YouSaid · the spoken record

KHOMAN

lines on the record: 389
first: 1959-09-24
most recent: 1971-09-24
sittings or episodes: 12
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

“In this undertaking it has been abetted and supported by another like-minded and much more powerful régime, which likewise aspires to dominate not only the continent of Asia, but the whole under-developed world. Of course, those of us who live in the vicinity of the actual scene of conflict and are directly or indirectly affected by it can easily see through this cloak of liberation and recognize it as nothing but a disguised version of colonial conquest. Indeed, if any true liberation is to be carried out in Viet-Nam, it is the people of North Viet-Nam, living under an utterly oppressive régime, who ought to be liberated. Thus, the North Viet-Namese régime and indeed its allies are in no way qualified, let alone having any right, to take upon themselves the task of liberating others.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“South Viet-Nam, suffering from the legacy of a long period of past colonial servitude, had to face, after the so-called liberating tentacles which for years have been attempting to choke the life out of its free existence. It has been, in particular, confronted with ah ambitious and expansionist neighbour and brother to the North which is not content with achieving a sovereign status for itself, but seeks to extend its domination further across the border. This expansionist proclivity from the North has been disguised under the cloak of a liberation movement in order to deceive unaware and uniformed world public opinion. Its true nature, however, can easily be discerned as being no less than an attempt by an expansionist Power to impose its physical and ideological rule upon an unwilling neighbour.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“Nevertheless, the general efforts to ensure global peace, while undoubtedly beneficial to them as to the world at large, do not carry with them full significance since in their daily life they have to meet with death and the other ravages of regional and local fighting with which they have had to come to grips almost at every moment of their existence. That is why those simple folk would be even more deeply interested in seeing greater efforts devoted to thinking about and taking measures to ensure the kind of peace that they can feel and that they can enjoy. 152. Unlike Europe and the America, a good part of Asia has become a centre of trouble and turmoil.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“For them, it is not enough that the prospects of a nuclear showdown seem unlikely in the foreseeable future, although they and their Governments wholeheartedly support the efforts of the United Nations and other agencies in the field of disarmament as well as in preventing further dissemination of nuclear arms. This can be seen from the fact that their nations have joined an overwhelming number of other countries of the world in acceding to the nuclear test-ban treaty and are in favour of extending the agreement to cover underground tests.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“On our part, we are unable to share that wishful thinking since the United Nations, not being a reformatory school or a psychopathic ward, will hardly be in a position to administer such a redressing and healing treatment. 150. With that unfortunate exception, we may say that in this Organization peace is consistently held as the ultimate objective of the world community. 151. Yet such an objective needs to be clarified further. Peace cannot only mean an absence of a major war, a nuclear war, or a war between the great Powers endowed with the most potent means of mass destruction. The millions of people in South and South-East Asia, which has been the scene of strife and conflict, cannot feel completely satisfied with the nuclear Powers being presently at peace with one another.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“These are, indeed, unusual words and on hearing them even those of us who have been accustomed for some time to such words cannot help feeling shudders running through our bodies. Since then, further irresponsible outbursts and insults have poured out from the same quarters against our Organization, as well as against its dedicated Secretary-General, thus deriding our common endeavour to find a way to achieve world peace and order. 149. Yet, in spite of this ghastly philosophy which runs counter to the aspirations of all mankind, there are some who still want to bring such a nation into our midst. They even insist that the increasing bellicosity shown by those leaders makes all the more urgent their admission into our fold, piously hoping that the climate prevailing in this Organization may cure them of their warlike psychosis.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“The people in my country are aware that the United Nations is dedicated to peace — to the preservation and strengthening of peace. They also know that when representatives of various lands come to speak annually in this Assembly or, through the year, in other forums of the Organization, they voice the profound believe of their respective peoples in the necessity of having peace in the world. So far as I know, none of them has spoken against peace. 148. The only exception — and a very significant one — has been a statement made by a leader of the People's Republic of China, excerpts of which we re quoted he re for our edification, in which war is glorified as a great school for tempering peoples and nations.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“For us, the objectives set forth by the founders of the United Nations are still distant, if indeed they seem to be within reach at all. For us also, some of the words uttered in this Assembly have a strange ring in our ears, for those words seem to have little, if any, relevance to the facts of everyday life as they actually prevail in our part of the world. 146. In coming here, therefore, I carry with me a simple message from the people and Government of Thailand which is to be transmitted to you, and through you, to the good peoples of your respective countries, in the plain and candid language which the Thai people like to use and which they can readily understand. It is, of course, our hope that other peoples of the world will give to it whatever attention and consideration it may deserve. 147.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“Now that two decades have gone by, what has become of those dreams and hopes? The answers to such a question will probably vary. 145. For those who come from places such as Europe or North America, where life is secure and plentiful and where peace is not immediately threatened, the reply may be optimistic. But for many, like myself, who come from the centre of storms and turmoil, where fighting, on a large or small scale, has become commonplace, where threats to crush one another burst out angrily like the daily cracklings of mortars and machine-guns, and where, in between the tragic happenings of death and destruction, millions of haggard human beings scrape the soil to eke out a meagre subsistence, the answer can only be somewhat less enthusiastic.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“I should like also to offer our warm congratulations to the new Member States which have been admitted to the United Nations — the Gambia, the Maldive Islands and Singapore. 144. The United Nations has just reached a point which is significant in the life of human beings and international organizations. Twenty years have passed since nations — victors and vanquished alike, with their lands laid waste, their resources exhausted and millions of their youth sacrificed in a-most destructive war — dreamt of a better new world where the dignity and worth of the human person, the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, would be observed and respected. They strove to establish the rule of law, but especially they hoped that, by establishing this Organization, they might "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“141. Mr. President, it is my turn now to offer you the warm congratulations of my delegation and of my Government. I do so with the greatest pleasure. Knowing your high qualifications and your long and rich experience, we feel reassured that the affairs of the United Nations are in good hands indeed, and that under your wise and inspired guidance the deliberations of this Assembly will yield concrete and effective results. Our good wishes go to you. 142. I should like to pay tribute also to the. outgoing President, Mr. Quaison-Sackey of Ghana. He held the office of President of the General Assembly at a most difficult time, but we all know he discharged his duties to our utmost satisfactions. 143.”
1965-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 20 (1965)
“The United Nations, in its nineteenth year, is witnessing a constant and satisfactory growth. Only a few days ago we had the pleasure of admitting three new worthy Members, Malawi, Malta and Zambia, to which I should like to extend our heartfelt congratulations and warm welcome. We hope that the increase in number will be accompanied by an increase in the strength and effectiveness of the Organization in dealing with the numerous weighty problems with which the world is beset, and that, together, the 1X5 Members of this Organization can face the momentous tasks with redoubled energy and wisdom. All our nations are united here, not in misery and starvation, but for the peace, prosperity and progress of our respective peoples.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Only last spring was a beginning made by the convening of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development at Geneva which was hailed, and rightly, by the Secretary-General in the introduction to his annual report, as an "event of historic importance" [A/580l/Add.l, p. 3], Even though it could not be expected that the conference would bring forth conclusive results, the three-month meeting succeeded in setting forth the important issues as well as relevant recommendations. My delegation wishes to express its grateful appreciation to the Secretary- General of the conference, Mr. Prebisch of Argentina, for his most efficient organization and constructive handling of the conference. It is now the duty of this Assembly to give to the report of the conference its thorough attention and consideration. 73.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“In addition, they have to suffer from the instability of international markets for their primary products, from the practice of government subsidies to production and trade in products in competition with their own, and from restrictive conditions imposed by developed countries on access to their markets of primary commodities, as well as on semi-manufactured and manufactured goods. 71. These grave ills, which grip the economy of so many countries in the world and have brought so much hardship to countless millions of people, have existed and been well known for a long time. However, no serious attempts have been made to cure them, still less to eradicate them on a joint international basis. 72.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“The more they toil, the more they produce, the less they seem to receive in return for their labour and, according to reliable estimates, the trade gap alone may reach the staggering figure of some $20 billion within a few years. This is because the terms of trade have been highly unfavourable to the developing countries, due to the declining prices for the primary products and other commodities exported by them and the rising prices of imported manufactured goods which are indispensable to their development. 70. As a result of this unfortunate situation, the efforts towards economic development in a great many countries have been slowed down, if not completely blocked.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Important as the issues of peace and security may be, the problems of economic and social wellbeing and that of development, because of their magnitude and complexity, represent a major challenge if order and progress are to be ensured in the world. While sustained efforts have been exerted to eliminate hazards to peace and security and to establish an international community under the rule of law, insufficient attention has been devoted to correct the chaotic conditions now prevailing in the world economy, which is dominated by a few highly developed countries, while the rest of the world has to subsist under the most unfavourable conditions. 69. As time goes by, the gap between this small group and the multitude of suffering undeveloped nations continues to widen at an alarming pace.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“The truth is that such accusations were fabricated in order to mislead the uninformed public with a view to scoring unworthy gains. 67. The Thai nation, for its part, has observed with concern and apprehension certain moves and actions of its neighbour to the east which, by its connexion and connivance with certain aggressive forces, are endangering the peace, security and freedom of South-East Asia, If the Thai people and Government continue to maintain a calm attitude and to show forbearance, it is because of their desire not to add further uncertainty to the already delicate and unsatisfactory situation in the region. 68.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Within a few days after the Thai Government had signified its readiness to agree, as it had done in the past, the Cambodian leaders again failed to honour their obligations and renewed their violent and unjustified attacks against my country, which have continued unabated until the present moment. 66. They claimed, among other things, that their country was threatened by Thailand. However, they were never able to substantiate the charges. Neither could they explain why, if such threats did exist, the Gussing mission, the numerous international organizations with their regional seats in Thailand, as well as the countless foreign observers and the foreign Press stationed in my country, had not detected them or given any indication thereof.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Nils Gussing of Sweden, and his colleagues could not do more and did not fully succeed in reaching their ultimate objective, namely, to normalize the relations between Thailand and Cambodia, it was not for want of determined efforts on their part or of co-operation from Thailand, but rather because of Cambodia's unresponsiveness and inconsistency. Agreements which had been laboriously negotiated by Mr. Gussing and could have produced the most salutary effects came to nought because of Cambodia's failure to observe them. 65. A patent example of such stillborn agreements was the non-implementation of the 1960 New York agreement on the cessation of Press and radio attacks, which the Cambodian Government was reported to be willing again to observe.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Notwithstanding the exercise of great care and caution, my country—to our great regret—finds it difficult to have a satisfactory relationship with one neighbour, which has so far refused to live on friendly terms with it and twice on unjustifiable grounds took the initiative of breaking relations with us. In spite of these and other provocations and harassments, Thailand has shown restraint and done all It could not to let this unhealthy state of affairs affect the already unsettled conditions prevailing in the area. The Thai Government appealed to the United Nations to send a mission, which performed a useful role, and for which I should like to express our appreciation. 64. However, if the Secretary-General's personal representative, Mr.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Thailand for its part has consistently striven to do its share in maintaining peace, stability and harmony in our part of the world. We have, in the first place, assiduously cultivated good understanding and fruitful relationship with our neighbours, as well as with those who are farther away, and have, in great measure, succeeded. When some of our neighbours become embroiled In difficulties or disputes, we try discreetly — when we are asked — to render whatever services are required of us. Our desire, of course, is to see all obstacles in the way of normal and peaceful relations removed. Where it has not yet been possible to bring about positive results, our efforts aim at preventing differences from developing into larger conflict, for the worsening of an international situation is likely to have widespread repercussions, 63.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“For us who have long enjoyed the blessings of freedom, as well as those who have recently been ushered into independence, there can hardly be a more worthwhile cause to uphold than that of lending our firm support to the freedom of others, for in so doing we shall be strengthening our own freedom and helping to remove the seeds of conflict in many areas of the world. 61. Unlike the problems of global scope, those relating to regional peace are well within the limits and capability of smaller nations to contribute to. Success in resolving them will help to strengthen general peace. It is therefore our hope that the United Nations, which counts so many such nations, will devote more attention and consideration to questions of regional peace, which touch them so closely and have an important bearing upon their well-being. 62.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“That is why I hope that in thi6 Assembly, where small nations form a majority and where words about peace, harmony and freedom are uttered freely, the yearnings of these gallant peoples to be able to choose their own destiny un-harassed, will be heard and supported. 60. This desire to be free in the pursuit of one's happiness and to determine the course of one's life is by no means confined to Asia. It also exists elsewhere — In Africa or in Europe, where the German people, like many others want and deserve to have the right to decide their own destiny.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Those who are now the targets of these nefarious machinations, realizing the stake involved, refuse to believe the deleterious propaganda and false promises. Instead, they resist with all the means at their disposal and, in many cases, have to take up arms to defend their freedom. 59. This is what has been taking place in my part of the world, where too many have to live a life full of threats and dangers, to be terrorized or to die, because they resist attempts to enslave them. That is why the peoples of South Viet-Nam and Laos are staging the fight of their lives, so that they can live in freedom and independence.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“These problems owe their existence and acuteness to the fact that some people are not satisfied merely with being able to choose their own economic and political systems, but are also intent on Imposing them upon others. They also want to extend their boundaries, expand their power and influence and, finally, to subject other peoples to their control and domination. In the process, they do not shun the use of force. More often, they prefer to resort to the whole gamut of political and psychological measures, ranging from vicious propaganda, infiltration, and subversion, to insurgency. Euphemistically, they call this campaign "a war of national liberation". In fact, it is a forcible attempt to take away the freedom and Independence of peoples and nations and to lead them to the inferno of subjection and bondage.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“The lack of it may portend a gloomy prospect for world peace and civilization. 57. What has been said relates mainly to the problem of global peace, in which each and every nation undoubtedly has a deep interest. But by and large there exist many other problems of regional peace which may be more limited in scope and extent, but none the less affect many of our nations even more closely and directly. In fact, we have to live with them day and night, and have to devote every ounce of our energy and attention, for they have to do with our personal and national freedom, with our future as free men and women, as well as that of coming generations. 58.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“This downward trend would be arrested only if the non-signatory nations could be brought to accept the treaty obligations and share the almost universal aims and objectives of avoiding the dissemination of nuclear arms and ultimately of prohibiting, under effective inspection and control, the production and use of such arms. Only thus can the efforts toward effective disarmament be strengthened and promoted. Only thus can the world feel safe from the destruction which may be brought by men upon- their fellow men. There can be no objective more worthwhile, and such an objective can be attained only if this Organization, leaning heavily upon the nuclear Powers, addresses itself in all earnestness to the problem of our age. Upon its success will depend the future welfare of mankind.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Even if the treaty still retains some significance, reasons of national security may compel a number of signatories to withdraw from their existing obligations and undertake their own nuclear development programmes so as to protect themselves from possible external threats, thereby reducing the scope and effectiveness of the agreement. K such a trend towards dissolution were to take place, the treaty would be so stultified as ultimately to become meaningless. Whatever may be the final result, one may safely say that the nuclear tests carried out since the conclusion of the treaty have rendered further enlargement of its scope and application difficult. If not impossible. 56.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“The question thus arises whether such disregard for the well-high universal will of the nations of the world represents so grave a setback to the endeavour to preserve this planet from Contamination and nuclear devastation as to endanger future international peace. As is evident, the question is not merely theoretical, but of a pressing practical nature. Indeed, if certain nations can remain outside the purview of the nuclear test-ban treaty and continue to conduct their own nuclear tests, in spite of the prohibition stipulated by the treaty, that international document may eventually lose its value. 55.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“We also thought that even those who already had those weapons in their possession might, in the foreseeable future, see their way clear to agreeing among themselves not to increase their production and not to resort to their use, thus lessening the chances of a catastrophic conflict which might result in the annihilation of mankind and human civilization. 53. But these hopes have now been gravely affected. One nation, and then another, which refused to sign the treaty, continue to disregard the conscience of an overwhelming majority of civilized nations of the world and pursue undisturbed the fulfilment of their objective: the forging of a powerful instrument to serve their national policy. 54.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“While the financial question has captured our immediate attention, the problems facing our international and individual life — the problem of our peace and the problem of our well-being — have lost neither their urgency nor their significance. 52. Last year, when we met in this hall, our hopes were raised higher than at any time since the end of the Second World War, when we learned that more than 100 nations had signed the nuclear test-ban treaty. We were gratified to believe that even that partial agreement might perhaps pave the way towards a saner approach to the problem of disarmament and that, step by step, the spread of dreadful weapons of mass destruction might be curbed.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Once this problem has been taken care of, the General Assembly will be able to proceed forthwith with its other urgent business. 50. My delegation ventures to hope that this course will be promptly adopted — an action which will show our deep sense of responsibility and will enhance the prestige of our Organization. If through intransigence, or lack of understanding and co-operation, all efforts to reach an agreed solution should fail, my delegation will have no alternative but to support the application of the Charter provisions, for an exception in this instance can only have the most serious consequences for the future of our Organization. 51.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Although the United Nations has suffered as a consequence of these developments, it is not too late to remedy the situation. A simple but generous gesture on the part of a few Members, without prejudice to their individual positions, could save the Organization from serious trouble. 49. It is therefore our earnest hope that, with this objective in mind and with the necessary reservations in regard to their nations' stand, those Members may make voluntary grants or contributions to the United Nations to avoid the relevant Charter provisions from coming into play. By so doing, more time will be gained for further study and discussion of the problem in regard to the past, the present, and the future, as well. Appropriate organs of the United Nations may be entrusted with this task, if need be, new ones created.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“How then could we explain to the millions of people in the world who have placed their hopes and their expectations in the United Nations that, although pressing international problems await our discussion and solution, this world Organization has to lay them aside pending success in resolving our financial difficulty? 48. in saying this, I can assure the General Assembly that there is no lack of realization on our part that, while the difficulty appears to be of a merely financial nature, it involves, nevertheless, many legal and political aspects. However, if all Members keep in mind the welfare and the effective functioning of this Organization, they should, in the first place, have prevented this problem from reaching the present acute stage and, in any event, should not allow it to paralyse or cripple the entire Organization.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“However, since this happens to be an international organization, whose members are sovereign States, the difficulty has assumed unnecessarily inflated proportions, and threatened, by its acuteness, to have extensive ramifications with serious bearing on the future international situation. 47. This is indeed an unprecedented situation, which the unfamiliarized public may find hard to understand. Ordinarily, the outside world has been accustomed to being told that an international organization such as ours was being confronted with political problems of the highest order which, if unresolved, might cause it to founder. But the dilemma we presently find ourselves in deals only with the question of money to finance the Organization.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“Delicate negotiations will no doubt have to be further pursued before we may feel assured that our patient, the United Nations, is well out of danger. 46. The problem this time is not a heightened international tension, a world crisis, or an outbreak of armed conflict. It is simply a banal financial problem, the question of an organization not having enough money to meet its expenditures ’because some of its members refuse to face up to their obligations on the ground that some of the expenses incurred by the organization did not meet with their approval. Had we had to deal with an ordinary organization, no difficulty would have arisen, and the matter would have been disposed of in a normal, legal way.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“We had accepted this long delay in the hope that time might help smooth out the present difficulty, and we now come to this Assembly, as never before, with heavy hearts and knowing that something is not well with our Organization. In fact, it is facing one of the most critical moments of its existence. 45. Contrary to our hope and expectation, the passage of time has failed to produce any apparent result. The problem is still here with us. The prospect of a generally acceptable solution remains uncertain. We may no doubt derive some satisfaction from the fact that, thanks to the persistent efforts of the Secretary-General and many others, this session could begin its work in an apparent calm, and that the expected showdown has* for the time being, been averted, or, more exactly, has taken an unusually silent form.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“43. Mr. President. I should like in the first place to offer to you the warm congratulations of my delegation and of myself upon your election to the high office of the presidency of the General Assembly. Your election is significant in many respects. It is naturally significant for you yourself; it is significant for your country; and it is also significant for your continent, Africa. I trust that your outstanding personal qualifications and talents will contribute to the success of our deliberations. 44. After much hesitation, the nineteenth session of the General Assembly has falteringly convened, some two months later than its regular meeting date.”
1964-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 19 (1964)
“While attempts have been made to influence our thinking both as a nation and as individuals, we shall not be swayed by thoughts and ideas which have no roots in our national heritage. The modern ideologies of our time, whether socialism or capitalism, are alien to our land. We know that our strength comes not from foreign elements which may be injected into us but from the eternal lights of Asia: freedom, compassion and tolerance. That is why the Thai people aim first at being good Thai, then good Asians, and at the same time good citizens of the world.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“At present it is a known fact that the United Nations has been operating under a heavy deficit, which, if allowed to continue, may reach the staggering figure of $140 million. It is clear therefore that, if all Members do not strictly and faithfully discharge their obligations, the Organization may face collapse. In that unfortunate event, which we all strongly hope will not occur, the responsibility will unequivocally rest on those who failed to fulfil their duties and obligations. 94. Confronted with the many uncertainties and complications of the world today, the people of Thailand are fortified by the fact that, although some have tried to instil doubt and disbelief in their minds, they firmly and staunchly adhere to the principles of justice, of freedom and of national honour.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“The Thai people, like most other peoples in the world, firmly believe in the dignity and worth of the human person. We cannot accept or condone any practice which does not recognize this fundamental principle. Any attempt therefore to perpetuate inequality among peoples, as is the case with what is known as apartheid, which tends to create barriers between them, should be opposed and rejected as contrary to the aspirations of human society. 93. Finally, it is obviously not enough to support and uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter. To enable the United Nations to perform its functions efficiently and effectively, concrete and practical measures must be taken toward that end.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“In our troubled world of today, the principle of self-determination should be recognized and applied everywhere, as in the case of Malaysia, where the United Nations completed the task of ascertaining the wishes of the population of North Borneo and Sarawak, or in Germany, where the freedom-loving people should be allowed to choose their own destiny. 91. Likewise, the principle of peaceful and direct negotiations may prevent many difficulties and disputes from enlarging and getting out of hand. That is why my delegation has declared itself ready to meet Cambodian representatives with a view to resolving our differences. 92. Although the relations among States and nations occupy the greatest part of our attention, it is not possible to lose sight of the individual human being who forms the basis of our society.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“I hope that each and every one of us, and especially those of the privileged nations, will be conscious of this grave responsibility. 90. From the foregoing it is clearly apparent that the hopes of the world and humanity still rest on the United Nations, because as yet there is no other organization which may help to fulfil their aspirations and ideals. For that very reason my country firmly adheres to the principles and purposes of this Organization, particularly those enunciating self-determination and peaceful negotiation.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“If they continue to be obstinate in fulfilling their unbridled desire to make disproportionate profits, it will not be long before the whole world is strewn with impoverished and haggard-looking men and women sunk in their misery, and the world will then enjoy neither peace nor tranquillity. 89. It may be too much for us to hope that this simple appeal will be heeded. We nevertheless count upon the moral authority of this Organization to bring about a better realization of the current alarming situation. Maybe the Conference on Trade and Development, which will be convened next year under the auspices of the United Nations, can achieve something that may lighten the burden which is now being borne by the developing nations. On the success of this Conference will depend the future economic outlook of the whole world.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Consequently, much as they want to proceed with swift diversification and industrialization of their economy, they are deprived of the means to carry out the development schemes which could allay the economic ills from which they suffer. 88. It would seem reasonable, therefore, that the industrially advanced nations of the world should consider loosening their hold on the weak, developing economies, or otherwise they will cause the ultimate strangulation of those unfortunate nations. It is high time that, for no other reason than the enlightened self-interest of those privileged nations, they should cooperate in alleviating the hardship and sufferings of hundreds of millions of people now leading a substandard existence.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“They know that they have to diversify and industrialize their economy so as to enjoy higher returns, which only manufactured goods can bring. Otherwise, they would be dependent on too few primary products, the markets for which are controlled by others seeking to keep the levels of prices as low as possible. But at the same time, and because highly developed countries through various means and actions are bent on keeping the prices of primary commodities unnaturally low, the developing nations see their income steadily reduced and the cost of industrial equipment and capital goods in general continuously rising.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“This state of affairs has been further aggravated, on the one hand, by past and newly adopted measures which serve as barriers to the free flow of primary commodities from developing countries or tend to discriminate against them and, on the other, by unilateral or concerted actions aiming at controlling markets or depressing the prices of those commodities so as to increase still further the margin of benefits accruing to the industrialized countries. It is also curious to note that, in the process of industrialized economies seeking further to expand and to enrich themselves, there is no ideological barrier separating them. They all deliberately or otherwise seem to be working together toward the same objective. 87. As a result of these chaotic occurrences, the developing nations are caught in a vicious circle.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Whereas industrialized countries have been reaping substantial gains from manufactured products, both volume and price of which constantly increase, the developing countries' trade balances show persistent and cumulative deficits. This situation by itself is alarming because, if it should continue without redress, the probable result may be a renewal of the Roman society, composed of a few patrician countries and a multitude of plebeian nations whose sweat and toil serve to augment the riches of the privileged few. 86.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“The nuclear or conventional weapons may kill instantly, but the continuous impoverishment of the less developed countries compared with the rapidly growing income of those more advanced industrially looks very much like a vise imperceptibly closing around our necks —or our stomachs— which may bring about a slow death or at least gradual starvation. The future, to say the least, is indeed bleak for the developing nations. 85. This is due in the first place to the invariable deterioration in the terms of trade suffered by the primary exporting countries, whose share of these commodities in total world trade has declined steadily.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)
“Its most important functions would be to give advice and make recommendations directly to the parties concerned and, if need be, it might serve as intermediary between those involved in the dispute or other disagreements. 84. While it is true that the problems of peace and war are of paramount importance to the welfare of the nations of the world, the economic questions present no less significance to the daily life of countless millions of people, especially in the small and developing nations.”
1963-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 18 (1963)