The nations speak: general debate, 1986.

Each year, the General Assembly conducts its annual "general debate", during which Member States express their views on the full range of problems on the world agenda.

During the 1986 general debate, (22 September-10 October) 149 speakers came to the Assembly podium, among them, 19 Heads of State and Government, 7 Deputy Prime Ministers, 1 Vice-Chancellor and 103 Foreign Ministers.

The majority of speakers from all regions of the world expressed concern over the United Nations financial crisis and the need for reform of the Organization's functioning; the growing arms race, the threat of nuclear war and the urgent need for disarmament measures; the state of East-West relations; tense situations in southern Africa and the Middle East; and the continuing international economic crisis.

The consequences of the Organization's present financial crisis was a dominant theme. "We must now find solutions that ensure a sound financial basis for the United Nations", Swedish Foreign Minister Sten Andersson said.

Singapore Foreign Minister Suppiah Dhanabalan called the money needed to support the United Nations for one year - in 1987, some $735 million - "just a drop in the ocean compared to the world's combined income of about $ 13 trillion", more accurately "it is only 0.006 per cent of that income" he stated. "If our world is not able to squeeze out this small amount to keep the United Nations functioning, it is a clear sign that the international community has lost faith in the United Nations."

|An excellent foundation . . .'

Broad support was given the 71 recommendations of the Group of High-level Intergovernmental Experts to Review the Efficiency of the Administrative and Financial Functioning of the United Nations (the Group of 18), aimed at streamlining the Organization. The need for States to fulfil their financial obligations under the Charter as an international treaty was underlined.

Barbados Foreign Minister J. Cameron Tudor said the report of the Group of 18 "represents an excellent foundation on which to develop a series of reforms with a view to cutting the fat, tightening the belt, firming the muscle and generally improving the health of the Organization".

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Petar Mladenov observed: "Today we are all responsible for keeping alive and consolidating trust in the United Nations, which like a living organism develops and breathes in a changing political climate."

Disarmament continued as another major concern of almost every nation, as did the state of East-West relations. United States President Ronald Reagan said that exchanges between the United States and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1986 might well have marked "the beginning of serious, productive negotiation on arms reduction". Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze said his country was ready "at any time and anywhere" to sign a total nuclear-weapons test ban, and to make "realistic concessions" on reduction of strategic offensive weapons and medium-range missiles.

Support was voiced for the latest five-continent initiative for halting the arms race, launched by the Heads of State or Government of Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden and the United Republic of Tanzania at Ixtapa, Mexico in August 1986. An end to the militarization of space was asked for. Western nations tended to stress the need for verification in disarmament measures. Eastern States underscored the importance of measures to strengthen global and regional peace and security.

|Progress for millions . . .'

The link between disarmament and development, the subject of an international conference to be held in New York under United Nations auspices (August/September 1987), was cited. Cypriot President Spyros Kyprianou said that the level of global military spending was more than $900 billion annually, a fraction of which "if devoted to development would lead to the realization of economic and social progress for millions", he added.

A number of speakers described activities in their countries during the observance of the International Year of Peace in 1986. Some speakers said that the occasion provided by the Year presented a unique opportunity to all Member States to reaffirm their support for and dedication to Charter purposes and principles.

Almost every speaker focused on the various economic problems plaguing the international community. The Group of 77 developing nations were preoccupied with their bleak economic situations, citing structural imbalances in the world economy and the widening gap between North and South - rich and poor countries.

|Factors hampering development . . .'

Factors hampering development efforts of third world countries included: intensified protectionism, sharply declining prices of commodity exports, deterioration in the terms of trade, rising interest rates and a growing debt burden. The reverse transfer of resources, from the developing countries to the developed countries, was viewed as another major factor having a negative impact on developing countries. Calls were made for the establishment of a new international economic order. The current economic situation made the launching of global negotiations on international economic co-operation for development particularly urgent, it was stated.

Africa's continuing continent-wide economic crisis, its massive refugee problem, and the situation in southern Africa, including independence for Namibia and the end of apartheid, were also discussed. A large number of speakers called for the immediate imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against South Africa, the immediate and unconditional release of Nelson Mandela and other imprisoned political prisoners, and the lifting of the ban on black political parties. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Goshu Wolde said: Much as the Pretoria Foreign had never seriously entertained the idea of leaving Namibia, it would be foolhardy to expect that regime to evict itself from Namibia when the most powerful nations in the West give it the assurance, loud and clear, that its refusal to implement the provisions of Security Council resolution 435 (1978) entails no retaliatory enforcement measures."

Calls were made for peace in the Middle East and support expressed for a negotiated settlement as the only means of resolving the situation. There was broad agreement that a just and lasting peace in the region must be based on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories; acknowledgement of and respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all regional States and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries; and a satisfactory solution of the Palestinian problem based on the recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including self-determination. Widespread support was expressed for holding an international conference on the Middle East. The deteriorating situation in war-torn Lebanon, with its consequent negative impact on the work of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was referred to. Grave concern was expressed over the worsening of the six-year-old Iran-Iraq war. The use of chemical weapons and the escalation of attacks on shipping in the Gulf were condemned and an immediate cease-fire was urged.

Terrorism

vehemently condemned

Terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, was vehemently condemned by many speakers as a serious menace to the international community. International terrorism was described by a number of speakers as a crime against humanity. A number of speakers, while condemning terrorist attacks against the innocent, stressed the need for drawing a distinction between terrorism and the legitimate right of the oppressed peoples to national liberation struggle. "State terrorism" was mentioned by some speakers.

There was widespread concern over continuing tensions in Afghanistan and Kampuchea. Calls were made for the withdrawal of foreign troops from those countries and for respecting the right of self-determination of those peoples. The need for a solution of the Cyprus problem was stressed by many speakers, who supported the island's unity, independence, territorial integrity and non-aligned status. Speakers called for the reunification of Korea through peaceful negotiations. Serious concern was expressed at the tense situation in Central America, as was wholehearted support for peace efforts of the Contadora Group. There was a widespread call to stop all intervention in the region and wide support for a negotiated political settlement of the problem. The continuing need to deal with the problems of drug abuse and illicit trafficking was stressed.

Self-determination and independence for the people of East Timor was called for by some speakers. A number of speakers said the proposed United Nations conference to make the Indian Ocean a zone of peace should be convened not later than 1988. Calls were made for a negotiated settlement of the Falkland Islands dispute, and for preserving the South Atlantic as an area of peace and co-operation.

At the conclusion of the general debate, General Assembly President Choudhury said he had been impressed by the "widespread recognition of the fact that our Organization faces a critical time and that Members must face the current challenge with seriousness of purpose and determination to ensure that this session leads to a more effective, credible and useful instrument to advance the purposes of the Charter".

African States

The deteriorating situation in southern Africa and a lack of progress towards the independence of Namibia were among the main themes cited by the speakers from the African region.

Continued and increased international assistance to Africa was urged, especially in the context of the adoption in June by the General Assembly's thirteenth special session of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery, 1986-1990. The...