First of all, Mr. President, I should like to join the Peruvian delegation's heartiest congratulations to those which you have received from other delegations on your election to the high office of President of the United Nations General Assembly. This is a tribute both to your country - the young and vigorous nation of New Zealand - and to your own qualities as a lawyer, diplomat and statesman, and the contribution which you have made to the United Nations over the years.
17. Peru has been associated with the United Nations since the San Francisco Conference, as one of the first adherents to the Atlantic Charter and to the Allied cause, inspired by that Charter’s principles and the legal traditions of Latin America.
18. An important point on our programme has been to bring about the universality of the Organization. After four years' effort, the Committee of Good Offices, established unanimously by the General Assembly [resolution 718 (VIII)] and consisting of the representatives of Egypt and the Netherlands under the chairmanship of the Peruvian representative, succeeded, with the co-operation of many other countries, Canada in particular, in bringing about an agreement on the admission of new Members.
19. On behalf of the Peruvian Government, I should like to express our goodwill towards all those States which have just joined the United Nations, as well as our regret at the absence of Viet-Nam and Korea, whose unification and presence here justice demands.
20. The Peruvian delegation also regrets that it has so far been impossible to arrive at any agreement whereby the unification of Germany can be brought about by means of free elections. We have all watched with hope and admiration the rebuilding of the new Germany under the influence of universalist traditions, along democratic lines and in close co-operation with Western Europe. Our ardent wish to complete the representation of Europe in the United Nations must go unfulfilled until a unified and democratic Germany is welcomed into the Organization.
21. Meanwhile, the presence of new European States as Members of the United Nations opens the way, through those natural ties created by history, shared cultural influences and an identical outlook on life, to that close co-operation between the Latin countries of America and the Latin countries of Europe, which has already been proclaimed as a goal by the President of Peru, Manuel Prado. Very often cultural ties are stronger and more effective than those imposed by geographical proximity and economic relations; similarity of outlook and harmony of ideas and feelings are more likely to facilitate such material relationships than to impede them.
22. The expansion of the membership of the United Nations has coincident with a consolidation of its authority in a number of serious issues which might, because of the conflict of opinion, have compromised the unity of the Western world and the essential harmony of the countries of Africa and Asia. The great Western Powers’ respect for and compliance with the Assembly's decisions not only strengthened our Organization but gave the world a striking illustration of the gradual growth of universal acceptance of the rule of law. We can state without fear of contradiction that the United Nations has succeeded in overcoming with dignity and justice the gravest crisis in its history. Through the devotion and decisiveness displayed by Member States the special emergency sessions were carried through smoothly. The international police force has worked effectively, and we may now hope to see it transformed into a permanent organ of this Organization.
23. We should extend our praises also to the Secretariat, whose chief, Mr. Hammarskjold, with the cooperation of his distinguished assistants, was able to complete amid universal admiration and applause the tremendous task set him by the United Nations. The harmony between the spirit animating all the Members of the United Nations and the decisiveness, skill and devotion of the Secretariat will always be a measure of the effectiveness of our Organization.
24. In contrast with the foregoing, the Soviet Union, with regard to the question of Hungary, has not complied with the Assembly's recommendations which, being based on the explicit terms of the Charter of the United Nations and on treaties signed by the Soviet Union itself, have the character of a legal imperative. The eleventh session of the General Assembly reiterated those recommendations [resolution 1133 (XI)] with the support of public opinion. At the same time, in order to secure their fulfilment, it entrusted Prince Wan Waithayakon, who had directed its labours with such skill, with a task of the utmost importance. The Peruvian Government expresses its sincerest hopes for the success of his mission.
25. The proposed measures to prevent the danger of surprise attack, such as the "open-sky" plan, which places Soviet and United States territory on the same footing as regards the essential safeguard of inspection; the proposal to cease the production of nuclear weapons under adequate inspection, and the suspension of nuclear tests, together with the reduction of conventional armaments, gave reason to hope that we were nearing an agreement on disarmament. At the time when this appeared most probable, the Soviet Union changed its stand and rejected the earlier proposals, thus bringing about a return of international tension and anxiety.
26. Mankind had hoped and is hoping now for disarmament as a matter of vital importance. The arms race may lead to universal suicide. It is not possible forever to check the rash impulses of the thirst for power, or to resist the temptation afforded by technical advances.
27. In accordance with its attitude at previous sessions of the Assembly, the Peruvian delegation will spare no effort to bring about a rapprochement between the positions of the great Powers in order to achieve that mutual agreement which is essential to their own interests as well as to justice and the welfare of mankind.
28. The Peruvian Government has taken an active part in the debates on the covenants designed to facilitate the enforcement of the human rights recognized by international law. Although this work of legal organization has not yet been completed by the United Nations, we note with satisfaction that in some countries, Peru among them, the exercise of human rights and their enforcement and protection are being secured by all measures consistent with the exercise of true democracy.
29. The President of Peru said in a recent statement: “With the same firmness with which I fought against the hegemony of the totalitarian regimes personified by the Axis in the last war, I shall continue the battle, together with the Western nations, for the principles of freedom and respect for human rights”.
30. As regards the technical assistance programmes, the Peruvian Government has pleasure in reaffirming its interest in and support for the work of the United Nations in this field. It likewise expresses its gratitude for the efficient and fruitful way in which these services of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies have contributed to the steady progress of Peru.
31. At the same time we consider that technical cooperation, important though it is, is only one means towards the establishment of economic, social, political and cultural well-being. We must therefore stress as a principal step the urgency of improving the flow of capital into the countries in process of development. With this aim in mind and recognizing the well-known limitations under which rapidly expanding economies must operate, Peru believes that both national and international action are essential to deal with its economic and social problems.
32. As regards national action, Peru has already given examples of its energy and good faith in the political and economic spheres. Under a régime of economic freedom, side by side with one of political freedom, Peruvian production has constantly expanded; investments of foreign capital have increased; industry has made notable advances; the credit position remains sound, and currency has been maintained at the same level for almost ten years. All this has taken place in circumstances far from favourable, including an annual increase in population of more than 2 per cent - one of the highest in the world.
33. We have obeyed the axiom of "self-help" in gaining position we now occupy. However, this position cannot be regarded either as permanent or as offering opportunities for development of a kind calculated to meet all the human problems of the present day in Peru, or the uncertainties of the future. If our country is to solve those problems and at the same time to achieve a justified improvement in the levels of living of a constantly growing population, Peru must have international co-operation in addition to its own already well-tried efforts.
34. How does Peru envisage such complementary action at the international level? In the first place, there is bilateral action which may take the form of an improved interchange of technical knowledge or the provision of credit or capital for worthwhile undertakings or projects in any country. In the case of Peru itself, my Government believes that such bilateral action should be directed primarily towards ensuring that Peruvian export products - which constitute the principal source of national capital formation - should enjoy fair and stable prices on the world market, not subject to irregular fluctuations, and should not be the object of restrictive customs measures which cannot be said to correspond to the legitimate interests of any country.
35. Unless we are to risk disillusionment with all the consequences that may entail, there can be no question of the highly industrialized countries encouraging and persuading investors in primary producing countries to invest their capital in increasing the production of specific materials at times of crisis and need and then, when the need for regular and secure supplies has disappeared, adopting a policy which means the ruin of the producers and the collapse of the local investments made with such great effort to secure the necessary increase in production.
36. In the multilateral field still more remains to be done. In regard to the United Nations programme of action, I should state that the Peruvian delegation still strongly supports the idea of setting up a Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development (SUNFED), since it believes that the demand for capital which may be expected from the under-developed countries would not only absorb private investment but could also benefit greatly from the financial co-operation of an international agency. My country sees no incompatibility between the establishment of SUNFED and the still essential contribution of private capital.
37. As regards SUNFED, it has been pointed out that the great Powers - which would of course be the major contributors - would have difficulty in agreeing to its immediate establishment while the uncertainty of the international situation still compels them to spend so much on armaments. We cannot for a moment disregard the efforts which those countries are making to protect peace, nor can we deny how burdensome it would be for them to assume both obligations at the same time. However, we should not, in an access of pessimism, condemn to indefinite postponement any action by this international body on behalf of SUNFED. Since the Assembly is agreed in principle on the establishment of SUNFED, and since it has on many occasions expressed the desire to bring about an agreement on international disarmament, we might perhaps examine the possibility of establishing a schedule or stage-by- stage programme of simultaneous measures intended to bring about, in a limited and gradual way, both international disarmament and the accumulation of resources for SUNFED.
38. In assessing the work done by the United Nations, two important items should be brought out: firsts the Charter itself which, despite its imperfections, embodies the foundations of international life. Second, the firm intention of the great majority, we might say nearly all the Members of this Assembly, to see the Charter effectively applied. Rather than make an overall revision, which would be very difficult to do as matters stand, we must retain and confirm our decision to apply the Charter in a spirit of progress and understanding.
39. It has rightly been said that the United Nations is not a super-State, a political structure which absorbs national sovereignties. The United Nations is a true family of peoples, constituting a field of contact and consultation where ideas can be exchanged in order to bring about agreements of every kind within the framework of peace and respect for the sovereignty, independence and individuality of all States. There are matters which need to be considered and discussed by the United Nations, in order to prepare the ground and the moral atmosphere for their solution; but there are of course others which require decisions on the part of the United Nations, through its competent organs, in order to safeguard the fundamental interests of peace and justice. In matters of the first kind, the United Nations exercises tremendous moral power because it can centralize, channel and mobilize public opinion. The success of the United Nations depends upon its firm adherence to the fundamental principles of the Charter, its sense of what is timely, and its broad view of the problems arising out of the evolution of mankind. Once again, in politics and in diplomacy, prudence and justice must go hand in hand.
40. To criticism based on partial criteria or the exigencies of exaggerated idealism, the United Nations answers with these twelve years of untiring effort. What would be the state of the world if there had been no United Nations? We could not have replaced it with the old balance of power which meant the uncontrolled supremacy of the great Powers. The United Nations has embodied, as well as the traditionally powerful nations, the precious contributions of the presence and ideals of the young States. This new element will ensure a balance of power, without the selfishness or exclusiveness of the past, which has already played its part in many cases, and will in future, in determining world acceptance of the rule of law.
41. It has been a great honour for me to stand at this rostrum. On stepping down, I offer friendly greetings to my colleagues from all the countries so ably represented here, and pay my tribute to the Organization which has done such fruitful work in the economic, political and humanitarian fields and is our hope for an era of peace and justice which will safeguard the greatest good of the greatest number and freedom for all.