I have particular pleasure in congratulating the President on his election because my country supported his candidature from the first as a further expression of the unshakable friendship between our two countries, one of the most recent manifestations of which has been the raising of our respective diplomatic missions to the rank of embassy. I wish him every success in conducting the deliberations of this august assembly.
75. Despite the anxiety that is reflected day after day in the newspapers of the world, there has undoubtedly been an improvement in the relations between the great Powers in recent months, the most positive expressions of which have been the continuation of the Korean armistice and the conclusion of an armistice in Indo-China. Although we appreciate the complexity of the host of problems facing the great Powers, frankness compels us to say that our satisfaction at the steps leading to more peaceful relations between peoples has been somewhat diminished by the failure, at the time of reaching agreements, to use the United Nations as the normal channel for the solution of problems.
76. The United Nations cannot be made a forum for the academic discussion of either political or economic problems; we cannot allow it to become a place where problems are discussed interminably, only to be settled outside the Organization when the time comes. This attitude and actions of this kind encourage scepticism about the effectiveness of the United Nations and give the public the impression that the Organization has failed.
77. International co-operation, the basis of good neighbourly relations and coexistence, the fundamental principles of the Charter, cannot be a mere form of words used to describe a special situation created by conflicting ideologies. International co-operation, as the smaller countries see it, means genuine dedication to the solution of the most pressing problems of all mankind, without distinction on grounds of political or philosophical belief, because nations have the right to full development within the international community in the same way as individuals in the national community, and because in the international scale of human values mankind come first, then the peoples, and finally individuals.
78. In this belief and in the belief that the nations have an international purpose and that the rights of the international community are confronted by the free will of the nations composing it, our Government considers, in accordance with a policy sanctioned by the decision of the Argentine people, that international peace and harmony in the community of nations can be achieved only through absolute respect for each of those nations and, in particular, through respect for their inalienable right to social justice, economic freedom and political sovereignty.
79. On the basis of these premises, which make man the highest reality of the community while recognizing his obligation to fulfil his social functions in the service of his country and mankind, and in discharging its international duties as a member of the community of nations, Argentina reaffirms its support of the principles and purposes for which the United Nations was founded and its hope that the United Nations will do its part to enable men to live a decent life free from fear of mutual destruction and in accordance with the laws of God, who created man in His image.
80. As the President of my country, General Peron, has said, Argentina’s historic policy and the geographical factors that create a common destiny indissolubly unite us with our sister nations of the American continent. Argentina’s international policy is directed towards closer union of the peoples and nations of America on the inviolable basis of complete respect for the sovereignty of the nations of the continent. Moral forces, expressed in incontestable facts, have created my country’s fraternity with the other American countries, strengthening the indissoluble ties based on community of origin, of language and of the religion in whose name the continent was settled. Argentina’s good neighbour policy has been yet another expression of its unchangeable and irrevocable purpose to live in peace with all nations of the earth, in particular with the countries of the American continent.
81. With our elder sister, the United States of America, we have maintained a traditional friendship, which we wish to make even closer, to the advantage of both our countries, and of America, the continent of which we are part. We realize the importance of the United States in the concert of nations and in the future of our continent, but by the very fact of its political, economic and military greatness, a genuine inter-American spirit will have to be embodied in deeds if its great power is not to arouse suspicion and mistrust among the smaller nations.
82. Only thus will it be possible to achieve lasting co-operation founded on mutual respect for differing ways of life based on differences of ethnic origin, in economic and social conditions and the consequent differences of culture, civilization and progress. And, it should be added, as an expression of the trend of Argentina’s international policy, that our fraternal ties with the countries of the Americas are not incompatible with our determination to live in peace and friendship with all the nations of the earth and to join in the common effort to achieve in the United Nations the great ideals on which the Organization is founded.
83. Our profession of faith in America justifies our enthusiastic support of continental unions and regional agreements, the most complete, concrete and important expression of which is, in our opinion, the Organization of American States. Nevertheless, we consider that the existence of regional arrangements does not mean that they or the agencies created under them take precedence over the United Nations, or that the United Nations should refrain from discussing or endeavouring to settle problems submitted to it by a government representing a Member State.
84. We recognize that there may be cases in which it can legitimately be maintained that the regional and world organization have concurrent jurisdiction; but to hold that the regional organization has exclusive jurisdiction would in our view lead to the absurd position that a State Member of the United Nations which was a party to a regional arrangement would be at a disadvantage as compared with other States which for some reason were not members of regional agencies. We cannot accept a legal argument that would involve a discriminatory situation in regard to the United Nations Charter, and which would make the security of a country depend on the special political characteristics and circumstances of regional arrangements.
85. The Argentine Republic cannot accept a view that might deprive it of the right, as a Member of the United Nations, to request the United Nations to consider or settle any international problems affecting it.
86. We consider that the present provisions of the Charter are perfectly clear in this respect and that no other construction can validly be placed upon them. At the same time we feel that the interpretation and clarification of the relevant provisions should be one of the subjects examined when the possible revision of the Charter is considered next year. While it is not our intention to bring before the Assembly political issues that can be regarded as settled, we wish to express our misgivings regarding the establishment of a precedent that might result in legal obstacles.
87. The harmony and cohesion of the United Nations would be seriously impaired if instead of removing any doubt in this connexion the impression were allowed to remain that the Organization involved obligations that were without effect so far as the rights of States Members are concerned. If the United Nations exists solely to comply with the suggestions and deal with the problems of the great powers, there will be no reason for surprise if many countries eventually decide that there is no point in making sacrifices to maintain a body which forgets that it was founded to embrace and protect the rights of all alike.
88. Our respect for the obligations we have undertaken in the inter-American sphere with regard to the maintenance of peace where regional action is possible and the settlement of disputes of a local nature through regional organizations is not less sacred than our respect for the right of Members of the United Nations to demand that the Security Council should do its duty of intervening per se in every situation which might lead to international friction or endanger the maintenance of international peace and security. We consider that, as the Charter states, the Security Council should, where appropriate, utilize regional agencies for enforcement action but that such action must always be under its authority, since no enforcement action can be taken without its authorization.
89. In short, the less local a dispute and the more obvious it is that enforcement action may be needed, the more necessary is the intervention of the Security Council, which has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
90. It is time that the chief and most responsible Members of the Organization, who reserved for themselves the right of veto — despite the unanimous opposition of the Latin-American countries — when the Organization was founded, understood that if the absence of the fifteen or so nations not permitted to join the Organization is aggravated by the exodus of many disillusioned present Members, the effort to consolidate the rule of law in international affairs may well suffer a shattering and possibly fatal setback. We who support the principle of the universality of the Organization in the belief that a community of nations of the civilized world cannot function in the absence of so many countries, must continue to work for the solution of the thorny problem of the admission of new members at this session.
91. The action of the United States in proposing to share its atomic knowledge with other countries with a view to the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes has been received with great satisfaction in Argentina. The proposal is completely in line with our own views as stated by the President of the Republic, General Peron, and reflected in the work of our research organizations, which have been primarily concerned with the use of atomic power for the humanitarian purposes of general progress.
92. We cherish the hope that the great nations of the earth will arrive at an agreement to prohibit the use of atomic weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. We are also optimistic about the possibility of agreement on measures that will lead gradually to universal disarmament. This is not the time to analyse, however briefly, the characteristics and immediate prospects of the various proposals that have been made. We simply believe that Governments and peoples cannot be swayed by a suicidal spirit which is bound to lead to mutual destruction. We note with pleasure that the positions of the various parties are less rigid and that there is perceptible a narrowing of the gap between their points of view.
93. Although no final settlement has been reached, since the central issue remains to be solved in both cases, we believe that the maintenance of the armistice in Korea and the recently signed armistice in Indo-China are essential preliminaries to the development of a policy that will lead to a final peaceful settlement. In accordance with our profoundly democratic sentiments and our belief in the self-determination of peoples, we hope that the unification of Korea will be achieved through the will of the people themselves, who deserve a happier life. We also hope that the peoples of Indo-China may be able freely to determine their own future.
94. My Government wishes to restate here its position in regard to colonies, a position which was reaffirmed at the Tenth Inter-American Conference at Caracas by the will of the nations of this continent. The Conference proclaimed the solidarity of the American Republics in regard to the just claims to territories occupied by non-American countries, and stressed the need for those countries to press on with the completion of measures to enable the peoples of their present colonies to exercise their right of self-determination.
95. The Argentine Republic has proclaimed its sovereignty over the maritime shelf contiguous with its coastline and accordingly endorses the thesis of other Latin-American countries that the continental shelf and the waters covering it belong to the riparian State. My country therefore supports the statements of Chile, Ecuador and Peru regarding fishing rights in their waters, based on the principle of the sovereignty of the riparian State over the waters adjacent to its coasts.
96. The most fruitful activity of the United Nations is undoubtedly international co-operation for the accelerated economic development of the under-developed countries. The Argentine Republic’s position on this issue is well known: we have consistently argued in the Assembly that the community of nations should assist the peoples of the world to attain the conditions without which their efforts — the mainspring of their progress — cannot be reflected in rising income and higher standards of living. In essence, our basic proposal seeks to order international economic relations in such a way as to correct the existing imbalance between the highly industrialized nations and the under-developed countries by the creation of appropriate conditions.
97. Unfortunately, the reception accorded to this basic idea, which should govern the policies of the community of nations, has not so far been encouraging. On the contrary, all the basic proposals to achieve this essential goal have been set aside, one after the other, sometimes owing to lack of understanding and sometimes because it was felt that the proposals were in conflict with other, more immediate aims and must therefore be postponed to a more appropriate time. This continual and repeated postponement of action to deal with the needs of the majority of the world’s peoples cannot continue to be the rule in our discussions if, as we hope, the United Nations is to play a positive role in achieving peace and justice in international relations. We trust, therefore, that past frustrations will serve as a lesson and help us to create the understanding without which great undertakings cannot succeed.
98. We wish to emphasize once again that the Argentine Republic considers that economic development primarily depends on the sustained effort of the people themselves. But, just as the individual in society is to some extent dependent on his environment, the economic development of the underdeveloped countries can be stimulated by a series of external factors that facilitate and promote it.
99. It is gradually becoming generally recognized that the economic growth of the under-developed countries requires the planning of economic activity to channel investment into the more productive undertakings. National action of this kind can be facilitated by external action in the form of technical co-operation and the investment of foreign public and private funds to offset the shortage of local capital. In this connexion, I would emphasize that in co-ordinating the efforts of national private enterprise — the basis of economic development — governments and labour can be usefully assisted by the external financing of development to make up for the deficiencies of the present rate of capital formation.
100. I mention these topics in order to emphasize how much remains to be done internationally to establish a determined and vigorous international economic development policy as a matter of the highest priority to canalize and encourage the efforts of the men and women of the. under-developed nations. What is needed is financial co-operation, rather than grants and subsidies; an international commercial policy that recognizes development needs, as opposed to ideal mechanisms based on the outmoded conceptions of classical theory; relative stability of prices of primary commodities, as opposed to the sway of market prices, which has been a factor in the backwardness of the under-developed areas; and finally, positive technical assistance in every field of development. Such would be the cornerstones of a well-ordered programme of international co-operation.
101. In this connexion it should be recalled that the Charter states that one of the fundamental purposes of the United Nations is “to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character”. Such international co-operation, which is essential and which is the basis of the United Nations, can best be expressed in joint action to facilitate the necessary changes in the world’s economic structure.
102. The peoples are fully alive to the need for social justice and economic independence as well as for political freedom to exercise their right of self-determination and to shape their own destiny. Economic development, besides being a fundamental requirement of growth, is a basic social need and an essential factor in the attainment of the other purposes of the United Nations, including world peace. We trust that the hard facts and the force of the argument I have just outlined will make possible a substantial advance in the right direction in the near future.
103. A suitable occasion for making a promising first step will, we believe, be furnished by the Conference of Ministers of Finance or Economy to be held at Rio de Janeiro on 22 November. The meeting is being held under the auspices of the Organization of American States; but because of the importance of the proposals to be considered, the implications of the discussions will go far beyond the geographical boundaries of the American continent so that the Conference will, we feel, serve as a precedent for other regions and provide a basis for comprehensive general solutions. The Inter-American Economic Conference to be held at Buenos Aires later, and the efforts being made in other fields, will lay down the basis for plans and proposals to reorganize the regulating machinery of international trade and the world economy in order to facilitate and stimulate the accelerated integral economic development of the under-developed countries. As we have said on previous occasions, these preliminary operations would culminate in a world economic conference, at which approval would be given to the agreements embodying the proposed reorganization.
104. Argentina has taken the initiative in the effort to find ways and means of overcoming present deficiencies of the world economic structure. One result of our action and of the positive thinking of a great many nations in a similar position is General Assembly resolution 623 (VII). Under that resolution, which may be regarded as the starting point of a new and fruitful stage in the discussion of these important topics, various studies have been prepared and have underlined the urgent necessity of attaining the proposed objectives. I should like in particular to refer to the report on Commodity Trade and Economic Development. The report, which was prepared by a group of acknowledged experts, is in general agreement with the position of our delegation.
105. In United Nations discussions, particularly in the Economic and Social Council, we have noticed that the views of the majority of Member States regarding primary commodity prices seem to meet with considerable misunderstanding and a certain unwarranted resistance. It has been argued that an attempt is being made to establish controls over commodity trade so that parity systems or price mechanisms can be used to subsidize one group of nations at the expense of others. Nothing could be further from my country’s intentions. We advocate a change in international relations in this respect in order to solve a problem that affects all nations to a greater or lesser extent and has considerable bearing on the possibilities of the more rapid economic development of the under-developed countries. The justice we seek will be of benefit to all because the problems resulting from the instability of commodity markets affect all nations alike. Despite the resistance and lack of understanding, which we hope will weaken and disappear in the near future, we obtained majority support in the Economic and Social Council for the establishment of the Commission on International Commodity Trade. It is encouraging that we have been able to make this progress towards our goal, and we trust that all States will assist the Commission in dealing with the important problems before it. In this connexion, we welcome the constructive attitude of certain important countries which can contribute much to the solution of those problems.
106. In view of the serious problems created by the heavy surpluses of certain primary commodities, my Government has prepared a series of emergency proposals for the protection of world commodity markets. When they were first considered by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, we were greatly disappointed to find that both producer and consumer countries apparently prefer to leave the commodity markets in a state of unprecedented and unjustified anarchy. International co-operation for the benefit of the community, which is so necessary in emergencies, is passed over in favour of opportunist expedients or policies based on the special circumstances of a few Member States.
107. We trust that in the United Nations the pressure of the common interest is sufficient to make possible a thorough discussion of proposals which, like ours, seek to promote genuine international co-operation. The appropriate organ to study the proposals will undoubtedly be the Commission on International Commodity Trade, which is to meet for the first time in January 1955.
108. Another line of action we have developed and to which we attach great importance is the conclusion of economic, unions with sister countries on the American continent. The establishment of common markets, with the consequent increase in interregional trade, combined with the co-ordinated planning of the economic development of the countries concerned, is, we believe, fundamental to an international policy for the accelerated economic development of the under-developed countries.
109. The growth of regions in the early stages of development must be supported and encouraged so that the gap that separates them from the more developed countries can be gradually reduced. It is essential that international co-operation should be directed to that end instead of being designed, as so often in the past, to support and stimulate the already advanced economies of certain regions. We know that the measures that have been discussed in this connexion form a coherent whole which promises well for the future. We trust that the resulting action will usher in better times for the United Nations.
110. In concluding my remarks on specific agenda items, I wish to refer to budgetary questions and to express our satisfaction at the substantial savings the Secretary-General, Mr. Hammarskjold, has achieved without, as he says in the Introduction to his annual report [A/2663], impairing the-efficiency of the Organization. His policy and proposals deserve our encouragement and support,
111. I feel that this is a suitable opportunity to refer to Mr. Hammarskjold’s interest, co-operation and active and direct participation in the work of the Economic and Social Council, over which I have the honour to preside. The Secretary-General’s valuable contribution and his close understanding of the Council’s views and activities are bound to produce good results which will undoubtedly help to increase the effectiveness of the economic and social activities of the United Nations.
112. Historical tradition and the unalterable sentiments of our people have made the Argentine Republic an essentially peace-loving and genuinely democratic country. Our deeds and the international legal instruments to which we are parties are evidence of the consistency of the policy we have pursued in the world community of nations. Expressing our opposition to the alteration of frontiers by the use of force, we have from the earliest days of our independence rejected any territorial expansion not based on the canons of justice and of law. Argentina has settled frontier questions with neighbouring countries by arbitration, demonstrating its intention to live in sincere friendship and harmony with its sister nations.
113. My country can point with legitimate pride to its substantial contribution to the establishment of the fundamental principles and doctrines that regulate relations between nations and to the formation of positive international law in America. Argentina has steadfastly supported its essential principles and laid the basis for some of its most solid achievements. These moral forces are deeply rooted in our history and are based on the recognition of the self-determination of peoples, the juridical equality of States and an ethical international policy, the main feature of which is the obligation to refrain from direct or indirect intervention in the domestic affairs of other countries; they are the expression of Argentina’s unswerving purpose, reaffirmed by President Peron on memorable occasions, of living in peace with all nations.
114. This background and these purposes, uncompromisingly expressed at international meetings, give authority to Argentina’s appeal to all nations beset by problems which may lead governments to wage war to settle their differences within the framework of the United Nations and thus to save their peoples from death and destruction on an unimaginable scale.
115. Throughout history it has been found that the dislocation of war and post-war periods is social rather than political and is accompanied by the transformation of hitherto established economic, legal and moral principles. The need for reconstruction of the bases of contemporary society is becoming increasingly evident, since the foundation of all harmony, whether in individual or collective life, is justice. Without social justice there can be neither economic stability nor independence, and the political sovereignty of peoples is therefore merely a form of words that does not define a genuinely sovereign personality.
116. At this time of international anxiety, the Argentine Government accordingly resolutely reaffirms its determination to contribute as a peaceful and democratic State to the fulfilment of the aims of the United Nations so that we may usher in a just and Christian era for mankind. In doing so it speaks for all the Argentine people. This age belongs to the peoples, and the governments that represent them must serve them unswervingly.