U OHN expressed his country’s gratitude for the opportunity given to the youngest Member of the Organization to address the Assembly. The Assembly was the most democratic body, in which the old and the new and the big and the small Members were equal and in which, at this moment when the world was once more at the crossroads of war and peace, it was the duty of every State to bring its modest contribution. It was for that reason that the Burmese delegation, therefore, felt impelled to take part in the debate.
Although some might be beginning to doubt the effectiveness of the United Nations to preserve world peace and to maintain co-operation among nations, Burma still had and always would have faith in the United Nations. It was the only organization of its kind in existence capable of helping the world at that momentous transition in its history.
Was it fair to blame an instrument of unity like that Organization when its Members could not make it work because of their own faulty approach? It was very easy to proclaim their acceptance of the obligations of the Charter, but less easy to realize that ideal.
Burma had faith in the principles of the Charter and consequently accepted a code of conduct and duty governing its intercourse with other nations. It solemnly pledged itself to abide by the Charter and to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations. Its policy was to work for the maintenance of world peace and well-being, under the auspices of the United Nations and in collaboration with all its Members, near and far.
He hoped that there would be no misunderstanding in that matter. Not long ago the Burmese Prime Minister, the Honourable Thakin Nu, had made a similar pronouncement to the effect that he wanted his country to be on friendly terms with both the Western and the Eastern democracies. He had been falsely accused of wanting to link Burma with one block or another. Perhaps some Members might like to know to which block Burma really belonged, since it bad become the fashion to speculate on matters of that kind at international gatherings.
Burma belonged to only one block: the United Nations — and worked for and with the Big Four for the great principles of peace, security, justice and welfare.
Burma was undergoing the growing pains of a newly re-born nation. The crowded and painful events connected with foreign domination and the invasions that had preceded that rebirth had naturally left their marks. To overcome these difficulties, Burma was drawing on what was best in its heritage and culture, and adapting those political and economic ideas from abroad which suited its conditions and needs. It thus hoped to become one of the best organized democracies in the world, and a worthy Member of the United Nations.
Having recently been liberated from colonialism, Burma naturally shared the sentiments expressed by that great American, Abraham Lincoln, when he said: «No nation has the right to rule another». So long as one people subjugated another by force or otherwise, there could be no true peace. Hence, while taking account of the work done by the Trusteeship and other Councils, Burma appealed to Members of the Assembly to help deliver from bondage those subject nations, such as Indonesia and Indo-China, which were showing in no uncertain terms their desire to be free.
He believed that what was happening in parts of South East Asia was in some measure due to frustrated nationalism. Nationalism, of course, was not enough, but it was only on the foundation of national freedom that internationalism could be developed.
Asia today needed the help of Europe and the United Nations. New national States were re-emerging in Asia, and the problem facing them was whether they should follow the path that European States had trodden since the sixteenth century: the path of wars between neighbours, which twice in a lifetime had resulted in world wars.
Another problem was that of industrialization and economic development — the raising of the standard of living of millions of men and women in that part of the world. Burma, which was a granary of the rice-eating peoples, realized its responsibility in that respect and was doing everything in its power, unaided, to restore an economy upset by the Second World War.
Burma, which was one of the most war-devastated lands, had never received UNRRA aid. Perhaps it was too late to ask for that kind of help, since UNRRA no longer existed, but it hoped to receive the reparations it needed and which were its due.
Through the President, Burma had asked the interested Powers to reserve it a seat at the conference table when the peace treaty with Japan was negotiated.
He hoped it would not seem presumptuous for a new Member of the United Nations to make the following suggestions before leaving the rostrum.
First, the question of how to maintain world peace should be given top priority in the Assembly’s agenda. A beginning should be made by passing a resolution, re-affirming the principles of the Charter as embodied in the Preamble, that all the Member nations gathered at the third session of the United Nations General Assembly earnestly and sincerely desired peace, and that they would on no account go to war with one another.
Such a resolution, if truly believed and practised, would dispel doubt and despair in the hearts of mankind and would be a torch of hope for humanity.
Burma, as a small nation, was very much concerned with the maintenance of peace because it knew that inevitably the quarrels of the big Powers brought disaster to it and that the small nations always became a battlefield.
The adoption of such a resolution at the very start of the conference might dispel doubts and fears and suspicions among all Member nations and so avert the quarrels resulting from mutual accusations, vetoing and lobbying for votes. In such an atmosphere there would be give- and- take among all representatives and thereby international co-operation based on mutual understanding, sympathy and friendship would be established. Then, people would no longer have to worry about who should be admitted as a Member and who should not be, because in that state of affairs, the more Members, the greater the solidarity.
Secondly, there should be regional councils for peace and security. That idea was not new, because a subsidiary organization of the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, had already made similar arrangements. In that way, if parts of the world enjoyed peace, then the whole world would benefit; and even if war should break out in a particular region, it would probably not spread to neighbouring regions.
He prayed that the third session of the United Nations General Assembly might not be a failure, but that, on the contrary, it might settle all the pressing problems of the time, in particular, the issue of peace and war.