On behalf of the Hungarian delegation, Sir, I
offer you heartfelt congratulations on your
election as President of the thirty-seventh
session of the General Assembly. We are pleased
at your election to that high post, for it is an
expression of international recognition both of
socialist Hungary's peace-loving foreign policy
and of its activities in the United Nations. It
is our sincere hope that under your guidance the
General Assembly will carry out the tasks of this
session successfully and in a constructive
atmosphere.
2. The thirty-seventh session of the General
As¬sembly is taking place in an international
situation full of controversy and fraught with
dangers. Since last year, subversive activities
threatening peace and security have been stepped
up; tension connected with certain specific
events continues to grow.
3. The main reason for the deterioration in
the international situation is that extremist
imperialist circles are striving to upset the
balance if power which has emerged between the
two world systems. They are striving to attain
military supremacy, and to that end have started
to arm themselves on an unprecedented scale. They
are seeking to establish international conditions
in which they can impose their will on other
States. I could give many examples of the way in
which existing crises have worsened and in which
new crises have emerged, aiding and abetting the
reactionary forces.
4. The extremist imperialist circles are
systematically seeking to impair relations
between the socialist and the developed
capitalist countries, and to destroy the results
which have been achieved in the development of
East-West co-operation on the basis of mutual
interests. In order to attain their goals, they
are exerting growing pressure on the developing
countries and on the liberation movements. They
have been launching campaigns of slander and
propaganda against the socialist and other
progressive countries and have been ceaselessly
attempting to interfere in their internal affairs
on various pretexts.
79
5. We are convinced that it is in the
interest of the peoples of the world to put an
end to these processes. It is promising to note
that more and more countries and larger and
larger masses of the people are op¬posing the
unbridled arms race, the policy of force,
sabre-rattling and measures aimed at creating
tension.
6. My Government decisively condemns the
attacks launched against detente and the attempts
that are being made in poison the international
atmosphere and to step up the arms race. We
consider that our most important foreign policy
task in the present situa¬tion is to make the
greatest contribution we can to the safeguarding
of peace throughout the world, to the improvement
of the international atmosphere, to the
strengthening of international security, to the
promo¬tion of the cause of disarmament and to the
strength¬ening of friendship and multilateral
co-operation among States and peoples. We
constantly advocate this in international forums
and in bilateral relations. We consider that
every opportunity should be seized to expand
international co-operation and that increased
efforts should be undertaken to find constructive
solutions to the problems that stand in the way.
Thus, we attach particular importance to the
maintenance of the bilateral relations which have
evolved during the past decade on the basis of
the principle of the peace¬ful coexistence of
countries with different social systems.
Moreover, we deem it necessary to intensify
political contacts and dialogue and to broaden
eco¬nomic and other relations which serve our
mutual interests.
7. In order to achieve these goals, we must
continue to strengthen the role of the United
Nations so that it can be more effective in
bolstering the cause of peace,
8. The Hungarian People's Republic is a
staunch champion of disarmament and of the
limitation and reduction of armed forces and
armaments. My Govern¬ment takes active part in
various international disarmament forums and also
seeks in its bilateral relations to promote the
cause of disarmament. We are convinced that none
of the pressing problems of peace can be solved
by armaments. Stockpiling weapons will not result
in more stable, guaranteed security or peace,
even for the countries which possess those
weapons.
9. Today's balance of military power in the
world is characterized by parity between the
Soviet Union and the United States, and between
the Warsaw Treaty countries and the countries of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NAO].
There is now approxi¬mate parity in both nuclear
and conventional weapons. That parity is an
historic victory for the countries and peoples
which are fighting for socialism, progress and
peace; they therefore advocate maintaining it,
and strive to ensure that it is maintained at the
lowest possible level.
10. Hence the socialist countries, together
with other peace-loving countries, in the United
Nations and in all other international forums,
are making constant efforts to curb the arms race
which has reached senseless proportions and to
achieve tangible, sub¬stantive results in the
field of disarmament. That goal is served by a
number of proposals and draft treaties submitted
at this session of the General Assembly which
prescribe specific commitments.
11. Naturally, given the state of armaments
today, peoples of the world and peace-loving
Governments are concentrating first and foremost
on eliminating the danger of nuclear war. My
Government also gives priority importance to
nuclear disarmament. We are anxious to see the
urgent adoption of measures and the conclusion of
international agreements that would reduce the
arms race and at the same time be specific steps
towards nuclear disarmament.
12. We consider the general and unilateral
commit¬ment of the Soviet Union as being a
significant con-tribution to the cause of peace
and disarmament, and welcome it, namely, that in
no circumstances would it be the first to use
nuclear weapons. If all nuclear Powers were to
make that commitment, in practice that would mean
that the use of the most dangerous weapons of
mass destruction would be impossible. Trust
amongst States would be signifi¬cantly increased
and we could hope for the success of disarmament
talks with justifiable optimism.
13. We regret that the nuclear Powers which
have not yet taken this step are adhering to
their plans for manufacturing new types of
nuclear weapons, and some of them are still
continuing to disseminate the absurd doctrine of
a limited nuclear war.
14. From the point of view of strengthening
universal peace and security, relations between
the Soviet Union and the United States are of
decisive importance; hence their talks to limit
and reduce strategic nuclear weapons, as well as
medium-range nuclear missiles, are particularly
important. It is urgent that practical agreements
be reached as soon as possible in those talks, oh
the basis of the principle of equality and equal
security.
13. In the struggle against armaments an
important role would be played by a ban on
nuclear-weapon testing in all spheres. Along with
many other coun¬tries, we were amazed at the
recent decision of the United States
Administration not to resume the trilateral talks
on a general and complete ban on nuclear-weapon
testing. We follow with anxiety the fact that
there is an increase in the number of indi¬vidual
countries which intend to become nuclear- weapon
States. We consider that one of the most pressing
tasks which demand tremendous responsi¬bility is
the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapons.
That is why the United Nations should also strive
to bring that about.
16. The goal of fostering nuclear disarmament
requires that in addition to efforts towards
resolving the baste problems, it is necessary to
use all other opportunities which directly or at
least indirectly could promote a reduction of the
nuclear threat. In this respect we believe that
further efforts should be made to reduce the
deployment of nuclear weapons, to create
nuclear-free zones and zones of peace, to
guarantee the security of countries which do not
possess nuclear weapons and to prevent the accidental
use of nuclear weapons.
17. The Government and people of the
Hungarian People's Republic express regret that
because of the existing unfavorable international
situation and the lack of political will among
certain influential Powers, the second special
session devoted to disarmament did not yield the
expected results. However, one should not
underestimate the significance of the fact that
at that session the overwhelming majority of the
States Members of the United Nations unanimously
expressed their concern at the threat of war.
They clearly stated that the elimination of the
nuclear threat was the most urgent task of this
period.
18. The Government of the Hungarian People's
Republic constantly devotes great attention to
European security and co-operation. Although our
country is small, still, as far as we can, we too
promote the practical implementation of the
recommendations and spirit of the Final Act of
the Conference on Security and Co-operation in
Europe, signed at Helsinki. Our delegation to the
Madrid session of the Conference, which is to
resume its follow-up to questions of European
security and co-operation next November, will
work in the interest of guaran¬teeing a
constructive spirit for the talks and the
adop¬tion of a meaningful, balanced and
purposeful final document.
19. The Government of the Hungarian People's
Republic is anxious that the Madrid session
should conclude its work successfully. We
consider it partic¬ularly important that that
Conference should adopt a decision to convene a
European conference on confidence-building,
security and disarmament. The delegations rf all
countries participating in the Madrid Conference
should be guided by a will to achieve agreement.
The responsibility of the participating
coun¬tries is particularly great, since the
shaping of the international political situation
and prospects for disarmament depend to a large
extent on how rela¬tions evolve among the
participating countries and what sort of
co-operation will be established among them.
20. The growth of international tension has
been fostered also by the fact that in effect no
progress has been made in eliminating pockets of
tension that have either long existed or recently
emerged. Furthermore, in some places the
situation continues to worsen, and the prospects
for settlement are becoming ever more remote. My
Government believes it abso¬lutely urgent to
adopt specific steps speedily to eliminate
pockets of tension and local conflicts and to
resolve controversial issues by peaceful means.
21. It may seem strange that in this context
I should also mention Europe. In the past, we
used to talk about Europe as a region of peace
and tranquility. However, events that have
occurred in recent years —the decision by NATO to
station 572 medium-range nuclear missiles in
Western Europe, the American refusal to ratify
the SALT II agreement, the Western plan for a
vastly accelerated arms build-up and the
inadmissible Western interference in the events
in Poland—have increased tension in our continent
to a significant degree. We hope that the ongoing
Soviet- American talks will ultimately yield
results that will foster peaceful co-operation
among the European countries.
22. The extremely tense situation in the
Middle East that has evolved in recent months has
created profound concern. That region has for
many years been the source of one of the world's
most tragic crises. The Government of the
Hungarian People's Republic and public opinion in
our country most vehemently condemn the
aggressive expansionist policies of Israel and
its barbaric war against the Lebanese and
Pal¬estinian Arab peoples which, together with
the imperialist maneuvers designed to achieve a
total domination over the Middle East, has
created a serious threat to peace and security
for the peoples in that region and for the entire
world. We express our sympathy for the victims of
the terrible tragedy that has occurred in
Lebanon, and we continue to support the just
struggle of the Arab peoples. Our people learned
of the bloody massacre in Beirut with indigna¬tion
and we vehemently condemn that evil deed. The
United Nations should take decisive measures to
restrain Israel, which has consistently
disregarded Security Council and General Assembly
resolutions and which regularly violates the
elementary norms of international law.
23. The aggression against Lebanon is a new
and premonitory proof of the fact that the policy
of separate dealings and the blatant use of
military force cannot lead to any real settlement
of the Middle East crisis but, on the contrary,
will lead to an exacerbation of the situation in
that region. The Hungarian Govern¬ment will
continue to advocate a comprehensive and just
settlement of the Middle East crisis and the
establishment of lasting peace in the region. It
firmly believes that in order to achieve this it
is urgent that there be a complete and
unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces from
the Arab territories that have been occupied
since 1967, as well as from Lebanon; that there
be a guarantee of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinian Arab people, including their right to
create an independent Palestinian State; and that
there be international guarantees for the
security and inde¬pendent existence of all States
in the region. It supports the idea of convening
an international conference with the
participation of all parties concerned, including
the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO], in
order to promote a comprehensive and just
settlement. The six-point proposal of the Soviet
Union that was put forward by the General
Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of
the Presidiums of the Supreme Soviet, Leonid
Brezhnev , meets all those requirements, and we
therefore believe it to be acceptable for the
resolution of the problem.
24. The development of the international
situation has been adversely affected by the
baleful influence of circles seeking to maintain
and to worsen tension and which continue
artificially to support the inclusion of the
so-called Afghan and Kampuchean questions OH the
agenda. With regard to Afghanistan, my
Govern¬ment continues to maintain its firm
position that the key question is a cessation of
the interference by the forces of international
reactionary forces in the internal affairs of
that country. We support the pro¬posals of the
Government of Afghanistan and the Soviet Union
designed to bring about a political solu¬tion of
the situation prevailing around Afghanistan. We
have followed with interest the activities of the
Personal Representative of the Secretary-General.
We hope that the States directly concerned will
find a way to resolve the problem by talks, which
must include recognition of the legitimate
Government of the Democratic Republic of
Afghanistan as well as guarantees for the
security of that country.
25. The Government of the Hungarian People's
Republic, as is well known, feels solidarity with
the countries of Indo-China. It welcomes and
supports the proposals of the Ministers for
Foreign Affairs of the three Indo-Chinese
countries dated July 1982, which show that those
countries are seeking peace and dialogue on
substantive matters, as well as friendship and
co-operation with their neighbors. The attempts
being made through the vestiges of the former
regime, which formed the so-called coalition
government, to undermine the legal order of the
People's Republic of Kampuchea are doomed to
failure. We are convinced that recognition of the
existing political realities is the only right
way to guarantee peace and stability in that
region.
26. The Government of the Hungarian People's
Republic supports the proposal of the Government
of the Mongolian People's Republic for the
convening of an international conference of the
Asian and Pacific countries to discuss questions
relating to the conclusion of a convention on the
non-use of force and mutual non- aggression.
Among the factors hindering an improve¬ment in
the international situation we should mention the
problems created by the Korean question, which
has remained unsettled for so long. My Government
continues to support the just struggle of the
Demo¬cratic People's Republic of Korea and the
cause of a peaceful and democratic unification of
the two parts of the country free from outside
interference. My Government regards as of
particular importance the restitution of the
territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus
and its Government's policy of non- alignment. It
supports a peaceful solution to the ques¬tion of
Cyprus through negotiations that would serve the
interests of both communities in that State in
accordance with the relevant United Nations
resolu¬tions, and it supports efforts undertaken
in that direction.
27. At this session of the General Assembly,
many speakers will undoubtedly express their just
concern about the fact that with a view to
securing their interests imperialism and neo
colonialism are in¬creasing their pressure on the
developing countries and the non-aligned
movement, and that they are trying to frustrate
the success of the national liberation movement.
In this forum, I should like to reaffirm the
support of the Government of the Hungarian
People's Republic for the struggle of peoples for
social progress, national independence aid
self-determination and our opposition to colonial
oppression and neb- colonialist aspirations. We
are decisively opposed to racial discrimination
and condemn the policy of apartheid?
28. We feel that the United Nations must
adopt more decisive and effective measures than
it has done so far to eliminate once and for all
the vestiges of colonialism in order to guarantee
the rights of all peoples to self-determination.
29. The South Atlantic armed conflict which
took place in recent months with regard to the
Falkland (Malvinas) Islands also has shown how
many complex and far-reaching international
problems can be created by the vestiges of the
colonial system and what a serious threat they
can constitute for peace. We consider that that
problem too should be resolved through
negotiation.
30. Notwithstanding the derisions of the
United Nations and all efforts made thus far by
the progressive forces in the world, the South
African racist regime continues to occupy
Namibia. The situation which has emerged in
southern Africa poses a serious threat to
international peace and security. That is why one
of the most urgent tasks is to resolve the fate
of Namibia, to guarantee the independence of that
country. My Government supports the just struggle
of the Namibian people which it has been waging,
under the leader¬ship of the South West Africa
People's Organization [SWAPO], its sole
legitimate representative, against the South
African occupiers to win genuine indepen¬dence
for the country. Hungary rejects the Western
maneuvers, the aim of which is to maintain
foreign domination, both political and economic,
and to pre¬serve the influence of the South
African racist Govern¬ment. We favor the
implementation of the United Nations plan. The
basis for a negotiated settlement can only be
Security Council resolution 433 (1978), which
should be implemented without any change or
distortion.
31. Nowadays we often receive news about
pres¬sures and threats aimed against Cuba.,
Nicaragua, Grenada and other Latin American
countries, about the heroic struggle of the
patriots of El Salvador and of actions against
the dictatorial regimes in many coun¬tries of
Latin America. We believe that in this region of
the world, too, we should respect the right of
peoples to self-determination.
32. We believe that the non-aligned movement
is an important, positive factor in international
life. We were concerned that recently imperialist
machinations to shatter the movement have been
stepped up. We believe that the non-aligned
countries can maintain and strengthen the
anti-imperialist unity of their movement in this
situation too, and can remain true to their
well-tested principles.
33. My country is very concerned about the
un¬hampered development of mutually advantageous
international economic, trade and financial
relations. I must note with regret that the
tension in the inter-national situation has long
had an unfavorable influence onall fields of
international economic, trade, financial and
scientific and technological co¬operation. We
decisively reject the policy of economic
sanctions against the socialist countries, the
policies of embargo, boycott and discrimination.
Such policies have not been successful in the
past, and at the present time no one will be able
to move the socialist countries away from the
path of building a new society and promoting
progress. Such attempts can only lead to a
worsening of the international atmosphere. All
this not only has an unfavorable impact in
relations between East and West, but does damage
to the interests of the developing world and
further delays the establishment of a new, just
inter¬national economic order, based on
democratic prin¬ciples.
34. My Government believes that the
difficulties in international economic
co-operation should be eliminated and that
countries of the world, both large and small,
should equally, without any discrimination, enjoy
the mutual advantages which result from the
international division of labour.
35. Despite the more tense international
situation and the unfavorable political processes
taking place in the world, we believe that the
possibilities of peace¬ful development have not
yet been exhausted. This view is imposed by
common sense and by the interests of the peoples
of the world. We are convinced that joint actions
by all the political elements and serial forces
desirous of maintaining peaceful international
relations and co-operation among States can, in
the final analysis, overcome the determination to
seek confrontation To bring about that end my
country is prepared to join with all countries
who are conducting a sober, responsible policy.
It is in that spirit that our delegation will act
at this session of the General Assembly.