human rights and in democratic principles.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“the vast arsenals of nuclear weapons by their very existence constitute a threat to life on our planet. The arms race increases the risk of war. The resources diverted from productive uses to military purposes are of staggering proportions. There is a growing realisation in the world that true peace and security cannot be based on deterrence and fear. The kind of security that depends on ever Increasing armaments must be replaced by a concept of common security that is basically political and rests on mutual confidence. Promoting common security is a central element in the peace-building role of the united Nations. The negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament for a chemical weapons convention are complex, but I am convinced that they have now reached a stage where they can be successfully concluded if there is political .ill.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We welcome the consensus on Brazil's candidature reached at the summit meeting in Belgrade of the Non-Aligned Movement, it is vital that we now join together in laying the foundations for a truly successful Conference. Sweden intends to take an active part in the important preparatory process leading up to the Conference. The struggle to safeguard our environment must be pursued at many different levels. Like other countries in northern Europe, Sweden is threatened by the pollution of the Baltic Sea. When Sweden assists Poland in its fight against pollution, we do this also to secure our own environment. We would like to extend this co-operation to the entire Baltic Sea region. Even if the risk of nuclear war appears less imminent than for many decades.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Through the interaction of poverty and injustice with environmental stress, vast numbers of men, women and children have been forced to leave their degraded and destroyed home areas. Political instability, even international conflicts, could be the result as such migrations become more common and involve even greater numbers of environmental refugees. Concern for the environment must be integrated into our entire economic system in order to guarantee long-term survival and sustainable development. Therefore, the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development must lead to concrete action. With regard to the venue of the Conference, Sweden would find it most appropriate if this time it were held in a developing country.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“War and conflict prevent the solution of social and economic problems. Social and economic conditions must be improved everywhere on a sound, sustainable basis. A particularly pressing problem is the debt burden of the third world. Some progress has been made. But the third world debt still amounts to more than SUS 1,000 billion. This constitutes a destabilizing force not only in developing countries but also in the world economy. Threats to the global environment are increasingly perceived to be no less serious than the threat of destruction by war. International co-operation to safeguard the environment and to promote sustainable developments in all countries must be central to the peace-building efforts of the United Nations.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“I am confident that all States outside Central America, and in particular those with special ties to the region, will solidly support the regional peace process and the Secretary-General in his efforts. All these activities, directly related to the maintenance of peace and security, are the collective responsibility of the Member States. This means that the assessments for peace-keeping, decided on by this Assembly, have to be paid by all Member States, in full and on time. The costs of keeping peace are indeed marginal to those of waging war. But making and keeping peace is not our only endeavour. Building peace goes beyond that. The roots of war and conflict are often to be found in unjust social and economic conditions. War and conflict always result in social and economic misery.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“But its resolution 598 (1987) needs to be fully implemented in order to avoid a new flare-up of violence and to bring peace and stability to the area. Sweden strongly supports the Secretary-General and his personal representative in their efforts to achieve these results. Sweden welcomes the withdrawal of the Vietnamese troops from Cambodia. The deep-seated internal conflict must not, however, be allowed to lead to even more bloodshed. The international community has a responsibility to ensure that the reign of terror does not return. The difficulties demonstrated at the Paris Conference must be overcome and no effort spared to reach a negotiated solution. The gradually increasing role of the United Nations in Central America through its three innovative missions opens new possibilities for a successful peace process.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Withdrawal of foreign troops and an end to foreign interference is long overdue. The United Nations played a key peace-making role when the Geneva agreements on Afghanistan were negotiated through the good offices of the world Organization. The agreements raised hopes for a political settlement, hopes which have yet to materialize. It is deeply tragic that the agreements and the improved East-West climate have not meant the end of the war in Afghanistan. Attempts to reach a military solution, sustained by continued arms deliveries, will only result in further suffering for the Afghan people. The Security Council now has to face up to its responsibilities and ensure a viable peace process. The Security Council has demonstrated its capacity for effective leadership in bringing the fighting between Iran and Iraq to an end.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Now is the time to start a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. Through active and constructive efforts, in particular by Egypt, a crucial new step could now be taken on the road to a durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Negotiations through an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations, with the participation of all parties directly concerned, including the PLO, remain the best avenue ahead. The negotiations should be based on resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) of the United Nations Security Council and on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, full self-determination. Sweden welcomes the cease-fire in Lebanon achieved through the efforts of the Arab League. All parties must now co-operate to reach a political solution.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Peace-building is being attempted by various United Nations agencies. Israel still defies the Palestinian people, its Arab neighbours, international law and world opinion by its continued occupation of Arab territories. The intifadah has cleared away any remaining doubts about the will of the Palestinian people to shape their own future. The PLO wishes to negotiate with Israel. At last year's General Assembly, I appealed to the Israeli Government to take the hand extended by the PLO and to show a similar willingness to negotiate. Both the Palestinians and Israel must recognize each other's rights. Both sides must renounce terror. And both sides must be willing to talk to each other. Openness and dialogue is the enemy of mistrust and fear, as President Bush stated yesterday.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The special session of the General Assembly on apartheid must lead to further pressure on South Africa to enter into real negotiations. The comprehensive peace plan adopted by the Organization of African Unity should be supported by all of us. Now is the time for the South African Government to free Nelson Mandela and to recognize the true representatives of the majority of the people of South Africa. The Middle East is one region where peace not only has to be made and kept, but has to be built up from the ground. The United Nations is involved in Peace-keeping through the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and in peace-making through the efforts of the Secretary-General and the Security Council.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Sweden fully supports the Security Council, the Secretary-General and the Secretary-General's Special Representative in their efforts to ensure the independence of Namibia through free and fair elections under the supervision and control of the United Nations. We greatly look forward to welcoming Namibia into the community of sovereign nations. The system of apartheid is at the root of conflicts not only in south Africa but in the region as a whole. Apartheid is a threat to international peace and security, it is also an affront to human dignity. Apartheid must go, and it will go. Until then international pressure on South Africa must be increased. We shall continue to work for effective sanctions against South Africa.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Nobel peace Prize for 1988 was awarded to the thousands of men and women who have valiantly served in United Nations peace-keeping operations since the 1950s. In peace-making the United Nations has taken a decisive role in regions long torn by armed conflict, but also more and more in preventing conflicts from erupting into open warfare. The critical factor for the success of such efforts is a Security Council capable of reaching operative decisions. Also, when the Council gives directives to the Secretary-General they must be backed by continued political and material support. a large and complex United Nations operation is currently under way in Namibia.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“This is a milestone in European post—War history, These changes constitute a main element in the improvement of relations between the super-Powers and among European States. Also, the new Soviet attitude towards the United Nations has invigorated the world Organization. The improved East-West climate has had important positive effects in removing much of the sharp edge of great-Power rivalry from regional conflicts. It is in this situation that the United Nations has proved as never before its value as an important for peace-making as well as for peace-keeping. Peace-keeping and peace-making are closely interrelated. The number and value of United Nations peace-keeping activities have never been greater.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Catastrophe is closing in on us as we cross environmental thresholds which should never have been approached. Unless we now act collectively and decisively we shall all march into a poisoned wasteland. Europe, the classic focus of great-Power confrontation, has started to move towards political dialogue, arms reduction and peaceful co-operation. Today we dare to believe that the long period known as the cold war is now history and that a new period has begun, offering new opportunities for mankind. The changes we are witnessing in the Soviet Union and in some other East European countries, particularly Poland and Hungary, are truly promising. This is what so many Europeans have been waiting for, for so many years. Following the elections in Poland a new coalition Government headed by Solidarity has taken office.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Peace-keeping, peace-making and peace-building are the tools the United Nations uses in its task of serving peace: United Nations peace-keeping activities help conflicting parties avoid continued violence, united Nations peace-making efforts help conflicting parties reach lasting solutions. United Nations peace-building helps create conditions which may remove causes of war and conflict altogether. The task of peace-building involves formidable challenges: we must take action to eradicate world poverty, we must tackle the debilitating debt problem, we must fight disease and rampant drug abuse, and we must rapidly reverse the trend of environmental destruction which fatally threatens our planet and the future of our children. Together with preventing nuclear war, that is the most pressing challenge.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The recent successes of the United Nations towards the settlement of several regional conflicts have added new dimensions to the concept of collective responsibility and security. The general improvement in East-west relations paved the way for those positive developments. It is also clear that an important factor has been patient and quiet diplomacy under United Nations auspices. Yet we must be aware of the dangers of complacency. So long as war and conflict are still a reality in many parts of the world, the United Nations has an obligation to continue to press for peaceful solutions based on the principles of international law.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The utmost efforts are required of all United Nations members to strengthen and develop the positive trend that has characterized 1988. Let us all contribute to making this year a turning point in the aspirations both to live in peace and to build a United Nations capable of upholding respect for international law and coping with the threats to our survival. In these endeavours there is no alternative to a strong global organization. In closing, I should like to quote the late Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme, who said: "we look at our world today and remain convinced that the United Nations is only at the beginning of its history." (A/40/PV.43, p. 64)”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Sweden has actively participated in discussions with the Secretary-General on solutions to both the short-term and the long-term problems. We are prepared to continue these discussions and accept our share of the responsibility in order to overcome the crisis. Sweden earlier put forward ideas for a more even scale of assessment. This would be one way of making the Organization less vulnerable. No conflicts have been finally settled anywhere during 1988. We know how easily relapses into earlier conflict patterns occur and how quickly the international climate may change. But the global challenges we are facing are of such a scale that this time we cannot afford to return to the antagonisms that permeated and divided the world community for so long.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The work on reforming and revitalizing the United Nations continues, largely thanks to dedicated efforts by the Secretary-General and his staff. This process must be carried further. Progress in the reform work depends on the loyalty of Member States to the world Organization. The United Nations must not be forced to struggle with an acute financial crisis at a time when great and urgent tasks require its attention. All Member States must fulfil their financial obligations laid down in the Charter. We are gratified to note that the United States intends to change its position on this matter, as did the Soviet Union some time ago. It is imperative that Member states establish a sound and lasting financial basis for the world Organization's activities.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The debt crisis, low domestic savings and falling investments are today among the most serious obstacles to development. The internal readjustments that have been necessary as a consequence of this have been distressing and have aggravated the social problems. The international community has an obligation to mitigate this crisis. It is disheartening to have to say that only a few among the most affluent have reached the goal of 1 per cent of gross national product for development assistance. Co-ordinated measures to alleviate the debt burden of the poorest developing countries are today an important task for international assistance. All United Nations activities concern peace and security in one respect or another, and they require an efficiently functioning Organization.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The negotiations on a global convention banning chemical weapons must be concluded with urgency. Sweden looks favourably upon the initiative launched yesterday by the President of the United States on the convening of an international conference on the use of chemical weapons. One of the most important contributions of the United Nations has been to draw up rules within the field of human rights. Several conventions have come into existence over the last 40 years, but rules are of little use if they are not observed. In all too many parts of the world the task remains to translate the rules into practical use. Respect for the rights and personal integrity of the individual must not remain just empty words. The past decade has been a period of deepening crisis for many developing countries.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The nuclear powers must abandon their policy of neither confirming nor denying the existence of nuclear weapons on naval vessels visiting foreign ports. This would remove a cause of widespread anxiety among the general public. The United Nations reports on the use of chemical weapons in the war between Iran and Iraq have once again reminded us of the terrible effects of these weapons. We have also been greatly concerned by allegations that they are still being used by Iraq against the Kurdish population. Sweden and a number of other countries have requested that those allegations be investigated. The cessation of hostilities between Iran and Iraq must not be exploited for the persecution of the Kurdish minority. Chemical warfare is a violation of international law and must be condemned.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“But it is essential that results be rapidly achieved in the negotiations on the reduction of strategic nuclear weapons and of conventional forces as well. The third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament ended without agreement on a concluding document. However, we must now look ahead and take as a starting-point what was achieved during the special session. We must quickly bring about negotiations on a comprehensive test ban within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament. The time is also ripe to investigate the possibility of the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons, based on international law. Continued attention must be given to naval armaments. The United Nations must be given an increased role in monitoring compliance with disarmament agreements.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Preparations should immediately be initiated for a global United Nations conference on environment and development in 1992. Such a conference must take concrete decisions on joint measures both to solve acute environmental problems and to achieve long-term changes in policy. This year's session of the General Assembly should decide on a conference and request the Secretary-General to present to its next session proposals on the aim and direction, organization and preparation of the conference. As I mentioned in the Assembly last year, Sweden is again prepared to act as host, if this is the general wish. The agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union on the elimination of land-based intermediate-range nuclear weapons is historic.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“As a threat to our survival it is not inferior to the arms race. Alarming research reports tell us that the climate has begun to change as a probable result of the greenhouse effect. Life-giving resources are being destroyed by erosion, desertification and the devastation of forests. People's health is increasingly being affected by the poisoning of water and food chains and depletion of the ozone layer. The causes of these threats to the environment lie in excessive exploitation of natural resources, brought on by poverty, and in industrial pollution and waste of resources, not least in the field of energy. The impact of man on the environment may have reached the threshold of unknown environmental disasters. The United Nations is in a unique position to rally the world's Governments to action.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The political problems in the region are also in urgent need of a solution. Sweden has a long tradition of participating in United Nations peace-keeping operations. The most recent United Nations operation in this field illustrates the Organization's capacity to meet new demands expeditiously. It is all the more disquieting that the financing of the peace-keeping operations remains a grave problem. It is in the interests of all Member States that these operations rest on a solid financial foundation. Armed conflicts afflict people in a brutal and shockingly palpable way. There are, however, other kinds of threats, which develop slowly and less spectacularly, but which in time have come to constitute a danger to the entire planet. Among those are environmental degradation and its dramatic and large-scale effects.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“With its great influence, the United States bears a special responsibility. Development assistance is necessary if the countries in the region are to be capable of tackling the consequences of many years of economic and social injustice. Those are the primary causes of the conflict. In Cyprus and in Western Sahara, the Secretary-General has contributed to renewed hopes for progress towards a peaceful settlement. We also hope that the contacts that recently took place on the Korean peninsula will lead to reconciliation and a peaceful solution. While positive steps are being taken in several regional conflicts, human suffering has increased in the countries in and around the Horn of Africa. The United Nations has an important role to play in supplying aid to refugees and others in distress in that region.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The search for a peaceful settlement in Kampuchea is still at a preliminary stage. A peaceful solution requires that the Vietnamese troops be withdrawn and that the Kampuchean people be allowed to decide their own future. Also, guarantees must be given that atrocities of the kind that took place during the years 1975 to 1979 are not to be repeated. The best foundation for peace in Central America continues to be the peace plan signed by five Presidents of the region a year ago. Great efforts have been made to implement the peace plan, but the breakthrough has yet to come. Renewed efforts must be made by the Central Americans themselves and by the international community. The peace plan's principles of democracy and of international law must be respected by all, both in and outside the region.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Sweden is also prepared to enter into extensive development co-operation with a free and independent Namibia, as we did with the frontline States. Settlement of the Questions of Angola and Namibia will not eliminate the root cause of conflict in southern Africa, which remains apartheid. South Africa's apartheid policy and its destabilization of neighbouring countries continue to constitute a massive violation of human rights and a threat to international peace and security. Pending a United Nations decision on effective sanctions against South Africa, Sweden has introduced a ban on both trade with and investments in South Africa and Namibia. This is in accordance with a Nordic programme of action. We hope that our measures and those of other countries are the embryo of massive pressure on South Africa to abolish the apartheid system.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Both the PLO and Israel have to accept and implement resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). Both sides must renounce terror. An international peace conference under the auspices of the United Nations, with the participation of all the parties directly concerned, is the path that should be taken as soon as possible. To oppose this is to oppose the quest for peace. Progress has been made in the negotiations between Angola, Cuba and South Africa. The negotiations must lead to independence for Namibia based on Security Council resolution 435 (1978), and also to peace for Angola. Sweden confirms its undertaking to assist the United Nations in this process through, among other things, participation in the United Nations Transition Assistance Group.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“In the Middle East, the uprising in the territories occupied by Israel has created a new situation. The people in the occupied territories have clearly shown that they no longer accept their plight. Israel's continued control over these areas rests on force. Ws condemn Israel's brutal oppression of the Palestinians. The occupation must cease and Israel withdraw from all the territories occupied since 1967. This is the path to the achievement of a lasting peace. A heavy responsibility rests upon Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). They must recognize each other as negotiating parties. Israel must recognize the right of the Palestinians to self-determination, including the right to establish a State of their own. The Palestinians must recognize Israel's right to exist within secure boundaries.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Sweden supports the endeavours to carry through the Geneva agreements, not least by participating in the United Nations Observer Group in the area. Peace has not yet come to Afghanistan. Continued warfare is delaying the enormous work of reconstruction that needs to be carried out. The millions of refugees cannot yet return in safety. It is of utmost importance that the United Nations be given a central and co-ordinating role in the repatriation of refugees and in the reconstruction of the country. In the past years Sweden has given humanitarian assistance to the war victims in Afghanistan. We also intend to give strong support to the assistance programme being prepared through the United Nations Co-ordinator of Humanitarian and Economic Aid to Afghanistan.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Security Council resolution 598 (1987) and the Secretary-General's intensive work to implement the resolution have been important contributions. The negotiations that have been initiated have Sweden's strong and active support. Consequently, Sweden has responded in a positive way to the Secretary-General's request for participation in the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group. The Swedish Government was honoured that the Secretary-General, in consultation with the patties, appointed Mr. Jan Rliasson, Sweden's Ambassador to the United Nations, to be his personal representative at the peace negotiations. It is our fervent hope that the parties will show goodwill and succeed in achieving a comprehensive, just and honourable settlement. United Nations peace efforts have also made progress in the Afghanistan conflict.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Under the skilful leadership of the Secretary-General, the United Nations has contributed to creating new opportunities for solving conflicts and restoring peace. Strong support for the United Nations work for peace is called for. Such support would also contribute to making the United Nations the strong and effective organization that is needed if we are to meet the global challenges of the 199Usí halting the arms race, protecting the environment, safeguarding our resources and promoting development. The threats to our survival are coming from various directions. We are becoming increasingly dependent on global co-operation. It is the United Nations that must channel and organize this co-operation. The cease-fire between Iran and Iraq has brought to an end eight years of war with immense human suffering and immeasurable material damage.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Forty years ago this month, my compatriot Count Police Bernadotte was murdered during his mission as United Nations mediator on Palestine. His name reminds us of the planned political violence which, however meaningless, is still a reality. His name also reminds us that the practical work for peace and security has been a central task of the United Nations during its entire existence. The world's expectations of the United Nations have varied over the years. The United Nations role in recent efforts for peace has once again raised expectations. Last year we were many in this Assembly who discussed how the United Nations was to overcome the crisis that threatened its existence. The issue today is how the Organization can live up to the expectations, how the United Nations can best make use of the "window of opportunity" that has opened.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“It is our compelling duty to keep that hope alive.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The United Nations system must be capable of adapting to these realities, but it is not changes in the purposes and principles of the United Nations set forth in its Charter that are required. The rules of international law embodied in the Charter must be unconditionally upheld. What is needed is to review and reconsider the structure and work methods of the United Nations system. The world Organization must be capable of effectively meeting the requirements of the 199Us and beyond. This applies not least to the economic and social sector. But it is not just a question of being prepared for tomorrow. We must also make better use of the machinery the United Nations offers today. Co-operation within the United Nations symbolizes hope for a life without fear, a life in peace and dignity for all people.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The future agenda of the United Nations will have an orientation that is partly different from the one it has today. We are increasingly faced with issues and problems of global importance. Such challenges cannot possibly be met through national or regional measures only. For the Swedish Government, the conclusion is obvious: it is through more efficient and purposeful co-operation within the framework of the United Nations and the United Nations system that we can effectively tackle these types of issues. This applies to the threat posed by nuclear weapons, environmental degradation, and North-South injustices. It applies to serious diseases such as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), to the increasing drug abuse, and to refugee problems.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“If the reform process is to be successfully completed, it is of utmost Importance that all Member States should fulfil their financial obligations under the United Nations Charter. That applies not least to the Organization's largest contributor. Otherwise, the consequences could be devastating. There is reason to recall the ideas on a more even scale of assessments put forward by Sweden's late Prime Minister, Olof Palme, at the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations. That would be one way of making the world Organization less vulnerable. As things stand now, the scale of assessments agreed on has ceased to function. If this unsatisfactory state of affairs continues, we shall inevitably have to consider a revision of the scale of assessments.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“The United Nations are going through a critical period of self-examination and change. To overcome the difficulties, commitment and patient work are required of all Member States. A good foundation for reform work was laid last year by the General Assembly, on the basis of the report of the Group of 18. The aim of the reform process cannot be budget cuts as such} the overall aim must be to attain a world Organization that is well equipped to perform its functions. The purpose of the altered budget procedure we have agreed on is to make it possible for the programme budget to be adopted with the greatest possible support from Member States. In that way the preconditions can be created to secure the necessary support for the activities of the United Nations.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Far-sighted management of natural resources and preservation of the environment will, furthermore, be established as one of the five objectives for Swedish International development co-operation. As proposed by the Brundtland Commission, a second global conference on the human environment should be considered. Its aim could be to review developments since the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, to evaluate and assess the hazards posed by environmental problems and to agree on a programme of action to ensure sustainable development. If there is wide support for that proposal, a new conference could take place in 1992, that is to say 20 years after the first Conference. Sweden is prepared again to act as host, if that is the general wish.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“If we do not manage to do this, economic and social progress will be impossible, and in the long run the survival of mankind will be jeopardized. The current agenda of the General Assembly contains items concerning draft resolutions from the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on the report of the World Commission and on the action-oriented environmental perspective. We sincerely hope these will be adopted this autumn. If they are, a process could be initiated in which the decision-making bodies of the United Nations could revise policies, programmes, budgets and activities with the aim of promoting sustainable development. Similarly, all Governments should review their own national policies. That process has already been initiated in Sweden.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“An appropriate first step could be a multilateral agreement on the prevention of incidents at sea to supplement existing bilateral agreements. The world must choose development instead of the arms race. The International Conference on the Relationship between Disarmament and Development was a success for multilateral diplomacy. It is our hope that those who did not take part in the Conference will participate in the continued process. We are responsible for the world we leave to future generations. The World Commission on Environment and Development, under the chairmanship o£ the Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, has shown convincingly how important it is to bring about sustainable development. If that development concept is applied, we can save our environment and safeguard our natural resources.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“Within the framework of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe there seem to be good prospects for reaching agreement on further developing the confidence- and security-building measures agreed upon at the Stockholm Conference last year. There also seem to be good prospects for initiating negotiations on conventional disarmament in Europe within that framework. The Swedish Government actively supports the idea of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Nordic area and a corridor free of battlefield nuclear weapons in Central Europe, Increased attention should be paid also to the naval arms race. It is high time that negotiations were initiated on confidence-building measures and disarmament in this field too.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)
“It would also reduce the risk of the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Such an agreement would be a definite sign of the will of the nuclear-weapon States to break the vicious circle of the arms race. In the shadow of the nuclear-weapon threat, there are other weapons of mass destruction also. Some are more than a threat. At this very moment people are suffering from the horrible effects of chemical weapons. We now have before us an opportunity to save future generations from those weapons, with continued progress at the negotiating table of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, a convention banning chemical weapons could become a reality in the near future. Nor must we tire in our endeavours to reduce conventional arms at both the global and the regional level.”
1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)