47. Mr. President, it gives me pleasure at the outset in this Assembly to express to you my wholehearted congratulations on your election as President of the General Assembly during its present session.
48. I do not have to introduce Muhammad Zafrulla Khan to this Organization. He is too well known for his wide and notable participation in its activities during past years. Nor do I have to mention how well versed he is in international affairs, nor to mention his singular ability in dealing with international problems. Indeed, this rostrum is the best witness of the various stands which he has taken in defence of freedom and justice.
49. It likewise gives me pleasure to express my warm greetings on the independence, and subsequent admission, of five friendly States to this international Organization; namely, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Rwanda, Burundi, and, last but not least, Algeria which only recently has rightly joined the community of free and independent nations. Sovereignty, which is one of the corner-stones of the United Nations, has indeed been vindicated by the admission of these States.
50. As my memory takes me back to the San Francisco Conference where we had met to lay the foundation of this international organization, today I rejoice to find the United Nations has more than doubled its membership. I am also deeply gratified that many nations in Africa and Asia have achieved their freedom and independency. It is my fervent hope that the United Nations will become more complete by the advent of independent States increasing its membership, as It is our duty to continue our efforts on behalf of those yearning for freedom and independence. Inasmuch as we would all work for a free and Independent Angola, we should also join forces for the eradication of racial discrimination, particularly in South Africa. In the Congo, we believe that the national unity of that country should be upheld and respected. For the United Nations to be worthy of its existence and the principles of its Charter. It should safeguard both justice and national sovereignty for all, and endeavour to prevent the violation of the principles of international law and all other principles enunciated in the United Nations Charter.
51. I feel that on this occasion I must express my Profound appreciation for the agreement which has been concluded between Indonesia and the Netherlands on New Guinea, and I seize this opportunity to congratulate U Thant, the Acting Secretary-General, for his efforts in bringing this agreement to a successful end. It was through his tact and wisdom that he was able to remove the dissension that had existed between two Member States of the United Nations. U Thant accomplished this on the basis of the recognition of the right of self-determination and national sovereignty.
52. When I looked at the agenda of this session I was indeed astonished to find that a good number of the items with which we are seized today happen to be the same as those which had been included in the agenda of previous sessions. One of the most important and urgent questions is disarmament. The whole world is intensely disturbed by the fact that this momentous question is still being remitted from one session to another without taking a single step towards a solution which would bestow hope for peace and lability to mankind. The thing which indeed magnifies our fear and deepens our anxiety is the armaments race, which is resorting to efficient and highly technical weapons for mass slaughter and destruction, however, what is most regrettable is that in spite of the fact that the nuclear Powers are aware of the dangers of nuclear war, they have not been able to reach an agreement which would allay the fears of mankind in this and future generations.
53. Nuclear tests are continuously being carried out in the atmosphere and underground, notwithstanding all the United Nations reports that have stressed the angers of such tests. Despite all this, all efforts to top nuclear tests have failed. We regret that the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee which convened in Geneva last spring has not met with the success expected of it by the whole world.
54. We have, not lost hope that all parties concerned will reach an agreement. However, it is the duty of this Organization to strengthen peace, on the basis of right and justice, and to save mankind and civilization from annihilation on this earth. We implore all the Powers concerned to do away with differences separating them so as to create a favourable atmosphere in which the United Nations will be able to fulfil for le whole world the old dream of building a new international community free from the menace of ruin and destruction. All that I have mentioned so far touches upon world peace.
55. When it comes to peace and stability in the Middle East, it is the duty of those who constitute the Arab nations to inform the United Nations that for us, without any doubt, the sole issue which threatens peace in that area is the question of Palestine.
56. Ever since the United Nations adopted the resolution [181 (II)] for the partition of Palestine and the establishment of Israel, peace has been continuously jeopardized. The emergence of Israel constitutes a conspicuous tyranny like which nothing had been known before in history.
57. Palestine is an Arab homeland and its legitimate owners are the Arabs of Palestine. Fourteen years have elapsed since the Arabs have been proven right in their warnings concerning the danger of creating Israel in the heart of the Arab world. One million Arabs have been scattered, their property seized, their cities and villages occupied and pillaged — all this while thousands of Zionist immigrants continue to pour into the land where the Arabs have lived since time immemorial.
58. I do not intend to dwell at length on this human tragedy, as our delegation has had the opportunity of discussing in detail all the aspects of this question. However, I should like to confirm to this Organization that we will never abandon or give up Palestine as an Arab country, and we will continue to exert all our efforts so that the Arab people of Palestine shall live in their land and thereby enjoy their freedom, independence, and national sovereignty. Having made this declaration on the Palestine question, I find it my duty to express our deep concern regarding the supplying of rocket weapons to Israel — this same Israel which has been known to the United Nations as an aggressor and violator of the United Nations Charter, this same Israel which has been repeatedly condemned by the Security Council as a flagrant aggressor. We maintain that supplying Israel with weapons will incite it to further aggression.
59. I cannot let this occasion pass without drawing the attention of the Assembly to the question of Oman, which we believe has also to do with the issue of justice and independence. We are one with our brethen of Oman in their struggle for freedom and independence. We call upon the United Nations to uphold their right to self-determination, as has been the case of all the peoples who had achieved their freedom and independence.
60. Before leaving this rostrum, I would like to express the hope that the United Nations will tackle international problems in conformity with the principles of the Charter.
61. Now that United Nations membership has substantially increased, we expect this Organization to gain in strength while marching with steady steps towards its goal, so that peace and justice may prevail and thereby pave the way for the progress and happiness of all mankind.