1. Allow me at the outset to express to you, Mr. President, the sincere congratulations of the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic on your election as President of the nineteenth session of the General Assembly. It is a source of great satisfaction to see you presiding in this difficult period of the life of our Organization, at a time when only men of your calibre can steer our deliberations. We consider your election as a great tribute not only to you as a person of high qualities, but also to your country and to the whole continent of emerging Africa. The fact that you are presiding today, only two years after a distinguished fellow African presided over this august Assembly, is an eloquent recognition of the resourcefulness and the ever-increasing role of the African continent.
2. We are in duty bound to express also our appreciation to the outgoing President for the eminent qualities which he displayed during his tenure of office, and which reflected vividly the Latin American tradition of wisdom and deep sense of justice.
3. Moreover, my delegation wishes to reiterate its full confidence and faith in our Secretary-General, whose statesmanship, great sense of responsibility, and devotion to duty have always been a source of inspiration in overcoming great difficulties and serious crises. We express the hope that he will soon completely recover and be with us to resume the duties of his high office.
4. On behalf of the people and Government of Syria, I should like to extend a hearty welcome to the three fellow Member States who have joined our ranks. The admission of Malawi, Zambia, and Malta is a tribute to the heroic struggle of their peoples, who fought valiantly to regain their freedom and independence. We wish them well and look forward to co-operating with them closely and fully.
5. Our joy on the occasion of the admission of these sister States will be enhanced when the other dependent countries take their seats in this hall. We express the hope that the year 1965 will see the elimination of all colonial regimes, down to the last one.
6. The Syrian Arab Republic notes with great satisfaction the triumphal march to freedom and statehood of the many peoples of Africa, Asia and the western hemisphere, since the historic gathering in Bandung ten years ago.
7. As a result of the meeting of minds and spirit of the Asian and African peoples, the national liberation movements in the two continents have gathered great momentum, and the policy of non-alignment and the principles of peaceful coexistence have received great moral support. That policy and those principles have become an accepted code of conduct in international relations, have contributed to the lessening of world tension, and have offered a "programme for peace and international co-operation" [see A/5763] of great significance.
8. The signatories to this programme adopted at the Second Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held in Cairo in October of this year, with the active participation of more than fifty member States from Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa, have taken upon themselves to co-operate fully with the United Nations for the implementation of these lofty principles, As a signatory to this programme, we earnestly commend these principles to the serious consideration of our distinguished colleagues.
9. We believe the principles put forward by this programme can be of great assistance in finding solutions to the problems which confront our Organization. Decolonization, respect for the right of peoples to self-determination, racial discrimination, and the policy of apartheid are vital issues which were discussed at length by the conference of non-aligned countries. Numerous resolutions have been adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations with respect to these questions, and world public opinion is becoming increasingly impatient with the slow implementation, or the non-implementation of these resolutions.
10. It is our duty as united and individual nations to do our utmost to expedite decolonization everywhere in the world. We believe that the continuation of the hated colonial rule in Angola, Mozambique, Southern Rhodesia, South West Africa, Southern Arabia, Oman and elsewhere, is an insult to the dignity of man. The time has come to put an end to the appalling suffering of the subjugated peoples. It is lamentable to see the colonial Powers ignore the wind of change which is sweeping through the old and new continents. The peoples of the world can no longer be expected to tolerate the continued subjugation and the untold sufferings of their fellow men.
11. In this respect, it is worth mentioning the commendable work being performed by the Committee of Twenty-Four, which has been entrusted with the liquidation of colonialism. My country, which takes particular pride in participating in the activities of that Committee, expresses the hope that it will complete its task at the earliest possible date, and that it will also examine the situation prevailing in some territories still subject to colonial rule and practices such as Oman.
12. The non-aligned countries have, on various occasions, considered the questions of general and complete disarmament, the peaceful uses of atomic energy, the prohibition of all nuclear tests, the prevention of the dissemination of nuclear weapons and the abolition of all such weapons. For many years, these vital issues have been discussed at the United Nations, by the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament at Geneva, and by the parties concerned. My delegation wishes to associate itself with previous speakers who have expressed their concern for the lack of genuine and substantial progress in this field. We believe that the partial progress has fallen short of the expectations of mankind for a world free from fear and want.
13. The astronomical sums of money spent on armaments could have been put to a better use had they been devoted to feed the hungry, cure the sick, and create a healthier environment in which to live. In this connexion, we whole-heartedly support the proposal put forward for the cr evening of a world-wide conference on disarmament, at the highest level, to discuss the question of the complete banning and destruction of nuclear weapons, with a view to reaching an agreement on the renunciation of the use of these weapons.
14. The peoples of the world, desiring the maintenance of peace, eager to achieve disarmament and to ban nuclear weapons, are profoundly disturbed by the persistent conspiring and manoeuvring of the colonialists, imperialists and neo-colonialists. What is taking place in South-East Asia, Southern Arabia, Oman, the Congo, Cyprus and elsewhere constitutes a serious threat, not only to the stability of those areas, but also to the tranquillity and peace of the whole world. It is our sacred duty to raise our voice in condemnation of the use of force by colonial and imperialist Powers against the independence and territorial integrity of the emerging nations.
15. This Assembly should also warn against the bad counsel of those who advocate the use of force in furthering national interests and attaining major goals of policy,, In fact, the new and sophisticated pattern of intervention which we are witnessing in the Congo today, if it continues unexposed and unchecked, could be repeated with impunity any time and anywhere in the world.
16. The representatives who preceded me have drawn a disquieting picture of the situation prevailing in the Congo. We cannot remain indifferent to what is taking place there, for the struggle for peace and liberation is one and indivisible. The emerging nations, therefore, must join hands with the peace-loving countries of the world in condemning aggression whenever and wherever it may take place and in preventing its recurrence.
17. Turning now to the Middle East, I shall endeavour to outline the cuases of turmoil in which our region has been plunged since the creation of Israel. When the colonial and imperialist Powers realized that the struggle for liberation in the Arab nation was bound to triumph, they conspired with international Zionism to create an artificial State and a hotbed of tension in the Middle East. The wealth of the Arab land, its oil resources and its strategic position are basic factors to be taken into account for the proper and accurate assessment of this problem.
18. Israel, by the very nature of Zionism, an aggressive, exclusive and discriminatory movement, cannot associate itself with the. main stream of national liberation movements in the world; Zionism and Israel, as a matter of fact, are more akin to apartheid, colonialist and neo-colonialist policies and practices. Once this background of the Zionist State is brought to light and exposed, the close identity of Israel with imperialism unfolds itself to the eyes of the outside world. This equally explains the organic link between Israel, South Africa and Portugal, despite some belated Israel attitudes tending to conceal this basic identity.
19. Since representatives are sufficiently familiar with the tragedy of Palestine, I do not intend to go into the historical developments of this question, which is a classical example of colonialism unparalleled in modern history. To our knowledge, there is no precedent resembling the plight of the Palestine people, who were uprooted from their homeland by the sheer use of brutal force and replaced by an alien community assembled from the four corners of the world. Recent history has shown that imperialist outposts, be they Israel, Aden or Ascension Island, have been used as a springboard for aggression against the vital interests of the peoples of Asia and Africa. The continued existence of these outposts constitutes a permanent hindrance to the progress and healthy development of the emerging nations.
20. When the Arab countries insist on the restoration to the Palestine people of their lawful and inalienable rights, it is because the issue is first and foremost a problem of colonial injustice, and a national liberation struggle against a continuous aggression and the foreign military occupation sustained from outside by powerful political support and colossal military and financial aid. We trust that the gravity of this situation, in its true dimensions, will not escape the attention of all peoples who have attained independence after a bitter struggle, as well as that of all peace-loving countries in the world.
21. It is worth recalling in this respectthe resolution adopted by the second conference of non-aligned countries held in Cairo, which reads as follows: "The Conference condemns the imperialistic policy pursued in the Middle East and, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, decides to: "(1) Endorse the full restoration of all the rights of the Arab people of Palestine to their homeland, and their inalienable right to self-determination; "(2) Declare their full support to the Arab people of Palestine in their struggle for liberation from colonialism and racism." [A/5763, section I.] This resolution clearly demonstrates the ever- increasing awareness of a great number of countries < of the true nature of the Palestine problem.
22. As regards the struggle of the peoples of Oman, Aden and the protectorates, and the other national liberation movements in the southern and eastern parts of the Arabian Peninsula, it is to be noted that the conference of non-aligned countries condemned the continued presence of foreign troops and military bases in those territories, and called for their withdrawal and liquidation. The conference equally called for the free exercise by these peoples of their right to self- determination, an essential principle of the United Nations Charter.
23. We appeal to this Assembly to condemn the continued colonialist regimes and to urge the immediate implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations. We believe that all necessary political, moral and material assistance should be rendered to these national liberation movements in their just struggle against colonial rule. Such assistance would be in full conformity with the provisions of the Charter, and would contribute to the creation of the conditions of stability and well-being necessary to ensure peaceful relations based on the right of peoples of self- determination, to the attainment of which our Organi za- tion and various regional groupings are working untiringly.
24. The Arab countries, animated by this spirit of international co-operation, and as a positive contribution to the efforts exerted by the United Nations in this regard, have endeavoured in recent years to mobilize their resources and to harness their potentialities for the political, social and economic development of their countries.
25. We are happy to note, in this connexion, that the League of Arab States, which was established in 1945 as the expression of this concerted action, is moving steadily towards the achievement of the political, social and economic aspirations of the Arab nations. These peaceful and constructive aspirations are fully reflected in the resolutions which were adopted by the two Arab summit conferences held recently in Cairo.
26. Since it has become customary at the United Nations that Member States review, during the general debate, the problems confronting them and assess the progress ' achieved by their countries, I deem it fit to highlight very briefly the political, social and economic progress achieved by the Syrian Arab Republic.
27. My country, like many other developing countries, was left with a heavy legacy of problems which necessitated a rapid and radical solution. After many trials, Syria has chosen the socialist pattern of society as the best means to solve its problems, and to achieve social justice based on an equitable redistribution of its wealth and equal opportunities for all its citizens.
28. As a measure stemming from this policy, and aimed at the full and optimum utilization of our resources, the public ownership of the basic means of production and major public utilities was decreed. A programme of land utilization and land reform was put into effect. Various measures were taken to make credits for agricultural development and co-operative societies more readily available, as a means of coupling social justice with economic productivity. To ensure an optimum and adequate financing of development projects, both in the private and public sectors, commercial banks were nationalized. Another set of measures was also adopted to increase and diversify Syria's trade relations with other countries. The subsequent increase in hard currency is being devoted to broadening and strengthening the industrial structure of our economy.
29. In the field of education, Syria is making great strides in developing its educational institutions and improving their quality, with particular emphasis on vocational training in agriculture and industry.
30. In the social field, reference should be made to the progressive legislation enacted to give maximum guarantees to protect, the working class, and to allow full participation of the various labour unions in the economic and political life of the country. Labour and management are further encouraged to harmonize their interests for their mutual benefit and the overriding interests of the country.
31. Syria is determined to play its full role in the quest for the attainment of Arab unity, socialism, freedom and justice, the main goals of our national struggle.
32. One of the basic economic problems facing our Organization is the great disparity between the developing and the highly industrialized countries. In this respect, credit should be given to our Secretary- General for having, on many occasions, stressed this basic and alarming fact.
33. The United Nation Conference on Trade and Development, held this year in Geneva, was a major historical event. It was the first opportunity afforded the developing countries on an international level to press the highly industrialized countries for solutions to their trade problems. The results of this conference, however, fruitful as they are, do not fulfil all the expectations of the developing countries, for the following reasons.
34. First', the recommendation on international commodity arrangements, the removal of obstacles and the expansion of trade, states, among other things, that the highly industrialized countries should eliminate, by 1970, all trade barriers confronting exports from developing countries. We believe, however, that 1970 is too far away, and we would like to see an earlier date specified.
35. Secondly, it is unfortunate that the highly industrialized countries did not make it possible for the conference to adopt a compensatory finance scheme, like the development insurance scheme, which would compensate developing countries for short-term declines in their export earnings.
36. Thirdly, it is also to be regretted that the two recommendations on the gradual transformation of the Special Fund and the initiation of operations of the Capital Development Fund were not unanimously adopted.
37. These are a few examples of the unfulfilled expectations of the developing countries. It is to be hoped that what the conference failed to achieve in Geneva will be realized by the Trade and Development Board and by the next conference.
38. In conclusion, my delegation would like once more to stress Syria's deep and unshakable faith in the principles and high ideals of the United Nations. We have consistently upheld the strengthening of the authority of the United Nations in the face of the formidable pressure to which it has been subjected. In our view, the United Nations remains the hope of the international community and, in particular, of the small nations, for the maintenance of international peace and security based on justice and the rule of law. We believe that the United Nations should become the forum for the discussion and peaceful settlement of all international disputes. Any attempt to by-pass the Organization, to weaken its authority, or to adulterate its functions and objectives, should be strongly resisted and opposed by all.
39. This is why we are deeply concerned with the difficulties facing our Organization at the present time. We therefore earnestly hope that the serious efforts being made, with the active participation of our distinguished and able Secretary-General, will be successful, so that our Organization will continue to play its indispensable role in the service of mankind.
40. My country is of the firm belief that the efforts which our Organization is called upon to exert in this direction will not bear all their fruits unless the legitimate seat of China at the United Nations is restored to the People's Republic of China. It is our conviction that the United Nations cannot persist in ignoring that great country, whose population represents one-fifth of mankind. There are a number of issues of vital importance to the international community which cannot be resolved without the active participation of China. The presence of the People’s Republic of China, a country of outstanding heritage of culture and civilization, and long experience in international affairs, in our midst, will greatly enrich our Organization and enhance its work. We express the hope that this vital question will be settled in the course of the nineteenth session of the General Assembly.
41. My delegation considers that one of the principal means of strengthening the authority and action of the international Organization would be the enlargement of the principal organs, following the considerable increase in the membership of the United Nations and the necessity of ensuring the appropriate representation of the newly independent States. Such an enlargement, which was recommended by the General Assembly at its previous session [resolutions 1991 (XVIII), should be put into effect as soon as possible, so as to redress the present inequitable and unbalanced situation.
42. My delegation would like to avail itself of this opportunity to stress once more its complete readiness to co-operate fully with the various organs of the Organization, and to contribute with all the means at its disposal to the success of the present session. My country attaches the utmost importance to all measures whereby the maintenance of international peace and security based on justice and the rule of law would be ensured. It would not spare any effort for the attainment of this highly cherished ideal for the benefit of mankind.