The delegation of Cambodia has great pleasure in again congratulating Prince Wan Waithayakon on his election as President of the General Assembly. We are meeting at a time when tragic events are stirring the world and putting the effectiveness of the United Nations to a severe test. The General Assembly has swiftly taken steps to remedy the grave situations which have thus arisen. The steps have proved to be wise, just and practical. The fighting has stopped. But are we thereby assured of a lasting peace? Why, despite the unanimity of the nations of the world which have advocated peace, does the world still feel hanging over it the anxiety of an uncertain and still ominous future?
83. Thus we are living in an atmosphere of uncertainty where reality often belies the most sincere professions of faith. We make fine statements, we adopt high-sounding resolutions, but our actions are not always in keeping with our noble sentiments.
84. The events of the past weeks seem to give the impression that the only realities are force and violence. My Government does not propose to judge the actions of the various countries which took it upon themselves to resort to force. But it cannot overlook the dangers arising out of the recent conflicts. I cannot do better to express my Government’s view than to quote the words spoken by our national leader, H.R.H. Prince Norodom Sihanouk, on 3 November 1956: “The Khmer nation is extremely concerned about the tragic development of the situation in the Middle East and also in Hungary. “Despite the arguments of certain statesmen who are directly concerned, to the effect that there is no war being carried on but only 'police action’ to maintain ‘order’ and ‘security’ and to ‘prevent war’, my countrymen and I are convinced that the flames of war — real war — have been lighted.”
85. My Government was therefore greatly relieved to hear of the cease-fire in the Middle East. A cessation of hostilities is the first essential step, but it is only the first step. It must be followed immediately by a just and lasting settlement. Hence the proposal of H.R.IT. Prince Norodom Sihanouk: “A special commission of inquiry should be set up and authorized by the United Nations to visit the scene of the conflict in order to determine the rights or wrongs of the actions of each party, bearing in mind historical, legal and other factors. “If the commission is to carry out effective work and pass wise and sure judgment, which the United Nations would adopt in so far as it was able, its make-up should be based on new principles. “The nations selected should be such as have given sufficient proof to the world of their absolute moral independence towards the opposed ideologies and also towards blocs, i.e., they should be nations which are genuinely neutral and not merely neutralist, and they should be free of any interest to speak of in the matters to be judged . . . “India, by virtue of the personality of its leader — the incarnation of the spirit of justice, impartiality and conciliation — should be a member of the commission, which would be fortunate if it could have Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru in person as its chairman. Two neutral countries of Europe, say Switzerland and Sweden, or Austria and Yugoslavia, a neutral country of Asia, and a country from the American continent could constitute the other members. “As regards Asia, if on the strength of its absolute and patent neutrality and its strictly and severely correct line of conduct, Cambodia should have the honour to be chosen, my country would feel it a duty to accept . . .” H.R.H. Prince Norodom Sihanouk would be willing to represent Cambodia, and he concludes with these words: “This simple suggestion is made humbly yet forcibly: humbly, because we realize that we are of minor consequence in relation to the world; forcibly, because we are conscious of our duty and right to cry halt to the destruction of peace, justice and human values, without which we could no longer be proud to be called men.”
86. In the face of such grave events, it might seem unnecessary to recall that one of the fundamental principles of the Charter recommends the pacific settlement of disputes. When the din of arms ceases, when peace returns, and the nations count their gains and their losses, they will perhaps realize the futility of their action, and remember that the peaceful means recommended by the Charter still constitute the best law of life between nations.
87. We must abide more strictly than ever by the principle of the pacific settlement of disputes by means of negotiation. Direct negotiation could be replaced, if necessary, by resort to the United Nations, which would act as an instrument for constructive talks and not as a place for sterile debate or the mere presentation of opposing points of view.
88. We must remember that the United Nations Charter not only urges on all States the obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means; it also stresses that the principles of justice and international law must be safeguarded. It establishes a close link between the obligation to settle disputes by pacific means and the goal of justice and equity, by proposing that negotiations should be conducted within a framework where the weight of the world community, as organized in the United Nations, can be brought to bear on the solution of the problem under discussion.
89. In this connexion the delegation of Cambodia fully approves the recommendations made by the Secretary- General in his introduction to the annual report on the work of the Organization, in which he stated: "The Charter itself foresees negotiations between parties as an initial step in the solution of conflicts which are unavoidable during a period of fundamental change. But I believe that such negotiations gain by being conducted against the background of the Purposes and Principles of the Charter and that the results can usefully be brought within the framework of the United Nations.” [A/3137/Add.1, p. 2.]
90. Today for the first time Cambodia is participating in the General Assembly along with eighteen other new Members. In the period of a single year the number of Members of the United Nations has increased by one third. The delegation of Cambodia hopes that other countries will be admitted this year, particularly Japan.
91. The admission of nineteen new Members, with a total population of 178 million inhabitants, has had the effect of bringing the United Nations closer to the original conception of a “world Organization”. This slow but sure progress towards universality should enable the United Nations to speak with greater authority and to exercise greater influence in the cause of peace and progress. Indeed, the day should not be far off when all the countries which fulfil the conditions laid down in the Charter have been admitted, and the United Nations will thus really become the universal Organization which its founders had in mind at San Francisco.
92. In taking its place in the United Nations, Cambodia will try to make its contribution to the work of the world community. In international relations, my country is conscious of having played a constructive role on behalf of peace. Under the enlightened leadership of its sovereign and national hero, H.R.H. Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia gained its independence in 1953 by essentially peaceful means. While the history of the world shows us that the independence of countries is generally achieved through bloody and sometimes fratricidal struggles, Prince Norodom Sihanouk obtained independence for Cambodia without violence and without conflict.
93. This peaceful solution of the national problem of independence, reached thanks to the political genius of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, has since had fortunate consequences for Cambodia’s international relations with all countries of the world, and with France in particular. Its national aspirations being satisfied, the country has felt no bitterness or desire for vengeance towards anyone. Passing directly from foreign domination to the status of an independent and sovereign State, Cambodia immediately entered into international life with modesty and dignity, without prejudice or partisan ideas.
94. In 1954, at the Geneva Conference which was to put an end to the hostilities in Cambodia, Laos and Viet-Nam, the members of the Cambodian delegation took part in the negotiations as representatives of a sovereign State, determined to preserve the independence of their country and desirous that the principles of right and justice should prevail. The Cambodian delegation succeeded in its efforts, and Cambodia has been able to maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity intact. Now that its political unity is assured and its independence recognized, Cambodia is devoting its efforts to the expansion of its international relations, in the interest of peace and co-operation with other countries.
95. It was in this spirit that, again under the leadership of H.R.H. Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia participated in the Bandung Conference of April 1955 and established relations, on an equal footing, with all the countries which have recently recognized and respect its sovereignty and independence, such as Austria, China, Czechoslovakia, Poland, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. The Bandung Conference, which brought together twenty-nine countries of Asia and Africa, had far-reaching consequences for the history of international relations. It may be said to mark a new starting point in relations between the African-Asian peoples and the peoples of Western culture. It gave rise to a new psychology which will imbue international relationships with the will to peace and the desire of the African-Asian peoples to co-operate with the rest of the world.
96. One of the most important results of the African-Asian Conference at Bandung was perhaps the proof it gave, in the political field, that relations and contacts between countries which follow different policies or have different ideologies can help to create better mutual understanding and bring about normal co-operation. This might provide a partial answer to the problem of the conflict of ideologies which divides the world at the moment. Numerous examples seem to show that countries with different systems of government or different ideologies can have normal relations. Consequently, it is not unreasonable to think that if these relations became more frequent, the fears and apprehensions which separate the world into blocs would disappear and a lessening of international tension could ensue.
97. Differences in historical and cultural traditions, social structure or political and economic systems should be no obstacle to co-operation and interdependence, since States with different systems of government and different ideologies are obliged to live side by side. The only alternative is war; and war in the atomic age can only mean total destruction.
98. The United Nations has a key role to play in this evolution towards an acceptance of things as they are. It is in an ideal position to promote international cooperation in time of peace, and to serve as a forum for settling problems by negotiation where interests clash.
99. The smaller nations could make a useful contribution in this direction. The small nations of Asia in particular, in contradistinction to those of Europe and America, are completely lacking in everything, even the prime necessities of daily life. To obtain these necessities is their first and most urgent task; and war makes this impossible. In a word, they want peace and security because these are essential for the development of their new-born nationhood, because peace and security leave them free in their endeavours to make up the slack to which they were condemned by the political status previously imposed upon them. Their desire for peace is wholehearted, and they will play their part in the conviction that they are protecting their most vital interests.
100. In the political field, these small countries which have recently emerged to a state of independence are literally precluded from showing partisanship, since it is obviously impossible for them to align themselves with one or other side. They have a vital stake in the continued observance of the principles of the Charter, any breach of which would threaten their national existence and make it very difficult, if not impossible, for them to participate in international life. Ideological inclinations notwithstanding, their position of strict neutrality is dictated by a sober assessment of the facts and of their national interests. Their strength is psychological and political rather than military or economic, and the part they will be able to play will therefore be a purely moral one — which is in the last analysis, in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Charter.
101. In the field of international co-operation, much progress has been made this year in the effort to promote the peaceful uses of atomic energy. On 23 October 1956, eighty-two States unanimously adopted the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In December 1953, President Eisenhower addressed a memorable appeal in the General Assembly [470th meeting] to the nations of the world for their co-operation in the work of the peaceful utilization of atomic energy. This historic call, distinguished by its far-sightedness and issued by a man who had the courage to place the interests of mankind above those of his country, has been heeded, and the dream of man — to be a citizen of the world — may well become a reality.
102. The creation of the International Atomic Energy Agency offers potentially the promise of an improvement in human conditions at which the imagination boggles. As the United States representative said on 23 October 1956 at the Conference on the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency: “Science has given us the knowledge. Diplomacy has developed the instrument. May we have the wisdom to use both for the benefit of all mankind.” Progress will probably be slow, but the eyes of the world will be anxiously on the countries and scientists whose work can transform the atom into a mighty source of energy capable of bringing about a second industrial revolution. Herein lies the hope of all those regions of the world where living conditions remain dangerously low in comparison with the industrialized countries. Universal peace does not, of course, depend on economic wellbeing alone; but economic progress will be an important factor in achieving it. All men of goodwill are united in hoping that the International Atomic Energy Agency will be the medium for the fair and impartial distribution of atomic resources.
103. For the under-developed countries, the achievement of political independence is not an end in itself unless it is accompanied by parallel efforts to promote economic development and raise living standards. Political independence is bound to be a delicate plant without a measure of economic independence to ensure a decent living standard for the people. Hence the countries which have newly achieved independence will try to find means of speeding up their economic development either by developing their resources more intensively or by obtaining foreign aid through bilateral or multilateral economic agreements. Such agreements for economic co-operation are to be encouraged — and they should be free of any political ties that might adversely affect the recipient countries.
104. In this connexion, the Introduction to the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organisation 16 June 1955 — 15 June 1956 strikes a disturbing note. During the past decade, says the Secretary- General, there has been a “continued widening of the gap between the industrially advanced countries and the under-industrialized countries in the relative rate of growth of per capita incomes.” [A/3137/Add.1, p. 4.] And he adds: “Even in percentage terms, the poor have become relatively poorer.” [ibid., p. 4] despite the efforts made. The Members of the United Nations, individually and collectively, have sought to further the development of the countries needing assistance. Specialized agencies such as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization have played a prominent part. More recently, the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance has helped substantially by encouraging Members to make voluntary contributions to a joint fund.
105. We must, of course, face the fact that the United Nations lacks the funds for promoting adequate and balanced economic development in all parts of the world; but at least we can draw the appropriate lesson and pay heed to the warning given. For instance, the United Nations could promote and encourage national, bilateral or regional programmes for the economic development of those vast regions throughout the world “where” as the Secretary-General puts it, “poverty continues to be the law of life for the great majority of mankind” [ibid.].
106. With regard to the implications of the increase in membership of the United Nations, the admission of nineteen new Members confronts the Organization with new organic problems. An increase of such proportions should inevitably entail an increase in the number of members of the principal organs such as the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council.
107. Take the Security Council for example. The Asian countries have never been adequately represented there. The Charter, in Article 23, provides that the non-permanent members shall be elected by the General Assembly, “due regard being specially paid, in the first instance to the contribution of Members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the Organization, and also to equitable geographical distribution”. Actually, not a single Asian country has been elected to the Council since its creation except the Philippines, which last year obtained a seat following an arrangement with Yugoslavia. With the accession of four new Asian countries, bringing the total number of countries classified as “Asian and Far-Eastern countries” to eleven, my delegation considers that this omission should be rectified without delay and will vote in favour of any proposal on those lines which may come before the Assembly.
108. The Asian group has been more adequately represented in the Economic and Social Council, though my delegation feels that the increase in membership of this group warrants some slight increase in Asian participation in that body.
109. Many of the representatives of the General Assembly are aware, I imagine, of my country’s efforts, immediately on attaining independence, to develop political, cultural and economic relations with all countries, without distinction as to systems of government and ideologies, on the basis of equality, respect for independence and mutual benefit. Our efforts arise out of our deep conviction that peace and security can be strengthened by direct relations and by co-operation, in accordance with the principles of the Charter, with countries desirous of co-operating.
110. My delegation’s action during the present Assembly session will be guided by the principles of co-operation based on mutual respect and equality. It is our firm hope that the United Nations will have a leading part to play in a world which is feeling its way towards universal concord, peace and human progress. More than at any moment in its history, the United Nations today reflects the image of the World Organization which is its predestined role. Having almost achieved universality, the Organization represents the collective conscience of mankind more than ever it did. Our united efforts have a better chance than ever before of culminating in the achievement of our common objectives of peace, progress and international brotherhood.