The delegation of Chile associates itself with all the delegations which have congratulated Mr. Boland on the distinction conferred upon him by his election as President of our fifteenth session of the General Assembly, His election is a well-deserved tribute to the personal qualities which he has displayed during his long experience as a diplomat and in the United Nations. That Ireland, the country which he represents, shares in his distinction is a source of satisfaction to us, since we maintain friendly relations with that country based on long-standing historical ties dating from the time of our political emancipation. His election to such a distinguished office ensures a very high level in the conduct of our debates and justifies the hope that this will be a successful session.
55. First of all I should like to express once again to all nations of the world the sincere gratitude of the people and Government of Chile for the effective and timely assistance we were given after the catastrophe of May 1960 which devastated a large part of our country. The human solidarity so unselfishly and generously expressed at the time of the disaster moved us profoundly and we shall never forget such eloquent demonstrations of friendship. It was the greatest encouragement to us to face our misfortune with fortitude and it now inspires us to hope that it will prove capable of overcoming all the difficulties existing between the brother nations of the world.
56. As soon as the immediate and urgent relief measures for the victims of the disaster had been applied, with all the economic and administrative resources at our disposal, the Government of Chile drew up a vast rehabilitation programme to mobilize the national effort. International and private institutions, as well as the technical government agencies, collaborated in the preparation of the programme, which anticipated the action of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. We acknowledge with gratitude that both the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) and the Economic and Social Council gave us wholehearted support, thus fulfilling in respect of our country the objectives and purposes of the United Nations as laid down in Articles 55 and 62 of the Charter.
57. The Government of the United States, too, has decided to grant Chile financial assistance amounting to $100 million for the work of reconstruction we have undertaken. I am pleased once again to express our profound and sincere gratitude for this assistance. I should like to add that Chile hopes to prove worthy of your assistance and understanding and to complete as rapidly as possible the vast task it has set itself by combining the work of reconstruction with its national economic development plans, the only means whereby it will be able to recover completely.
58. We extend our brotherly greetings and the most cordial welcome to the new States which have just been admitted to the United Nations. Chile appreciates to the full the significance of this formal recognition of their political independence, which constitutes a truly historical event. Although the emancipation process is not yet complete in Africa, we hope that before long other States will follow their example and will also be able to join the United Nations, thus enabling us to reach our common end, which is universality.
59. In all fairness we should recognize the part played by the great Powers in making this auspicious event possible and should also bear in mind the unremitting efforts made by the United Nations, through all its organs. The memoranda submitted to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General, his many reports and the indefatigable energy displayed by the United Nations technical organs all bear the stamp of an unimpeachable determination to put an end to the colonial domination to which a great part of the vast African continent has been subjected.
60. The struggle of the countries of Latin America for independence was quite different. In spite of the genius of its leaders and the will of its peoples it was barely possible to achieve any unity of action in that great undertaking. A century and a half ago transport and communications did not permit the easy everyday contacts available to the people of today, nor was there the solidarity of world effort which is now evident.
61. Nevertheless the problems which the new States will have to face are not so very different from those engaging the attention of the Latin American countries. The similarity of our problems and difficulties should make it clear to them that they may count on our understanding and our deep respect.
62. Accession to independence does not, however, put an end to the aspirations of peoples, who have to reach the stage of economic and social progress necessary for the full enjoyment of their sovereignty. Self-determination entails for them, as members of the international community, not only the right to participate in the efforts of that community but also the obligations incumbent on Member States.
63. We are convinced that the newly independent States will realize the necessity, from every point of view, of international co-operation and of strengthening and supporting the structure of the United Nations.
64. The unhappy crisis which the Congo is experiencing arose during the first days of its independent life. In facing the realities of the situation it appealed for help to the United Nations, which promptly responded by undertaking an operation of vast dimensions, the greatest it has been called upon to carry out in the fifteen years of its existence. Unfortunately, the initial confusion which still prevails in the Republic, the absence of clearly defined authority and the political influences at work to introduce the cold war into the Congo question gave rise to violent incidents which engaged the constant attention of the Security Council. When an attempt was made to call into question the impartiality with which the United Nations force acted and even to put the blame directly on the Secretary-General himself, such charges were invalidated by the support given to the Secretary-General by the Security Council. Although the veto prevented the adoption of the relevant resolution in the Security Council, the General Assembly, in its emergency special session, maintained the same position without a single opposing vote by its resolution 1474 (ES-IV).
65. We are happy to state that in contributing to the adoption of the resolution in the General Assembly my delegation wished to express the support and respect which Mr. Hammarskjold deserves for his patient, strenuous, resolute and sustained efforts to interpret faithfully the principles and decisions of the United Nations, which has made it possible for the United Nations to refrain from taking sides in the internal strife in the Congo.
66. Although the Congolese crisis is not yet over we are satisfied that much bloodshed has been avoided and there is every prospect of normal conditions being restored in the new State, all of which will enhance the prestige and influence of the United Nations and its most notable organs and representatives.
67. International tension, which last year decreased encouragingly as a result of the visits exchanged by Chiefs of State and prominent world statesmen and the unanimous resolutions adopted by the General Assembly at its fourteenth session on disarmament [1378 (XIV)] and on the suspension of nuclear tests [1402 (XIV)] began to mount again as a result of the failure of the Conference of the Heads of the Four Powers in Paris in May 1960. There were further unfortunate episodes, regarding which the Security Council had to take decisions, and more recently the Congo crisis to which I have just referred. Following on such episodes we saw the sudden suspension of the work of the Ten Nation Disarmament Committee in Geneva, the stagnation of the Conference on the discontinuance of Nuclear Weapons Tests and the slow and difficult progress of the talks on that subject.
68. This is the sombre and unpromising background against which the present session of the General Assembly has begun its work, with attention focused upon it as never before by the attendance of many Chiefs of State, Heads of Governments, prominent Foreign Ministers and distinguished world statesmen.
69. Their presence and the views we have heard them express are clear indications of the universal confidence placed in the United Nations, which is recognized by all to be the highest and most appropriate forum for discussing, in an atmosphere of democratic equality, the most important and decisive questions on which the hopes and fears of all peoples of the world are concentrated.
70. On this solemn occasion Chile wishes to reaffirm its unshakable loyalty to the principles of the San Francisco Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, since the respect and observance of those principles, to which we all have subscribed, must, with the active collaboration of Member States, lead to a better future for mankind.
71. In the light of our common aim of maintaining peace and security in the world, the question of disarmament clearly takes priority.
72. The world is not only discouraged by the ill-feeling that prevails but deeply disturbed by the fearful and threatening spectre of tragic events presaged by the tremendous power of increasingly destructive atomic weapons. Man is even driven to doubt his own intelligence, in spite of the immense scientific progress, exceeding his wildest dreams, which permits him to penetrate outer space and the planets with satellites and instruments to collect observations on the earth, moon, and stellar space.
73. Lack of understanding must not be accepted as the normal pattern of coexistence. To reap the disastrous results of the period of instability and permanent insecurity in which we live it is not necessary to reach the point of actual conflagration.
74. Hence, although disarmament depends largely on the great Powers, all countries, whether large, medium-sized or small, are equally concerned in preventing not only the final disaster but the continuance of the alarming armaments race.
75. We must, if we are co be sincere, point out the difficult and complex nature of our task which, although not an impossible one, requires patience, perseverance and above all good faith. Let us bear in mind that hasty decisions are seldom exempt from error. The Emperor Augustus used to repeat the maxim "festina lente". or "make haste slowly". Let us be content with modest achievements, seeking, not high-sounding phrases, but the effectiveness of the less spectacular but useful agreements which allow of further progress. Such might be our recommendation that the interrupted talks should be resumed between the great political leaders of the strongest peoples in the world. Something to that effect was decided upon last August by our Disarmament Commission. Let us take one step further and continue to seek a solution of this undoubtedly difficult problem.
76. Let us declare that peaceful coexistence cannot be reconciled with invective and recriminations. Let us reject the dilemmas which impassioned orators would impose upon us, as also the reduction of many- sided problems to simplified formulae, useful for propaganda purposes but inadequate for an effective solution of the problem.
77. Let us not merely talk about coexistence, let us practise it. It would perhaps be helpful to abandon the unsuitable terminology still being used by those who have taken their stand in opposing ideological camps. That recommendation was put forward during the July session of the Economic and Social Council in Geneva by Mr. Luns, the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs, and was seconded by the Chilean delegation. We are happy to note that Mr. Macmillan, the distinguished Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has reached the same conclusion [877th meeting].
78. There is one point on which we are all agreed, which might be summed up by saying that material disarmament must be preceded by a kind of moral disarmament, which would reflect our sincere desire for peace, the supreme ideal of human society and the corner-stone of the San Francisco Charter.
79. It has been recalled in this debate that many aspects of the work achieved in that direction by the League of Nations and later by the United Nations have received unanimous support. We should put those points into practice at once, without waiting for any broader identity of views,
80. During the course of this fifteenth session of the Assembly we have heard opinions which give some grounds for hope. If the United Nations is the supreme forum for negotiation, let us bring to it all the disagreements which divide peoples, in the certainty that they will here find the most just and fitting settlement,
81. Let us encourage every effort to bring the blessings of final peace to the peoples of the East, the Middle East and Europe and to put an end to the conflicts in Africa, for it is our joint efforts which, in the end, will produce the answer for which the world is waiting, the auspicious message which will bring to all peoples the assurance that they will be able to live in freedom from the threat of war and to work resolutely, inconstantly improving conditions, to prepare a better tomorrow for their children and for the generations to come.
82. Chile is prepared to join in any decision based on those considerations. It has demonstrated that by its sincere and exemplary active co-operation in the work of the United Nations. Further proof is to be found in the efforts of President Alessandri to obtain a limitation of armaments in Latin America, Last year the Secretariat circulated to all delegations the text of his proposal, which is the best proof of the peaceful trend of our foreign policy. It is pointed out in the proposal that the consequences of the armaments race bear more heavily on the weak countries, like Chile, which are forced, against their will, to spend huge sums of money on acquiring armaments when that money could be used to better effect in meeting their urgent and immediate needs. In substance, the aim is to release considerable financial resources in many countries, which would increase the funds devoted to economic and social development in Latin America.
83. Although the initiative of Mr. Alessandri, the President of Chile, received enthusiastic support, nothing positive has come of it so far. It was decided, at the seventh meeting of Consultation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of OEA, held at San Jose, Costa Rica, to transmit the proposal to OEA with the recommendation "... that it continue to consider with the greatest interest and urgency the necessary measures for the convocation, as soon as possible, of a specialized conference on the subject". I appeal to the delegations of our sister Republics in the continent to try to obtain the support of their respective Governments for this idea, which would undoubtedly bring very great advantages.
84. I am pleased to add that the Government of Chile, showing once again its scrupulous respect for the obligations laid down in Article 33 of the Charter and for the provisions of various bilateral or collective treaties which are in force under our regional system, has concluded with the Argentine Republic an agreement to submit its border problems with that sister nation to legal arbitration for a peaceful settlement.
85. We wish to reaffirm our confidence in the effectiveness of regional systems for the maintenance of international peace and security, as provided for in Article 52 of the Charter. Such regional agencies act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The Organization of American States (OEA) carries out that important task in America.
86. Numerous Pan-American conferences have worked out a comprehensive system of agreements and treaties for mutual defence and for the maintenance of peace in our continent. The Meetings of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs called by OAS have produced noteworthy results such as the Declarations of Santiago, Chile in 1959 and of San José, Costa Rica in 1960.
87. Voicing the general aspiration of the American peoples to live in peace, under the protection of democratic institutions and free from any intervention or totalitarian influence, the twenty-one Foreign Ministers of the American Republics solemnly signed the Declaration of Santiago, Chile, which was approved at the Fifth Meeting of Consultation of Foreign Ministers. In it, they stated the principles and attributes of the American democratic system, declaring that it consisted substantially in submission to the rule of law, with separation of powers; the choosing of Governments by free elections; respect for fundamental human rights and the maintenance of a system of freedom for the individual and of social justice; and the safeguarding of freedom of information and expression.
88. It is a great honour for my country that that Declaration was agreed upon and signed there, where each and every one of such principles is upheld, having been incorporated long ago in its political constitution and its fundamental laws.
89. The Declaration of San Jose, with the object of re-establishing solidarity in the hemisphere, reasserts principles which are common to the American States, such as non-intervention in the internal or external affairs of another State and the incompatibility of democracy with any form of totalitarianism, and recalls that all controversies between members of the Organization should be resolved by the measures that are contemplated in the inter-American system
90. The General Assembly will have to consider the question of an increase in the membership of the Security Council and of the Economic and Social Council. The extraordinary increase in the membership of the United Nations makes a decision on the matter imperative.
91. My delegation does not wish to go into details, for it has always recognized the need for such an increase in order to ensure adequate representation on the terms envisaged in the Charter. Moreover, such an increase will enhance the effectiveness of the Organization.
92. In that connexion, I must express the surprise with which we heard the suggestion that the office of Secretary-General should be replaced by a joint body.
93. My country wants to see absolute equality tween all Members of the United Nations, The existence of the power of veto in the Security Council nullifies such equality, hinders the immediate implementation of its decisions which the importance and consequence of the matters in question usually require, and perpetuates the situation which obtained at the end of the Second World War.
94. If the office of Secretary-General were exercised by more than one person, we should lose the single-minded judgement which is essential in any executive body and the discharge of that office would be so stultified that it would take a long time for agreements and decisions to be implemented. Basically, the idea appears to be an attempt to extend the right of veto, in our view inadmissible.
95. Consequently we declare our opposition to any attempt tending to weaken, rather than strengthen, the effectiveness of the United Nations and of its executive bodies.
96. We have already pointed out in previous years that political peace and economic and social progress go hand in hand; hence the importance which we attribute to the items on our agenda relating to "economic development of under-developed countries" and "programmes of technical assistance" in every form.
97. The peoples will not tolerate the continued existence of different levels of living in the different regions of the world. It is urgently necessary to reduce the economic and social imbalance, which is the most notorious cause of unrest and disturbances, and it is our duty to promote the inseparable unity of peace and prosperity.
98. The industrial nations have already realized that they cannot grow in isolation and that their own prosperity is linked to the development and progress of other nations.
99. We must encourage permanent economic cooperation between all countries; while the developing countries must strive for their own growth, the outcome does not depend on them alone.
100. The question of technical assistance is becoming increasingly important, for it constitutes the effective means of guiding the production and the progress of the developing countries in a rational and scientific way. My country is grateful for, and appreciates the benefits which it is deriving from such activities including the rehabilitation plans prepared after the earthquake, to which I referred at the beginning of this speech. We must emphasize, however, that such assistance not only should be increased but should be provided without prejudice to those countries which need it as much as, or more than, others.
101. The United Nations has been devoting its attention, more and more earnestly to the question of underdevelopment. Thanks to our efforts and the efforts of the other Latin American countries and the African-Asian countries, the Economic and Social Council has recently established a standing Committee for Industrial Development, which we trust will be able to give effective assistance in dealing with the problem and its solutions.
102. Not only must we defend the permanent sovereignty of States over their natural resources and find adequate means to protect the price of basic produces in relation to the price of manufactured products; we must also maintain in the international market the stable price, free of fluctuations, of the raw materials and products of the developing countries, to prevent the strangulation of their economies. At the same time, we must encourage diversification of economic activity in those countries which are dependent on a single product.
103. Since the growth of the under-developed countries requires the co-operation of the more developed countries, the flow of capital needed to make such development possible must be increased.
104. Whatever plan is drawn up to that end must take into account the vital need both for State loans on a very large scale and for greater investment of private capital, which will make it possible to promote social progress and to raise the level of living of the peoples.
105. It is obvious that the contribution of the United Nations in that respect cannot attain the volume required by the immensity of a problem which affects most countries of the world. The international organs already established are clearly insufficient and while they perform the part of the work allotted to them they should be supplemented by the establishment of a capital development fund, which we have repeatedly advocated. We especially welcome the beginning of operations by the Inter-American Development Bank and we pay a grateful tribute to what is being achieved by the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other existing credit institutions.
106. The international market must welcome goods from the weak countries, in order to avoid the paradox of encouraging their production without improving their position. We cannot but feel concerned over recent agreements, such as the European Economic Community, which should not close the door to goods from other areas, such as Latin America, which until now have been welcomed in Europe.
107. Operation Pan America, which was conceived by Juscelino Kubitschek, the President of Brazil, started a co-operative effort in Latin America, which has been supplemented by the work of the Special Committee to Study the Formulation of New Measures for Economic Co-operation (Committee of Twenty-one). The Act of Bogotá approved in the third meeting of this Committee, on 12 September 1960, includes in its great scope President Eisenhower’s generous plan, endorsed by the United States Congress, to establish a special fund for social development for Latin America. It includes also a number of measures, culminating in those concerned with economic development and multilateral co-operation for social and economic progress. These are positive and encouraging advances, which we welcome.
108. The Montevideo agreements, prompted by ECLA, have the same objective. A free-trade zone has been established by treaty and there is now a project to establish a regional market in Latin America.
109. Since all those measures are designed, not to convert us into a self-sufficient bloc cut off from the world market, but to facilitate trade in the region, our peoples may be expected to increase their imports from other regions, thus co-operating actively in world economic expansion.
110. In the social field, in spite of its limitations as a country struggling resolutely against economic difficulties, aggravated by the earthquakes and tidal waves, Chile is happy to present the picture of a dignified and free life under an administration and institutions founded exclusively on law and popular consent.
111. Relations between capital and labour are developing harmoniously within the framework of advanced and progressive legislation. Education receives preferential attention from the State. Housing needs are being vigorously dealt with and more and more dwellings are being brought within the reach of the people. Our laws protect human rights, human dignity and freedom in all its aspects, especially freedom of information. The administration of justice is a separate power, which performs its functions in an exemplary manner and deserves the greatest respect.
112. We are therefore particularly concerned that this Assembly should hasten the adoption of the pending draft Covenants on Human Rights, the purpose of which is to ensure that those rights are properly respected throughout the world. Within the American regional system, as in the European system, an Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has already been established and a convention on those rights and another convention on the effective exercise of representative democracy are being studied and will be Submitted to the eleventh Inter-American Conference, which is to be held at Quito early in 1961.
113. It gives us pleasure to recall the co-operation our delegation gave in the drafts on that subject which appear on our agenda and we urge delegations of other countries to join in approving the Declaration on Freedom of Information, which has already been drafted by the Economic and Social Council, where we contributed to its adoption.
114. I take the liberty of referring to item 57 of our agenda, relating to the construction of the United Nations building at Santiago, Chile.
115. As will be remembered, in 1955 the Government of Chile offered to transfer to the United Nations, free of charge, a site in the Parque Vitacura, near the capital, I should like to mention the practical steps which have been taken to implement that offer.
116. A recent decree approved the agreement between the Government of Chile and the United Nations setting out the financial obligations assumed by our Government to supply the property with all necessary public services.
117. Another decree, duly set down in legal form, gave the site in question to the United Nations.
118. I venture to express the hope that the General Assembly will approve the documents which will complete the free transfer of the site on which will rise, the future United Nations building at Santiago.
119. We understand the genuine feelings with which every sovereign State strives to make its own point of view prevail and triumph."
120. We venture to suggest that we should not allow the action that we are to carry out to be obscured by arrogance. Without trying to make political converts, let us recognize the measure of reason which inspires the opinions of others, as well as our own opinions. As from the flow of the river and from the refraction of the ray of light, let us be able to separate from the fluctuating truth its transitory and relative value.
121. Our concern in meeting here is the well-being of our fellow-men. However difficult the solutions may appear, however distant they may seem to us at a given moment, let us not be discouraged in the efforts which we must devote to them.
122. The task of doing good has neither beginning nor end; it is like mythology, which translates nature as observed by man. It is born with man, and with him, through him, and for him, it endures.
123. The United Nations was established to enable mankind to enjoy in peace the benefits of freedom, justice, family, health, education, work-in short, happiness. Let us uphold the United Nations, let us increase its effectiveness and its prestige, hoping that one day it will be possible to say, as did Leibnitz, that everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.