Peru

I should like, first of all, on behalf of the delegation of Peru, to congratulate you upon your well-deserved election to the high office of President of the seventeenth General Assembly of the United Nations. Your election reflects a full recognition of your abilities and of your long years of devoted service to the United Nations and to the International Court of Justice. Your colleagues can bear witness to your consummate knowledge of law and to your deep devotion to the United Nations. 162. In my dual capacity of naval officer and Foreign Minister, I consider it an honour and a responsibility to address you from this rostrum on which the eyes of the world are riveted, an honour to represent my country and to be heard by statesmen from all parts of, the world and a responsibility I assume in sneaking in this debate, which takes place each year for the purpose of making a constructive contribution towards world peace and human progress. 163. One is invariably confronted by a dilemma in deciding what to say in such an august Assembly as this. There is a choice between the easy path of generalities and the usual courtesies or, on the other hand, an examination of conscience in which the image of the United Nations as it existed and still exists in the hopes and aspirations of peoples is compared with the actual reality of its functioning. After due deliberation, I have opted for the second and harder course. 164. I should like to reaffirm here the hopes and the faith that were born in me many years ago at the time the United Nations was established. My conscience as a professional officer and as a human being having been revolted by the horrors, cruelties and disasters visited upon the peoples of the world by the war, I conceived a profound hope which I continue to cherish today in the fundamental concepts which inspired the United Nations and in the great principles on which it is founded and which are valid for all time. 165. Despite the course of events and the difficulties confronting us it continues to be my Sincere and unshakable conviction that the only effective means of achieving the real peace which the peoples of the world seek and which they deserve to enjoy is to remain faithful to the high ideals which, at a time of stress and turmoil, breathed life into the United Nations. 166. In San Francisco in 1945, statesmen and nations, still stunned by the impact of a fearful ordeal, filled with remorse for the disasters that had occurred and shocked by the extent of the physical devastation and personal loss, displayed intelligence and foresight, proclaiming forcefully and unequivocally the basic principles to guide mankind towards peace and an international rule of law. 167. Peru, which was one of the first countries to accede to the Atlantic Charter and which helped to shape the United Nations, has remained faithful to the world Organization's principles and has been guided by them in its domestic and foreign policies. 168. It is precisely in defence of these principles that Peru recently resolved a serious crisis brought about by an attempt to frustrate the will of the people by giving them a government which would not have been a lawful one. The oriels was resolved as a result of the intervention of the armed forces, which, in an institutional development without precedent in our history, set up a government providing for the full exercise of civic rights solely with a view, to the holding of genuinely free elections as provided in the Constitution. 169. At the present time, Peru is a country which ensures the full enjoyment of human rights, complete freedom of the Press and political opinion, respect for government institutions, strict compliance with its international obligations and the enforcement of a sound and firm fiscal policy which has created the confidence necessary for adequate protection of the country's domestic and foreign credit position. 170. The open and complete support we have received from the entire nation provided the most conclusive democratic justification for our action; 171. But if there is a determination throughout the world to adhere to the rule of law advocated by the Charter, how is it that today, seventeen years after the establishment of the Organization, the Secretary- General finds it necessary, in the Introduction to his annual report [A/5201/Add.1], to remind us that there is a "crisis of confidence" in the United Nations? ban it be that we are capable of glimpsing the much desired goal, but incapable of making the sacrifices which we must make in order to attain it? That is the question to which I should like to. address myself without losing sight — as no military man can do — of the basic objective, namely, the achievement of international peace and security. 172. It is my firm conviction that, without modifying the concept of the sovereign equality of States which is characteristic of present-day international society and without denying or under-estimating the importance of power or conceding that the creation of an authority superior to the State itself (call it a super-state or by any other name) may detract from the independence of the State, genuine peace can be achieved and that it can be achieved through observance of the principles laid down in the Charter. I cling to that conviction despite the vigorous resurgence of power politics and the sharp political and military division of the world into two hostile and apparently irreconcilable camps. 173. Consequently, I shall examine these vital principles of the United Nations not in, but against the light of the sombre developments of our time. 174. First, there is the principle that peace is indivisible, which does not only mean that no nation, great or small, can escape the consequences of war even if it should break out in the most remote corner of the world. No its meaning goes much further. As the Charter states, the purpose is to eliminate all the various causes and differences which bring about wars. The real aim is to reduce the disparities in wealth and opportunity between nations, disparities which are being greatly accentuated by modern scientific developments. The advances of modern science are steadily widening the gap between the powerful, industrialized nations and the impoverished, under-developed countries. 175. In a world in which science has advanced to the point where it is possible to produce enough for everyone, the principle of the universality of peace demands the speedy elimination of this obvious cause of conflict. 176. The instruments with which to do so exist in the United Nations. Resolute international co-operation — not lip-service to that principle — can be used with positive results. That is why I warmly support the appeal made by U Thant, our Secretary-General, that we should rededicate ourselves to promoting "social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom" during this United Nations Development Decade. 177. I agree with him that never before in history have there been greater opportunities to meet this challenge, since we hold in our grasp the moans with which to eliminate progressively want and disease and to build a world free from fear. But, unfortunately, that growing capacity is being put to unprofitable use in a competition which is becoming increasingly stubborn and dangerous. Huge sums are being heedlessly spent on preparing for, anticipating or preventing an appalling holocaust in which mankind may destroy itself by means and as a result of its own scientific discoveries. If those sums were spend on raising standards of living, on satisfying urgent priority needs, on meeting the steady and increasing demands of many, many peoples, we would be working genuinely and effectively for world-peace and tranquility, for the happiness of peoples and better mutual understanding, one of the basic objectives of the United Nations. 178. It is to that end that I wish to convey to you here the aspirations of my country, which is aware of its difficulties and determined to resolve them as a matter of urgency. Faced with a population explosion and with the need to bring the indigenous masses living on our steep mountain-sides into step with the twentieth century and to wage a constant struggle against illiteracy, our people are beginning to clamour more and more loudly for the progress and the wealth which they know exists elsewhere. I should like to re-echo their cherished hope — and it is not theirs alone, but that of the overwhelming majority of peoples. This non-urban proletariat is awakening and demanding more effective action in the realm of international co-operation. The United Nations cannot fail to heed that demand. 179. We know that much has been accomplished in recent years. We are grateful for the assistance we have received, both on a direct bilateral basis and through the United Nations. We are making good use, in all our enterprises, of the assistance we receive from the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance and the Special Fund, to which we are especially grateful. We have also continued to seek aid from the specialized agencies which are in a position to provide us with funds and we must say that we have met with a favourable response. Nevertheless, and despite other important programmes of regional scope such as the Alliance for Progress and the Peace Corps, we feel that time is gaining on us and that larger quantities of capital goods are essential for our development. We know that the progress we have been making is not sufficient, although in some cases, in that of fisheries, for instance, we have achieved surprising success and by our own efforts alone. For that reason, I must stress that the United Nations, in the Implementation of its purposes and principles, must intensify its efforts and its co-operative activities and must not rest until it has reversed the present trend towards an accentuation of the differences between the poor and the rich nations. 180. Even more promising and appropriate than technical assistance and aid schemes would be action in regard to the terms of trade with a view to remedying the continuous — and. I would almost say intentionally produced — decline in the prices of primary commodities, which are the staff of life of the poor nations. This Is a definite threat which the United Nations, as an agency for international co-operation, must overcome if it is to survive as an effective guardian of peace. It is in this field that the rich and industrialized great Powers can give better and more effective proof of the sincerity of their resolve to assist peoples which have not yet reached their level of economic and industrial development. 181. Without effective and rapid international efforts to bring about energetic and unstinted co-operation, both external and internal peace will be endangered. Being convinced of this and realizing the danger of social upheavals, we who are close enough to the peoples to hear their demands and can foresee the consequences wish to dray/ urgent attention to these perils and their possible repercussions and to call for immediate remedial action. 182. Against this background of legitimate aspirations looms the dark shadow of the sharp division with which the United Nations is confronted as a result of power politics. On this matter, the Peruvian Government has defined its position and its ensuing duty in accordance with the inter-American conventions. It will never deviate from the principle of pacta sunt servanda which is embodied in the Charter and which forms the very basis of the international order and of peaceful coexistence under law. 183. In the opinion of the Peruvian Government, specific questions, relating to continental solidarity are primarily the concern of the American regional system. It was with this end in view that the system was created. This opinion is in keeping with the letter and the spirit of the agreements in force. Consequently we cannot but take offence when others attempt to interfere in matters which are our own concern, matters which can be understood and properly assessed only within the continent itself. The principle of respect for the domestic jurisdiction of States, which is laid down in the Charter and which, in the form of the principle of non-intervention, has marked features of its own in our American system, can certainly be invoked by the regional systems against anyone attempting to bring to their shores ideologies which they reject or to discuss situations which they alone are competent to deal with. Let it be borne in mind that an attempt by outsiders to split asunder the oldest and strongest of the regional systems would not contribute to the cause of peace or to the harmonious coexistence of peoples. 184. This same principle of non-intervention is fully valid in regard to direct, relations among States. Any attempt to bring before international conferences or to interfere in any other way in "matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state” is contrary to the friendly relations based on respect, for the personality of States, advocated in the Charter. This immutable principle does not conflict with the democratic principles spontaneously adopted by the Western peoples in the course of their glorious history. 185. I have mentioned the principles of the United Nations, which have permanent validity. I recognize that the maintenance of peace is also facilitated by the procedures available to all of us for the solution of conflicts. This will always be the obvious and appropriate place for talks, debates and negotiations. But these are means whose effectiveness depends on the spirit and the intention in which they are used. When they are employed for propaganda, polemics or results, they are harmful, and defeat the purpose for which they were created. 186. These pacific means have enabled notable progress to be made towards a better understanding, among countries and In the application of the principle of self-determination of peoples. As a result, we can today greet the many new States whose presence among us gives genuine universality to the United Nations. 187. The Peruvian delegation is proud of having worked to promote this universality. In recognition of its efforts, the Assembly conferred on it the chairmanship of the Committee on Admission of New Members. 188. In this spirit, we welcome with brotherly affection the new Members, whose arrival here is a major event of the twentieth century, just as American independence was of the nineteenth. 189. It gives me particular pleasure today to address cordial greetings to Rwanda, Burundi, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, whose admission on the opening day of the session is of particular significance. 190. We thus have some idea of how world tranquility is enhanced by compliance with the guiding principles of the. United Nations. We cannot, however, close our eyes to the violent re-emergence of power politics, that traditional and direct cause of armed hostilities. Today, that policy finds its clearest expression in the so-called cold war, which remains a cold war because of the terror which the new weapons strike in the minds of all sensible and reasonable men. But this feeling, being negative, is far from being a certain safeguard against the use of these weapons, especially if the bitter competition to invent a more destructive weapon continues uncontrolled.? 191. Common sense shows us the way to follow. The United Nations must tirelessly continue its efforts until it finds a solution enabling the contestants to make a halt in this insensate race, before the present unstable balance is destroyed. 192. The fear of war and the present balance of power do not, however, prevent the existing profound Conflict from, producing serious local crises. Today we have Berlin and Cuba, but there are many other possible trouble spots. We must recognize that each one of these crises brings mankind to the brink of an apocalyptic holocaust. 193. Being part of the democratic, Western, Christian world, we feel it incumbent upon us to make a fervent appeal for an understanding that will permit all men to live without fear, under law and with mutual respect. 194. The principles and the means to ensure the maintenance of peace exist. What, then is lacking? That is the agonizing question which is ever present in our minds. 195. This reminds me of the opening words of the constitution one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations, words which are becoming increasingly firmly imprinted in my memory. The truth that shine through them makes them worthy of repetition; "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed." It is obviously this — a true spirit of international understanding, a high awareness of the unity of the world and the brotherhood of man — that we need today. 196. Our anxious times call for the affirmation of this international spirit, this desire for peace. The task is not an easy one, for it requires the accommodation of particular interests to the general welfare, but it can be-accomplished without any sacrifice of dignity or well-being. To sing the praises of peaceful coexistence and international co-operation is not enough. We must be able to approach each other with open arms and with minds ready for understanding without such action being interpreted as a confession of weakness. 197. Fortunately, there are auspicious signs. 198. The Church whosefaithlprofessoffersus.in the Ecumenical Council which is to meet shortly, a demonstration of a readiness for reconciliation, for overcoming outstanding differences and for bringing about a close communion of all Christ's children. It is thus, renewing the tremendous vital force which it has possessed for a thousand years and which certainly does not rest either on the power of money or on the strength of arms. 199. It is also encouraging to see the solitary figure of a Chief of State, a hero who remained upright in the stress of battle, today place his pure patriotism in the service of a firm friendship between two nations whose bloody wars have punctuated the history of Europe and of the world. 200. A similarly encouraging sign is the settlement reached with regard to New Guinea, to which the Secretariat of the United Nations made such an effective contribution. 201. Here again, as in any other part of the world, we shall need the true international spirit if we wish to spare our peoples and all mankind a bitter disappointment which would make them lose faith in the ability of their leaders and in the value of the institutions they have created. 202. I assumed the responsibility of addressing you in order to make. this, appeal to you and to reiterate my faith in the fundamental principles of this Organization. 203. This is the message of peace which a military man wishes to convey to this eminent gathering of statesmen and diplomats.