As my delegation’s contribution to the general debate, I should like to take this opportunity to give an account of what Hungary has done since the last session to strengthen international co-operation.
93. The Hungarian Government is anxious to enter into normal relations with all countries irrespective of their economic and social systems. This is indicated, among other things, by the fact that the Hungarian People’s Republic is continuously extending its diplomatic relations. In the course of this year, diplomatic relations were established with eight additional countries, making a total of forty-two.
94. The Hungarian People’s Republic wishes to take part in the development of all forms of international co-operation. My Government regards trade relations based on mutual advantage and equality as one of the most concrete and fruitful ways of co-operation between States with different régimes. The volume of such trade exceeds considerably the pre-war level in absolute figures in the case of Hungary.
95. The various agencies of the United Nations, and particularly its regional economic commissions, have a special task to eliminate the factors that hinder more extensive international economic co-operation. Even before the Hungarian People’s Republic became a Member of the United Nations, it played an active role in the work of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. It will in the future as well contribute to United Nations work in the economic field.
96. Among others, we are anxious to play an active part in the United Nations technical assistance programme and in the further expansion of the international exchange of technical knowledge. To this end, the Hungarian Government, on the one hand, is contributing, commensurately with the country’s economic potentialities, to the technical assistance programme, and, on the other hand, it wishes to take advantage of assistance in certain fields of technical development
97. The getting together of representatives of different countries is an important means of co-operation, of which we wish to make ever greater use. In this connexion, we regard as extremely useful the exchange of visits by parliamentary representatives. Recently, we have been host to parliamentary delegations from Czechoslovakia, Romania, Syria, Japan, the Soviet Union, Brazil, Finland and Poland. Members of the Hungarian Parliament have paid visits to many foreign countries. Hungary has been represented in 1956 at more than 250 international congresses, about 100 of which were of a scientific nature. A number of important international events have also taken place in my country, of which I need only mention the International Liszt Piano Competition, the Bartok Festival, and the meeting of the World Council of Churches. On these occasions, we welcomed people from many parts of the world.
98. The fact that Hungary is affiliated with more than 200 international organizations illustrates our part in expanding international relations and co-operation in all directions. Hungary is glad to co-operate internationally in the peaceful uses of atomic energy and was a party to the recently signed Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
99. The chief factor in the present international tension has been the aggressive attitude of certain Western countries, and particularly of the United Kingdom and France, in connexion with the nationalization of the Suez Canal. Although this act by Egypt in no way contravened international law, the United Kingdom and France decided on armed intervention. The tripartite armed attack against Egypt, which resolutely safeguarded its national interests, reminds one of the most shameful chapter from the heyday of colonialism. Egyptian patriots will not easily forget the bloodbath of Port Said.
100. The Governments of the United Kingdom and France were shortsighted and did not realize the anachronism of this brutal military venture. Their obliviousness to the law of historical development hit the aggressors like a boomerang. The British and French Governments did not count on the general indignation that their outrage against Egypt would evoke throughout the world. The view taken by the world Press and the representatives to the United Nations shows that this unparalleled trampling underfoot of Egyptian sovereignty was condemned not only by the Governments and people of former colonial countries and of the socialist countries which oppose colonialism on principle, but also by the Governments and people of countries which are in military alliance with the United Kingdom and France. Further, a number of leading British and French politicians and a substantial section of the populations of the United Kingdom and France refused to be associated with their Governments’ military venture in Egypt.
101. Thanks to pressure exercised by world public opinion, and the valiant perseverance of the Egyptian people and the Support they received, the attackers were frustrated in their attempt to attain their ends, namely, to bring Egypt to heel and to become supreme masters over the Suez Canal.
102. Now that the aggressors realize the failure of their original plan, they are trying to get all they can out of the situation that confronts them. They have put off the withdrawal of their troops, despite the United Nations resolutions, by appealing to untenable arguments, and they are quite evidently attempting to utilize the presence of the United, Nations Emergency Force for their own purposes in an undercover way. This corresponds to the well-known Western plan, which is unacceptable to Egypt because it infringes its sovereignty.
103. Clearly, the one and only purpose of sending the United. Nations Emergency Force to Egypt is to ensure the rapid withdrawal of foreign troops from Egyptian territory. By no means must the settling of the Suez problem, the clearing of the Suez Canal or other problems connected with it be made contingent upon the presence of the United Nations Emergency Force.
104. As expressed by its vote for the resolution [A/ RES/410] adopted on the proposal of twenty Asian and African countries, the Hungarian delegation demands the immediate withdrawal of the British, French and Israel troops. It also considers necessary the earliest possible withdrawal of United Nations forces, so that the Egyptian Government can become the sovereign ruler over the whole country.
105. It is not only the fate of the Egyptian people that is at stake but that of the entire Arab world, the future of former colonial countries, and, in its broader aspects, even the peace of the whole world, because the armed venture of the United Kingdom and France is fraught with the danger of world war. That is why all peace-loving forces of the world have to co-operate to root out the causes of conflagration in the Middle East.
106. No one can deny that mankind’s paramount desire is the preservation of peace and the avoidance of war. It is in the light of this desire that there is a pressing need to solve fundamental problems which have so far regrettably remained unsolved.
107. In the opinion of the Hungarian Government, the question of disarmament is the most urgent. We entirely disagree with those who consider that the so-called policy of strength, the continuation of the armaments race, is a means of consolidating peace and security. It would be wrong to demand that these weighty and complex problems should be solved overnight. Partial agreement on measures would also mitigate the anxiety of mankind, ease the burden weighing down upon it which prevents greater well-being, and also pave the way for further progress. The monopolistic great Powers are responsible for starting the armaments race and for the deadlock on disarmament,
108. Recently certain States, and particularly the Soviet Union, have shown an example by taking unilateral measures and making important concrete contributions towards disarmament. It is regrettable that the Western great Powers have failed to act likewise. What is more, they have done the contrary.
109. In compliance with the people’s wishes, the Hungarian Government will continue to participate in all international efforts to maintain peace and security and to solve the disarmament problem and it will lend its support to any proposal to this end.
110. One such proposal is the Soviet Government’s statement of 17 November 1956 [A/3366] on disarmament and the easing of international tension. The Hungarian delegation regards this plan as a way to settle such vital issues as the banning of atomic and hydrogen bombs. The danger represented by the production of weapons of mass destruction fills the peoples of the world with justified concern.
111. The Soviet proposals contain many new and encouraging elements which open new vistas for disarmament discussion. They also comply with certain ideas put forward for some time by the Western Powers, which they make conditional for any agreement on disarmament. We welcome these new and realistic suggestions to promote agreement. We hope with ah our hearts that the great Powers primarily responsible for disarmament will play their part in a conciliatory spirit to bring about agreement, even if only partial. No doubt, the peoples of the world would be deeply gratified by such an agreement, which would have an extremely positive role in lessening international tension.
112. The Hungarian people would be glad to see the dissolution of both the Warsaw Treaty and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. What is needed is a treaty of collective security which unites all the peoples of Europe on the basis of coexistence. Certain Governments are inclined to make the solution of the disarmament problem contingent upon settling the German question. German militarism has driven the Hungarian people into world wars that have had for them the most serious consequences twice in one generation. It follows from this that the Hungarian Government is perturbed by the present status of the German problem.
113. We must, however, realize that the solution of both problems is jeopardized by making one dependent on the other. The militarization of the German Federal Republic is a serious obstacle to the peaceful democratic unification of Germany, as is the refusal of the Bonn Government to enter into direct negotiations between the two sovereign German States, the only feasible method of bringing about unification.
114. At the last session of the General Assembly, a good deal of reference was made not only to the Geneva meeting but also to the Bandung Conference, that wonderful manifestation of Asian and African solidarity. That conference was a sign of an historical trend which cannot be reversed: new States coming into being with each passing year during our generation, whose peoples, having thrown off the shackles of colonialism, enjoy the sympathy of all peoples in the world in the struggle to consolidate their independence and to win respect for their sovereignty.
115. We must, however, realize that the groups which have been deprived of their privileges by this trend are staking everything on retrieving them, The Hungarian delegation hopes that the problems of West Irian, Cyprus and Algeria will be settled by negotiation, with respect for the interests of those peoples and the principle of self-determination.
116. The newly independent countries are now engaged in a hard struggle to obtain and consolidate their economic independence. The United Nations also has an important role to play in this respect. The Hungarian Government is in favour of setting up for this purpose the Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development. One of the fundamental problems of world economics today is the economic progress of underdeveloped countries. Such progress favourably affects the economies of the advanced countries by putting world economic relations on a healthy footing. By promoting independent national industries, SUNFED would make the economies of the countries concerned more varied, this being a prerequisite for economic progress.
117. Another fundamental Requirement is the recognition of equality in the structure and operation of SUNFED, with unconditional respect for the interests of the less developed countries. Bilateral agreements can also be an important means of offering aid to less developed countries for economic advancement. It is an implicit requirement, whenever bilateral agreements are reached, that they do not contain any clauses which run counter to national interests and make political or military conditions.
118. The Hungarian delegation would like to point out that the work of the United Nations on Far Eastern and other questions is made less effective by the absence of the Chinese People’s Republic, which is one of the great Powers in Asia and the world enjoying considerable international prestige. It is high time for the United Nations to remedy this situation. International political life has posed many burning issues for the United Nations. In all -spheres of international relations, pancha shila, the five basic principles of peaceful coexistence among countries with different political systems, have to be made a reality.
119. Once these principles are consistently applied, it will become possible to end the armaments race, to obtain recognition for the rights of colonial and dependent countries, to win and consolidate their independence, and to settle other pending international issues.
120. With its domestic policy the Hungarian People’s Republic creates the conditions which stimulate sincere and manifold co-operation with other countries. In our international relations we unconditionally respect the rights of other countries and in turn we ask for similar respect.