81. It is with great pleasure and
satisfaction that I extend to the President of
the General Assembly the congratulations of
Austria on his election. We welcome him as the
representative of a country with which we enjoy
close neighborly human, cultural and historical
ties. Our two countries have demonstrated to the
world in a clear and tangible manner that
friendship and mutual tolerance can transcend
ideological and political boundaries.
82. His rich political and diplomatic
experience, long involvement with the work of the
United Nations and well-known commitment to
dialogue and compromise assure us that the
General Assembly will be guided in an objective
and constructive manner.
83. We should also like to thank his
predecessor, Mr. Kittani, who presided over the
General Assembly with particular tact and skill
under most trying circumstances.
84. I further wish to seize this opportunity
to express my gratitude to the Secretary-General
for his untiring work in his high office during a
year fraught with tension, crises and conflicts.
We are very grateful for his official visit to
our country and for his support of Vienna's
status as one of the three main United Nations
centers. We sincerely admire the courage and
frankness with which he has analyzed, in his
first report on the work of the Organization, the
state of the world and of the United Nations. We
agree completely with his conclusion that we are
perilously near to a new international anarchy .
85. The thirty-seventh session of the General
Assembly has been convened against the
background of severe crises in international
relations. Rarely before has world peace been
threatened from so many sides. The conflicts in
the Middle East, the continuing armed
interventions in Afghanistan and Kampuchea, the
crises in Central America and in various parts of
Africa, the Falklands and the situation in Poland
are only a few examples. The confrontation
between East and West continues, the disarmament
process and the North-South dialogue are
stagnating, human rights violations and acts of
terror proliferate and every new day brings more
bloodshed and human suffering.
86. How can we break this vicious circle of
violence and destruction? Are we really condemned
to impotence, passivity and frustration?
87. The difficulty with the present situation
lies in the fact that we are faced with three
closely related global phenomena: a world
political crisis, a world economic crisis and a
crisis of international organizations.
88. Today more and more voices speak of the''
irrelevance of the United Nations. They denounce
the Organization's inability to live up to its
mandate. The public continues to judge the United
Nations by its capacity to produce solutions to
major conflicts. Too often they overlook the
fruitful work done by the United Nations and the
specialized agencies in all fields of
international co-operation. All important world
political issues can be discussed at the United
Nations. The United Nations provides the
framework for dealing with all major problems of
mankind. Furthermore, for smaller States not
protected by alliances and dependent upon their
own resources for their security, the United
Nations, despite all imperfections, remains the
only global forum where they can seek and hope to
find the support of the international community
for their legitimate concerns.
89. The United Nations is no more than the
collective will of its Members. It is far from
being a world Government. Therefore we must not
be more critical of international organizations
than we are of States. The responsibility for a
solution to the three-fold global crisis lays not
so much with international organizations as with
each individual State. Finally, political
morality must also play a role in world politics.
One of the most important missions of the United
Nations is to uphold ideas and principles, even
when so-called realities stand in their way. We
therefore firmly support all efforts to
strengthen the authority of the United Nations
and that of the Secretary-General, the Security
Council and the General Assembly.
90. The Secretary-General can count on the
full support of Austria in the implementation of
his proposals, in particular those concerning the
preventive intervention of the Security Council
in the early stages of international crises and a
more forthright role for the Secretary-General.
We also support his suggestions regarding the
strengthening of peace-keeping operations. As a
country with traditional ties to the United
Nations peace-keeping systemómore than 15,000
Austrian soldiers have so far served with the
United Nations peace-keeping forcesówe have a
vital interest in this area.
91. We feel that all the considerations
submitted to us by the Secretary-General are of
great importance and crucial to the future of the
Organization. They should receive high priority
and be pursued further, perhaps by a working
group. Austria would be very happy to participate
in any such endeavor.
92. The maintenance of peace is one of the
major aims of our foreign policy. As President
Kirchschlager has repeatedly emphasized, peace
begins at home. Democracy and tolerance, human
rights and social justice, conciliation and
renunciation of the use of force are the
principles that must be implemented to guarantee
domestic peace. The Austrian Federal Government's
political program is based on these principles.
93. Peace at home is the prerequisite for
peace among neighbors. At a time when
international tension is increasing, Austria
attributes particular importance to a
good-neighbor policy to improve and deepen
relations with its neighbors irrespective of
their social' and political systems. We hope
therefore to contribute also to security and
stability in Europe and in the world. Our
good-neighborly relations with Switzerland,
Liechtenstein, Italy and the Federal Republic of
Germany, which are all committed to a pluralistic
and democratic system, as well as with Yugoslavia
and Hungary, have developed along very positive
lines. As a result of pragmatic efforts on both
sides, there is now also reason to hope for
continuous improvement in our relations with
Czechoslovakia, which in 1981 were overshadowed
by a number of problems.
94. With regard to Italy, our policy of
establishing good-neighborly relations with all
countries has been actively supported by the
United Nation. General Assembly resolutions 1497
(XV) of 31 October 1960 and 1661 (XVI) of 28
November 1961 on the question of South Tyrol
brought about negotiations which in 1969 led to a
new framework of autonomy for South Tyrol.
95. Since that time South Tyrol has
undoubtedly obtained a significant amount of
autonomy. Nevertheless certain problems remain
unresolved. Some of these are of particular
significance for the preservation of the South
Tyrolean ethnic group; in particular, the
language question and the autonomous section in
Bozen of the Administrative Court. Last year
Prime Minister Spadolini gave assurances that
have not yet been carried out. The Austrian
Federal Government wishes to express its firm
expectation that the measures already agreed upon
in 1969 and not yet implemented will be carried
out as early as possible and in close
consultation with the South Tyroleans. We do so
in view of the quality of Austro-Italian
relations, the positive outcome of my talks with
Foreign Minister Colombo on 27 July of this year
in Venice and the latest statement of the Italian
Government, which has declared its determination
to seek solutions acceptable to the ethnic
minorities and to bring the entire matter to an
early conclusion. We hope that this will not
remain a dead letter and that a settlement will
be achieved in the very near future. We cannot
ignore the fact that such a settlement has also
become urgent considering the increasing anxiety
among the South Tyrolean population.
96. Good-neighborly relations are essential,
but they are not enough. We must see the world as
a whole. Austria is therefore making every effort
to restore the policy which has been described by
the term detente and was so beneficial to
Austria, Europe and the world. Of course, when we
speak of detente we do not mean a policy of
appeasement but rather continuous efforts to
achieve a modus vivendi for coexistence and
co-operation.
97. In this connection the success of the
Madrid follow-up conference to the Conference on
Security and Co-operation in Europe would be of
great importance. Austria, together with other
neutral and non- aligned countries of Europe, has
submitted a substantial and balanced draft final
document which provides inter alia for the
convening of a conference on confidence-building
and security-building measures in Europe. We
believe that a positive result in Madrid on the
basis of these proposals would be in the interest
not only of detente in general but also of
Poland, whose people have suffered such
deplorable set-backs in their development as a
result of the imposition of martial law. Austria
understands the difficulty of Poland's problems
today. Together we must find a way to revive
Poland's economy. Federal Chancellor Kreisky has
expressed ideas for comprehensive action by East
and West to help Poland overcome its enormous
economic difficulties.
98. Efforts to achieve detente cannot and
must not be limited to one continent, detente
must be universal. In the age of interdependence
and given the global dimensions of international
politics, Austria cannot and does not want to
content itself with the role of a mere observer
of world events. Every country's security depends
on the security of others. Security cannot be
achieved against one another but only with one
another.
99. Austria's position on the Middle East
question is well known and has been repeatedly
presented in detail before the Assembly. We
continue to believe that the core of the problem
is a just settlement of the Palestinian question
We see some encouraging signs: the joint
declaration of the Arab States in Fez based on
the concept of mutual recognition; the statement
of President Reagan of the United States; and the
growing perception that the Palestinian question
demands a just settlement which respects the
rights and interests of both sides. Austria
welcomes the United States President's initiative
as an historic move. It also recognizes the
importance of the results of the Fez Summit
Conference and Mr. Brezhnev's statement of 15
September 1982. We hope that a negotiating
process will now be initiated and will finally
lead to a balanced and lasting solution.
100. Austria has followed the tragic events in
Lebanon with great concern. We deeply regret and
condemn the use of force, which has claimed
thousands of human lives. We have strongly
condemned the continuing Israeli invasion of
Lebanon, which is causing inconceivable
suffering among the civilian population and
giving rise to new misery and new streams of
refugees. Another proof of the indiscriminate
nature of the attacks of the Israeli army in
Lebanon is the shelling of the Austrian Embassy,
which is located outside military target zones.
100. Austria learned with horror and
consternation of the recent massacres of
Palestinian men, women and children in the area
of Beirut. We are deeply shocked by these
atrocities. At the seventh emergency special
session on Palestine. Austria had an opportunity
to condemn this crime. Nevertheless, I would like
to stress once again the necessity and the
responsibility of the United Nations to ensure a
Ml investigation and clarification of these
criminal acts. In a letter addressed to the
President of the Security Council on 21
September, proposed on behalf of the Austrian
Government the establishment of an impartial and
objective investigation commission. We expect
that this proposal, which in the meantime has
found general support in the General Assembly in
the adoption of resolution ES-7/9, will be
implemented as early as possible.
101. Austria feels strong solidarity with
Lebanon and its severely tried people. The
withdrawal of all foreign troops and the
restoration of the full sovereignty and
territorial integrity of the country is an
absolute necessity. We hope that national
reconciliation will be achieved in Lebanon,
which will make possible the reconstruction of
that war-torn country. We will contribute as much
as we can to the attainment of this goal.
102. Austria continues to be concerned about
the fate of the Cambodian people, which has
suffered both tremendous human rights violations
and foreign intervention. As President of the
International Conference on Kampuchea, I feel a
special responsibility in this regard. I had the
opportunity to talk with the parties involved in
the conflict and to obtain a first-hand picture
of the present situation in Cambodia. I see the
initiation of a dialogue between Viet Nam and the
members of the Association of South-East Asian
Nations as a positive development. I have always
been convinced that the Cambodian problem can be
solved only by a dialogue involving all parties.
Dialogue is important, but tangible results must
follow. The International Conference on Kampuchea
has created the framework for a comprehensive
political settlement. The Declaration and
resolution of the Conference should be viewed as
a package incorporating two key elements: the
complete withdrawal of foreign troops from
Cambodia and a guaranteed the Cambodian people's
right to self-determination. This implies the
possibility freely to elect a Government.
Therefore, no faction should receive any
advantage in those elections or be placed at any
disadvantage, and all outside influences must
definitely be excluded. Internationally
controlled elections alone must determine the
composition of the future Government. This should
be the basis for the reconstruction of a free
and independent Cambodia, free from outside
intervention from any side and assured of its
place in a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality
in South-East Asia. I appeal to all parties
involved to make every effort to support the
goals of the International Conference on
Kampuchea in order to build a better future for
this long-suffering country.
103. Apart from all the political problems of
Cambodia, there is another issue of particular
concern: the gradual decay of the latest temple
city in the world, Angkor Wat. The present
political situation must not prevent urgently
needed international rescue measures. The
splendid structures of Angkor Wat are part of the
common heritage of mankind. New ways must be
found to rescue them. Granting UNESCO the right
to intervene to save endangered cultural
monuments would be an appropriate approach.
UNESCO's role in protecting the cultural heritage
of mankind could be similar to that of the Red
Cress in the area of humanitarian protection.
104. Austria remains convinced that the world
economic crisis, which particularly affects the
developing countries, can be overcome only by a
major cooperative effort by industrial and
raw-material- producing States to alleviate
poverty in the third world. I am referring here
to the proposal wade by Federal Chancellor
Kreisky at the International Meeting on
Co-operation aid Development, held in October
198i in Cancun. As one of the initiators of that
meeting, we hope that agreement can soon be
reached to revive the North-South dialogue.
105. Our commitment to human rights needs no
reiteration. The figures creak for themselves. In
1981 alone 35,000 refugees came to Austria. This
year, 1982, our expenditures on assistance to
refugees are expected to amount to about $100
million. On behalf of the Austrian Federal
Government, I should like to thank sincerely
those countries which have helped by offering a
new home to many of these refugees. Austria will
continue to care for people seeking assistance in
desperation. Despite economic difficulties, we
consider it a moral obligation, an essential
element of our humanitarian policy, to continue
to offer a haven of freedom and a source of hope.
106. Disarmament is a topic of the greatest
interest to the Austrian public and to me
personally. Austria, which is constitutionally
committed to permanent neutrality, cannot remain
indifferent in the face of the accelerating arms
race between East and West and in the third
world. In 1981 alone military expenditures
totaled $600 billion to $650 billion. And there
is a trend towards these expenditures continuing
to increase in the future. We are deeply
convinced that this tendency has to be reversed
and that the vicious circle of mistrust and arms
build-up must be broken our goal must be common
security, as stated in the Palme report:^
International security must rest on a commitment
to joint survival rather than on a threat of
mutual destruction.
107. If we agree that military strength is no way
to guarantee genuine and lasting security, the
alternative can only be closer international
co-operation. Cooperation creates confidence and
mutual dependence, and both, in turn, strengthen
security. Developments in Western Europe since
the Second World War are proof of that fact.
Traditional enemies have been brought together
into a comprehensive system of cooperation which
transcends the economic sphere and creates
manifold ties between peoples. As a consequence
of Western European co-operation, shaped around
institutions such as the European Community and
the Council of Europe, war among these nations
has become inconceivable today.
108. The Final Act of Helsinki constitutes a
new basis for co-operation and peaceful
coexistence. The historical experience of one
continent is not necessarily transferable to
others, but I am convinced that the methods and
instruments of co-operation developed in Europe
could serve as models for other regions also.
109. Another threatening feature of the
present arms race is the fact that it is no
longer confined to earth alone; it is
increasingly being carried into outer space.
During the last decade more than 1,700 military
satellites have been put into orbit. At least
three quarters of all the satellites in space are
being used for military purposes. In view of the
growing concern of the international community,
the Second United Nations Conference on the
Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
UNISPACE 82, which took place under my
chairmanship in Vienna in August, recommended
that the General Assembly and the Committee on
Disarmament give high priority to measures for
the prevention of an arms race in space.
110. I appeal to all States to conclude
agreements aimed at banning all weapons from
outer space. I have already presented Austria's
position on all major aspects of this vital issue
at the twelfth special session, the second
special session on disarmament. Today I wish to
emphasize just one point which, in our view, can
be of great significance for the reduction of
mistrust, namely, the development of
internationally recognized mechanisms for the
objective establishment and evaluation of the
state of armaments at the regional, interregional
and global levels. Austria has submitted a
memorandum on this matter to all Member States. I
should like to ask delegations to work with us on
the further development and elaboration of this
proposal.
111. Let us be frank: the second special
session on disarmament was a failure. We note
this with great disappointment. However, the
dangerous world situation, the commitment to the
survival of all and the increased awareness of
world public opinion force us to continue our
efforts to achieve disarmament as a matter of
absolute priority. The goal of these efforts must
remain a genuine balance at the lowest level,
taking into account all weapon systems and
regions. In this connection we welcome the
resumption of the Soviet-American negotiations in
Geneva on intermediate-range nuclear forces and
strategic arms reductions.
112. World crisis, the absence of peace and
justice and the progressive militarization of
international relations are the breeding ground
for new violence and terrorism. Terrorism, which
we condemn most firmly and for which there is no
justification, must be repressed but it must also
be prevented. We must strike at the roots of
terrorism wherever human rights are constantly
violated, wherever social injustice is
perpetuated and wherever political convictions
cannot be expressed in a democratic manner, the
seeds of violence will grow. Violence breeds
violence and injustice breeds injustice.
113. What can we do to prevent it? Every
citizen and every Government in the world bears
direct responsibility for peace at home and
abroad. Our good example is the prerequisite for
peaceful coexistence between individuals and
peoples and for fruitful cooperation. It is only
through co-operation that we shall be able to
meet the great challenges of our time: peace,
disarmament, respect for human rights,
development, social justice and the elimination
of violence and terrorism. We welcome all
activities, and particularly those of the peace
movements which aim to translate into reality the
principles and goals of the Charter.
114. Pope John Paul II in his address at the
17th meeting of the thirty-fourth session of the
General Assembly said: I would like to express
the wish that, in view of its universal
character, the United Nations will never cease to
be the forum, the high tribune, from which all
man's problems are appraised in trust and
justice. In the spirit of that statement, I
should like to express my earnest hope that the
United Nations, to which there is no alternative,
will play an ever more important role in
achieving a just and lasting system of world
peace.