In coming to this rostrum, I take pleasure in expressing to you, Mr. President, on behalf of the delegation of El Salvador, of which I have the honour to be the head, our warmest congratulations on your deserved election, as well as our best wishes for the success of the delicate task that has been entrusted to you in recognition of your ability and experience.
2. I should also like to tender to the General Assembly, on behalf of the people and Government of El Salvador, our thanks for the honour done us by the election of our representative to serve as one of the Vice-Presidents during this eighteenth session. Fora small country whose material resources are limited and whose only wealth consists in the laborious and self-sacrificing spirit of its people and in its lofty concept of spiritual values, it is a source of great satisfaction to have been found worthy of the support and esteem of our sister nations, which the General Assembly has confirmed in granting us this signal honour. We accept it with the firm resolve to cooperate sincerely in all efforts to preserve an atmosphere of harmony and understanding among all those countries which, today more than ever before, desire peace and security to prevail throughout the world.
3. The delegation of El Salvador comes to this regular session of the General Assembly, as on previous occasions, imbued with an unshakable devotion to and respect for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and a profound faith in the worth and dignity of the human person and the equality of rights of all nations, great and small.
4. El Salvador, like all countries mindful of their traditions, together with a firm determination to develop and progress while preserving the widest possible measure of freedom, as well as a faithful dedication to democratic principles, also shares the world's deep concern for the preservation of peace, and is convinced that it is only in an atmosphere of freedom, security and justice that will mankind achieve its aims of happiness and well-being, as the reward of its painful struggles.
5. It is terrifying to think of the prospect and consequences of a further war, for the achievements of science are now such that a war might result in the total annihilation of the human race.
6. It is hard indeed for us to appreciate that the entire cultural heritage of mankind, acquired and expanded in the course of so many centuries and generations, could be destroyed in just a few hours of insensate folly. Because of this awful threat, the world contemplates in fear and trembling the arms race, imposed by the force of circumstances, which represents a huge drain upon the economies of nations, hindering the solution of the long-standing problems of poverty, malnutrition and ignorance, which, like an ancestral curse, have plagued humanity since its very origin. It is high time that men began thinking like men and showed themselves capable of using the great resources provided by modern science and technology to meet the needs of their fellow men, so that our short stay on earth may be a happy one, free from fear and anxiety, during which we may enjoy the fruits of our mental and physical labours in peace and tranquillity, avoiding paths of sterility and self-destruction.
7. The essential solution of this problem lies in the hands of the highest international body of all —the United Nations. Today more than ever before, the United Nations must look on itself as an organ of international security. It is the United Nations that must needs seek fitting solutions to the differences which unfortunately exist among its various Member States; and all countries, large and small, must strive sincerely to ensure that these solutions are effectively implemented in a climate of mutual understanding and trust. Fortunately, this session has begun under the very best auspices, in an atmosphere of harmony which promises to bring forth good results.
8. During these last few days, the clouds of gloom and despondency enveloping the world have been pierced by a ray of hope, in the shape of the agreement signed on 25 July in Moscow by three of the great Powers which have made notable advances in nuclear science, banning tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water. This agreement has received an extraordinarily warm welcome throughout the world. A great many nations, including my own, have hastened to sign it, as they consider that this highly important document represents a first step towards peaceful coexistence, We cherish the hope that this agreement will be followed by others, and that all countries will make a special effort to work tenaciously and unremittingly for the maintenance of peace.
9. In keeping with its peaceful traditions, El Salvador shares the deep concern felt by Latin America and by all peace-loving countries at the arms race and the threat posed by atomic weapons. My country has consequently viewed with the greatest sympathy the suggestion of the Governments of Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil and Chile that Latin America be declared a denuclearized zone, and has stated in that connexion that it is ready to study with the greatest interest any draft convention that may be drawn up for the purpose of dealing with this vital problem. As I have said, we are gratified to see that a first step has been taken in this direction with the signing of the treaty on a partial nuclear test ban.
10. For the same reasons, the delegation of El Salvador will support with the greatest enthusiasm any resolutions aimed at safeguarding peace and ending the arms race, which may be submitted in the General Assembly.
11. In its foreign policy, El Salvador has always sincerely shown and will continue to show the fullest respect for the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries, a principle which it would like to see respected in every case by all other nations, for, like the Illustrious Mexican statesman Benito Juárez, we believe that respect for the rights of others equals peace. My country holds the right of all peoples to self-determination in equal esteem, believing that the implementation of both of these principles, accompanied by guarantees of effective freedom, constitutes the firmest basis for human coexistence. I need hardly add, therefore, that El Salvador is opposed to every form of colonialism and to every aspect of discrimination, whether for reasons of race, religion, education or any other reason.
12. There is no doubt that the colonialist concept is disappearing and can now be regarded as an anachronism. In this connexion, we greet with interest and satisfaction the new policy introduced by Spain in Fernando Poo and Río Muni and trust that it will be productive of the most beneficial results for these African peoples. However, traces of colonialism still persist in the Americas, and these must not be allowed to remain much longer. America aspires to be the continent of freedom and democracy. I am obliged to refer at this point to the problem of Belice, which is still a dependent territory, situated on our very own soil, the soil of Central America, and the sovereignty over which formerly belonged to Spain, When we obtained our independence in 1821, the Federal Republic of Central America acquired from the Spanish Crown the latter's rights in this territory, so that in our eyes Belice is Central American territory and should be recognized as such. For this reason, and because of our close bonds of solidarity with our sister republic of Guatemala, we have always supported the latter's legitimate claims to this territory. We make this statement today in order to clarify our position on this important matter. We trust that it will be found possible to solve this question, through the greatest possible mutual understanding and a generous spirit of justice, so that this last offending trace of colonialism may be erased.
13. We rejoice at the birth of new States which, having reached political maturity, are now embarking on an independent existence. This is a legitimate aspiration and one which we sincerely understand and share, because we ourselves have experienced it in our own country.
14. It is truly encouraging to see how the membership of this Organization has increased in the space of only a few years. El Salvador has always believed that these new Member States should be more fully and equitably represented within the United Nations. With that end in mind, we have for many years been advocating that the Charter be amended with a view to increasing the membership of the various Councils, and we believe that there is no good reason for opposing such a reform. To attempt to solve the problem by any other means, such as by redistributing the available seats, would be unfair and would cause unnecessary hardship and resentment. The participation of some should not be limited for the benefit of others, but rather the participation of all should be increased so as to provide our Organization with a more equitable structure, and one more adapted to present circumstances.
15. Like virtually all the Latin American countries, El Salvador has been confronted with a new type of aggression, namely, ideological aggression, which advocates foreign doctrine inconsistent with our eminently democratic ways.
16. This problem, which is daily becoming more serious and is being fostered and sustained financially from far-off lands —with the further unfortunate complication that a beach-head has been established on our continent— this problem, I say, is having very substantial repercussions on the efforts which the American peoples and Governments have been making, to the best of their ability, to eliminate sources of social injustice, to raise living standards, to fight disease, to reduce illiteracy and to open up new sources of employment by taking advantage of their extensive natural resources and considerable reserve of manpower.
17. When all the countries of the Americas finally succeed in obtaining sincere and effective co-operation aimed at fostering their development, and the efforts already initiated and in progress to raise the cultural and technical level of their peoples, as well as their fight against disease and ignorance, finally bear fruit— when that day dawns, then we shall be able to say with pride that America is the continent of hope,
18. It is undeniable that a country can achieve such development through its own efforts, without having recourse to foreign assistance; but, in the present circumstances, in which the interdependence of States is making itself felt more and more, and there is an urgent need to accelerate the individual development of each country, the co-operation and assistance of the highly developed States is indispensable.
19. In this connexion, I should like to refer to the international assistance we have received under the United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance.
20. Since 1951, when the first agreements on this subject were concluded between the Government of El Salvador on the one hand and the United Nations and various specialized agencies on the other, we have received assistance under the Expanded Programme in the form of scholarships and the services of experts.
21. The studies made by the first mission of technical experts to come to El Salvador contain valuable suggestions and recommendations which have served in part as a basis for the formulation of our development programmes in various fields. Among those studies I might mention, in addition to a report on over-all programming, various special projects in the fields of industrial development, domestic trade and transportation, civil aviation, ports, agricultural economy, the textile industry, employment and social welfare, housing, etc.
22. The programme for the economic integration of the Central American isthmus originated, under the auspices of the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA), with the setting up of a committee composed of the Economic Ministers of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador. This long-term programme is dependent on a number of projects undertaken by technical experts and specialists provided by the United Nations and the specialized agencies.
23. The principal element of this programme, the General Treaty on Central American Economic Integration has been in process of implementation for some years. A permanent secretariat with headquarters in Guatemala, created pursuant to the Treaty, has already been organized. Its primary function is to supervise the implementation of all agreements concluded or in process of being concluded with a view to promoting the economic integration of the region, and also to perform tasks in connexion with the improvement of the Central American common market.
24. The publications of this permanent secretariat provide information about relevant aspects of the economies of the five sections of Central America, and especially about the evolution which has been taking place in regional trade following the establishment of their common market.
25. As representatives are aware, the activities of the United Nations Special Fund have strengthened and broadened the scope of the technical assistance programmes, with the object of ensuring that assistance is provided on a systematic and sustained basis in fields that are fundamental to technical, economic and social development.
26. With regard to the assistance we are receiving under the Special Fund, I should like to mention one aspect which was initiated with a Central American project to be carried out in various industrial development sectors. I refer to the Central American Institute for Research and Technology, which was approved as a five-year project in 1959.
27. I would like to say a few words about the importance which the Government of El Salvador attaches to the help it has received in the form of technical assistance and through the services of the Special Fund, for which it is most grateful.
28. Before summing up the programme of inter- American assistance, allow me to say that, despite the ill-intentioned distortions to be found in propaganda from foreign sources, the Americas are seeking, and finding, effective ways of promoting their economic and social development through plans of mutual co-operation. Those attacks are the outcome of a feeling of frustration and defeat on the part of the extremists, because the action envisaged in the plans is aimed at dealing calmly and boldly with our problems, and they know that as the plans are implemented their chances of success will dwindle and the banners of demagogy and deceit with which they try to dupe the people will be snatched from them.
29. One of the plans which has been the target of special attacks by the extremist factions, both of the right and of the left, is the Alliance for Progress which reflects a new and determined attitude towards the new programmes for the Americas, programmes that can no longer be disregarded.
30. The Alliance for Progress is in fact the practical realization of an ideal which saw the light in Latin America itself and was adopted and promoted by the United States of America in an extraordinary effort of continental solidarity. It is not, as some have tried to make it appear, a unilateral institution or system of the United States Government for giving extraordinary financial and technical assistance, for unavowed political ends, to the Latin American countries to help them develop their economies and improve the level of living of their peoples. The Alliance for Progress is more than that; it is an agreement for mutual co-operation solemnly subscribed to by twenty Latin American countries in order to take, individually and collectively and as a matter of urgency, concrete and positive measures to carry Latin America beyond its present economic, social and cultural stage.
31. The Alliance for Progress is motivated by generosity and good intentions. It may have its faults —and indeed it does— like any other human enterprise, and we cannot expect them to disappear altogether. Nevertheless, we are convinced that this attempt, which is without precedent in the Americas and even in the whole world, and which involves an extraordinary effort on the part of the twenty States that have undertaken to carry it out, will help rapidly to improve the condition of our peoples. The effectiveness of the Alliance for Progress cannot be properly assessed after a mere two years of operation, given the obstacles which any social and economic reform is bound to encounter. Even though its progress may sometimes seem disproportionately slow, compared with the magnitude and urgency of the problems it is intended to solve, we must not forget that we have no other programme that could usefully replace it and that if its defects, which are inevitable in undertakings of this size, are corrected, it will produce better results.
32. The Charter of Punta del Este demonstrates the determination of the Governments of the Americas to unite their efforts to promote social welfare and economic growth. Among its objectives it clearly states the fundamental purpose of accelerating the economic and social development of the Americas in order to achieve the highest degree of well-being, with equal opportunities for all, as is fitting in democratic societies. At the same time, it clearly specifies that economic and social development is not an end in itself, but a means of achieving the well-being which is its fundamental aim. The measures which have been proposed to achieve these ends reflect economic growth and a rising productivity index and, in the social field, the improvement of health, education, housing and nutrition, employment and recreation, to mention the most significant.
33. A careful study of the Charter of Punta del Este shows the importance it attaches to the health factor. This is, in fact, one of the most delicate problems facing our peoples and it is necessary to deal with it at the same time as we are planning our economic growth and social progress, for, as the Group of Experts of the Organization of American States on Planning for Economic and Social Development in Latin America determined, improvements in health conditions are not only desirable in themselves, but they are an essential prerequisite for economic growth, and therefore they must be an integral element of any meaningful programme in the region. For that reason, my country considers the money spent on health care as an investment, a productivity factor, not an expense. The yield on this investment is an increase in the capacity of the members of the community to strengthen the human factor in the production and consumption of goods and services, thus increasing the wealth of the countries concerned.
34. To sum up, we can say that the Alliance for Progress is not a political instrument and that its aims do not cloak any suspect intentions. It is a plan of broad and disinterested international co-operation. We welcome assistance from all countries which are able to give it in order to speed up our development, and they can be sure that the peoples of this continent will appreciate their co-operation and assistance, if given loyally, without ulterior motive or meanness, and be most grateful for it.
35. The Government of my country does not flatter itself that it has been able to carry out, or even to initiate, all the reforms envisaged in the plan of the Alliance for Progress, but it is doing its best to carry out a series of projects and reforms to raise the social and economic level of our people. I should like to say a few words about those which I feel are particularly important.
36. In the field of public health and social welfare, a study of the rates of mortality from infectious diseases, malnutrition, and lack of sanitation shows that they are distressingly high. This has indicated to us the need to organize food production in order to satisfy the basic needs of the population and to prevent the export of food products from reducing domestic consumption. A national health plan provides guidelines for government action; it covers the following points: constant health supervision in isolated and inaccessible villages, and an effective campaign against prevalent diseases, particularly malaria. This is the first plan of its kind in Latin America and it demonstrates the Government's interest in protecting the health of our people. Efforts are also being made to improve the existing health services and special support is being given to the scheme under which mobile units bring medical services to all parts of the country. The public health and social welfare budget for this year represents 10.57 per cent of the national budget. This percentage is highly significant, because it is the highest which has ever been achieved by the Administration in this field.
37. In the field of education, the "Literacy Crusade", launched by the Salvadorian Government barely ten months ago is already bearing its first fruits. The aim is to teach more than 500,000 Salvadorians to read and write in five years and I am happy to say that 50,000 are now benefiting from it. My Government is devoting 21.6 per cent of the national budget to education, and I am proud to say that in El Salvador, no other government department has a larger appropriation. The representatives from all countries who attended the twelfth General Conference of UNESCO at the end of last year were very impressed by the size of the education budget. It is in education that the joint efforts of the Government and the sponsors of the Alliance for Progress have succeeded best, and my Government is determined to obtain rapid results which will result in increased cultural benefits in the coming years.
38. I do not wish to take up any more of the Assembly's time by recounting the current activities of the Salvadorian Government in other branches of public administration. I only wished to mention these two aspects in order to emphasize that the policy adopted by my Government from the outset is designed to improve the economic position of the country and to raise the level of living of our people in an atmosphere of complete freedom and respect for democratic institutions.
39. Repeated references have been made from this rostrum to an event which is to occur during the first half of 1964. I refer to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
40. I am gratified to state that my Government has appreciated the importance of this long-awaited world event ever since the thirty-fourth session of the Economic and Social Council, bearing in mind the objectives of the United Nations Development Decade, adopted resolution 917 (XXXIV) on 3 August 1962, in which it resolved to convene the Conference. In that resolution, after recalling the General Assembly resolutions on international trade as an instrument for economic development, particularly of the less developed countries, it recognizes the importance of economic development for the stability of the world economy and the maintenance of international peace and security.
41. In view of the general hope that the Conference may give a new direction in different spheres of world trade, I do not feel that I need to take up your time by commenting on it. I should nevertheless like to take this opportunity to mention the joint statement by representatives of developing countries made in Geneva at the closing of the second session of the Preparatory Committee, and which the latter agreed to include in its report to the Economic and Social Council, The statement refers to the work and the objectives of the Conference which, according to the text of the statement itself "should represent an outstanding event in international co-operation conducive to the development of their economies and the integrated growth of the world economy as a whole". Later, it points out that international trade could become a more powerful instrument and vehicle of economic development not only through the expansion of the traditional exports of the developing countries, but also through the development of markets for their new products and the general increase of their share in world exports under improved terms of trade. Therefore, in order to achieve the aims of the Conference, a new international division of labour, with new patterns of production and trade, and a dynamic international trade policy are required. In particular, the representatives making the joint statement recommend to all Members of the United Nations that they give earnest consideration to these proposals and that they explore, before the beginning of the Conference, all practical means for their implementation, so as to make it possible to reach at the Conference basic agreement on a new international trade and development policy.
42. In the Central American sphere, I should like to refer to an extremely important meeting which a biased and ill-intentioned section of the Press has attempted to represent as an imperialistic conspiracy against a certain Latin American country: I refer to the meeting of the Heads of State of Central America, Panama and the United States of America at San José, Costa Rica early this year.
43. The meeting was held in accordance with the decision of the Presidents of the Central American Republics and Panama to improve the living standards of their people, as they are aware that this cannot be done without carrying out well-prepared programmes taking full advantage of their human, natural and financial resources, which, in turn, implies substantial reforms in their economic, social and administrative structures, while maintaining the principles governing their democratic institutions. The Presidents therefore met for the sole purpose of reviewing the problems which arise in connexion with the attainment of those objectives, and of considering at the same time the progress achieved in Central America through the programmes of economic integration and the Alliance for Progress.
44. Following an analysis of the situation, the Presidents of the Republics of Central America, convinced that the best hope for the development of the region is through economic integration, pledged to their peoples, inter alia: to accelerate establishment of a customs union to perfect the functioning of the Central American Common Market; to formulate and implement national economic and social development plans, co-ordinating them at the Central American level, and progressively to carry out regional planning for various sectors of the economy; to establish a monetary union and common fiscal, monetary and social policies within the programme of economic integration; to co-operate in programmes to improve the prices of primary export commodities, and to complete as soon as possible the reforms needed to achieve the objectives set forth in the Act of Bogota and the Charter of Punta del Este especially in the fields of agriculture, taxation, education, public administration, and social welfare; all with a view to achieving the creation of a Central American Economic Community which will establish relationships with other nations or regional groups having similar objectives.
45. For his part, the President of the United States of America stated that he was "impressed by the determination of the Presidents of the Central American Republics to move as rapidly as possible toward the integration of the economies of their countries and by their intention to formulate a regional economic development plan within which national plans would be co-ordinated", and that he believed that "the coordination of their respective monetary, fiscal, economic and social policies is a great step forward in the achievement of this objective as well as toward the achievement of the goals set forth in the Charter of Punta del Este". Therefore, he said, he was "prepared to offer the greatest co-operation in the preparation and implementation of the regional and national development projects of Central America and Panama —and extend to them increased technical assistance". To this end he proposed "a fund for Central American economic integration, to be made available through the Central American Bank for Economic Integration".
46. Another important aspect of Central American policy, to which the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala referred a few days ago from this rostrum [1214th meeting], is the reconstruction of the Organization of Central American States. El Salvador, a nation that is Central American by tradition and by conviction, has always supported every effort to promote the unification of the five countries forming the Central American isthmus and to this end, is making every effort to see that the new organization, which will promote the achievement of this aspiration, receives the support it needs in order to carry out its noble task in the best possible way.
47. Some difficulties were noted in recent years which made us consider the need to make substantial changes in the Charter of this regional organization. With this end in view, the sixth Extraordinary Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Central America was held in December of last year at Panama, where a new Charter of the Organization of Central American States was adopted to replace the original Charter, but which, like it, will be called the Charter of San Salvador.
48. This Charter has already been ratified by the congresses of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and we hope that it will soon be ratified by Costa Rica and Nicaragua also, so that it can come into force.
49. The people and Government of El Salvador are confident that through the increasing development of the programmes of economic integration and the reconstruction of the Organization of Central American States, more rapid progress will be made towards the political unification of Central America.
50. It only remains for me to repeat the fervent hope of the delegation of El Salvador, that the work of this eighteenth session of the General Assembly may be carried on in an atmosphere of harmony and understanding which will enable us to deal calmly with the many problems now before us and to find the solutions expected of it by an anxiety-torn world which is longing for peace, security, justice, respect for and faith in human dignity and freedom.