1. Mr. ISMAIL (Federation of Malaya): This is the second occasion on which we have been privileged to participate in a regular session of the General Assembly since the Federation of Malaya attained its independence on 31 August 1957, and I should like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the determination of the Government and people of the Federation of Malaya to observe the principles and further the purposes of the United Nations and renew our pledge to uphold the Charter.
2. Since the emergence of the Federation of Malaya as a sovereign, democratic and independent State, the intention of our Government has been to be on the most friendly terms with all countries in the world. As is inscribed in our Proclamation of Independence, our State is "founded on the principles of liberty and justice, and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among' all nations". In keeping with this, the Government of the Federation of Malaya stands for peace, freedom and the well-being of every country in the world.
3. The Government and people of Malaya have great faith in the United Nations. Our foreign policy is based on this faith in the United Nations and on respect for its purposes and principles. It is our policy to support this Organization. We take every important declaration and decision of the United Nations in earnest. I believe that in this matter we share the attitude and feelings of other small nations, which depend for the maintenance of their territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the fulfilment of their desires for peace, justice and freedom on the willingness of the great Powers to respond to the moral force of the declarations and decisions of this world Organization.
4. The balanced picture of the influence of the Organization in support of the goals of the Charter, given in the Introduction to the annual report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization [A/3844/ Add.1]. is most reassuring to the Government and people of Malaya. As has been noted by our esteemed Secretary-General, it is the quiet and unassuming long-term work of the Organization that merits the greatest praise, particularly from those small nations which perhaps derive the greatest benefit from such long-range developments. The increasing degree of economic, humanitarian and scientific co-operation taking place under the aegis of the Organization is, indeed, proof of the quiet fulfilment of many of the purposes of our Charter at the grass-roots level of human endeavour. Although such co-operation rarely elicits sensational recognition, such as is bestowed upon more purely political issues, nevertheless we all recognize the full value and import of these developments and welcome the measured statement of these achievements contained in the Secretary-General's annual report [A/3844].
5. The happy result of the efforts of the third emergency special session of the General Assembly is an example of the willingness of the smaller-nations to settle their differences within the framework of the United Nations.
6. As a new Member, with such faith in the United Nations, we have been greatly disturbed by the failure of some of the greater Powers to respond to world opinion as expressed, in this great assembly of nations. In spite of the friendly relations so happily existing between our Government and the Government of France, we have been compelled by cur abiding faith in the United Nations to join with twenty-three other Asian-African nations in co-sponsoring the inscription of an item on the question of Algeria on the agenda of the present session of the General Assembly [A/ 3853]. It is regrettable that the Government of France should continue to ignore the resolution which was adopted by the General Assembly at its twelfth session [resolution 1184 (XII)] without any vote being cast against it. We join the other nations of Asia and Africa, indeed of other regions as well, in expressing concern that no steps have been taken by the French Government with a view to arriving at a solution in conformity with that resolution. The French Government has not accepted the good offices proffered by the Governments of Morocco and Tunisia in accordance with the spirit of the General Assembly's resolution. Nor have pourparlers in accordance with the resolution been initiated.
7. It is the fervent hope of the Government and people of the Federation of Malaya that, the war in Algeria may be terminated as soon as possible, so that peace may be restored in North Africa and the people of the area given the opportunity to channel their energies and resources into the constructive efforts of nationbuilding, economic development and social and cultural progress. It is our firm conviction that the people of Algeria have a right to freedom and independence.
8. It is also with regret that we have had to join with other Members from Asia and Africa, Western Europe and Latin America in inscribing an item on the agenda of the present session [A/3872] concerning the policies of a fellow member of the Commonwealth — that is, on the question of race conflict in South Africa resulting from the policies of apartheid of the Government of the Union of South Africa. This question has been before the Assembly since 1952. Year after year the General Assembly has called upon the Government of the Union of South Africa to reconsider its position and revise its policies in the light of obligations under the Charter. These appeals from the vast majority of Members of the United Nations, representing the greater part of humanity, have gone unheeded by the Government of the Union of South Africa. We are taking this stand only because of our determination to uphold the Charter, which calls for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction of race. We must uphold the dignity and worth of the human person.
9. In expressing our concern at the attitude of a friendly Government which is a fellow member of the Commonwealth, we would at the same time like to take this opportunity to make our position clear on the question of Hungary. Wo note with great concern the recent events in that country. We gave our support to the inclusion in the agenda of the present session of the item, "The situation in Hungary", which was proposed by Australia [A/3875 and Add.1]. The continued defiance of the resolutions of the General Assembly on the part of the Soviet Union and the present authorities in Hungary and their refusal to co-operate with bodies set up, and persons appointed, by the General Assembly greatly impair the efficacy of the United Nations for the purposes which we are solemnly pledged to further. Our firm belief in the principle of self-determination and in fundamental rights is not confined to Asia and Africa but extends to all areas of the world.
10. The upsurge of nationalism in the Arab world is a matter of which we have become fully aware today. We must realize now that Arab nationalism can no longer be contained, whether by internal or external, forces. The rest of the world must allow it to find its own expression and to reach its own goals in its unimpeded way. At the third emergency special session of the General Assembly, all the Arab States demonstrated their capability to find an agreed formula to solve the differences that exist within the same family, the Arab nation. It is our belief that, left to themselves, without outside interference, the States of the great Arab nation will, through deeds, give reality to the words of their joint resolution which all of us so enthusiastically and unanimously supported [resolution 1237 (ES-III)], thus further promoting the orderly political, economic and social progress which we all wish for the whole Arab nation.
11. In the Arab world, as well as in the other underdeveloped countries of Asia and Africa, there is a growing desire for political progress to be matched by equally rapid economic development which could lead to the social uplift of the masses. The United Nations, through the Economic and Social Council and the various specialized agencies, has done excellent work in assisting economic development in these countries; but more needs to be done. However, as a general principle, we hold the view that assistance from outside, in whatever form, must only be given in order to reinforce and sustain the constructive character of nationalism in these countries. It cannot supplant it in any way, however subtle.
12. Much has been said in this Assembly, as well as outside it, of the desire of well-developed, industrialized countries, especially the great Powers, to assist under-developed countries to improve their economic status. Many and varied are the proposals made but, on analysis, they all have one thing in common: that is, that the under-developed countries must show what they themselves can do, and that they desire to be helped. Against this background, the Government of the Federation of Malaya finds it impossible to reconcile what is professed by well-developed countries, especially the great Powers, with what they actually practise.
13. As is well know, the International Tin Agreement was designed to balance supply and demand of tin so as to hold the price of tin within a range between the floor price of £730 a ton to a ceiling price of £890 a ton. It was agreed by both consumers and producers of tin that this price range was fair. It was fair to the producers because, by guaranteeing a fair price for their produce, they could plan with more certainty not only the future of the tin industry, but also their economic planning as a whole. It was fair to the consumers because the existence of a buffer stock would ensure constant supply of tin for their factories, and the presence of a stable price range would make costs more constant and consistent.
14. The International Tin Agreement is one form of price stabilization which has always been advocated as one solution to help under-developed countries to better their economic status. That Agreement is a good manifestation of the effort made by under-developed countries to help themselves because the initiative for its Introduction was taken by them, and my country, as one of the great producers, played a prominent part. And yet, hardly had the Agreement begun to work, when one great Power, the Soviet Union, began to wreck it. By dumping tin on the market the Soviet Union did two things. First, it sold its tin at a price which it would not have dreamt of getting if the buffer stock had not supported the price of tin. In other words, the Soviet Union, a great Power, was selling tin at a price subsidized by the under-developed countries. Secondly, it broke the floor price, because its consistent dumping exhausted the financial resources of the buffer stock manager and thus defeated the objective of the International Tin Agreement.
15. The international tin restrictions have necessitated the closing of mines in the producing countries, with concomitant unemployment. The breach in the floor price as a result of the Russian dumping of tin on the market would further aggravate the situation. More mines will have to be closed and the number of workers losing their employment will increase.
16. I suggest that the Soviet Union should alleviate the harm done to the under-developed countries which have been affected by calling a halt to its present destructive manoeuvres on the tin market, or, better still, by buying back those tons of tin which it has unloaded — thereby proving its regret by deeds and making itself worthy of being called the great Power, that it actually is.
17. It is the view of my delegation that international peace and security can be maintained only under conditions of economic stability and healthy growth. It is further the view of my delegation that the more developed Members of tills Organization, particularly the advanced industrial countries which are the principal importers of primary commodities, have a duty to participate closely in international efforts at longterm stabilization of primary commodity prices. Such a participation would be in the mutual interests of both producer and consumer countries, and would contribute in great measure to the reduction of the unfortunate economic imbalance which has characterized post-war world economic growth and international trade.
18. However, it must be firmly pointed out that many, if not all, of the less developed countries prefer to participate in fair trade rather than to depend upon economic aid. Thus, to take advantage of a current drop in primary commodity prices, which results from the unusually large amounts of primary commodities that have been off-loaded onto the world market, without giving serious consideration to the disastrous economic, human and indeed political effects such tactics would have on producer countries, is actually to contribute in no small measure towards the creation of conditions of political and social instability in the world which, in turn, would ultimately lead to the paying of a greater price in seeking a solution.
19. It is our earnest hope that through economic cooperation between the more industrialized countries and the economically under-developed ones, through pooling of our resources in human and material terms, and through the application of modern scientific and technical knowledge and know-how, we shall be able to usher in a new era of economic prosperity and stability, thus laying the foundation for an enduring world peace.