): It is not to follow a customary practice but rather to express a real feeling that I wish to congratulate you on your election, Mr. President. The unanimous vote of the General Assembly is recognition of your high qualifications and the esteem your person deserves as one in whom such confidence can be placed for the fulfilment of a task which is particularly important in the prevailing circumstances.
35. We were deeply impressed when on assuming your duties as President of the General Assembly you expressed the feelings of the Members of the United Nations on the tragic and untimely death of Mr. Dag Hammarskjold. I have already associated myself with the tribute you paid to his memory, but at this particular moment I ask your permission to allow me to convey the heartfelt sorrow and sympathy of His Majesty the King, the Government and the people of Afghanistan to the Members of the General Assembly, the members of the Secretariat and to Mr. Hammarskjold's family and Ms friends.
36. This message of condolence is also extended to the Swedish Mission to the United Nations and to all those who are related to the devoted members of the United Nations Secretariat who died with the Secretary-General in the line of duty. It is an expression of our deep respect for men who have died serving the cause of peace, the ultimate goal of mankind, for the achievement of which the United Nations is the only existing human institution.
37. This session of the General Assembly is being held at a critical moment in international affairs. The threat to peace is no longer a fear of war as we have known it in the past. The situation is pregnant with the fear of total destruction. The world is no longer confronted with events which might one day become a source of great anxiety to humanity. We are now faced with a concrete situation in which mankind is living in the shadow of war. This is not an imagined fear, for the possibility of war has been explicitly recognized here by those nations powerful enough to make the possibility a tragic reality.
38. In such circumstances it is not proper for any responsible individual — and it is even less proper for any assembly of nations — to spend one moment on anything but the most serious efforts to prevent a further deterioration of the situation.
39. My delegation is particularly disturbed by the attitude demonstrated by the big Powers in their statements during this session: while fully realizing the dangers involved in the present undesirable development of international affairs and while strongly expressing their desire for peace, they have explicitly spoken of the might and power at their disposal. We found that most alarming because the very demonstration of force can well lead to the provocation of its implementation.
40. Admitting that the weak and the powerless do not have effective means of bringing about tangible results, the small countries which make up the majority of the population of the world and the majority of voices in this Organization cannot be deprived of at least one right that they still possess. That is to initiate a course of consideration and action in the General Assembly at this session. These countries should demand from the powerful countries a pledge to refrain from any action that would create or increase the possibility of the use of force in any circumstances. While one might agree with those who think that such a demand by the weak for such a pledge from the powerful might not serve any practical purpose, one cannot possibly agree that such a demand for such a pledge is not most essential. In our view, that is the first task of this session of the General Assembly.
41. The second task in the prevailing circumstances should be the realization that while all of us recognize the existence of many important problems with which the United Nations should deal, it is very urgent that the major political problems of the world, on the solution of which depends the possibility of solving other problems, should receive the immediate attention of the General Assembly during this session. There are ninety-one items on the agenda of this session. The fact that these items have been included in the agenda is sufficient recognition of their importance. At the same time, however, every one of us realizes that a constructive solution to most of these issues is not possible without the creation of the kind of atmosphere which can be expected to prevail only if the efforts of the United Nations are concentrated on the major world problems. There are certain items the discussion of which intensifies international tension and the cold war, which is gradually becoming warmer. My delegation would therefore wish that the General Assembly, having recognized the importance of the items by including them in the agenda, would, in dealing with the problems, reach an understanding temporarily to defer a discussion of them until it had dealt with the major problems, within the limits of a careful analysis of the possibilities at its disposal. That, of course, applies only to the controversial political items.
42. In our view, the major problems confronting the world are the following: the discontinuance of the cold war and the lessening of international tension, and the substitution therefore of peaceful coexistence and international co-operation; the discontinuance of the arms race, and the institution of general and complete disarmament; the discontinuance of war and bloodshed where they exist at present and particularly the war and bloodshed that has resulted from colonial aggression, through negotiations; and the settlement of the situation in Berlin — although this last question is not yet on the agenda of this session. Those are the major problems confronting the world. To them should be added the problem of concentrating our efforts on solving the situation that has arisen as a result of the sudden death of Mr. Dag Hammarskjold and the problem of the structure of the United Nations. The representation of China in the United Nations is of course basic to a solution of the latter issue.
43. I have no intention of elaborating at this stage of the general debate on these or other problems that will be discussed during this session — partly because our views on them are known, and basically, because we shall have a chance to express ourselves on them when they come up for discussion.
44. I hope that our basic views on how to approach the present unfortunate situation in international affairs are clear to our colleagues. As a small country, we have no force behind the thoughts we have expressed except our good intentions, derived from our aspirations for peace, and our expectation that the Members of the Assembly, especially the peace- loving small countries, will take note of the seriousness of the situation and seek ways and means which would secure the interests of humanity as a whole. We do not wish to insist that our own way of thinking be generally accepted, but we do insist that if the United Nations is to serve the cause of world peace each Member of it should consider, the interests of the entire world as paramount in the present crisis. Only by such breadth of vision can the United Nations make that constructive contribution to the solution of world problems for which this Assembly has been convened.
45. Before concluding, I would like to express our general views on one point which should be recognized as the most urgent task of this session, namely the question of how to meet the situation in which this Organization finds itself in the absence of a Secretary- General. Being well aware of the complexity of the matter in the prevailing circumstances and hoping that an agreement will be reached at the end of the current negotiations, it is our considered opinion that it is far from desirable for anyone to insist upon any controversial position on this matter. Unless full agreement is reached, no hurried measures should be allowed to be taken in the name of urgency. While the urgency of the matter should be emphasized, the lasting interest of the United Nations as an effective world organ for international harmony should not be sacrificed as a result of a psychologically disturbing situation which can easily mislead us and can bring about more difficulties. We cannot allow ourselves to fail to search thoroughly the avenues of an agreement satisfactory to all. In our view, it is better not to make a final decision on this matter in the rush imposed upon us by certain difficulties with which we admit we are confronted. An interim arrangement has been suggested. The Afghan delegation favours this view in principle. Any provisional arrangement which would bring about a unanimous understanding will be acceptable to my delegation. In the case of disagreement, we shall take a stand in the face of the compelling circumstances which we should not like to foresee at this stage.
46. There is, however, an exceptional urgency realized by all of us as to the responsibilities of the
United Nations in connexion with the situation in the Congo. To meet this particular urgency, the Afghan delegation thinks that in the case of a disagreement on the matter of filling the post of the Secretary- General on a temporary basis, with a clear understanding that this temporary arrangement will not affect final positions, it would be more advisable to try to reach an agreement on a provisional arrangement that would enable the United Nations to function effectively in the performance of its responsibilities in the Congo only.
47. The creation of such an authority, under the direction of the Security Council, should be considered possible, while at the same time the Security Council should be continuously seized of finding a solution, as soon, as possible, in the interest of the Organization, for filling the post of the Secretary-General.
48. The guiding principle in: our thoughts is a stronger United Nations emerging from the present crisis. This goal cannot be achieved without the tolerance, patience and understanding needed for securing full support of all Members of the United Nations for any decision.
49. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that if the United Nations is expected to be able to fulfil ,\ts primary task for the cause of peace, every individual Member of the Organization should avoid a hostile attitude in the interest of the restless and troubled world. The United Nations, to which we belong and in which we have the deepest conviction, is not meant to invite the cold war into the already shaking Organization, or to send the cold war out to the already shivering world.