YouSaid · the spoken record

Zambrano Velasco

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS ZAMBRANO VELASCO

lines on the record: 117
first: 1979-09-24
most recent: 1983-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“This international instrument is the legal and political framework for the pursuit of solutions to the dispute and Venezuela has adhered to it in all its actions. A is regrettable that thus far the Government of Guyana has failed to comply with its obligation to negotiate seriously and sincerely. Nevertheless, Venezuela has insisted that, within the peaceful procedures provided in the Geneva Agreement, the injustices of the past should be corrected, and thus lay more solid founda¬tions for a fruitful and lasting co-operation between the peoples of Venezuela and of Guyana.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The obligation for Venezuela and Guyana to negotiate their differences is not only a moral imper¬ative, not only a duty under international law, but, in this specific case, a commitment freely entered into in the Agreement signed at Geneva on 17 February 1966/ In fact, although the Venezuelan territorial claim naturally preceded the independence of Guyana, Venezuela, faithful to its tradition and to its principles, was most careful to do nothing which would in any way be used as a pretext to thwart or delay decolo¬nization for its neighbouring people. Shortly before the proclamation of indepen¬dence, Venezuela and the United Kingdom, with the full participation of the Government of what was then British Guiana, negotiated and signed the Geneva Agreement, designed to seek satisfactory solutions for the practical settlement of the dispute.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Our entire tradition and all our instincts move us to desire to maintain and develop with the Guyanese people the closest relations of friendship, co-operation and solidarity. In truth, like ourselves, they were the victims of British impe¬rialism and, like ourselves, they are a people which is trying to achieve development. For this very reason v": have insisted tirelessly on holding real and sincere negotiations, inspired by justice and equity, which will lead us to overcome this problem that we have inherited, in a satisfactory and practical way.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“During the last century, starting from the Esequibo River, which was the boundary with the sector of Guyana which they had taken away from Holland, the British advanced from year to year, almost day after day, over the territory of defenceless Venezuela, making a mockery of its protests, until this culminated in an unprecedented legal farce, in which a so-called Arbitration Tribunal, with no Venezuelan judge or lawyer, imposed a totally arbitrary demarcation line. It did not even take the trouble to give any kind of justification, reason or explanation, however spurious or unprecedented, of what was from every point of view an unbridled plundering. The history of this humiliating mutilation cannot be forgotten by Venezuelans.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“It is fitting to recall that Venezuela in its 172 years of independent life has never had a single war, not even an armed encounter, with any of its neighbours. This is an assertion which few countries in the world could make, and it is a source of satisfac¬tion and pride for Venezuelans. The land borders of Venezuela with Colombia and Brazil were established by peaceful means. The maritime borders with four countries have already been set by common agreement, and Venezuela is at all times opento negotiations with its neighbours to solve all matters of common interest. For 16 years now Venezuela has been tirelessly repeating its invitation to Guyana to negotiate, to seek mutually acceptable solutions to the dispute. The cause of the dispute is the mutilation of our territory by the British Empire.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“These form the basis of our support for people that are struggling to gain, maintain or recover their right to freedom, as a contribution to the solution of present conflicts which affect and bar the progress of mankind in its quest for peace and well-being for all. It is of the utmost importance for Venezuela to seek a peaceful and practical solution to the terri¬torial controversy with the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Venezuela is a country in which the mixture of the indigenous peoples of America with the Spanish conquistadors and African groups has created a population which rejects all forms of racial discrimi¬nation and in which political, social and economic democracy is practised, thus setting an example of coexistence and pluralism.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“It is complementary to efforts which might be made in North-South negotiations and a contribution to the establishment of the new international economic order. In the last quarter century Venezuela has succeeded in consolidating a genuine democracy solidly rooted in the conduct and beliefs of the Venezuelan people, a democracy which endeavours increasingly to play its part within a philosophy of social justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of all citizens. The promotion and effective defence of and respect for human rights have been important tenets in the foreign policy of Venezuela.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“In these circumstances, we, the developing coun¬tries, have been thinking about the need to be less vulnerable to the dealings of the countries of the North and, in any case, to stimulate effective co¬operation among ourselves as a consequence of our solidarity. Barely a month ago the Intergovernmental Follow-up and Co-ordination Committee, a key organ which was established in 1981 in the Caracas Pro¬gramme of Action,3 held its first meeting in Manila. The results of the meetings of experts were reviewed there, and on that basis important recommendations were made, to be submitted shortly to the ministerial meeting of the Group of 77. Without any doubt, it can be concluded that the Caracas Programme of Action is functioning.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The developing countries promoted the idea of global negotiations and the international community endorsed it when resolution 34/138 was adopted by the Assembly in 1979, but so far the momentum needed to make them a reality has been lacking. Despite all the efforts made—not only by the Group of 77 but by practically the entire international com¬munity—hesitation, mainly on the part of the United States, has prevented the launching of global negotia¬tions although these were approved at Cancun with the agreement of the head of State of that important country, without which the negotiations would lose their true scope and meaning.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“We have been fighting for a complete restruc¬turing of the international economy, and we have denounced the policy of making the developing coun¬tries bear the brunt of that readjustment. All this has brought the world economy to the critical situation in which it finds itself today. It would be senseless to expect that the steps the situation calls for will be taken overnight, just as it has been senseless to postpone the essential dialogue. An atmosphere of mutual trust must be established to contribute to the charting of a new course for the world economy. This is a pre-condition of the lessening of international tension and the building of a more rational and more humane world, in which harmony, justice and peace will prevail.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Financially, it will be necessary to preserve the capacity of international organizations which supply funds on preferential terms. This implies the need to review contributions to IMF, the World Bank, the Inter-American Develop¬ment Bank and similar institutions so that their resources bear some relation to the size of existing problems. There is one fact which cannot be ques-tioned: the economies of the industrialized countries cannot be sustained without the support of strong development in the third world. The time for major decisions is drawing near and we cannot afford to let slip any opportunity to have our voice heard. We, the developing countries, must reaffirm by our presence and active participation the importance of forums such as UNCTAD and must be attentive to what might happen at the next GATT ministerial meeting.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The amortiza¬tion of this debt represents the equivalent of 56 per cent of Latin American exports. This situation, which in the context of traditional conditions is now to be reinforced for strategic purposes, could have grave political and social consequences. The situation I have described is an unpre¬cedented challenge to the international financial system. The developing countries will have to make constant efforts to revitalize their economies, increase their productivity and improve their efficiency in the management of financial resources. All this will have to be done in a way that will be socially and politically bearable. The developed world must accept its responsi¬bilities, not only for the sake of the principle of justice, but also in its own interest.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The effects of those actions are striking: after a phase of expansion of international trade, which was artificially and pathologically sustained, in large measure, by the rising indebtedness of the third world, the burden of the corresponding financial charges is now being turned against the industrialized countries themselves as a result of the drastic curtailment of the import capacity of the developing countries, which virtually eliminates them as factors promoting international trade. The total debt of the developing countries will be far in excess of the incredible amount of$6P0 billion by the end of 1982. This debt imposes intolerable burdens on the foreign exchange earnings of the developing countries and makes them increasingly insolvent. In Latin America alone the debt will amount to $280 billion by the end of this year.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The situation I have just described is the result of contradictory and mistaken economic policies, as well as of the disorganization and malfunctioning of the world economy in its three basic aspects, commercial, financial and monetary. The increasingly blatant absence of rules and growing arbitrariness make forecasting impossible and thus sustain widespread unrest. Thus, we see how the developed countries, instead of strongly encouraging the development of exports by the developing countries by just remunera¬tion for their commodities, which in the long run would have led to a healthy expansion of interna¬tional trade for the benefit of all, have preferred to finance the imports of the third world on scandalously exorbitant terms.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The symptoms of this situation can be summarized by the following indicators: low growth rates in production, the collapse of prices for commodities, the contraction of international trade, the revival of protectionism and counter trade practices, monetary and exchange instability, extensive and sudden fluctua¬tions in the balances of payments, extraordinarily high levels of indebtedness and soaring debt- servicing costs, a pull-back in productive investments and a flare-up of financial speculation, alarming and rising unemployment rates, lowering of expenditures for social purposes, growing military costs and an acceleration of the arms race by the great Powers.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The decel¬eration was particularly intense in the developing countries".' Taking a similar view, the report by the UNCTAD secretariat categorically affirms that "the developing world is facing the gravest economic crisis since the Great Depression," and that "this is the product of the malfunctioning of the economies of developed market-economy countries, and has been intensified by the growing disarray in the trade and financing systems". For their part, organizations and specialized agencies such as GATT and IMF confirm those evalua¬tions.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Nobody is unaware of the extreme gravity of those developments and their inevitable social and political consequences, which are the most serious threats to stability, progress and peace in the world. It is noteworthy that the most recent analyses of the world economy by international organizations shows such agreement. From a broader and universal perspective, the United Nations itself in the 1981¬1982 economic survey, when referring to the wide¬spread stand-still in the world economic expansion, stated that this "slow-down affected all major regions and groups of countries, independent of their level of development or economic structure.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“In this respect, the President of Venezuela, the only head of State invited to attend the celebrations marking the third anniversary of the Nicaraguan revolution, recalled on that occasion the international commit¬ment to respect pluralism that the leaders of that country had entered into. The efforts of Venezuela and Mexico with regard to the tension between Honduras and Nicaragua are being made in the context of a striving for peace, freedom and democracy within Latin American channels without recourse to foreign action. Venezuela, like many other developing coun¬tries, views with profound concern the persistent deterioration and swift decay of the international economic situation.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“We support the effort of the Government of El Salvador, which bore fruit with the exemplary civic testimony of the elections held on 28 March. The people of El Salvador went to the ballot boxes in numbers unprecedented in their history, bearing witness to their desire for peace and their repudiation of violence. Venezuela welcomes the happy out¬come of the democratic process in Honduras and expresses its hope that complete normalization will soon become a reality in Guatemala and in Panama. We reaffirm our unswerving determination to co¬operate in the strengthening of peace, freedom, justice and a pluralist democracy in an area in turmoil where nothing that happens is alien to us.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The results of the special session should serve as a lesson for States, particularly nuclear-weapon States, which bear the greatest responsibility in this field, and they must redouble their efforts in the cause of disarmament and see to it that those efforts are reflected in concrete action in the Committee concerned. Venezuela is persevering in its policy of co¬operation with the countries of Central America and the Caribbean. Accordingly, the programmes derived from the San Jose Agreement remain fully in force. Our commitment to the institutionalization of freedom and democracy in the area has been maintained without interruption and with absolute clarity, as has our rejection of interference by bloc politics.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Venezuela shares the fundamental principles and objectives which brought that movement into being and recognizes it as a forum in which the majority of the countries of the world are represented, thus constituting a force to promote peaceful coexistence, economic and social development and the political independence of its member States. The twelfth special session of the General As¬sembly, which was held at United Nations Head¬quarters this year, ended in virtual failure because of the Assembly's inability to adopt the comprehensive programme for disarmament.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Venezuelans share, with a deep-rooted feeling, his ideal that Puerto Rico should be a member of the Latin American family. We recog¬nize the existence of democratic freedoms in that sister island, and we expect that its sovereign future will be an expression of its people's legitimate right to self-determination. The Government of Venezuela recently took a step of great significance in the Held of decolonization when it recognized the Democratic Arab Sahraoui Republic as a sovereign and independent State, one closely linked to Hispanic culture. Venezuela has formally applied for full member¬ship in the movement of non-aligned countries.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Herrera Campins said in his speech at the thirty-sixth session with regard to the Middle East, "peace cannot be achieved nor kept until there is a global solution to the conflict accepted by all the parties involved and until the legitimate rights of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples to live in peace and freedom are recognized" [%?/<?., para. PR]. In its international conduct, Venezuela has consistently followed a policy of decolonization. This attitude is demonstrated by its constant support for the innumerable resolutions that have been submitted on the subject. Puerto Rico has been a special concern of Venezuelans ever since the beginning of the struggle for the emancipation of Latin America led by our Liberator Simon Bolivar.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“What has happened in Lebanon has shown the extreme cruelty to which some will resort Mass crimes have become a new practice in the face of which the international community has found itself unable to act. Today the world is the victim of an evil game which threatens to bring it to catastrophe and chaos, in the absence of effective machinery to enable all States to live together harmoniously. Venezuela considers that at this session, more than any other, because no other session has been held in the shadow of such painful and complex circum¬stances, the General Assembly must make an effective contribution and find a valid solution which will put an end to war and map out as soon as possible the road leading to peace. The escalation of acts of retaliation seems to be uncontrollable, encouraging and increasing the use of violence. As Mr.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“That is the spirit that imbues Venezuela's foreign policy in all situa¬tions." Venezuela is attending this most important yearly exercise of the United Nations at a time when the Organization's reputation and effectiveness have been shattered. International crises succeed one another and continue. One of the problems which causes most concern is the situation in the Middle East, which has been exacerbated by recent events in Lebanon. We are following closely the tragic events there, realizing that we live in a world in which important and far- reaching events cannot be viewed as isolated facts. Violence in all its forms is rampant in the region.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“If hope and confidence in the United Nations are to be restored, ways must be found to make those resolutions effective, with the full support of the international community, ways which will make it possible to overcome the obstacles which selfishness and injustice are undoubtedly raising in order to prejudice the harmonious coexistence of peoples. The statement made by the President of Venezuela, Mr. Herrera Campins, at the thirty-sixth session of the General Assembly had as its motto "Faith in the United Nations and hope for peace. At that time he affirmed that "This is an Organization of peace-loving countries'. In that spirit it was created, and in that spirit it should continue.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Venezuela considers that his report contains coura¬geous ideas and is prepared to respond constructively within the possibilities open to it. My country wishes to point out that the ability to use properly the means available today to the Organization to tackle the grave problems which mankind faces depends decisively on the States which have the privilege of being permanent members of the Security Council. We are convinced that the Assembly will adopt sensible and just resolutions on the Malvinas, the Middle East, apart/ten/ and Namibia, ratifying and strengthening previous resolutions on those delicate subjects, to mention only some of the more striking matters referred to in the Secretary-General's report.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“In order "to reinforce the protective and pre-emptive ring of collective security", as the Secretary- General urges in his report, we, the Member States without hegemonistic ambitions, would like the United Nations machinery to be respected and imposed upon ail States equally, for disappointment regarding he effectiveness of the Organization and the lack of hope of any future improvement are caused by the belief that the powerful accept mechanisms and deci¬sions only when it suits them, and that when it does not they create obstacles to them or ignore them. Serious consideration of practical ways for the United Nations to develop its capabilities and to be used as a positive institution in the promotion of the free and peaceful progress of mankind in our time forms part of the Secretary-General's plan of action.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“As long as justice and respect for the nations which represent two thirds of all mankind are not reflected in resolute action by United Nations organs constant disappointment will merely foster a phase of absolute cynicism in international relations,. The consequences of colonialism and neo-colonialism have been devastating for peace. Venezuela maintains that the continent of Latin America should be a reserve of peace. We share the feeling of all the fraternal people of our hemisphere that the elimination of the colonial strongholds which still exist in our hemisphere brooks no delay. There is no valid argument for any European nation to retain territories, authority or troops in America.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“We believe that the tragic conflict In the South Atlantic would not have led to such bloodshed if there had been multilateral action towards peace and timely attention to the just claims of peoples which had suffered from the unpunished aggression of the empires that were all-powerful in an international order which no longer exists today. The States with the greatest relative power in a world living in conditions of a balance of fear and the constant risk of a nuclear war can hardly expect to consolidate their privileges by considering overall relations among peoples in terms of their own specific interests. These privileges in many cases were acquired at the expense of the dignity and the resources of the weaker people.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“If, as the Secretary-General states in the report, we are "perilously near to a new international anarchy", that is largely due to the constitutional role of the international organizations, which has led and leads to conflicts between national aims and the goals of the Organization, as is pointed out in the report. Resort to confrontation, violence and war in the pursuit of national interests has not infrequently been encouraged by the historical practices of powerful States and the growing scepticism regarding the results of measures taken by multilateral organizations whose actions towards peace are halted by the very States which enjoy privileges within the United Nations.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“Kurt Waldheim our appreciation for the com¬mendable work he did during the 10 years he held the post in promoting the United Nations as an absolutely essential institution which we need to maintain, develop and strengthen. The report of the Secretary-General oh the work of the Organization raises questions of great importance and dramatic urgency for Member Staffs. Venezuela wishes to praise the frankness and direct style reflected in the report and at the same time to confirm our absolute adherence 6o the Charter and our hope that the political will of nations will be expressed without reticence in favour of collective action for peace and security, as stated in that document.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“First of all, Sir, I should like on behalf of the delegation of Venezuela and on my own behalf to congratulate you on your well- deserved election as President for this session of the General Assembly. In addition I should like to express our apprecia¬tion to Mr. Ismat Kittani for the effective manner in which he carried out his duties. I should also like to congratulate Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar on his election as the fifth Secretary- General. His credentials, his personal qualities and his search for solutions to complex problems all indicate that his course of action as head of the Secre¬tariat will be a wise one. We wish him every success in his major aspiration to reactivate the political role which it is within the competence of the Secretary- General to fulfil. At the same time it is our duty to transmit to Mr.”
1982-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 37 (1982)
“The essential characteristic of the dignity of nations is independence, which, in the international order, means that peoples are not there to be made into instruments but to be respected, regardless of their military or economic power, because sovereignty is not divisible, nor does it depend on the size or wealth of nations, but on the courage which in any part of the world is used with honest sincerity to defend justice. 113. Venezuela was the cradle of the emancipation of Latin America. Our continent has been and is the continent of hope. To all the peoples represented here and to grieving mankind anxiously yearning for freedom, peace and justice, I leave the brotherly solidarity of Bolivar's country.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“Basically this implies two things: first, a realization that greater power does not confer greater rights, but rather increasing duties that entail the correction of existing imbalances in the present international order, secondly, a larger share for the developing countries in the decision-making process in international affairs. 112. Venezuelan policy, as I said at the outset, is inspired by a profound respect for human beings and peoples. The essential characteristic of human dignity is freedom—the greatest gift of the Creator to human beings in the natural order of things. Freedom is realized by means of the social organization of people and by democracy which guarantees and secures the most varied participation as is necessary.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“There are no perpetual hegemonies in the history of man. Predominant Powers come and go; they have been and are the products of their times. The new international order can be built only on just relations among peoples. As long as the nations that benefit from the present international order because of their might fail to realize that such a situation Is not eternal, the world will continue to live under the burden of the threat of war. 109. This Organization, it is often said, came into being because of the grief of a world devastated by war and as a response to the universal aspiration for peace. 110. It is a contradiction in terms to seek a genuinely new international order while maintaining the existence of hegemonies. 111. International social justice must be the foundation of the new order.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“Its causes and tensions came from the past. They did not end when the guns were silenced, nor were they resolved. A new consciousness prevailed, foretelling a new political and social objective. Already then there was an obvious need to replace the old world order with a new order that would be more sincere and stable, more just and provident. 107. Recent times have witnessed continuous commotions, ruptures, violence and wars, blatantly revealing just how precarious the situation was and how stubborn the basic facts, tensions and divergencies. 108. After undergoing two terrible periods of global war, mankind knows therefore that it is not possible to secure peace by means of mere military, political and economic might; it knows that international order cannot be guaranteed by the hegemonies of the superpowers.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“The menace of the crisis that occurred in 1914, which Churchill with keen perspicacity called a "world crisis', continues to threaten us. Hope for its disappearance is deep-rooted in the thinking of all mankind, of men of every rank and condition, seeking ways for peaceful and useful coexistence. 104. Between the two World Wars, mankind, far from realizing the dream of peace, witnessed the emergence of the two most powerful dictatorships the world had ever known, dictatorships that made their influence felt on men's bodies and on their souls. 105. Despite the fact that nearly half a century has elapsed since the 1945 peace and the foundation of the United Nations, we are still hoping for the establishment of a just and necessary new order. 106. The conflict did not end in 1945, nor did it begin in 1914.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“As the President of my country Luis Herrera Campins said when he addressed a recent meeting of the Latin American Economic System, at the very beginning of his term of office: "Despite its difficult economic situation, its precarious social stability and its slow democratic progress, Latin America today is in fact the part of the developing world where there is the widest agreement on goals, more convergence towards them and the greatest probability of success in achieving those ends, at least in part. In spite of the distances that separate us from the industrialized world, there is a kind of premonition that the tide of progress of Western civilization, which at one time had begun to flow in a circle from the Mediterranean to the West, is today bearing in a clear southerly direction, towards Latin America," 103.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“Efforts we have made among ourselves, particularly in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Arusha, Manila, Havana and now here in New York, have been given a vigorous and growing impetus to produce meaningful and concrete results without delay. This does not exempt the wealthy countries from their obligations to the developing countries; on the contrary, it emphasizes them. South-South co-operation is an indispensable complement to North-South cooperation and must help the latter acquire effectiveness and innovative strength. 102.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“Present circumstances demand that we establish an atmosphere of mutual trust and proceed with a sense of urgency. The 1980 special session of the General Assembly must achieve a break-through in the North-South negotiations by bringing about substantive results for the start of the new international economic order. While such results would provide real opportunities to the developing countries by establishing interdependence based on justice and equity, the entire community of nations would also unquestionably stand to gain from the new impetus given the world economy, as has been fully recognized. 101. We of the developing countries are prepared to assume our responsibilities. We trust that the developed countries will also assume theirs. We are determined to intensify our co-operation on the basis of collective self-reliance.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“Some of the negotiations under way, such as those concerning the Common Fund for the Integrated Programme on Commodities6 and those on science and technology, have produced results that, unfortunately, still appear on the whole to be very slim and almost imperceptible in terms of the establishment of the new international economic order, 99. At the recent session of the Committee of the Whole Established under General Assembly Resolution 32/174, there was again evidence of a lack of the political will that could have enabled us to reach genuine agreements on the issues included in its programme of work. In this context, the proposal of the Group of 77-based on a resolution of the Sixth Conference of Non-Aligned Countries—acquires particular significance in the new global North-South negotiations. 100.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“The deep-seated economic disarray that affects the international economy provides us with an opportunity to build a new international economic order in which the legitimate claims of the developing countries will be fully met. We must face our common problems with courage, seeking just and rational solutions. The gravity of the present crisis and economic interdependence make this necessary. The alternative is that we shall be forced into accelerated and irreversible deterioration with unforeseeable consequences. 98.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“The individual weakness of the developing countries vis-a-vis the industrialized nations causes us to take a firm stand in the collective struggle of our countries to secure a just participation in the world economic system. 96. Venezuela has reiterated in various forums its support for the idea of holding within the United Nations a new round of international economic negotiations including the subject of energy. This new dialogue must avoid the pitfalls along the way. The ability to do that will depend on the extent to which the industrialized countries show a positive political will to achieve concrete and meaningful results in the improvement of international economic relations. 97.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“It has acted and is prepared to act so as to contribute, in keeping with the requirements of the moment, to ensure oil supplies for those countries and lessen the financial burden due to its higher cost. This is a fundamental premise of the foreign policy of my country, one which as always had the widest national consensus. On the other hand, it is evident that the problems of those countries are essentially the results of structural imbalances which affect the world economy. Compliance with the doctrine of international social justice carries with it an obligation to support the less fortunate developing countries in the improvement of their international bargaining position.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“Airy and even irresponsible accusations against OPEC have lost credibility. The Governments of industrialized countries are beginning to concentrate their attention on measures to reduce excessive consumption, thereby being able to act on the demand for oil. As a country member of OPEC, Venezuela views this as a highly positive evolution and as the best point of departure to devise instruments for effective conservation policies which will allow for an extension of the transition period to alternate sources of energy which are renewable and non-polluting and also to speed up scientific research for their swift use. 95. The Government of Venezuela realizes that many developing countries are undergoing a particularly difficult situation in the present circumstances.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“They are seemingly determined to demonstrate to the developing countries a truth of which Venezuela is already convinced: that significant concessions can be won only from positions of power and that the only form of power in the hands of countries that are producers of raw materials and consumers of industrial products is concerted action and solidarity, as the experience of the oil-producing countries has shown. 93. Such action inspired by solidarity is more forceful and proves to be more effective when the request of justice from the outside world is borne out by a climate of genuine social justice at home. 94. As regards the subject of energy, it is reassuring to observe that there is an increasingly better understanding of the difficult situation in which the international community finds itself.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“We think that a human being cannot be coldly considered in terms of the antagonistic systems which brought about the crystallization of the policy of blocs. 92. We know that political freedom is illusory when there is economic exploitation. So far, regrettably, the efforts we have made as third-world countries to attain a more just situation in our economic relations with the industrialized countries have been frustrated by their short-sightedness and intransigence.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“In that battle there can be no respite for us who, because we are not super-Powers, can ensure our freedom only by our joint effort and with our resolute opposition to the predominance of hegemonies, imperialisms or blocs, which would attempt to suppress our sovereignty and our national identity, as well as our solidarity with and support for all peoples that are striving to acquire, preserve or retrieve their right to freedom, independence and self-determination. Only on this basis will it be possible to solve the conflicts and tensions which in the Middle East, South-East Asia, Africa and anywhere else in the world bar the way for mankind to advance in its quest for peace and the well-being of all. 91.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)
“I therefore consider that our repudiation and condemnation of racism in all its forms must be expressed with added vigour and more categorically than ever, especially against that crime which adds insult to injury by presuming to institutionalize racism as a system, as is happening in South Africa with apartheid. 89. This is also an appropriate occasion to confirm Venezuela's absolute support for the aspirations to freedom and dignity of the peoples of Namibia and Zimbabwe. 90. History has shown us that freedom is rarely a gift; it almost always comes after a constant battle to win it and defend it.”
1979-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 34 (1979)