Portugal

Sir, may I start by congratulating you on your election as President of this thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. At the same time, I would like to convey to you our satisfaction at seeing such an experienced politician occupy this high post. Your merits will most certainly help us to achieve positive results in our endeavors. 2. I would also like to pay a tribute to your predecessor, who carried out the duties of the presidency of the thirty-sixth session of the General Assembly with such competence and authority. His contribution deserves our admiration and gratitude. 3. I wish to address a special salute to Mr. Perez de Cuellar and express my satisfaction at seeing in this eminent position such an influential personality, whose human and diplomatic qualities have already been widely demonstrated. 4. The importance and complexity of the questions included in the agenda clearly show that dialogue among peoples is essential to international relations. However, a fruitful dialogue depends on the existence of a climate of international confidence. Confidence is not compatible with persistent acts of disrespect for the provisions enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or with violations of sovereignty, that affect the territorial integrity of nations and disregard the right of peoples to self-determination and independence. Confidence also excludes the tendency of certain States to impose on other countries, through the threat or use of force, a certain behavior or ideological submission, contrary to the deep-rooted feelings of their peoples. 5. The absence of this climate of confidence was evident during the second special session of the General Assembly on disarmament, undoubtedly one of the most ambitious efforts of the Organization. Disarmament, understood as a balanced and controlled reduction of nuclear and conventional weapons, does not stand as an autonomous category within the framework of the relations among States. However, the increasing tensions in international relations must neither be an excuse nor a justification for the modest results attained. Both the security and the future of humankind require that immediate action be taken on certain aspects of the arms race, in order to deflect it from its present course. 6. Accordingly, the initiation of negotiations at Geneva, between the United States and the USSR, to control and reduce nuclear weapons of intermediate range as well as strategic nuclear weapons, is ah encouraging step and responds to many concerns. We hope that important and substantial reductions will follow, mainly with respect to the ground systems which, being the most vulnerable, are the most destabilizing. 7. We also follow with great interest the Vienna Talks on Mutual Reduction of Forces, Armaments and Associated Measures in Central Europe. The new proposals recently presented by the West offer a possibility to break the present impasse. We believe they provide a good basis for progress. 8. The implementation of the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act would be a decisive element towards international detente. Such detente must be global and indivisible, based on criteria of reciprocity, and must govern relations among countries with different social and political systems as well as among Governments with identical ideological structures. However, the debates at the Madrid meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, in which my Government is so deeply engaged, shows that there, too, the effects of the present crisis of confidence are felt, thus impairing the attainment of positive results whenever a solution for basic problems is at stake. 9. Past and present events in Poland fully illustrate this state of affairs. This is the reason why the Portuguese Government has from the outset openly condemned such events, drawing there from the necessary conclusions. 10. The position of Portugal is that the obligation is undertaken in this Held must be executed in good faith. It is necessary to strive for the fulfillment of the objectives we ourselves have proposed, thus contributing to the full realization of the principles of the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is not a question of drastically changing international reality. That would be unthinkable. Rather, it is a question of trying to ease tensions and increase confidence in relations among nations and peoplesósince these are also mentioned in the Final Act. Such an attitude cannot function in one direction only. It concerns all parties involved and it precludes proclamation of an official doctrine which, depending on the areas concerned and according to one's convenience, interprets coexistence either as co-operation or as intolerant confrontation. Only in this way can detente become a reality, translated into positive acts, and not merely a dialogue of the deaf. 11. The general considerations I have just formulated do not diminishórather, they emphasizeóthe importance of regional tensions susceptible of jeopardizing world stability. I shall mention only a few examples. I would like to refer first to the situation in Namibia, where the exercise of the right to self- determination continues to be delayed giving rise to serious risks of conflict in southern Africa. Portugal considers that the independence of Namibia, in accordance with Security Council resolution 435 (1978) is essential to the stabilization process in the region. 12. The repeated attacks against the territories of Angola and Mozambique, which Portugal has condemned in a timely and vigorous manner, cannot fail to be seen in this context, hence rendering more urgent a stable solution to the problem. Given the very special ties my country has with Angola and Mozambique Portuguese public opinion follows with deep interest the efforts made towards achieving peace, and the subsequent developments in southern Africa. The interrelationship between these two elements is made clear by the economic pressures to which those two countries and Zimbabwe have been subjected. In this context, we think that the goals being pursued by the Southern African Development Co-ordinations Conference may constitute a very positive contribution to a balanced development of the area. 13. I would like to make it clear that we do not wish any specific role for Portugal and that we put our trust in the efforts of the Secretary-General, and in the diplomatic initiatives and responsible role played by the contact group of five Western States and by the front-line States. However, the evolution of events shows that flexibility and rapid action are essential. Whenever necessary Portugal will be ready to cooperate, if requested. This my Government has already earnestly done. t 14. The search for a solution to the Palestinian problem which would result in a global, lasting and just peace in the Middle East is today an essential element of international security. The most recent aspects of the problem emphasize even more strongly the need to respect the principle of self-determination and to consider the just claims of the Palestinian people, who long to create a new independent State. 15. But in the Middle East crisis it is equally necessary to state clearly the need for respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all nations in the area, in particular Lebanon and Israel, as well as the right of their respective peoples to live in peace within duly recognized and guaranteed international boundaries. 16. The Portuguese Government welcomes the most recent initiatives taken by the international community, namely. President Reagan's peace plan and the plan agreed by consensus at the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference at Fez. Neither of these plans should be considered separately. Both constitute a significant step towards the achievement of peace in the area. The complexity of the Middle East situation is now viewed on a more realistic basis which may lead to the compromise solutions long awaited and much desired by the international community, thus relegating to the realm of the unthinkable such horrifying massacres as those recently inflicted on the defenseless Palestinian refugees. 17. The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, which so clearly infringes the juridical rules upon which the United Nations is based, has been repeatedly condemned in the Assembly and still gives rise to harsh criticism against the hegemonic purposes which were behind it. 18. The Vietnamese occupation of Kampuchea is yet another source of tension. My Government supports the diplomatic efforts either recommended or already accomplished aimed at finding a peaceful solution to these conflicts. 19. From what has been said it is evident that the consequences of the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination are of great importance within the framework of international relations; therefore it is the duty of the United Nations to enforce the respect for that principle so uncompromisingly proclaimed by Member States and to which the great majority of the countries here represented owe allegiance. 20. It is in this context that the problem of East Timor should be seen. In the light of the principles concerning the rights of peoples, which the Organization is bound to defend, the problem of East Timor and the need for the international community to ensure the exercise of the rights of that Territory's population are for my country matters of high priority and undeniable importance. Portugal, which seven years ago ceased to be able to carry out its responsibilities as administering Power, has repeatedly declared that it makes no claim to the Territory of East Timor, to which my country is linked historically and by bonds of human solidarity that exist to this day. These bonds are reflected in the deep sensitivity with which the Portuguese nation as a whole follows this problem, while it hopes for a solution consistent with international ethics and justice. 21. The Portuguese State has often said that its only goal is the fulfillment of a national and moral duty. Aware of the justice of our cause and certain that we are interpreting the unanimous feeling of the Portuguese State and the Portuguese people, I wish to reaffirm clearly our desire to co-operate actively with the United Nations, using all the mechanisms envisaged in the Charter, so that through an open dialogue we may all find a solution that truly respects the interests and cultural identity of the people of East Timor and enables them to define their collective destiny. 22. We are going through particularly difficult times, in which the weight of economic problems has a growing influence and obvious repercussions in the political Held. The present state of the world economy continues to cause serious concern as we face a sombre reality, marked by persistent inflationary pressures, monetary fluctuations, high interest rates, unemployment and social tensions. The outlook for the near future cannot but be disquieting. The gradual deterioration of the economic situation has affected all countries, regardless of their political, economic or social system, but it is the poorest among us that have been most severely harmed. 23. The experience of the last few years has shown that global interdependence is an inescapable fact and as such requires greater solidarity among nations. This immense task is vital and demands the realistic, co-ordinate and untiring efforts of all members of the international community, without exception. 24. My Government believes in the importance and usefulness of a realistic, productive and action-oriented North-South dialogue. We are facing global problems which demand a global approach and global solutions. We trust therefore that it will be possible to reach agreement on the conditions which would make possible the launching of global negotiations in a spirit guided by common interest and respect for existing organizations. North-South relations are usually reduced to a formal and strict distinction between developed and developing countries, but such a dichotomy is far from the present reality. 25. Portugal, south of the North, is at an intermediate stage of economic and technological development: a donor country within the limits of its capacity, it is simultaneously a recipient of assistance essential to the process of national development in which it is engaged. 26. Being an Atlantic country, an active member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a European country and a candidate for membership of the European Economic Community, Portugal is in a position in which it can understand not only the needs of the developing countries but also the difficulties facing the more advanced economies. Portugal's membership in the European Community, one of the priorities of our foreign policy, will, we are certain, enable 3s to reinforce our capacity to under-stand both sides of the problem and at the same time collaborate actively towards its solution. On the one hand we shall pursue more resolutely Portugal's development process and on the other wider perspectives will be opened for the privileged relations we maintain with many areas of the world other than the Portuguese-speaking African countries and the African continent. 27. My Government is engaged in increasing and diversifying its bilateral aid, but it is equally interested in developing co-operation projects, with the assistance of specialized agencies of the United Nations and with the co-operation of other countries. Aware of our limitations and possibilities, but conscious also that, besides quantitative aspects, there are also the qualitative ones, we shall strive to achieve these goals. 28. If the role played by small and medium enterprises has become increasingly important within our economy, in the international political system, too, the role of small and medium countries must be acknowledged as increasingly relevant. 29. Indeed, the perception and impact of questions such as the energy crisis, problems of investment and technology and protectionist policies are common to this group of countries and constitute, in their particular case, conditioning factors of a qualitative and not merely quantitative nature. This reality draws a distinction between us and the larger countries. We believe that, with a view to creating a realistic and useful basis for dialogue, it is of the utmost interest that we undertake a common consideration of this issue. 30. Like the others, my country is particularly sensitive to the energy problems that affect our balance of payments in a very negative way, reducing our possibilities of carrying out the measures necessary to pursue our development process. A sustained economic growth depends to a great extent on intensification of productive investments, increased productivity and the maintenance of an open trade system. 31. Although one must admit that the seriousness of the world economic situation has not caused a radical increase of protectionism, I should like to stress the concern of the Portuguese Government regarding some protectionist measures which affect exports from developing countries and from countries in an intermediate stage of development, like Portugal. We hope that during the next ministerial meeting of GATT important decisions will be taken contributing, in a decisive way, to fostering free international trade between all countries and groups of countries. 32. I should also like to refer to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Last April Portugal voted in favor of the Convention. This decision was taken in the light of our own interests as a coastal State. It also took into account the interests of the international community, which may be greatly affected should an adequate regulation of these matters not be established. This does not mean that my country is satisfied with all the provisions contained in the Convention, namely, those regarding the composition of the International Sea-Bed Authority^ In fact the interests of semi-industrialized countries are not taken duly into account, especially in the case of those countries that, like Portugal, has ? face serious emigration problems. These considerations do not, however, impair our intention to sign and ratify the Convention, thus contributing towards avoiding chaos in international maritime relations. Accordingly, Portugal calls upon every country to make an additional effort to find a compromise formula which would render the Convention universally acceptable. 33. If, on the one hand, economic matters are intimately linked to political problems, it is also true that from them arise very serious consequences concerning human rights. Thus, when discussing here the best way to achieve the objectives we have pro-posed Cor ourselvesónamely, the creation of a more equitable international orderówe cannot overlook a basic fundamental principle: that the United Nations is, above all, a body at the service of humankind. Beyond the diversity of traditions, cultures and systems, man attains universal value as a subject of rights and fundamental freedoms, through intrinsic dignity. Conse-quently, in addition to those factors, there is yet another concern: we continue to be faced with the persistence of policies that ignore the essence of human rights and lead to serious violations of such rights, as a result of local conflicts or of situations of instability or intolerance. 34. Of such situations, the system of apartheid is a paradigm. This system is condemned by us, as it is our belief that any form of discrimination, besides being unacceptable on an ethical and human plane, is a denial of progress and culture. 35. As I have already stated, there are many areas in the world where the rights to self-determination, free choice of regime, independence and security of States are not respected. When it comes to human rightsómeaning relations between the Government and individualsóthe situations in which human beings are denied their basic rights are regrettably multiplying. I am referring to political repression, racism, foreign domination and poverty. The international community acknowledges the fact that human rights are inseparable from the rights of peoples and of nations and that both are closely related to peace, security and prosperity in the world. In order that international stability may be attained, States must respect the rights of other nations and those of their own citizens. In this context, the United Nations has a dual responsibility: the definition of principles through the enunciation of a code of conduct and supervision of their effective implementation. 36. The Portuguese Government attributes the greatest importance to the achievement of that aim. Accordingly, Portugal has adhered to the main international instruments concerning human rights, the latest one being the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to which we acceded on 23 September. 37. The United Nations has created a system and institutions to promote and protect respect for human rights the world over. However, the number of cases that are violations of the moral conscience of nations is regrettably increasing. 38. In this context, we are deeply concerned with the difficult living conditions suffered by the Timorese people as well as with the violations of its cultural identity and its rights, caused by the present situation in the Territory of East Timor. Convergent reports and information reaching us from East Timor leave no doubt about the moral and physical sufferings endured by the people of Timor. The problem of East Timor was only recently discussed at Geneva when the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities adopted resolution 1982/201 on this question, in which it acknowledged the diplomatic efforts made by Portugal to redress the situation in the Territory and called for international co-operation to defend the rights of the Timorese people. In this context as well, of great significance in the sphere of international morals and law, I wish to reiterate the Portuguese will to co-operate in the settlement within the wide framework of humanitarian questions, of several problems brought about by the situation in East Timor. I wish to reaffirm here that the Portuguese position as to principles and human rights is clear and that it constitutes the pursuit of an ethical and political duty which cannot be overlooked if we do not want to put in jeopardy the values that govern us. Likewise, I reiterate Portugal's firm determination to reach a global solution to this problem within the framework of the Organization, through an open and frank dialogue. 39. The history of the United Nations stands as an example of endeavor to give mankind its full dimension, free from the yoke of political domination, urgent material needs and deadly wars. Many are the difficulties that have been encountered when pursuing these aims. Some achievements have even brought about new and complex problems. 40. To admit that reforms must be introduced in certain structures and habits does not mean that we should question the provisions of the Charter. On the contrary, within the limitations imposed by the framework of international relations, those provisions still offer the best means of overcoming institutional impediments, and are at the same time an irreplaceable frame of reference when it comes to settling certain types of conflicts. The Portuguese Government sincerely believes that the Organization can handle confrontations and pave the way to their settlement by means of dialogue, at the same time and provide the necessary impartiality as a forum for negotiation. 41. If the Organization is affected by some shortcomings, that is not its fault. Those shortcomingsóso sharply described in the report of the Secretary- General on the work of the Organization óare caused by those who find them very convenient. That is why, when there is a common will, the United Nations offers the appropriate institutional means for the search for multilateral solutions. It is for the reaffirmation of such goals that all of us gathered here must strive, without any weakening or preconcep-tions, without any demagoguery or procrastination; the moral force of those who are in the right will always triumph in the end.