The voice of the Dominican Republic, which is raised, not for the first time, in support of mankind’s endeavor to defend peace based on justice, has a moral right to be heard in these precincts because of the sincerity which has inspired the actions of the Dominican people throughout their history.
In the darkest days of, the war, when the fate of the democracies appeared still uncertain, our country collaborated actively on behalf of the cause of right then being upheld on the battlefield by the peoples who are today sharing in the deliberations of this high assembly, now meeting in an atmosphere of uneasiness. This fact should, however, only spur it on to greater efforts for the benefit of mankind.
A few hours after the treacherous attack on Pearl Harbor, the Dominican Republic, honouring its tradition of law and its international engagements, resolutely went to war to show its solidarity with, and to share the fortunes of, the victim of that hateful aggression, thus taking part at its side in the hazards and responsibilities of the struggle for the defence of freedom of the peoples, and of human dignity. In conformity with this attitude, on the historic occasion of the third meeting of Foreign Ministers in Rio de Janeiro, we championed a joint declaration of war by all the American nations against the totalitarian powers. For the sake of continental solidarity, we supported the agreements there adopted, although they were in fact less radical than the position taken up and the views maintained by the people and Government of the Dominican Republic.
As soon as victory began to dawn on the horizon, victory won at the price of such cruel sacrifices, we devoted all our energies to securing effective collaboration in the efforts at San Francisco to produce a world organization worthy of the high destiny of mankind and of civilization.
Once the proposal which brought the United Nations into bang had taken final shape, we placed all our reserves of faith and hope in it. We remain loyal to the ideals which inspire it despite the occasional disquieting vicissitudes which sometimes seem to cloud the future of this institution of world-wide importance, and for that reason the future of all mankind.
It is a source of satisfaction to us that we can now appear in this Assembly and furnish the clearest proofs that we have fulfilled all the agreements and recommendations directly or indirectly connected with the mission and activities of the United Nations. We have, in fact, ratified the following conventions, for which we have deposited the appropriate instruments with the Secretariat: that creating the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; that dealing with the privileges and immunities of the United Nations; that relating to the constitution of the International Refugee Organization; that relating to the Agreement on interim measures, to be taken in respect of refugees and displaced persons; that referring to the Protocol amending the Conventions on Narcotic Drugs; that concerning the World Health Organization; the Agreement on the International Monetary Fund; the Agreement on the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and that relating to the constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
To the above list might be added the fulfilment by the Dominican Republic of other resolutions adopted by the Assembly, including all obligations of an economic character, but because of the extreme humanitarian importance of the subject, I wish to make special mention of the contribution which our country has just made to the International Children’s Emergency Fund. When the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration came to an end, the International Fund was formed with the noble aim of helping destitute children. The Dominican Republic, after loyally fulfilling all its obligations to UNRRA, is now giving its complete collaboration to the new body. It has not only sent a very handsome contribution, but has offered hospitality to thousands of European, children who will now be able to find homes and succour in our country under the protection of the Dominican State.
In such circumstances it is only natural that the Dominican Republic should take the most lively interest in the subjects on the extensive agenda of this session of the Assembly. Although this interest applies to each and all of the said subjects, we wish nevertheless to refer to one or two in particular in order to define, from the outset, the position of the Dominican Government with regard to them.
First of all we must consider the problem connected with the exercise of the privilege of the veto. As a country belonging to a continent where the principle of the sovereign equality of States is regarded as inviolable, the Dominican Republic could not view with sympathy the establishment of an exclusive privilege for the great Powers; nevertheless, at San Francisco we bowed to an expediency which the facts seemed to warrant. Now, however, the need to perfect legal systems and adapt them to the great ideals which animate the United Nations calls for a reasonable revision of that privilege in order to try to make it better adapted to the fundamental principles underlying the Charter, and particularly to that of the juridical equality of States. We entertain the hope that at no distant date this privilege will, disappear entirely; but we feel that, in view of the far from satisfactory results of the use which has been made of it, we must all, here and now, endeavour to secure some regulation of it which will reduce its present disadvantages and adequately restrict its use.
With regard to Palestine, our position was clearly defined at the special session of the Assembly which was convened especially for that purpose. After reading the carefully prepared report of the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine we are confident that a harmonious and just solution can be reached for the two great peoples, Arab and Hebrew, whose destinies are linked to that territory. We admire and respect those two noble peoples, whose rights and aspirations are supported by thousands of years of tradition, and, in accordance with our policy of sheltering and protecting all unjustly persecuted groups, we have offered the Jews work and a home of their own in our country.
Turning to the Treaty of Peace with Italy, we have associated ourselves with the proposal of the Argentine Republic that the agenda of this session of the Assembly should include discussion of a recommendation that the interested Powers be invited to consider revision of that instrument. We were moved to do so out of admiration for the Italian people’s achievements in the history of human culture, because of the ties of friendship which link that great country and all the Latin nations, and because of the sincerity it has shown in its desire to be associated in the democratic life of today.
We come, finally, to the special situation in Greece. It is evident that the Greek people is in the throes of a civil war which, it is alleged, is sustained by the interested assistance the insurgent bands are receiving from neighbouring countries. That being so, intervention by the United Nations in this affair is fully justified by the necessity of clarifying the position and lending Greece such assistance as circumstances may require for the purpose of freeing it from those foreign elements which are trying to create a state of anarchy there in violation of the respect due to the sovereignty of nations. And if it be asserted that precise evidence is still lacking, we nevertheless feel that it is entirely justifiable for the United Nations to carry out a full investigation of such a conflict with a view to adopting appropriate measures in accordance with international practice and with the provisions of the Charter which are the foundations of this Organization.
All civil wars which have possible international repercussions not only disturb the internal peace of the country concerned, but endanger the peace of neighbouring areas and consequently jeopardize that of the whole world. We trust that the United Nations, by the efficacious use of its resources, will be able to clarify the present dispute in Greece and ensure the respect due to the sovereignty of each nation, so that all may live together peaceably in every quarter of the globe.
There is no doubt about the weight of the responsibility and the immensity of the burden imposed upon this Assembly. We are confident, however that the good will of the people who but yesterday united without hesitation in defence of their rights and common ideals, will overcome all obstacles so that the United Nations may continue its world-wide work of peace, and that this meeting, which has opened in an atmosphere of general expectancy, may mark a further advance towards the high ideal of human concord.