203. The delegation of the newly independent
Central American and Caribbean nation of Belize
has listened with great interest to the various
statements made in the general debate during the
past two weeks. We have heard Presidents and
Prime Ministers, heads of governments and
Ministers for Foreign Affairs from rich and
powerful nations, poorer and less powerful
States, and even the poorest and least powerful
among us, relate their perceptions of the state
of the world today, their blueprints for a better
world, and even their anguish and agony at their
inability to mandate the necessary changes. One
perception is clear to our delegation: it is that
we are witnessing in the world today a crisis
situation of a political and economic nature
almost unparalleled in the history of the
Organization. But in the face of this bleak
prognosis, the delegation of Belize shares the
optimism of our distinguished Secretary-General
that "we now have potentially better means to
solve many of the major problems facing humanity
than ever before".
204. In recognition of this great potential of
the United Nations to be an instrument for the
preservation of peace, stability and security in
these troubled times, one of the first acts of
independent statehood made by the Government of
Belize on Independence Day, 21 September 1981,
was to apply for membership of the United Nations.
205. The delegation of Belize is pleased to be
able to congratulate you, Sir, on your unanimous
election to the high office of President of the
thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly.
You represent a country, Hungary, that has been
steadfast in its support of Belize's right to
exist as an independent nation on its own
territory-for which Belizeans will always be
grateful. We also pay a tribute to Mr. Kittani of
Iraq for his mastery as President of the
thirty-sixth session. He presided when Belize was
first admitted to the Organization and we hold Mm
in high esteem. The delegation of Belize also
taxes this opportunity to congratulate our
brother Latin American. Javier Perez de Cuellar,
on his appointment as Secretary-General. His
clear-minded and level-headed approach to the
job, as evidenced in his first report on the work
of the Organization, encourages us to believe
that he will be able to prod the Organization on
to achieve its lofty goals.
206. We in Belize share with the
Secretary-General his profound concern for the
need to strengthen to the fullest the mechanisms
of the United Nations for the maintenance of
peace and security. Our path to freedom and
independence, with the co-operation and support
of the United Nations, is an example of the value
of concerted action by peace-loving nations, it
is therefore of vital importance to Belize, and
indeed to most countries, that the system of
collective security continue to be given
practical and effective application.
207. Our foreign policy is rooted in certain
cardinal principles of international behaviour:
non-intervention in the internal affairs of
States; the inalienable right of peoples to
self-determination; and the strict observance of
the non-use of force in the settlement of
international disputes. Most of the conflicts,
injustices and tension that beset us today spring
from flagrant and continuing disregard of these
important rules.
208. The barbarity of Sabra and Shatila that
fills the world with revulsion should not be the
price exacted from the Palestinian people for
their legitimate right to live in their own State
within secure boundaries. Our delegation puts on
record Belize's condemnation and revulsion at the
cold-blooded massacre of innocent civilians in
Lebanon. We record our support for the right of
the people of Palestine to determine their own
destiny and to establish their own homeland in
their own State within defined and secure
boundaries. We also support the right of Israel
to exist a§ a State with its security guaranteed.
209. The constant attacks on the humanity of
the Mack peoples of southern Africa by Pretoria's
racist regime and its continued occupation of
Namibia and harassment of neighbouring African
States are affronts to civilized conscience. We
record our condemnation of the apartheid policies
of the racist regime of South Africa, and our
support for the right of the black majority in
southern Africa to determine the governance of
their territory.
210. The senseless war between Iraq and the
Islamic Republic of Iran, the Soviet occupation
of Afghanistan, military conflict in the South
Atlantic, turmoil and destabilization in Central
America and the Caribbean -the list goes on. All
of those are possible because we ignore the norms
of international behaviour to which we all pay
lip service.
211. We support the implementation of the
relevant United Nations resolutions concerning
Afghanistan with full respect for the
independence, sovereignty and non-aligned status
of that country.
212. Belize also endorses the position of the
non-aligned movement in respect of Western Sahara
and appeals to the parties to initiate
negotiations in order to obtain a fair and
lasting solution of the conflict in Western
Sahara in accordance with the principles of
General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), the
decisions of the OAU and the principles of the
non-aligned movement.
213. We look forward to the solution of the
problem of the people of East Timor with due
regard to the principle of self-determination.
214. The outbreak of hostilities earlier this
year in the South Atlantic between Argentina and
the United Kingdom was a cause of grave concern
to Belize. Consistent with our principles, we
unequivocally reject the use of force in
attempting to settle this dispute. Belize calls
for a formal end to hostilities and for the
negotiation of a peaceful settlement in
accordance with the relevant United Nations
resolutions, and with the participation and good
offices of the Secretary-General.
213. War, and the consequences of war, must
always remind us that the use of force is never a
permanent solution to a dispute.
216. In our own region of Central America and the
Caribbean, the struggle for peace and freedom and
the struggle for development are clearly linked.
The social unrest and tension in this part of the
world are, in many ways, products of a long
history of exploitation and abuses of human
rights, aggravated by external pressures and
disregard of the principles of non-intervention
and non-interference.
217 Although we in Belize have embarked on
policies and practices designed to prevent
exploitation and abuse, we are not unaffected by
the problems of the, region. It is incumbent on
us to strive resolutely for regional harmony
based on mutual respect, and for the elementary
democratic right of a people to shape their own
destiny.
218. In this context, Belize welcomes the
initiative of President Lopez Portillo of Mexico
and President Herrera Campins of Venezuela to
bring peace to the region by way of a political
solution. We also endorse the decision of the
non-aligned movement to convene an extraordinary
ministerial meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau
in Managua, Nicaragua, from 10 to 14 January 1983.
219. Because Belize shares the view that
direct dialogue among democratic countries is an
appropriate mechanism for reviewing the situation
in their region, and seeking solutions to common
problems, the Mme Minister of Belize, Mr. George
Price, met in San Jose, Costa Rica, on 4 October
with representatives of Colombia, El Salvador,
the United States of America, Honduras, Jamaica,
Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
220. Belize subscribed to the final
declaration of San Jose which stressed support
for the principles of representative, pluralistic
and participatory democracy, and concern about
the serious deterioration of the present
international economic order and international
financial system.
221. The San Jose meeting declared its
conviction that in order to promote regional
peace and stability, it is necessary to support
domestic political understanding that will lead
to the establishment of democratic, pluralistic
and participatory systems. Such understanding
would lead to absolute respect for delimited and
demarcated borders in accordance with existing
treaties, compliance with which is the proper way
to prevent border disputes and incidents,
observing, whenever applicable, traditional lines
of jurisdiction.
222. The meeting in San Jose also declared
respect for the independence and territorial
integrity of States, rejection of threats or the
use of force to settle conflicts, a halt to the
arms race, and the elimination, on the basis of
full and effective reciprocity, of the external
factors which hamper the consolidation of a
stable and lasting peace.
223. Belize, for its part, continues to extend
the hand of friendship, and an attitude of good
neighbourliness to the Republic of Guatemala. As
two sovereign nations, which must inevitably live
together with shared borders, we are optimistic
that, together, we can work out areas of
co-operation for our mutual benefit. We stand
ready to take steps to resolve, peacefully, a
controversy born in another century. Belize must,
however, insist on respect for its independence,
sovereignty, territorial integrity, and
non-aligned character.
224. The refusal, to date, of the Republic of
Guatemala to recognize the reality of Belize
within its long-established and traditional
borders, is in open defiance of-and shows a
contemptuous disregard for-the overwhelming
support we have received from States Members of
the United Nations. For the Republic of Guatemala
to assert that they have "legitimate rights over
the territory of Belize" is to reveal a blatant
expansionist policy devoid of any legal,
historical, or political merit.
225. No part of the territory that is Belize
has ever been possessed or occupied by Guatemala.
Belize belongs to the Belizeans. The peace-loving
and democratic people of Belize know this. Our
other neighbours in Central America and the
Caribbean affirm it. The world, through the
United Nations, recognizes the sovereign,
independent nation of Belize.
226. We reiterate our commitment to find a
peaceful resolution of differences with the
Republic of Guatemala for the mutual benefit of
our two peoples. But the territorial integrity of
Belize cannot be sacrificed as a "quick fix"
solution. Rather, we seek a permanent and lasting
peace with all our neighbours-a peace based on
mutual trust and respect, conducive to the
continuing development of all our peoples.
227. In this same spirit Belize supports our
sister Caribbean Latin American nation of Guyana
in its efforts to preserve its territorial
integrity, and calls on the parties to seek a
peaceful solution through an acceptable
international forum.
228. If there has emerged one clear consensus
in international thinking today, it is that the
world is plunging into economic disorder; that
the international financial system urgently
requires overhauling.
229. More and more men and women who want to
work cannot find jobs. Trade is slowing down to a
trickle. Commodity prices are falling rapidly
exchange rates are unstable and the level of
investments is very low. These conditions cause
havoc among the poorer nations. Added to this,
cruel protective trade barriers deny us a market
for our products. The costs of servicing external
debts keep soaring, and speculation runs rampant
and uncontrolled in the financial markets.
230. In the face of all this, is it any wonder
then that the economic struggle for poor
countries like Belize is one of sheer survival?
231. The richer, developed and industrialized
countries are not encouraging the development of
the exports of the developing countries, by their
refusal to pay just prices for our commodities,
which in the long run would lead to a healthy
expansion of international trade for the benefit
of all. Instead, they prefer to finance the
imports of the third world with loans on
exorbitant terms. We are now reaping the bitter
harvest of this unenlightened policy.
232. Many third world countries had a higher
rate of growth, but it was artificial, because it
resulted in an unprecedented increase in their
debt burdens. The inevitable consequences now
affect us all. Even those countries which had the
courage to practice good husbandry and fiscal
responsibility are victims of this unjust
economic system, which has created the phenomenon
of a liquidity crisis and a slow-down in
investments. In a situation such as this, no one
can win; all will suffer. And because of our
vulnerability, the small, poor, developing
countries suffer most. Common sense and simple
equity demand a change. The cry for a new
international economic order can only be stifled
at the risk of total economic chaos.
233. We appeal to the industrialized world to
implement bold and effective initiatives to
strengthen the economic recovery efforts of our
countries. We recognize the co-operation of the
United States Government in approving President
Reagan's Caribbean Basin Initiative, and hope
that the measure is a first step in a wider
economic co-operation effort. We also applaud the
economic co-operation and assistance efforts by
the Nassau Group of countries in this
hemisphere-Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela.
234. Belize notes with great satisfaction that
after 14 years of difficult negotiation the
United Nations has finally adopted the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This
Convention, which has attracted almost universal
support, is perhaps the single most important
example in recent times of the possibilities for
co-operation in an enterprise designed for a
better future. It gives us hope that we shall
find other formulas for co-operation in other
spheres of human endeavour. And what better place
to devise such formulas than the United Nations?
233. The delegation of Belize feels that the
Charter of the United Nations holds the key to
the mechanisms to create a better world. The will
to use the machinery of the Charter must be
consciously strengthened. For this reason, we
support the recommendation of the
Secretary-General that a meeting of the Security
Council be held at the highest level "to make a
serious effort to reinforce the protective and
pre-emptive ring of collective security which
should be our common shelter and the most
important task of the United Nations". Indeed,
the United Nations remains the last best hope for
mankind.