16. Mr. President, let me first congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the .thirteenth session of the General Assembly. Your personal ability, your experience and other attributes have all merited your occupying this high office. The fact that I competed with you in the elections for this office did not by any means derogate from my personal respect for you and my high esteem of your country, Lebanon. Your election gave me as much happiness as if I were personally elected.
17. Allow me to express the gratitude of my Government and people and the members of my delegation to the Member States who supported my candidature and to the Members who kindly paid tribute to me from this rostrum.
18. Once again the General Assembly is convened in annual regular session in order to review the world situation and to make, as far as humanly possible, suitable recommendations which it is hoped will reduce world tension and bring about just and equitable solutions to outstanding issues which threaten international peace and security. Whereas we believe that the international situation as a whole is still tense and charged with explosive possibilities, nevertheless we have reason to hope that wise counsels may in the end prevail, and that problems which seem to defy solution may ultimately be settled in conformity with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter.
19. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate that the Government and people of my country have always placed great hopes in the United Nations as a world Organization, chiefly charged with the maintenance of world peace and security. We must realize that the tragedies of wars that have befallen many generations before us may henceforth serve as a grim reminder so that we may double our efforts and show more determination in putting an end to war and all the tragic consequences which inevitably flow from it.
20. The Sudanese people are among the most peace- loving nations in the world. In our long history it cannot be recalled that we have aggressed against a neighbour or disturbed the peace of a friend. Ours has always been a mission of peace and good-neighbourly policy, and since our country has regained its independence we have conducted ourselves by word and by deed in a manner which justifies the confidence placed in us when, in November 1956, our country was unanimously admitted into this great family of nations. Like all countries, big and small, ours has a vested interest in world peace and stability. We believe that the most difficult and conflicting problems can be settled peacefully and without recourse to the use of force, if only we have patience to practise restraint, tolerance and goodwill. But tolerance and goodwill should not blind us but rather gird us to face squarely at least some, if not all, of the grave issues awaiting settlement. In this connexion, I would mention the Algerian war where a valiant and gallant people are fighting for their birthright: freedom and independence and a rightful place under the sun. I shall deal with this later in my statement at somewhat greater length.
21. Then there is also the fight that is being waged by millions of Africans to free themselves from foreign domination. We sincerely believe that conditions prerequisite to world peace and stability can hardly be achieved unless and until those millions on the African continent finally achieve freedom and independence. This I believe is the goal of the United Nations. This I believe is a goal of nations of goodwill all over the world.
22. The grave situation of the Arab refugees from Palestine is well known to all of us here, and we sincerely urge that the United Nations live up to its responsibilities and that a solution to this burning question be found without further delay.
23. It is also appropriate to mention here the tense situation prevailing in some parts of the South Arabian peninsula. We urge, most sincerely, that an end be put to this tense situation and that conditions of peace and friendly relations be brought about without delay in accordance with the spirit and letter of the Charter.
24. There is also the question of West Irian. True, it does not figure among the items inscribed for discussion during the present session, but this should not give rise to false interpretations that such an omission has in any way diminished the pressing necessity for reaching prompt solution of this issue, the postponement of which entails grave consequences.
25. The question of Cyprus is once again on the; agenda for this session. We have always stood for the principle of self-determination for all people whose destinies are still under foreign domination, and in this respect our attitude has not changed towards the Cyprus question and we stand for the self-determination of the Cypriot people.
26. My delegation views with deep concern the developments in the Far East, which endanger world peace. As a dispute between great Powers, these developments will no doubt threaten to engulf the whole world in a total war, the result of which would be disastrous to our civilization and to all human heritage. We appeal to the parties concerned to settle the dispute amicably and ease world tension.
27. Last, but not least, I should mention the question of disarmament. We realize that one of the most fundamental questions facing the United Nations and the world at large is the question of disarmament, both in conventional and nuclear weapons. We are glad that our efforts in this direction to arrive at a solution have been made in the last few months, though many people have been disappointed at the slow pace at which the discussions have progressed. Nevertheless, we believe that the question is both difficult and complicated. With patience and good will, we sincerely hope that humanity will be spared the most disastrous fate since the beginning of time, and this can only be assured when the question of disarmament is discussed sincerely. We believe that the United Nations still has a great role to play in bringing the parties concerned together and in paving the way for the final settlement which the whole world awaits with deep anxiety and hope.
28. The year 1958 has witnessed two great events which my country welcomed with gratification: the Conference of Independent African States, held at Accra, which gave expression to the personality of rising Africa, and the third emergency special session of the General Assembly in which Arab nationalism was fully recognized by all the States Members of the United Nations.
29. In the Conference of Independent African States, the African States were conscious of their responsibilities to humanity and especially to the peoples of Africa, and. they were therefore able to assert their African personality. This African personality does not emerge out of selfishness or for ulterior motives, but is the result of our belief in peace and our unswerving loyalty to the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The deliberations in the Accra Conference have assured us all of our solidarity and our unfailing efforts to see that the dependent peoples of Africa eventually emerge, as independent States able to play their full role in international relations. Ours is a mission of justice and observance of the dignity of the human race, and the African personally should be understood in this context. All independent African States were for some time under foreign domination, and no wonder that we are, all of us, conscious of our duty to guide the rest of Africa to freedom and independence. We are striving towards the same goal: a free Africa, a united Africa. We bear no grudge against our former rulers and we sincerely hope that they will understand our attitude when we stretch out our hands to help our brethren in Africa, who are still under foreign rule, to achieve independence.
30. As I said at the Accra Conference: "We are neither troublemakers nor fomenters of dissension and discord. Our aim is to bring prosperity and happiness not only to our African brethren but to all mankind, for we do not live in isolation, and our struggle for the achievement of freedom and independence of Africa is directed towards the creation of a better world, and the maintenance of international peace and security."
31. The African personality is not directed against any one State or another, but is a consolidation of the African peoples' desire to see the light shine from dark Africa and to bring to the rest of the world a new code of morality, a spirit of co-operation and cordial friendship, and thereby ensure the prosperity of the human race and preserve peace and international security.
32. The Accra Conference, apart from its Declaration, adopted a number of resolutions, and I will refer here, with special emphasis, to the resolution on the Algerian question. The resolution was practical and in conformity with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations. It recommended, inter alia, that the representatives of the independent African States at the United Nations be instructed by their various Governments to consult each other constantly and acquaint Members of the United Nations with the true state of affairs in Algeria and solicit their support for a just and peaceful settlement: to recommend to the independent African States measures which may from time to time become necessary; and in particular, to find ways and means whereby the independent African States may enlighten world opinion on the Algerian situation, including the appointment of a mission, as soon as possible, to tour the capitals of the world to enlist the support of Governments.
33. It gives my delegation great satisfaction that these recommendations have been carried out and that representatives of the independent African States have recently toured the Scandinavian countries and Latin America with a view to enlightening the governments and peoples of those countries on the Algerian question and to explain to them the true state of affairs in that Arab-African country which is fighting desperately to regain independence. The Declaration of the Provisional Government of Algeria, which my Government hastened to recognize, is a step in the right direction to attaining complete independence. It is our ardent hope that the Members of the United Nations at this session will, once and for all, accord the right of self-determination to the peoples of Algeria. My delegation regrets that the two previous resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on the Algerian question [resolutions 1012 (XI) and 1184 (XII)] were not needed by France. The United Nations can only be an instrument, for the preservation of world peace and security if the Member States respect its recommendations and resolutions and act favourably on them.
34. Furthermore, the Accra Conference co-ordinated the foreign and economic policies of the different independent African States. The participating countries resolved to maintain unity of action in international affairs, which they established themselves in that historic Conference, and to safeguard their hard- earned sovereignty and integrity and to preserve among themselves the fundamental unity of outlook on foreign policy, thus enabling them to assert a distinctive African personality which will speak with a concerted voice in the cause of peace.
35. In the economic field we decided to co-ordinate our economies with a view to. making them complementary to each other rather than competitive. We were alive to the European drive to setup a European Common Market which would, no doubt, cut down the prices of commodities produced by African countries and we were therefore prompted to study the possibility of establishing an African Common Market to safeguard our common interests and protect our economies.
36. One of the most important events of this year was the establishment of the Economic Commission for Africa. The United Nations has recognized the need for economic development of under-developed countries, living up to its responsibilities and obligations under Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter to foster the economic development of under-developed areas, and has at last realized the aspirations and dreams of many millions in Africa who have been waiting for a long time for the establishment of such a commission similar to the other economic commissions established for Europe, Latin America and for Asia and the Far East. We believe that the Economic Commission for Africa can be of great assistance in raising both the level of economic activity and the standard of life in that continent and that through it, close cooperation among the African countries in the economic and social field can be established.
37. We are certain that the work of the Commissions in the other areas has proved extremely useful to the organization and the development of the economies of those countries, especially the under-developed countries in Asia and Latin America, we have no doubt, on the basis of this knowledge, that the African continent will greatly benefit by the Economic Commission for Africa thanks to the efforts of the United Nations in the economic and social fields.
38. We in the Sudan are extremely pleased, not only because the Economic Commission for Africa has at last been established, but because its Executive Secretary has been chosen from among our most enlightened and intellectual men, Mr. Mekki Abbas, who in our country has shouldered great responsibilities in the economic and social field. We are indeed delighted that Mr. Mekki Abbas has been chosen for this high office.
39. International relations can be a paradoxical as individual human relations. An international situation which appears at moments of despair to be gloomy and threatening to peace and International security — suddenly and in a miraculous way shows signs of hope and optimism. Two months ago we were facing in the Middle East a crisis which struck all peace-loving people with awe and disaster. My Government and people shared the bitter experience with our Arab brethren. We were disturbed but we did not despair. The third emergency special session witnessed one of the marvels that the United Nations could achieve, The representatives bent heart and soul on the problem with which the Assembly was seized and they expressed their fear and appealed to reason to help relieve the tension.
40. Arab nationalism was put to the test and it emerged successful and stronger than ever. The Arabs realized, for the first time, that the world gave cognizance to Arab nationalism, praised it and expected from it a renaissance of a glorious past. The Arab States which were the source of the trouble were able themselves to bring forth the resolution of 21 August 1958 [1237 (ES-III)] which provided the solution for the situation that had threatened the world with war. The resolution was unanimously adopted and the United Nations scored an unprecedented success. We Arabs have been fortunate enough to mend our differences and heal our wounds. We Immediately embarked on a new phase of objective and productive Arab nationalism. We are now seeking ways and means to strengthen the League of Arab States, to increase its responsibilities and to enhance its powers and last but not least, to create from it machinery capable of handling the common interests of the Arabs and preserving their unity of purpose. We will meet in the near future in the League of Arab States not only to implement the letter and purport of the resolution but also to renovate the League of Arab States.
41. I am confident that all the Arab States who co sponsored resolution 1237 (ES-II) will live up to their pledges. They will practise tolerance and live together with one another as good neighbours; they will strengthen the close relations and numerous ties which link the Arab States; they will act strictly in accordance with the principles of mutual respect for each other's territorial sovereignty, of non-aggression, of strict non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and of equal and mutual benefit, and to ensure that their conduct by word and deed conforms to these principles. They will observe the provision of article 8 of the Pact of the League of Arab States which provides that "each member State shall respect the systems of government established in the other member States and regard them as exclusive concerns of these States," and that "each shall pledge to abstain from any action calculated to change established systems of government."
42. My delegation notes with satisfaction paragraph 20 of the Secretary-General's report [A/3934/Rev.1] which reads: “I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to express my appreciation for the way in which governments in the area engaged in a full and frank discussion of the difficult and delicate matters involved, thus strengthening the ties of co-operation between the United Nations and themselves. I believe that the consultations properly pursued will render this cooperation increasingly fruitful."
43. The resolution of the Arab States was described inside the United Nations Headquarters as a miracle and now the miracle has not been confined to words only — it has been duly translated into deeds.
44. In section n of the resolution of 21 August 1958, the General Assembly: "Requests the Secretary-General to make forth- with, in consultation with the Governments concerned and in accordance with the Charter, and having in mind section I of this resolution, such practical arrangements as would adequately help in upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter in relation to Lebanon and Jordan in the present circumstances, and thereby facilitate the early withdrawal of the foreign troops from the two countries." In compliance with this request, the Secretary-General visited Amman, Cairo, Baghdad and Beirut and rendered his report of 29 September 1958.
45. My delegation wishes, in the first place, to express our high estimation of the unfailing efforts of the Secretary-General to relieve the tension in the Middle East. His report deals in the first place with an interpretation of the resolution under review. My delegation does not wish to contend with the interpretation given by the Secretary-General to the resolution. The resolution no doubt is intended to establish good-neighbourly relations between all the countries in the area and to ensure that practical arrangements, which will not derogate from the sovereignty of any of the States involved, will be made and thereby facilitate the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon and Jordan.
46. With respect to Jordan, the practical arrangements made by the Secretary-General are: first the posting of a United Nations representative in Jordan, properly staffed, to serve "as a special representative of the Secretary-General to assist in the implementation of the resolution, specifically with a view to help in upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter in relation to Jordan in the present circumstances", [A/3934/Rev.1, para. 29] and secondly, the special representative of the Secretary-General will have liaison offices in Beirut and Damascus which are needed in support of the establishment of a United Nations organ in Jordan. Both the Governments of Lebanon and the United Arab Republic agree to grant such facilities. The practical arrangements further provide that the Secretary-General, for the purpose of implementing the said resolution, will have a special representative in such direct contact of a diplomatic nature with the Government concerned as the Secretary-General may find called for in the light of the findings of the representative charged with the purview.
47. With regard to the practical arrangements in relation to Lebanon, the Secretary-General felt that the United Nations Observations Group in Lebanon set up under a resolution of the Security Council of 11 June 1958, while continuing to serve the general purposes mentioned in the resolution, presents a practical arrangement of the resolution of 21 August 1958, and in the present circumstances with the further development of it envisaged, adequately helps in upholding the purposes of the Charter in relation to Lebanon. It is the candid opinion of my delegation that the proposed practical arrangements are adequate for the time being. My delegation hopes that such arrangements will be of a temporary nature.
48. There remains the vital question of the withdrawal of United States and British forces from Lebanon and Jordan, respectively. My delegation considers that such withdrawals are necessary for the stabilization of peace in the area and the relieving of tension. The United States Government and the Lebanese Government have indicated that the total withdrawal of the forces will begin in the near future and will be completed as expeditiously as possible - they hope by the end of October. This statement [A/3934. annex I. para.2] would have been satisfactory had it not been for the proviso attached to it. They added the qualification that such withdrawal will take place provided the international security situation with respect to Lebanon continues to improve in the framework of successful implementation of section I of the resolution of 21 August 1958.
49. It is the respectful submission of my delegation that the implementation of section I of the resolution of 21 August 1958 is not the special concern of the Governments of the United States and Lebanon inasmuch as it is the concern of the General Assembly. The withdrawal should be completed without any conditions being attached. If any of the States fails to implement section I of the resolution of 21 August 1958, then the matter can be considered by the General Assembly or can be referred to the Security Council by the Secretary-General, as provided in Article 99 of the Charter, or by any one of the interested States.
50. With regard to the withdrawal of British troops from Jordan, a letter dated 1 October 1958 [A/3937], from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, addressed to the Secretary-General, was circulated. It was stated in that letter that Her Majesty's Government had agreed with the Jordanian Government that the withdrawal of British troops would begin on 20 October and that this withdrawal would be completed within a period not exceeding such time as might be required for the necessary arrangements for the movement of personnel, stores and equipment. It is the respectful submission of my delegation that the final date for withdrawal is not clear from this letter. A more explicit statement, explaining this declaration, is still required from the representative of the United Kingdom and also from the representative of the Government of Jordan. I am sure a reply will come forthwith, and I hope such a reply will give us the final assurance that the situation in the Middle East has been relieved and that the resolution of 21 August 1958 has been fully implemented. At that point, there will be no need for any of us here to ask that the Secretary-General's report be made an item on the agenda. On the contrary, we will all hail the Secretary-General for his. unfailing efforts and for the way in which the resolution has been implemented to everybody's satisfaction. Of course, we will also hail the Governments concerned, because they will have made it possible for the Secretary-General and for all of us here to see that the resolution has been fully implemented.
51. It is not the intention of my delegation to make things difficult, but it is our concern to see that the resolution of 21 August 1958 is fully implemented, that peace and order are restored in the area, and that international relations are resumed in a cordial atmosphere.
52. I have already mentioned that we in the Sudan, Government and people alike, have placed our faith in the United Nations and have pledged our support to peace and international security, which can only be achieved by observing the canons of international law, the purposes and principles of the Charter and the decisions of the United Nations. My delegation believes that this is the case with all Member States, and especially the small States.
53. My delegation cannot therefore let pass without comment the caustic remarks made by one representative, attacking the United Nations and assailing the small nations to the extent of attempting to amend the Charter with a view to not giving the small States equal rights in the process of voting in the United Nations. It is the respectful submission of my delegation that international relations are fundamentally based on equality of status between States. The concept of equality of States is derived from that of State sovereignty. Every State, irrespective of origin, size, or form of government, is equally entitled to the rights accorded by international law. States are equally entitled to the enjoyment of the rights, prerogatives and privileges which their membership in this community of nations and the different international organizations confers upon them.
54. The Charter of the United Nations not only stresses the principle of equality of States but is in fact based on it. Article 2 of the Charter, which lays down the fundamental principles upon which the new international order is founded and in accordance with which the new world Organization and its Members shall act in pursuit of the purposes of the United Nations, devotes its first paragraph to the principle of sovereign equality. As rightly stated by Goodrich and Hambro's standard work on the Charter of the United Nations: "This Article is of fundamental importance in the total economy of the Charter. It lays down certain fundamental principles which the Organization operating through its various organs must respect. These same principles are also binding upon Members. "
55. In contrast to the Covenant of the League of Nations, where no prominence is given to the concept of State equality, the Charter of the United Nations makes it one of the chief pillars. Article 1 of the Charter sets out as one of the purposes of the United Nations: "to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples...". The preamble of the Charter begins with a pledge expressing the determination of the peoples of the United Nations to reaffirm faith in the equal rights of nations, large and small.
56. It is noteworthy that all the preparatory work and the international conferences which preceded the San Francisco Conference underscored the concept of "equality of States". Thus, the expression "sovereign equality" appears in the four-Power Declaration of the Moscow Conference of 1943 and in the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals of October 1944. The drafters of the United Nations Charter therefore decided irrevocably to base the new Charter on international equality and to set up the new world Organization as a democratic association of sovereign and equal members. They decided to do away with pre-Charter institutions and the "concept of Europe system" under which a number of States shoulder the task of shaping the destiny of the world or decide the fate of small nations or peoples. Any attempt to change the fundamental principles of the Charter would only result in undermining the structure of this world Organization. Such an attempt would represent a retrogressive step in the struggle of mankind towards a universal and democratic community of nations.
57. It is a defiance of the United Nations Charter and a flagrant disrespect of this Organization by a Member State when its representative declares in unequivocal terms from this rostrum that his Government will disregard any resolution or decision that may be taken by this Assembly in one matter or another.
58. It is to be regretted that the Charter contains no provision governing the interpretation of this long- debated and invariably contested Article 2, paragraph 7, of the Charter. If there should be any amendment of the Charter, that amendment should be a clarification of paragraph 7 of Article 2. It must be made clear that the drafters of the Charter did not intend to eliminate, by paragraph 7 of Article 2, the right of the United Nations to grant subject peoples the right to self-determination. If that was their intention, Chapter XI should not have formed part of the Charter. Again, it is our respectful submission that the drafters of the Charter did not intend to eliminate, by paragraph 7 of Article 2, the right of the United Nations to discuss matters relating to human rights and the fundamental beliefs of members of the human race in any given State. The United Nations General Assembly has, more than once, decided that it is within its power to discuss problems of segregation and race discrimination obtaining in one State or another.
59. My delegation expects every Member State to respect the principles of the United Nations, to uphold its purposes, to observe its decisions with diligence, and to implement its resolutions without delay. This will be the only safeguard against the disintegration of this new international community and the only way to secure for the human race prosperity, happiness, peace and security.
60. The last act in the drama of the struggle of mankind on this earth is in the process of being written. It is for us, the Member States assembled here, to make it unfold a glorious future for the generations to come, a future full of prosperity and happiness. Let us all go forward, united and unperturbed, in our mission to secure a permanent and lasting peace.