66. It is a pleasure to greet you in the name of Yemen. I express our hopes for the success of this General Assembly in strengthening peace through the settlement of those problems which still block the way towards security for the world and tranquillity for its hundreds of millions of innocent souls. The delegation of Yemen is glad to be among those working together in spirit and in action to carry out the message enjoined by every religion and every human conscience and implicit in every law. We sincerely believe that the best hope for and the truest success of the message of peace lies in carrying out and honouring the principles of the United Nations Charter, and I am sure that this belief is shared by all representatives gathered here.
67. Certain signs of peace have appeared on the horizon, and the world’s gaze has followed them ever since the four-nation meeting in Geneva in an atmosphere presaging good for the future and stability for world peace. The concern of all mankind with that meeting and with the subjects considered at that meeting devolves upon the four countries concerned the greatest I responsibility and obligation to mankind. It is only fitting that all of us likewise should devote ourselves to this obligation and responsibility. Now the object of our hopes is that the four-nation conference to be held in the coming month of October may be of the greatest consequence for the peace of the world and for general welfare, and for the settlement of the world’s problems.
68. One of the best and most satisfying auguries of peace to mankind, especially’ to innocent mankind, has been the outcome of the discussions and work of the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy towards improving the means of progress and conditions of living in the world. We hope that this Conference and similar conferences in the future will lead to more disinterested interchange of knowledge in the field of atomic energy, which would certainly bring about the welfare of mankind.
69. Last, but not least, we must mention a historic event which claimed the attention of the whole world, the Asian-African Conference at Bandung this year. None can question that this Conference was of momentous significance for the course of the world’s political and economic development. It meant that more than half the inhabitants of the world were joined together in a consideration of their own affairs and the world’s affairs, not as a third bloc, but as world citizens dismayed by the division of mankind into two blocs struggling to destroy each other. For this reason, the Conference did not discuss the political, economic, and cultural problems. We therefore entertain high hopes that this Conference and future conferences will prove a mighty support of peace and co-operation among mankind.
70. The Yemen delegation is glad to be in the ranks of those who support proposals directed to upholding peace and limiting world armaments, to reinforcing the principles of this Organization, to sustaining its Charter, and to widening the sphere of its membership.
71. It is only natural that my delegation will be particularly interested in the Asian-African problems placed before the General Assembly. We believe it is a matter of special concern to world peace that the problem of West Irian be justly settled. We hope the Netherlands Government can come to an agreement with the Indonesian Government on such terms as will solve this problem compatibly with the interests of the Indonesian people and the United Nations Charter.
72. The Yemen delegation also hopes that, in the two cases of Morocco and Algeria, France, from which country have emanated the principles of freedom and human rights, will look in the light of these principles upon the problem of these two sister countries. The problems of Morocco and Algeria are now among the most important and urgent problems deserving the attention and care of this Assembly. We sincerely hope that a favourable decision will be taken by this Assembly, restoring peace and safeguarding the God-given rights of the African people.
73. The problem of Palestine continues. A million human beings still wander homeless, not by legal right or with legitimate reason, but because another people from across the seas migrated to their land, occupying it by force, driving them out of their homes and thus creating a tragedy which has become a burden crushing the conscience of the world. Up to now the problem has remained unsolved. The decisions of the United Nations with regard to it have not been enforced. It has come to this point: the other party has transferred its capital to Jerusalem, the internationalization of which was decreed by the United Nations. This same other party has also made it clear that it will not accept the return of the refugees to their homes.
74. We believe that the dignity of this Organization and its dedication to world peace and justice call for the taking of an effective stand for the enforcement of its decisions with regard to this area. There is no doubt that, if the Organization falls short in this mission, it will certainly fail in one of the most important of its obligations. The pillars of its moral influence will be shaken, and respect for its resolutions will undoubtedly decrease. The statesmen who met at the Asian-African Conference reminded the world of that problem. They declared their support of the rights of the Arab people of Palestine and called for the implementation of the United Nations resolutions. It should be remembered that the Arabs harbour no aggressive design against any race or religion: on the contrary, by virtue of the Islamic religion and the principles inherent in the Arab traditions, we honour all rates and all religions. All that is sought in the question of Palestine is respect for the rights of men and nations; that justice may be freely applied to all; that the Arabs of Palestine shall not be the victims of millions of aliens coming from the four corners of the world coveting their so-called “homeland”,
75. In the Arabian peninsula there are two problems of some significance. One is the problem of the Buraimi oasis, which the two parties to the dispute, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, have agreed to refer to arbitration. This is a matter of some importance, which concerns the entirety of the Arab land, particularly Yemen. We sincerely hope that the two parties will agree on a just settlement.
76. The second problem is that of the nine southern regions of the Arabian peninsula occupied by British forces. This fact has led to regrettable complications and to harsh acts of aggression and destruction by the British forces in a wide area in these regions. The Yemen Government continues to hope that this problem can be settled on the diplomatic level between the British and the Yemen Governments, in such a way as to ensure peace and security and realize the hopes and the freedom of the inhabitants of this area. We sincerely look forward to an amicable settlement of this problem. If our hopes fail, we shall come forward with our problem to the United Nations, confident that consideration of the issues here will bring in its train a just and suitable settlement.
77. In conclusion, I emphasize that Yemen is moved by a firm and sincere desire to co-operate in maintaining world peace and in working for progress, economic development and raising of the standards of living. In that we look forward to the United Nations and its technical assistance programme.
78. I pray God that He may inspire us to reach the right decision in all our deliberations for the good of mankind.