Comrade President, I should like most cordially
to congratulate you on your election to the
important post of President of the thirty-seventh
session of the General Assembly and wish you
every success in your important work. It is a
particular pleasure for me to welcome in your
person a representative of the Hungarian
People's Republic with which the People's
Republic of Bulgaria maintains relations of
fraternal friendship and co-operation in the
interests of both peoples and of peace and
socialism. The Bulgarian delegation also wishes
to express its warmest greetings to the
Secretary-General. We should like to assure him
of our readiness to afford him every co-operation
in the discharge of his most responsible task.
40. The focus of attention of the
thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly
is once again the cardinal issue of eliminating
the threat of a destructive nuclear war, the
cessation of the arms race and the elimination of
sources of international tension, and this is
only natural. In accordance with its goals and
purposes the Organization has always given pride
of place to the most important problems of the
day. At this time the prevailing view isóand this
has been corroborated by the whole course of the
work at this sessionóthat there is now in fact no
more urgent or immediate humanitarian problem
than concern for the preservation and
consolidation of peace throughout the world,
which is in keeping with the interests of all
peoples. It is being called for by all the
peoples of our planet:
41. However, we must note with considerable
concern that over the past year the situation in
the world has continued to deteriorate and is
becoming ever more explosive. A nuclear
catastrophe has become a serious and real threat.
The arms race is being stepped up. In practice,
talks on a number of issues have been
paralyzedóissues which are so vitally important
for peace and security. Other issues have been
marking time for years.
42. The policy of sanctions and diktat is
undermining international economic co-operation
and having the most adverse effect on political
relations among States.
43. There still survive existing sources of
tension. What is more, they are being exacerbated
and becoming ever more dangerous to universal
peace and new ones are constantly being added.
44. In the Middle East, the wounds inflicted
on Lebanon by a barbarous act of aggression are
still fresh. The world was shocked by the crimes
of the ruling Tel Aviv circles. Such crimes would
of course have been impossible without support
from their powerful strategic ally. Flouting the
Charter and United Nations resolutions, Israel
has destroyed thousands of innocent Lebanese and
Palestinians. The height of shameless behavior by
these contemporary vandals was reached in the
mass slaughter of defenseless women, children and
the elderly in Palestinian camps.
45. I should like from this lofty rostrum to
state that the Government of the People's
Republic of Bulgaria and the entire Bulgarian
people most vigorously condemn what was nothing
less than an act of genocide.
46. The racist regime in South Africa has
been stepping up its aggressive actionß against
neighbouring sovereign States. It is continuing
illegally to occupy Namibia, the people of which,
under the leadership of the South West Africa
People's Organization [SW/4PO], has for years now
been valiantly fighting to exercise its right to
se -determination and independence. Yet Pretoria
and its protectors continue their efforts to
circumvent the decisions of the General Assembly
and the Security Council and to link the question
of Namibia's independence with pre-conditions
which constitute flagrant interference in the
internal affairs of the sovereign State of Angola.
47. Tension s are growing in Latin America
and in the Caribbean. Political and economic
pressure is being exerted upon Cuba, Nicaragua
and other States, whilst threats to use military
force are being openly voiced.
48. An objective analysis of the facts
confirms unequivocally that this critical
situation in international relations has been
brought about by the actions of the most
reactionary imperialist forcesóprimarily certain
circles in the United States. Having rejected the
policy of detente, they have embarked on a course
of sharp acceleration of military preparations
and over- armament, the aim of which is clear: to
upset the approximate military and strategic
balance between the Soviet Union and the United
States and between the Warsaw Pact and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization [M47Y3], and to
achieve military superiority and hegemony on a
global scale. In pursuit of their ambitions they
are heading for an all-out confrontation with the
countries of the socialist community.
49. The use of force has always been an
attribute of the policy of imperialism.
Characteristic features of its present
militaristic course arc its markedly provocative
nature, its growing aggressiveness and its
increasing reliance on nuclear weapons as an
instrument of policy. As a result of this,
certain concepts and doctrines are being
officially proclaimed which allow for the
possibility of launching a "first nuclear
strike", waging a "limited nuclear war" or a
"protracted nuclear war". These concepts and
doctrines are reflected in the large-scale
programmes for the general strengthening of the
military might of the United States and NATO, for
a drastic build-up of strategic offensive weapons
and of nuclear and conventional armaments.
Everyone is aware of the plans to deploy United
States medium-range missiles in Europe. If those
plans were to materialize, the threat of
outbreak of a nuclear conflict would increase
many times over. Moreover, NATO's program for
nuclear rearmament, which envisages increasing
its arsenals by thousands of weapons, plus
ammunition, is also under way. New types of
nuclear and other means of mass destruction, such
as neutron and binary chemical weapons, are being
manufactured and space military systems are being
developed. Efforts are being made to drag States
from various parts of the world into
imperialism's orbit of military preparations.
50. In contradiction to agreements reached,
to the Helsinki Final Act and the legal and moral
norms of inter state relations, there has been an
intensification of crude attempts to interfere in
the domestic affairs of socialist countries and
to create obstacles to their development. Those
responsible intend to use economic sanctions and
restrictions on trade with them.
51. The "crusade" against the countries of
the socialist community, as its initiators call
it, includes psychological warfare, as well as
political and material support for
counter-revolutionary and subversive acts; it has
as its objective the destruction of socialism as
a socio-political system and ideology. History
since 1917 provides examples of a series of such
plans. Their ill-fated end is well-known.
52. The hegemonistic actions of imperialism
against the developing countries are being
stepped up, especially against those countries
which are fighting for their national and social
liberation and are unwilling to succumb to
foreign diktat, defending their right to
political and economic independence against those
which are rich in natural resources or are
strategically situated.
53. It is hard to find a region which the
United States has not claimed as a sphere of its
"vital interests", arrogating to itself the right
to "defend" those "interests" by all possible
means, including the use of force. We all know
who is maintaining tension in many parts of the
world by dispatching military armadas and rapid
deployment forces, by setting up military bases
in close proximity to the borders of socialist
and other democratic countries, We all know who
is interfering in the internal aRairs of
sovereign States and is supporting reactionary
and dictatorial regimes in a number of countries.
54. This policy of seeking a position of
strength breeds an atmosphere of particular
tension, impedes political, economic, cultural
and other ties, strains relations among States
and, in effect, poses a strong threat to world
peace and security.
55. The outcome of the battle, however, can
by no means be decided in favor of militarism and
hegemonism. The threat of war is. real; yet war
is not inevitable. Peace is threatened but is not
doomed. It can and must be preserved. There are
forces in the world which are doing a great deal
to stand up to the policy of aggression and are
honorably carrying out their peaceful mission in
the name of life and progress. The countries of
the socialist community are in the vanguard of
those forces. A significant role is being played
by the majority of non-aligned countries and
those Western States which cherish peace and
value the fruits of detente. This powerful front
of peace relies on the will of all peoples to
live in peace, as evidenced by the
unprecedentedly large-scale anti-war movement.
56. True to their principled and consistent
foreign policy, the People's Republic of Bulgaria
and the other countries of the socialist
community are guided by their firm conviction
that there is no more vital task than that of
guaranteeing the peaceful development of mankind.
Proceeding from this position they consider it
their supreme duty to continue, through concerted
and vigorous actions, doing everything possible
in order to avert a nuclear war and to eliminate
even the very threat of it. This means putting an
end to the arms race and proceeding to real
disarmament in the field of nuclear and other
weapons of mass destruction, as well as in the
field of conventional weapons; it means
restoring, continuing and deepening the process
of detente; it means strengthening confidence
among countries; it means consistent and patient
concerted efforts, through negotiations, to
achieve a solution to the problems which
undermine international security and to create a
propitious climate for a direct dialogue between
the East and the West, to solve the problems of
developing countries and promote international
relations on the basis of the principles of
peaceful coexistence among States of different
social systems.
57. Evidence of the readiness of the
socialist countries to work for the cause of
peace and security is their initiatives and
proposals.
58. This goal was served by the peace program
of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. It
was served by the decision of the Soviet Union
not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Were
the other nuclear Powers to assume the same
obligation, that would in practice be tantamount
to the banning of nuclear weapons and reducing to
a minimum the possibility of nuclear conflict.
That cause is further served by the proposal to
conclude a world treaty on the non-use of force
in international relations. It is also served by
the proposal that the governing bodies of NATO
and the Warsaw Treaty make declarations to the
effect that the spheres of operation of those
alliances would not be extended to include Asia,
Africa and Latin America. It is served by the
proposals put forward from this rostrum two days
ago to accelerate the elaboration and signing of
a treaty for the complete and general prohibition
of nuclear-weapon tests, to declare a moratorium
on all nuclear explosions, including those for
peaceful purposes and to declare the destruction
of peaceful nuclear facilities, even by
conventional weapons, as tantamount to an attack
with nuclear weapons. We support the inclusion of
these items in the agenda of this session of the
General Assembly.
59. The People's Republic of Bulgaria greatly
appreciates the contribution made by the
countries of the non-aligned movement to the
solution of the acute problems facing the world
today. We will continue to expand our
co-operation with the non-aligned countries in
the struggle against imperialism, for the
strengthening of peace and security, for
disarmament and detente, for restructuring
international economic relations on a just and
democratic basis, for consolidating the
independence and sovereignty of the newly
independent States and for eradicating the last
vestiges of colonialism, as well as those of
neo-colonialism and apartheid.
60. We respect the positions of those Western
statesmen and heads of Government who are well
aware that a nuclear war, no matter how well its
strategists might plan it or by what name they
might call it, will recognize neither frontiers
nor neutrality and that such a war would be sheer
madness and would mean the end of human
civilization. One concrete expression of
political realism and common sense is the
Declaration on the Prevention of Nuclear
Catastrophe adopted at the thirty-sixth session
of the General Assembly, which emphasizes that
States and statesmen that would be the first to
use nuclear weapons would commit the gravest of
crimes against humanity.
61. It is our profound conviction that the
safeguarding of peace can and must be the
concern of all. Only through a steadfast struggle
with the united efforts and the concerted
decisive actions of all progressive forces which
possess enormous potential, can peace be
guaranteed on a lasting and reliable basis. As
Todor Zhivkov, General Secretary of the Central
Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party and
President of the State Council of the People's
Republic of Bulgaria, recently stated:
"Nothing must prevent all parties, organizations,
movements and individuals conscious of how grave
a peril to mankind a nuclear war can be from
finding their place and playing a fitting role in
the struggle for peace and against the nuclear
threat."
62. We reaffirm our position that there is no
other road to solving any international problem
than the road of negotiations. The 1970s have
proved that, given the presence of goodwill and
realism and with strict respect for the principle
of equality and the equal security of countries,
it is possible, although not without difficulty,
to reach important international agreements on
even such extremely complex questions as the
limitation of strategic arms. Of course what I
have in mind are not talks that would serve to
screen the arms race, but rather a businesslike
and frank dialogue that could lead to concrete
and positive results. The People's Republic of
Bulgaria has always been in favor of such an
approach, and it will continue to support it.
63. Such fundamental present-day issues as
peace and security must always be approached with
a sense of high responsibility. My country is of
the opinion that negotiations currently under way
should be intensified so that they may achieve
concrete results, and it is our hope that the
Madrid meeting will successfully complete its
work and adopt a decision to convene a conference
on confidence-building measures and disarmament
in Europe. For this purpose a constructive
approach on the part of all participating States
is needed. The same holds true for the talks on
the reduction of armed forces and armaments in
Central Europe, and particularly for the Soviet-
American negotiations on limiting nuclear weapons
in Europe and on limiting and reducing strategic
arms.
64. In our view, every possible effort should
be made to eliminate sources of tension. It is
imperative to reach a comprehensive, just and
lasting solution to the Middle East problem as
soon as humanly possible. It is our view that the
plan put forward by Leonid Ilych Brezhnev, with
which the basic provisions of the plan that
emerged from the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference
in Fez coincide, provides all necessary measures
for eliminating that dangerous hotbed of tension.
The People's Republic of Bulgaria supports the
idea of convening an international conference on
a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East
problem, with the participation, on an equal
footing, of all the parties concerned, including
the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of
the Arab people of Palestine.
65. We have repeatedly called for an end to
the war between Iraq and the Islamic Republic of
Iran and for solving the disputes between the two
countries through peaceful means.
66. My country reiterates its position of
principle on the settlement of the Cyprus
question in the interests of both the Greek
Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots while
preserving the independence, territorial integrity
and the policy of non-alignment of the Republic
of Cyprus.
67. We are in favor of granting full
independence to Namibia in compliance with the
decisions of the United Nations.
68. The vital interests of the peoples of
South-East Asia require that we recognize
existing political realities, that an end be put
to the interference by the imperialist and
hegemonist forces in the internal affairs of
those peoples and that the attempts being made to
pit them against one another be brought to a
halt. What the peoples of the region need is
peace, stability and co-operation. The
constructive proposals of the three countries of
Indo-Chinaóthe socialist Republic of Vie' Nam,
the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the
People's Republic of Kampucheaóare designed to
achieve that very goal, and it is for that reason
that we fully support them.
69. Efforts should be continued to turn the
Indian Ocean into a zone of peace in accordance
with United Nations decisions.
70. We support the proposal of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea for the peaceful and
democratic reunification of Korea.
71. With regard to the problem that has
arisen in the South Atlantic and which, its
essence, is one of decolonization, in our view a
just solution should be sought through
negotiations in accordance with the resolutions
of the General Assembly.
72. In stressing the important role of the
United Nations in the maintenance of peace and
the strengthening of security throughout the
world, we support the proposal of the
Secretary-General f*n the convening of a meeting
of the Security Council at the highest level to
consider ways and means of enhancing its
effectiveness in the interests of attaining the
objectives of the Organization.
73. The People's Republic of Bulgaria has
always pursued and will continue to pursue a
policy of peace, mutual understanding and
co-operation among all nations. By way of
example, I would mention the program of the
Twelfth Congress of the Bulgarian Communist Party
for enhancing detente and promoting
good-neighborly relations in the Balkans, and
also the proposal of President Todor Zhivkov with
regard to turning the Balkan peninsula into a
nuclear-weapon- free zone, which is consonant
with the purposes of the United Nations.
74. The international situation urgently
demands active efforts and concrete actions from
all of us to eliminate the nuclear threat halt
the arms race, extinguish hotbeds of tension, to
guarantee international security and a tranquil
future for the peoples, and to ensure peace
throughout the world. I wish to assure the
Assembly that the People's Republic of Bulgaria
will continue to make its contribution to the
efforts of the United Nations to ensure the
achievement of these objectives.