Eastern European States: toward peaceful restructuring ... free of ideological prejudice.

• Position: State-of-the-world review - The Nations Speak

International security and cooperation, disarmament and European security were dominant themes in statements by representatives of the Eastern European States. Ways to enhance the role and efficiency of the UN, solve regional conflicts, protect the environment, overcome imbalances in the world economy and establish equitable economic relations among States were other pre-eminent concerns.

Most speakers said they were heartened by what they saw as a diminished threat of a nuclear war, the continued development of an East-West dialogue, a steady improvement in Soviet-United States relations and progress towards solution of various regional conflicts. However, a few speakers warned against complacency, citing the continuing arms race, persistence of several regional "hot spots" and aggravation of global problems.

Detente is far from being universal as wars are still being waged in many parts of the world", noted Janez Drnovsek, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia. "Political detente along East-West lines has not been followed by economic detente along North-South lines. The process of the pauperization of the South is continuing."

The need to consolidate positive changes in world politics and make them irreversible was stressed. Calls were made for peaceful restructuring of relations between States, for their democratization, demilitarization and humanization. Those renewed relations, speakers said, should be free of ideological prejudice and be based on the recognition of the supremacy of universal human values, the principle of freedom of choice and the primacy of international law.

Most speakers stressed the need to abandon old, stereotyped notions of security and to take non-traditional and non-confrontational approaches.

Many speakers felt that in a world of growing interdependence, where political, military, economic, environmental and humanitarian problems were closely interrelated, the international community could solve them only by acting jointly and in a comprehensive way.

There was general agreement that the UN could and should assume a more active role in the maintenance of international peace and security and the solution of regional conflicts and global problems. Wide support was given to activating the Organization's potential for preventing possible armed conflicts. A few speakers stressed the need to enhance the United Nations law-making capacity, to strengthen the role of international law and to bring national...