50. The tragic death of that apostle of peace, Dag Hammarskjold was a source of profound shock to the Paraguayan nation. There is no more eloquent testimony to the grief which this dramatic occurrence produced among my compatriots than the following words used by our President, General Stroessner, in his message to the President of this, Assembly:
"The people and Government of Paraguay are profoundly grieved at the tragic fate of the illustrious Dr. Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary-General of the United Nations, whose death in line of duty casts a pall of mourning on that high international organization, as well as on all peoples of the world, because of his tireless efforts on behalf of the strengthening of world peace and his noble attributes. These words are the expression Of our deep sorrow."
With these just and fitting words my delegation pays its tribute of admiration and respect to the memory of one who gave his life for the purest ideals of mankind.
51. Even long before attaining its political independence, Paraguay waged a constant battle in support of the principle of self-determination of peoples. Its history is marked with events testifying to something that is rooted deep in our ethos, namely, dedication to this principle which we continue to uphold today with unwavering devotion. This is the source of our firm traditional anti-colonialist position.
52. We believe that the problems which arise from colonialism must be fearlessly resolved, for it is obvious that they have a profound effect on the efforts to maintain world peace and that they sow the seeds of discord in international relations. We therefore hail the birth of new States and their admission to the United Nations and trust that, as the natural obstacles are overcome, more peoples will attain their full and sovereign independence. We take this opportunity to reiterate the position set forth by my country in the Trusteeship Council during consideration of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV):
"The exercise of the right of peoples to self- determination is not and cannot be dependent upon the prior establishment of ideal conditions. The peoples have within themselves permanent, dynamic forces impelling them towards the continual perfecting of their political institutions, the strengthening of their economic structures, the raising of their levels of education, the improvement of their living standards and the development of their own cultural values; but, first and foremost, their supreme virtue is their passion for freedom and a will to use their knowledge to further their own ideals."
53. It is on the basis of this criterion that we have urged and shall continue to urge that increasingly more rapid ,.and effective steps be taken to reduce to the reasonable minimum the time which must elapse before each of the dependent peoples, constituted as a clearly defined political entity, can decide, as it must decide, its own national destiny.
54. In 1958, at the General Assembly's thirteenth session, Paraguay was elected a member of the Trusteeship Council for a regular three-year period, to end on 31 December 1961.
55. During these years, in conformity with the policy which my country follows and has always followed in colonial questions, we have given our support in the Council to every more designed to intensify and make more speedy and dynamic, the preparation of the peoples of the Trust Territories for the attainment of the goals of the Trusteeship System. We have spared no effort to ensure that the Powers administering Trust Territories give the greatest possible attention to the preparation of the dependent peoples in political, economic, social and educational matters. We are pleased to note that the Trusteeship Council, that important organ of the United Nations, has persuaded the Administering Authorities, especially in the last few years, to show greater concern for the peoples of Territories still under trusteeship.
56. In a few months only three Trust Territories will be left, all of them situated in the Pacific—the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which is considered strategic, Nauru and New Guinea—and the process of emancipation of the former Trust Territories in Africa will have been completed. The Council will then be in a position to concentrate its efforts on the three Territories which I have named,
and the results of such a concentration of energies are not difficult to conjecture.
57. As we near the end of our term in the Council, we can state emphatically that Paraguay, in carrying out the delicate mission assigned to it by the major} vote of the General Assembly, has striven with devotion, application, equanimity and impartiality to further the general interests of the peoples of the Trust Territories.
58. To the Latin American countries which supported the candidature of Paraguay for election to the Trusteeship Council? we once again offer our thanks for the opportune which they gave us, and we also assure them of firm conviction that, faithful to continental policy, we have participated in the Council's work in a manner befitting our hemisphere, our civilization and our continental culture, and that we have at all times stressed the aspirations of the Latin American countries for a world consisting exclusively of independent and sovereign peoples.
59. Paraguay is following with great attention the problem of the division of Germany. Because of this division a section of its people is enduring a shameful oppression incompatible with the provisions of the United Nations Charter. The German nation has the legitimate right to form itself into a single State through the exercise by its people of the right of self-determination. Until this right is exercised, a problem will remain which will lead not only to crises like the one now centred around Berlin but to others of still graver consequence. Here is a constant threat to world peace and security. We firmly believe that the citizens of Germany alone have the right to decide their destiny. We therefore consider that the most just and equitable solution, which we fervently support, would be to consult the wishes of the German people regarding their future.
60. My country is not categorically opposed to a revision of the United Nations Charter, but it considers that this should be done at a time when conditions are favourable and the international situation makes this possible, always provided that any revision of the Charter will in no way entail a weakening of our Organization. In the meanwhile, Paraguay supports faithful compliance with the Charter, which is a sufficiently flexible instrument to fulfil its purposes so long as Members agree that it must be strictly observed.,
61. The vacancy occasioned by the death of the Secretary-General of the United Nations creates a further problem which has already arisen in the past regarding this important post, in addition to the
' problems which are causing grave concern throughout the world at the present time, since they have the makings of an international crisis. The election of a person to fill this executive post is a matter which cannot be postponed; otherwise the possibilities of action provided for in our Charter may be obstructed. In this regard, Paraguay is opposed to any change involving a division of responsibility. We do not agree with the proposal that more than one person should hold the office of Secretary-General. This proposal is completely unacceptable, in our view, since it would weaken the functions of the office, to the detriment of the solution of the world problems, and, consequently, to the detriment of the Members of the Organization. This essentially executive office cannot be used to obstruct the implementation of resolutions emanating from the Security Council itself,
it will happen if the post is shared among a number of persons, who will inevitably come from geographical regions with conflicting points of view.
62. "To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought sorrow to mankind"—this, according to the Preamble of the United Nations Charter, is one of the basic purposes of our Organization, yet the behaviour and deeds of men up to the present time make the achievement of such a purpose seem remote.
63. Until there is a sincere and honest determination to apply international principles and standards, mankind will remain at the fatal crossroads and will continue to live in terror and despair.
64. The resumption of nuclear tests in the atmosphere by one of the great Powers, which thus destroyed the status quo has made the world's hopes for peace and the possibility of living free from fear seem once again threatened.
65. My delegation will support any draft resolution aiming at the abolition of nuclear tests, for it is not the preparation and carrying out of such tests that will bring about peaceful coexistence; this will never be achieved through intimidation. The goal of using atomic science to further the peaceful ideals of human progress is attractive to the scientific spirit and holds out unforeseeable possibilities for the happiness of the world's peoples. This is the objective towards which we must strive; science in the service of man and not for mankind's destruction.
66. The Charter of San Francisco, in pursuit of the goal of world peace, established human rights as one of its corner-stones. Paraguay has acceded to
all the international conventions and agreements which have been concluded in this matter, and the Paraguayan ; Government, loyal to its engagements, and in the implementation of its programme, has constantly endeavoured to improve its laws and to bring them into harmony with the democratic yearnings and social aspirations of its people. President Stroessner recently promulgated an Act of the Republic grunting women the same political rights as men. It is only a I few years since my country, in recognition of all that it owes to its daughters—the mothers of our race accorded civil rights to them. Now, by virtue of a just and timely decision, all rights have been conferred on the Paraguayan woman, in order that she may no longer be a silent spectator of the community's acts but may be a lawful participant, with a voice and a vote in great rational decisions.
67. Besides this highly important event, there is another to which I must refer, if only in passing; it relates to land reform.
68. For my people—primarily a farming and cattle- raising people—this reform is of such importance
that, in the minds of the present rulers of Paraguay, its execution is synonymous with the question of human rights.
69. Without fanfare or demagogic propaganda, and without harming private interests, but simply by making use of its own reserves, the State has distributed land to the peasants, established settlements, and opened up roads into every corner of its territory, in order to bring out of isolation and to integrate into
"the national economy areas which until yesterday were neglected and forgotten. A few days ago the President of my country personally handed to a humble
rural worker the 15,000th title-deed to be distributed during the period of his progressive rule, at a ceremony organized by the Land Reform Institute, A study of FAO data will serve to bring out the significance of this figure, especially if the population of Paraguay is taken into account and comparisons are made with other nations of the hemisphere „ „
70. The "Alliance for Progress", that happy plan conceived by the President of the United States of America, Mr. John Kennedy, was given concrete form in the Charter of Punta del Este, This document, by focusing attention on economic and social problems, constitutes an important advance towards overcoming the difficulties which confront us? countries and will lead to renewed endeavours by Governments and peoples, resulting in substantial reforms in taxation, agriculture, health and education.
71. The United States of America has promised a considerable increase in its technical and financial assistance in the preparation and execution of short- term and long-term national development plans.
72. The campaign waged in every region against evils of economic and social origin will, owing to the close relationship of these vital questions with politics, necessarily help to strengthen internal peace in the various countries and this will be reflected in international relations.
73. The economic interdependence of the various regions of the world makes the provisions of adequate aid to the under-developed countries, with due regard for the complexity and nature of their economies, a matter of supreme urgency. Such aid must be accompanied by efforts to stabilize the prices of raw materials and to provide opportunities for the industrial use of the products of these countries.
74. Loans to agricultural nations must be provided on more flexible economic and financial terms, since such loans will be of no use, to them if the same terms are applied to them as to economically strong countries such as those whose industries guarantee there is a relatively higher level of living.
75. Spurred on by the desire to overcome their difficulties, and inspired by the European common market, several countries of our continent—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay— have signed the Montevideo Treaty, setting up the Latin American Free-Trade Association. The Treaty seeks to bring about the complementarity of the economies of the member nations, and, in a true spirit of brotherly solidarity, provision has been made for according special advantages to nations which are at a relatively less advanced stage of economic development.
76. The system which, within twelve years, will exempt products circulating within the area: from duties, thereby extending national markets to the whole area, will enter into force on 1 January 1962. The spirit of justified optimism in which this step towards unity has been made has infected neighbouring republics which, like Ecuador and Colombia, have already announced their intention of joining the Latin American Free-Trade Association..
77. Another happy development—the establishment by the Central American Republics of their own common market—makes it still more important for the Latin American Free-Trade Association to become a working reality. The day is not far off when, with opposing interests reconciled, the whole of America will be bound together by the strong tie of economic co-operation.
78. Here is tangible evidence of the way in which the present generation in our hemisphere approaches the great problems of the day. On the one hand, there is the Alliance for Progress, which will enable our peoples to advance in the economic, cultural, health and social fields; and, on the other hand, the Latin American Free-Trade Association, which is gradually abolishing the artificial frontiers of duties and tariffs, in order to create a united country for the purposes of trade in its agricultural and industrial products. This, without any shadow of doubt, constitutes a positive encouragement to our proletarian masses in the urban and rural areas, who are yearning for a better life.
79. Mr. President, my delegation has the greatest pleasure in associating itself with the congratulations already offered on your election to preside over the discussions of the United Nations General Assembly during its sixteenth session. Your outstanding personality, which for many years we have appreciated at its true value in this international forum, where you have given proof of a high sense of justice, prudent judgement and a keen insight into the problems which trouble the world, makes you a particularly appropriate choice for the high office of President of the Assembly; and we are confident that, in the exercise of your duties, you will display those qualities which we have learnt to admire in you.
80. May God enlighten our deliberations in this Assembly, that we may be worthy of the mandate given us by our peoples to find ways and means of banishing, if possible for ever, the spectre of war.