1. The honour has fallen to me of speaking in the general debate in the place of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, who has been obliged by unforeseen circumstances to return home. I shall take this opportunity to state briefly the views of the Government of El Salvador on a number of the problems to which this Assembly is devoting its attention and which seem to us of special interest and importance.
2. First, however, I have pleasure in conveying to the President, on behalf of the Government and people of El Salvador, and of the delegation which I head, our heartiest congratulations on his election to that high office. It constitutes both a well-deserved tribute to his noble country and a recognition of his own outstanding qualities as a diplomat and statesman, with long experience of United Nations affairs, to which he has been dedicated for many years. In wishing him the greatest success in the vast and complex task laid upon him, we offer him our sincere, loyal and constant co-operation.
3. I should also like to pay a tribute of gratitude and admiration to the outgoing President, Mr. Amintore Fanfani, who presided so wisely and skilfully over the debates of the twentieth session of the General Assembly.
4. El Salvador welcomes with special pleasure the advent of a new independent American State to membership in the United Nations, Renewing our congratulations to the State of Guyana, with which we hope to maintain the friendliest relations, we express warm wishes for the prosperity and well-being of its people.
5. El Salvador shares the profound anxiety of all the countries which make up the United Nations at the prospect that the Secretary-General, U Thant, may maintain his position of declining a further term in that high office.
6. We could add nothing to what has been said earlier, either to praise the Secretary-General's actions as they deserve, or to try to persuade this distinguished public servant of the necessity and desirability of reconsidering his decision and e; continuing to serve as head of the Secretariat of the United Nations. After the many pleas that have been made to the Secretary-General, U Thant, which constitute a vote of confidence, we can only await his final decision, which we hope will be favourable to the future of our Organization and to the cause of peace.
7. Before referring to a number of the items on the agenda of this session of the General Assembly, I should like to reiterate my country's unvarying adherence to the Purposes and Principles of the charter of the United Nations and, at the same time, to reaffirm our loyalty to the charter of the Organization of American States and the charter of the Organization of Central American States, all instruments which the Government and people of El Salvador regard as rules governing their international conduct, since the aim of all these international bodies is the maintenance of peace and the prosperity and happiness of the nations which constitute them.
8. In referring to the maintenance and strengthening of peace, the primary objective of our Organization, I cannot but recall the momentous discourse pronounced at this very rostrum last year by His Holiness Pope Paul VI (1347th meeting), appealing so dramatically for peace, and warning us on that solemn occasion that all peoples look to the United Nations as their last hope for peace and friendship among nations.
9. El Salvador shares the preoccupations voiced by this spiritual leader, and hopes sincerely that his pressing exhortations and renewed efforts on behalf of peace will achieve their noble purpose and will help to bring to an end the bloodshed which threatens to produce a new world conflagration.
10. For this reason, the Salvadorian delegation stresses the necessity of concluding, in the shortest possible time, a world agreement on general and complete disarmament, under effective international control, as a basic starting point from which to safeguard world peace.
11. As far as the question of disarmament is concerned, we must note with anxiety and disappointment that the results of many years of effort to achieve a solution are not commensurate with the hopes of all peace-loving countries. We record again our satisfaction at the conclusion of the Moscow Treaty of 1963, prohibiting the testing of nuclear weapons, though not yet including the prohibition of underground testing,
an omission which we all hope will be rectified in the near future in order to give this Treaty the necessary scope and effectiveness.
12. At the same time, we are watching with great interest the efforts of the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee to meet the urgent need for an agreement banning the use of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons.
13. In the face of the very grave dangers inherent in the conflicts now dividing the great nations, which could easily degenerate into a shattering world war, we believe that it is more than ever urgent and essential to see that all States, and especially the nuclear Powers, take appropriate steps to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons, as a decisive step towards the achievement of general and complete disarmament.
14. The Salvadorian delegation supports the views expressed on various occasions by our Secretary-General to the effect that the most urgent question of the day is the need o prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, particular}; in view of the appearance of new Powers able to manufacture them already, at a time when the tensions threatening to destroy the peace of the world seem to be growing worse and when there are powerful reasons to believe that unless steps are taken as soon as possible to stop this threat, mankind will face the danger, in a few years, of finding it impossible to ward off the tragic effects of the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
15. In the introduction to bis annual report on the work of the Organization in the period from 16 June 1965 to 15 June 1966, the Secretary-General says: "Since they were used for the first and only time on actual targets over twenty years ago, their destructive power, their quantities in stockpile, the manner of their use, and the amount of human and material resources devoted to their manufacture and potential delivery have expanded far beyond the comprehension of most people and, I suspect, of many Governments. I believe that the time has come for an appropriate body of the United Nations to explore and weigh the impact and implications of all aspects of nuclear weapons, including problems of a military, political, economic and social nature relating to the manufacture, acquisition, deployment and development of these weapons and their possible use. To know the true nature of the danger that we face may be a most important first step towards averting it." [A/6301/Add.1, page 11] His initiative seems to us eminently appropriate and constructive in this time of danger for mankind.
16. The generous initiative taken by Mexico to induce the countries of Latin America to reach an agreement which would make it possible to sign a treaty for the denuclearization of Latin America, with the aim of preserving their peoples from a nuclear holocaust, has had from the start the enthusiastic support of my Government. We have attended the meetings held for this purpose in the Mexican capital, and we are ready to go on affording our enthusiastic co-operation so that the end in view can be achieved.
17. My Government has observed with lively interest the progress of the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, set up by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1959. I have pleasure in recalling now that the Salvadorian delegation which took part in the 1958 Assembly drew attention to the urgency of regulating the activities of man in outer space and argued in favour of setting up this Committee. It is most encouraging that the great Powers which are in the forefront of the exploration of the cosmos are now interested in the conclusion in the near future of an agreement covering all the aspects of this matter.
18. Undoubtedly, the problem now of most concern to all mankind is the grave situation in Viet-Nam, where the war continues to escalate, causing tremendous human sacrifice, and consequent devastation and misery for the inhabitants of this unhappy land. In the face of this tragic situation, we utter the most heartfelt hopes for a speedy and just settlement of this grave conflict, taking into account the legitimate interests of all the countries directly and indirectly involved in it, and bringing to an end the already long period of unrest and suffering of the Asian peoples.
19. We have listened with interest and satisfaction to the statements of the representative of the United States of America, Mr. Goldberg, on the conflict in Viet-Nam, and the possibilities of its solution [1412th meeting]. In our view, his remarks open the way for the Governments concerned to confer constructively on the need to achieve peace and to restore tranquillity in the Far East.
20. We are also anxious about the division of Germany, which is a very dangerous source of international tension, in one of the most sensitive areas of the European political system. As far as this problem is concerned, the Salvadorian delegation reiterates its hope that the unity of Germany will be reestablished by peaceful means, with due regard to the freely expressed aspirations of its inhabitants and the principles of the right of peoples to self-determination. We have similar hopes for the re-unification of Korea.
21. My country is very much interested in the item on the peaceful settlement of international disputes, which was proposed by the United Kingdom last year and will be discussed at the present session.
22. El Salvador signed and ratified the American Treaty on Pacific Settlement, or Pact of Bogota, which was signed by all the countries of the Americas on 30 April 1948. We hope that the world Organization will succeed in establishing a similar system which will serve as a legal framework for the settlement of international disputes, without running the risk of resort to war or the threat of force, which we regard as reprehensible and contrary to the principles of the Charter.
23. Faithful to its peace-loving traditions, El Salvador wishes to place on record here its satisfaction at seeing that some of the problems now existing between various countries are on the way to a solution through conversations and direct negotiations between the parties concerned. We refer, inter alia, to the case of Belize which, according to the statement made recently by the Foreign Minister of Guatemala [1413th meeting, para. 29], is at present the subject of friendly negotiations between that country and the United Kingdom, and in which El Salvador as a Central American country has a special interest, hoping for a just and speedy settlement. We also have in mind the question of the Malvinas Islands, and the dispute between Spain and the United Kingdom over the status of Gibraltar. In both cases we support the resolutions of the General Assembly calling upon the parties concerned to enter into negotiations with a view to reaching a settlement, and we should view with deep satisfaction the recognition of the legitimate aspirations of Argentina and Spain respectively.
24. The problems disturbing the tranquillity of the peoples of Africa have grown more acute in recent times. The extraordinary ruling of the International Court of Justice which for purely procedural reasons declined to go into the substance of the case brought by Ethiopia and Liberia on the status of South West Africa, has contributed to an increase in present tension. It is appropriate to note here that this ruling in no way invalidated the Court's earlier pronouncements on the status of this Territory.
25. My Government considers that the Mandate which the now defunct League of Nations conferred upon the Republic of South Africa imposes on the latter duties and obligations which it cannot evade. In the first place South Africa has the duty to safeguard the progress and well-being of the people inhabiting this Territory and to prepare them for self-determination and future independence. South Africa also has an obligation to report regularly on the exercise of its Mandate to the United Nations which is the heir of the former League of Nations. My country's legal conscience revolts against accepting the idea of a mandate without restrictions or responsibilities, a mandate which could be exercised without having to give any account of the fulfilment of the task to the authority which conferred it. Still less could we accept that the right to administer this Territory derives from a source different from the Mandate to which it was subjected.
26. As for Southern Rhodesia, my Government wishes to place on record its opposition to the existence of a minority regime which pays no attention to the wishes of the majority of the inhabitants. Since we have always been concerned to secure respect for the rights of minorities all over the world, we must strive even more to ensure that the rights and wishes of the vast majority of the inhabitants of this territory are not ignored. My Government wishes to see established in Southern Rhodesia a regime based upon the freely expressed wishes of its people, taken as a whole, that is to say, without distinction of any kind.
27. In El Salvador, persons of different races and different religions live together in harmony, without either law or custom having ever established any discrimination between them. We therefore reject, from
the bottom of our hearts, any policy which is based on the practice of discrimination, indefensible in our day and age and regarded by us as contrary to the dignity of man.
28. El Salvador is a member of the Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations, the work of which has not, unfortunately, led to an agreement which will make it possible to solve definitively the political problems and financial difficulties facing our Organization, owing to the opposing viewpoints which exist among the various countries.
29. At its last session, the Committee approved for submission to the General Assembly a report [A/6414] which shows, since it contains only a brief account of the meetings held, that the Committee has not yet achieved the practical results which are its goal. It is greatly to be regretted that no acceptable formula has been found for the authorization and financing of future peace-keeping operations.
30. The Committee's distress and anxiety, shared by us, at having been unable to achieve the desired result is reflected in the statement made by its Chairman, Mr. Cuevas Cancino, which was approved by the Committee and runs as follows:
"During the debates that took place in the resumed session, various new ideas and proposals on different aspects of peace-keeping operations were advanced*, Negotiations took place among members of the Committee, with the co-operation of the Chairman and other officers. It was found, in the course of the resumed session, that certain differences of opinion on the part of Member States continued to exist on the subject. The Chairman has endeavoured to reconcile the different views held by Member States, but it was not possible to achieve this." [A/6414, annex I, 22nd meeting, para. 20.]
31. We hope that an agreement may be reached which will make it possible to solve this delicate problem, the continued existence of which deeply affects the authority of the United Nations and the financing of future peace-keeping operations. Our dearest wish is that a formula may be found to reconcile the differing viewpoints of the great Powers and the possibilities of the various countries, so that the Organization's economic solvency, which is essential to its existence and to the pursuit of its aims, may be restored.
32. This is a suitable moment for El Salvador to reaffirm its constant purpose of cultivating the friendliest relations with other nations, on the basis of respect for the principle of the legal equality of States and of the self-determination of peoples.
33. In this spirit my delegations firmly supported General Assembly Resolution 2131 (XX), which condemns any act of intervention in the domestic affairs of States, not only those which involve armed intervention but also all other, forms of interference or attempted threats against the personality of the State or against its political, economic and cultural elements.
34. We reiterate our support of this condemnation, for the situations prompting it, namely, the growing threat to universal peace through armed intervention and other direct and indirect forms of intervention against the sovereign personality and political independence of States, were this very year specifically denounced to the Security Council by eighteen Latin American countries. At the same time, the Council of the Organization of American States promulgated a resolution condemning specific acts in open violation of the principle of non-intervention against American States and therefore contrary to the peace and security of the continent.
35. In repeating our adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and to the Charter of the Organization of American States, especially their provisions condemning all intervention in the domestic and external affairs of States, we demand that other States abstain from organizing, supporting, fomenting, financing, instigating or tolerating armed, subversive or terrorist activities, directed towards the violent overthrow of the democratic regimes of the American States we are convinced that strict compliance with these obligations is an essential requirement if nations are to live together in peace.
36. Still bearing in mind the promotion of world peace and friendship among peoples, the Salvadorian delegation attaches the greatest importance to any action which tends to preserve and strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are therefore ready to support vigorously all the efforts which our Organization is making to ensure that the International Year for Human Rights achieves practical and objective results, both at the national and the international level, in accordance with the purposes for which it is being celebrated.
37. Undoubtedly, the day on wh h the United Nations is able to proclaim as an accomplished fact the definitive prohibition throughout the world of slavery and forced labour, of all forms of discrimination on grounds of race, sex, language and religion, and of colonialism and the denial of freedom and independence, will be a historic event of the greatest importance.
38. In offering our full co-operation to this end, and taking as our inspiration the many relevant provisions of the Constitution of El Salvador, we urge the organs of the United Nations to work constructively to increase throughout the world the respect which is due to fundamental human rights.
39. Not only are we profoundly convinced that the peace, progress and happiness of the nations, and therefore of all mankind* depend upon the extent to which States encourage in the legal sphere the promotion and strengthening of human rights, but we also believe that it is imperative that all human beings should have equal access to all those means which are basically necessary to enable them to exercise for themselves the human rights which the law grants them, without which the law would be no more than a romatic expression of well-meaning ideals.
40. In our view, this must be one of the primary goals of the United Nations Development Decade: raising the standard of living, particularly of those vast multitudes who lack the minimum of material and cultural wealth needed to enable them to achieve their aims in life. Yet we have seen with distress that these noble aims are far from fulfillment, for the terms of trade shift daily in favour of the wealthier countries, to the great disadvantage of the less- developed regions.
41. We believe that if this trend continues, the future consequences for most of our countries could be serious. We must, therefore, seek the best means of overcoming these difficulties, so as to ensure the progress and economic stability of mankind.
42. We should like to stress the importance of appropriate changes in the rules governing these factors, since they represent not only the well-being and progress of all the great countries but are basic to the achievement of higher rates of growth in those regions which are now in the process of development.
43. El Salvador has always followed with the greatest interest the work of UNCTAD as well as the activities of the Trade and Development Board, with a view to extending to them its most active co-operation.
44. Although it would be unrealistic to hope for the immediate achievement of all UNCTAD's specific purposes, El Salvador is confident that there will shortly be not only general agreement as to principles but also a genuine resolve on the part of the developed countries to remedy the present disequilibrium In the balance of international trade so that the developing countries can obtain from their commodity exports and the economic return which they must have in order to fulfil their legitimate aspirations for progress and prosperity.
45. There can be no doubt that the most practical and effective way of achieving these benefits is to organize common markets and economic groupings of developing States, not as a means of exclusion, designed to compartmentalize or divide world economic unity, but as a first step, a sine qua non, which will enable the underdeveloped countries to strengthen and make better use of their resources.
46. It is with legitimate satisfaction that we advance as proof of our argument the case of the Central American Common Market, which is a clear Indication of what can be achieved by a group of friendly States in the sphere of technical co~ordinatb,n and the combining of efforts and ideals. This well- known experiment in collective enterprise is providing the States engaged in it with stable and Improved trade outlets, as well as new and fruitful opportunities for development.
47. Notwithstanding the difficulties which still hamper the process of economic integration in the Central American Isthmus, In particular the maladjustments affecting production and fiscal receipts, we have no doubt of the success of the undertaking, which will certainly expand as we are able to Improve its mechanism and techniques.
48. El Salvador wishes to express its appreciation at this juncture for the co-operation of EC LA, FAO and UNESCO, the Technical Assistance Administration and the Special Fund, as well as all the specialized units within our Organization, without whose collaboration the efforts directed towards Central American economic integration would not have attained those levels of progress at which they have so happily arrived.
49. In conclusion, I should like to address myself to all States Members, to express to them El Salvador's conviction that history demands of us a decision of infinite importance: never before have men possessed so many means of all kinds for promoting the prosperity of all. It would be an insult to human intelligence to assume that we are incapable of using so extraordinary an opportunity in the way that the peace and well-being of all mankind demand.
50. My delegation has invariably participated in the work of the United Nations with full faith in the ultimate achievement of the purposes for which our Organization was established, namely, the preservation of mankind from the scourge of war. the advancement of human rights, the expansion of friendly co-operation among States, and the promotion of social progress by raising the living standards of all peoples in an atmosphere of the widest possible freedom.
51. El Salvador will continue to make every effort to fulfill the task common to all States of defending the fundamental principles of human co-existence, without which it would be impossible for international order to subsist. Small States like El Salvador feel themselves called upon to act as it were as the world's conscience, ever ready to contribute to the more effective prevalence of the force of right, the only guarantee of peace and security for all the peoples of the world.