Before beginning my statement, I should like to
express on behalf of my delegation our most
sincere congratulations to Mr. Hollai on the
occasion of his well-deserved election to the
presidency of the thirty-seventh session of the
General Assembly. His qualities as a skilled
diplomat, together with his long experience in
the Organization, as well as the high posts that
he has held in his country, all constitute a
guarantee that our work will progress well and
our debates serenely, at a time when the
Organization is called upon to deal with an
endlessly growing number of complex problems of
international scope. We there¬fore wish him every
success in the exercise of his difficult
responsibilities.
176. Please allow me also to pay a heartfelt
tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Kittani, for the
competence and dedication with which he exercised
the presidency of the last session. We also
express our appreciation to the Secretary-General
for his tireless efforts in the service of world
peace since he was elected almost a year ago.
177. As we meet once again in the Assembly to
assess, as is traditional, the work done by the
United Nations since our last regular session and
to review the international situation, we must
observe that, in spite of our legitimate
aspirations for a better world, the balance sheet
is once again negative. How else could we
describe it when a large number of coun¬tries,
especially the weakest among them, live in the
daily anguish of inexorably mounting dangers?
178. In fact, the noble and sacred principles
inscribed in the Charter of the United Nations
are trampled underfoot and sometimes willfully
violated. Inter¬national relations, both
political and economic, are deteriorating at a
rapid pace and are taking an increasingly
disquieting turn. Here and there, might prevails
over right and the fait accompli replaces
dialogue and agreement.
179. That being the situation, we believe that
efforts must be made more than ever before in
order to seek ways and means of overcoming the
problems and in order to safeguard the future of
mankind. Hence the primary and decisive role that
the Organization must play in this troubled
world. It is therefore time that the purpose for
which it was created, that is, the safeguarding
and maintenance of peace be at last respected.
The time has come to restore its credibility, as
millions of people place their hopes in it. For
many of them it is sometimes their only resort.
180. The many dangers that I have just
mentioned find tragic illustration in the grave
events that occurred in Lebanon a few days ago.
An appalled and angry world learned through the
television screen of the abominable crime, the
gratuitous massacre of hundreds of children,
women and elderly persons in the Palesti¬nian
refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in Beirut.
That odious crime is horrible beyond all
imagination and recalls a bloody page in the
recent history of the world which we believed to
be a thing of the past. It is all the more
unpardonable and unjustifiable as it was
committed against innocent, defenseless victims.
181. In my country, the Islamic Federal
Republic of the Comoros, the massacres of Sabra
and Shatila were felt with great sorrow by the
entire population. A day of national mourning and
of prayer in memory of the martyrs unjustly
assassinated was decreed by the President of the
Republic, Mr. Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane who, at
the same time, forcefully con¬demned those who
perpetrated and facilitated that dastardly deed.
182. On many occasions in the Assembly my
country has expressed its views on the problem of
the Middle East. There can be no doubt, as we see
it, that it is Israel's intransigence, together
with its annexationist and expansionist designs,
which make it impossible to find a lasting
solution to this problem, nor can there be any
doubt that it is the vast financial and military
means made available to Israel that make it
possible for the Zionist entity to continue
arrogantly to defy the many decisions and
resolutions adopted by the Organization.
183. Mankind cannot remain indifferent to the
genocide in west Beirut; otherwise it will lose
its very dignity. The guilty and their
accomplices must be found and punished. In our
view one thing is clear, and that is the direct
responsibility of Israel in this mass
assassination. It is time for the international
community at last to react firmly in the face of
the policy of extermination of the Israeli
Government. That Government must withdraw its
troops, not only from Beirut, but from all of
Lebanon and comply with the relevant resolutions
of the Organization, especially those of the
Security Council.
184. We welcome the results of the Twelfth
Arab Summit Conference at Fez, devoted to the
problems of the Middle East. We feel that the
decisions that were adopted during that
Conference constitute clear progress in the
search for a just and lasting solution to the
problem that is tearing that region apart. We
strongly condemn Israel's attitude, aimed at
systematically rejecting the peace plan.
185. It was more than a generation ago now
that the Palestinian people was driven out of its
country, forced into exile, robbed of its lands
and compelled to wander from one refugee camp to
another. Israel can no longer continue to ignore
the Palestinian fact, the right of that people to
self-determination, and to establish a free and
independent State on its own land.
186. I should like here to express our
admiration and respect for the head of the PLO,
Mr. Yasser Arafat, for his exemplary courage and,
indeed, the heroism that he demonstrated during
the siege of west Beirut by Israeli forces. I
also take this oppor¬tunity to reaffirm once
again the unassailable and constant support of
the Comorian people and its Government for the
just struggle of the Palestinian people and its
sole legitimate representative, the PLO.
187. It is on the basis of that same sacred
principle of the right of peoples to
self-determination and free¬dom that my country
once again issues a pressing appeal for the
foreign troops to withdraw from Afgha¬nistan,
making it possible for the people of that country
freely to choose the political system it
considers best for its future. It has been three
years now since a foreign army occupied that
country, which was formerly non-aligned,
compelling a large part of the population to
choose the course of exile.
188. My country has witnessed with profound
sad¬ness the continuation of the war between Iraq
and -the Islamic Republic of Iran, two
non-aligned Moslem States. In spite of the
mediation efforts undertaken by the Organization
of the Islamic Conference and the non aligned
movement, that absurd and fratricidal war
continues to exact thousands of victims on both
sides, not to mention the sizeable material
damage it causes. We therefore once again
solemnly appeal to the two belligerents to cease
their hostilities imme¬diately so that hatred and
intransigence can yield to wisdom and
conciliation. In fact, that conflict not only
constitutes a threat to peace in that region, but
bears the insidious seed of overall
conflagration, given the highly strategic nature
of the region.
189. The problem of Cyprus is still on the
agenda of the Assembly. We are pleased, however,
at the progress, limited but real, that has been
achieved this year in the framework of the
intercommunal talks in the quest for a just and
lasting solution that would preserve the peace,
unity and sovereignty of Cyprus. We encourage the
two Governments, Greek and Turkish, to continue
their negotiations so that a prompt and
satisfactory solution can be found, one likely to
safeguard the interests of all those affected by
the problem. In this respect, we wish to pay a
tribute to the Secretary-General for the efforts
that he has constantly made to find a solution to
that problem.
190. In respect of Kampuchea, we cannot fail
to express our deep disappointment at the fact
that the decisions of the General Assembly
demanding the immediate unconditional withdrawal
of foreign troops from that country have been
ignored. The people of Kampuchea, just like all
other peoples in the world, have aright to peace
and freedom and it is time for their martyrdom to
end. The direct action of a neighbouring Power
which keeps many divisions of its army in
Kampuchea endangers not only the peace of the
region by creating an atmosphere of constant
destabilization but also constitutes a grave
threat to international peace and security.
191. The situation in the Korean peninsula
remains deadlocked. Nevertheless, we do take note
of the statement by the leaders of the two States
indicating that they wish to arrive at a peaceful
solution making it possible for their divided
homeland to be reunified. We must encourage and
support those good intentions, because a united
Korea is a guarantee of peace and stability in
that part of the world.
192. The question of Namibia continues to be
of the greatest concern to my Government. A11
Africa places its hopes in the Organization, but
the United Nations will lose credibility if it is
unable to guarantee to the peoples of Namibia and
South Africa the freedom and justice to which
they naturally aspire. There can be no doubt that
it is thanks to the assistance of certain
industrialized Powers that South Africa is able
constantly to defy United Nations decisions and
to continue to exploit through the odious system
of apartheid millions of Africans in their own
land and illegally to occupy Namibia.
193. It is only through the prompt
implementation of Security Council resolution 433
(1978) that it will be possible to achieve the
peaceful decolonization of Namibia by prohibiting
any attempt to amend that resolution or blur its
details, because this would just be playing the
game of the South African racists.
194. The efforts made thus far by the contact
group to induce Pretoria to comply with
resolution 435 (1978) have met with the delaying
tactics of the Pretoria regime, which ceaselessly
resorts to subterfuge, going so far as to
interfere in the internal affairs of
neigh¬bouring countries in order to impose its
illegal policy in Namibia. Today, the South
African army is in constant violation of the
southern territory of Angola, killing hundreds of
innocent men, women and children by
indiscriminate bombings.
195. Regarding its evacuation of Namibia,
Pretoria seeks to impose unacceptable conditions
on a sover¬eign country, Angola. All these
measures and these delays are aimed at gaining
time to make it possible for Pretoria to train
and place its puppets at the head of the
forthcoming independent Namibian Govern¬ment. It
is now up to the international community, to the
Organization, to take enforcement measures to
compel the Pretoria leaders to respect United
Nations decisions.
196. I take this opportunity to reaffirm the
total solidarity and unfailing support, both
moral and material, of my Government for SWAPO,
the genuine representative of the Namibian people
in its just strug¬gle for the liberation of its
country. I should also like to express here the
unshakeable determination of my country to lend
support to the national liberation movements of
southern Africa.
197. As regards Western Sahara, my country
endorses the resolution adopted at the eighteenth
session of the Assembly of Heads of State and
Govern¬ment of the Organization of African Unity,
held at Nairobi, in June 1981 and remains
convinced that a satisfactory solution to this
serious problem, which could threaten our
pan-African organization with collapse, is to be
found through the full application of the
resolution relating to the organization of a
referendum on self-determination for the people
of that country. We hope once again that African
wisdom will manage to avoid a prolongation of a
dispute, which has incalculable consequences. As
far as we are con¬cerned, we are ready to support
any initiative aimed at safeguarding our
organization, a symbol of the strength and unity
of our African continent.
198. Another no less pressing problem
threatening us directly is of concern not just to
my country but also to many others in the same
region, since it relates to the further
strengthening of the foreign military presence in
the Indian Ocean. The root of this
mili¬tarization of an erstwhile peaceful zone is
the rivalry between the major Powers, who are
involved in an arms race as frantic as it is
absurd. This state of affairs is giving rise to
an explosive situation of con¬cern to all the
coastal countries. It has also led to a sharp
deterioration in the climate of security which
used to reign throughout this vast region. Thus
it is with great disappointment that my country
has wit¬nessed the many obstacles which have
arisen to prevent the convening of the conference
which the Organization was to have held at
Colombo in order to study the methods of
implementation of the Declara¬tion of the Indian
Ocean as a Zone of Peace, contained in General
Assembly resolution 2832 (XXVI).
199. My country, like others wishing to
preserve peace and security in that region,
unreservedly sup¬ports the idea of creating a
zone of peace in the Indian Ocean and sincerely
hopes that the conference which is to discuss
this matter will finally be able to meet. We
support the position of the non-aligned countries
in favor of holding it in Sri Lanka.
200. The gloomy picture of the international
political situation which I have just sketched is
unfortunately reflected in the serious economic
imbalances to be found in the world today. We all
more or less agree on one point, namely, that
this crisis does exist. It has struck hard at all
countries with few exceptions, but it has
affected the developing countries most,
particularly the weakest among them, those which
are called the least developed.
201. The Islamic Federal Republic of the
Comoros, which is among the latter, is feeling
even more pain¬fully the harmful effects of this
crisis, because of the problems arising from its
special geographic characteristics. Because of
its island character, the Comoros Islands must
cope with structural problems: isolation due to
distance from major international communications
routes and lack of adequate infra¬structures,
although considerable efforts have been made in
this area by the Government and many projects are
now in progress. But we continue to come up
against financial problems; in fact, the Comoros
like most of the non-oil-producing devel¬oping
countries, has suffered for several years from a
growing deficit in its balance of trade caused by
worsening exchange rates.
202. Although our country has a virtual
monopoly of the production of certain cash crops,
such as ylang- ylang and vanilla, nevertheless it
is subject to the risks of a market controlled by
people who, com¬fortably installed in their
offices somewhere in Europe, decide on the prices
according to criteria which they alone are privy
to. Because of this we frequently have to sell
our export products at a loss.
203. An obvious result of this is a
considerable drop in our export revenues,
resulting in a lack of resources which leads to
budgetary deadlocks and their corollary,
inflation. In order to cope with this we
unfortunately have to resort to loans, which add
to the burden of our indebtedness.
204. Faced with this problem, my Government
makes an urgent appeal, based on General Assembly
resolu¬tion 36/212, to the international
community, inter¬national financial institutions
and developed countries which are able to do so
to give us assistance in 3he development process
of our country.
205. In this context, it is a pleasure for me
to announce from this rostrum that, pursuant to
the recommendations of the United Nations
Conference on the Least Developed Countries for
a round table of the major lenders will be held
in our capital, Moroni, in March 1983 and will
bring together all those who are willing to
respond to this appeal and to participate in
financing our development projects. I fervently
hope that this appeal will be heeded.
206. If, each time we are given the
opportunity, we demand new measures and
constantly call for global negotiations, a new
international economic and monetary order and
increased assistance to the most disadvantaged
countries, that is not mere rhetoric but a call
for justice. The major rich industrialized
coun¬tries frequently take pleasure in
proclaiming with a certain pride the major
principles and values of de¬mocracy, freedom and
justice, which in their view are the unique
characteristics of their civilization, but
national pride and the facts contradict them.
207. However, a great hope was born last year
during the International Meeting Co-operation and
Development at Cancun in October 1981. The
peoples and countries of the third world saw in
that meeting the beginning of an awareness among
the rich coun¬tries of the problems and
difficulties facing the devel¬oping nations.
Unfortunately, today our great disap¬pointment is
equaled only by the hope which that meeting
engendered. We are witnessing the progressive and
accelerated erosion of the instruments and
institutions which were justly established; infer
o/w, to find solutions to the problems of the
poor coun¬tries. The present economic situation
can be improved only if concerted action is taken
at the international level to correct the harmful
and perverse effects of the present economic and
monetary situation. Of course, that requires the
good will and loyalty of all countries.
208. It is in that context that the Government
of my country supports the efforts undertaken to
launch global negotiations, considering that both
North and South must make some sacrifices. Only
at that price will the world find a way out of
the existing morass of economic and financial
crises.
209. I should like before concluding this
rapid review of the political and economic
situation prevailing in the world to mention once
again a question of which the Assembly is well
aware and which for us Comorians is of prime
importance; it is a subject of constant concern
since it is the question of the Comorian Island
of Mayotte. I do not think it would be useful to
repeat the background of this question here,
since several debates have been devoted to it at
earlier sessions and since it remains on the
agenda and thus will be the subject of a specific
debate, when we shall have the opportunity to
speak on it. Today I shall limit myself to
recalling the resolutions adopted by the United
Nations, OAU, the Islamic Conference and the
non-aligned movement, all of which affirm
unequivo¬cally the territorial integrity of the
Comoros as a country made up of four islands,
including Mayotte, over which the sovereignty of
the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros
should clearly extend.
210. It was on the basis of those resolutions
and under the aegis of the OAU that anv4d
Committee of Seven of the OAU, specially
entrusted with follow¬ing the developments of
this problem, met in Moroni, from 9 to 11
November 1981. During that meeting the Committee
took note of the question and adopted certain
recommendations advocating, inter alia, direct
contact between the French and Comorian
Governments in order to find a just solution to
this problem through negotiations.
211. Since then, several meetings at the
highest level have taken place between the two
countries, par¬ticularly between the President of
the French Repub¬lic, Francois Mitterrand, and
the President of the Islamic Federal Republic of
the Comoros, Mr. Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane.
During those meetings, which were frank and
friendly, as relations are between France and the
Comoros, the French President expressed his
Government's desire to reach a satis¬factory
solution to this problem.
212. Taking note of that commitment, the
Comorian Government reaffirms its will to
continue through negotiation and in accordance
with the relevant decisions and resolutions of
international organiza¬tions, to take all the
necessary steps to regain its territorial
integrity, that is, the return of the island of
Mayotte to the Comorian group of islands.
213. This peaceful struggle which we are
carrying on is not ours alone: it is that of all
peoples and all countries which respect the
Charter of the United Nations and international
law. For its part, the Comorian people remains
determined to pursue its legitimate claims, sure
of its right, which is recognized and supported
by the entire international community through its
varies organizations. Thus we expect France and
those who lead it today to respect their past and
present commitments and the law so that we may
find a just solution to this problem.
214. The United Nations was created to carry
out a noble mission, that of safeguarding and
maintaining peace and security in the world. The
many hotbeds of tension which have flared up
throughout the world are likely at any time to
plunge it into a new war, with unimaginable
consequences. In a world that has lost its way,
it is time that the Organization regained its
main vocation. Of course that will be possible
only if each of its Members, whatever its power,
scrupulously respects the principles of the
Charter. For its part, the Islamic Federal
Republic of the Comoros, faithful to the great
principles of peace, liberty and justice, will
continue to make its contribution, however
modest, to strengthening the effectiveness of the
Organization and helping it to regain its noble
reputation. This is very survival of mankind
depends upon this.