81. We Latin Americans are all proud of you, Mr. Belaúnde. Your unanimous election to the high and distinguished office of President of the fourteenth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations places you in a privileged position. To me personally it has been a great satisfaction to witness the tribute that has been paid by all countries of the world to your effective, generous and humane work, to your ceaseless activity for many years on behalf of the United Nations, its Charter and its fundamental Purposes and Principles.
82. Your feeling for humanity and your philosophy of life, your steadfast faith in God, which at all times have marked your efforts and activities in this world forum, place you, as I have already said, in a privileged position on the international stage. I should like to extend to you and to Peru, your country, our congratulations on this recognition of your great personal qualities. On behalf of Paraguay, on my own personal behalf, and on behalf of all the members of my delegation, I offer the sincere wish that your efforts may be crowned with the fullest measure of success and that they may bring prestige to all America and to all our peoples, so closely linked in a common destiny.
83. As Chairman of the Paraguayan delegation, I speak for the Government and the people of Paraguay when I express our deep appreciation of the gigantic task which the Secretary-General is carrying out on behalf of the United Nations. Because of his efforts, the Organization is daily gaining prestige through the formation of a more favourable attitude among the nations of the world, an attitude of confidence and hope in the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter. The personal renown which the Secretary-General has won in fostering a world public opinion in favour of the United Nations is a very valuable contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security. Mr. Hammarskjold’s policy of visiting so many different countries, where personal contacts help to increase knowledge and understanding of the problems which, confront the United Nations, has enabled the peoples to appreciate more and more the role being played in the world by this Organization.
84. Paraguay recently had the privilege and satisfaction of receiving a visit from the Secretary-General which was of great importance to our country. Paraguay is a small and sparsely populated country, but our people have always had a profound belief in the rule of law as the only means of solving the problems which may often degenerate into conflicts between nations. Paraguay is a united nation, as the Secretary-General has seen, a nation formed from a new race which has sprung from the absorption of the proud Spaniards by the Guarani race, equally renowned for its pride and its warm-heartedness.
85. With this background, the Paraguayan nation has emerged without encountering problems of race or religion or even of social divisions. Paraguay is a homogeneous nation, conscious of its social and ethnic unity which provides a bulwark for the defence of its destiny and its progress.
86. Such was the people that welcomed the Secretary-General on his recent visit to Paraguay, and informed him, through its Government spokesmen, of its anxieties and its hopes, and at the same time of the great efforts being made to build a better way of life more in agreement with the principles of an honest peace-loving nation which is an ardent defender of the Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
87. It is an honour for me to express to the Secretary-General our deepest gratitude for his support and understanding of the aspirations of the people of Paraguay in their peaceful struggle to achieve the progress and well-being, of which they are so much in need, and also for the privilege which we conferred on us in visiting our country.
88. It is an honour and a pleasure for me to express the views of Paraguay before this fourteenth session of the General Assembly, and to reaffirm our faith in the work of this international body which was specially created to preserve international peace and security and, at the same time, to fashion a better world by endeavouring to promote the progress and happiness of all peoples.
89. A great deal has been said on this rostrum about the aspirations of peoples and Governments and about their attitude to world problems. Paraguay too, wishes to make its voice heard, the voice of a people which is working for the peace of all nations and which at all times has pursued its destiny under the banner of law and justice. We shall touch on only a few of the problems, since their diversity makes it impossible to study them all, and we shall express our views at a later date on those problems which we are leaving alone for the moment.
90. We are deeply disturbed by the ever more appalling dangers which attend the armaments race, when every day brings the announcement of the invention of new and deadly weapons capable of destroying ever larger areas of the world and bringing about the complete disappearance of human life, which could be overwhelmed and destroyed from distant points of the earth almost without possibility of detection. We have also pondered on the words and deeds reflecting the position of the leading countries of the world in connexion with the dangers of a permanently armed peace.
91. We have listened attentively too to the aspirations expressed by those peoples and Governments which, though they do not possess the means of keeping up with scientific progress or the economic background needed for technological development, nevertheless ardently seek disarmament on the moral and spiritual level. These nations earnestly desire, too, the limitation of armaments and armed forces, together with the abolition of nuclear weapons, the destruction of stockpiles, and the prohibition of the manufacture of such weapons. They also desire to see the peaceful use of outer space assured, and adequate provision for liter national control.
92. As representative of the people and Government of Paraguay, I wish to express the hope that the personal contacts between world leaders, and the future meetings of organizations created by the United Nations to seek a solution to this vital problem for mankind, will conduce towards better understanding and greater harmony, in order that the peoples of the world may live without brooding daily on the fearful destiny that awaits mankind if a rapid understanding is not reached among the great Powers.
93. We are very anxious for a system of disarmament accompanied by adequate international control, without which there can be no feelings of security and trust among the nations. We do not believe in declarations of peaceful intentions unless they are made against this background of international control, which must be established before the introduction of any real measure of disarmament.
94. We all have been witnesses of, and participants in, the efforts made by the United Nations to reach an effective agreement on the question of disarmament. Year after year we listen to debates, exchanges of views, and declarations, but every time, whatever we may do, we come up against an insoluble problem, that of the acceptance of complete international control wherever it may be necessary and absolutely independent of alien factors which might create antagonism and ill-feeling between the great Powers. The people and Government of Paraguay are well aware of this aspect of the problem and, as a nation of western culture we firmly believe in the sincerity of the efforts that are being made by the United States, the United Kingdom and France to have a system of control accepted as the cornerstone of future measures for armaments limitation, the abolition of nuclear weapons, the destruction of stocks and the prohibition of the manufacture Of such weapons. Having stated its position clearly and honestly, Paraguay expresses the hope that the future may offer some more favourable solution for this fundamental problem of disarmament.
95. The so called cold war which is so often mentioned in this Assembly is another aspect of the same problem, which disturbs the conscience of mankind. Severe frictions exist in certain parts of the world which unfortunately encourage the use of force and certainly endanger the delicate balance of power while at the same time giving rise to inordinate attempts at domination. We are very concerned by the stationing of military forces on the Indian frontier by a nation Whose ambition is to achieve hegemony over a large part of the globe. We sincerely hope that this problem will be quickly solved and that there will be no repetition of such incidents.
96. The same cold war has created a very difficult situation in the Kingdom of Laos, where there has •been foreign interference on the part of the adherents of certain ideologies who can only establish their influence by force and destruction. Happily the revolt, as this strange method of violating a people’s integrity has been called, has been met by action in the Security Council, We await With confidence the result of thiB action and we hope that peace and tranquillity will be quickly restored to the Kingdom of Laos.
97. Distressing events have also occurred in Tibet. The forces of Communist China, seeking complete domination, compelled the Dalai Lama to leave his country and seek refuge in India after a spectacular and perilous flight. The result of this action was the annihilation of a large part of the population of Tibet who are defending their age-old religion and liberty. We raise our voice in solidarity with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people, and we protest strongly against the extermination of a people which desires to preserve its religion and its ancient way of life.
98. Other problems on which we should like to focus attention concern the self-determination of peoples. First of all, we would refer to the question of Cyprus. In connexion with this problem we can say that the United Nations contributed in large measure to the achievement of peace and to the final settlement of the problem of this island, which will soon be free and independent. We should like to pay tribute to the Governments of the United Kingdom, Turkey and Greece for their good will, and to the Cypriot people, of both Greek and Turkish origin, for having contributed, through their conciliatory attitude, to the achievement of a solution to the problem which had preoccupied many General Assemblies of this Organization. The happy solution of this problem of Cyprus should serve as an encouragement to the United Nations to continue its work in connexion with problems arising from the aspirations of peoples.
99. The Algerian question is a matter of great concern to us. When previous General Assemblies took up this problem, world attention was aroused and this helped to clarify the situation. The President of France, General de Gaulle, has now offered a more reasonable solution to the problem. We hope that the new proposals for discussion and negotiation will be considered by the parties directly concerned, and so offer a new opportunity to France and the Algerians to seek a satisfactory settlement and a means of living together which will be acceptable to both sides. We earnestly desire friendship between France and the Algerian peoples, and we are therefore in favour of direct negotiations between the parties. We also think that, since there is now a possibility of a satisfactory outcome, it is better to await a direct settlement. We hope that France and the people of Algeria will find peace in a settlement which will enable them, in the future, to maintain friendship based on mutual respect.
100. Paraguay is a member of the Trusteeship Council. In the work of this important organ over the past year, it has found occasion to emphasize repeatedly its support for self-determination for the peoples hitherto under the trusteeship and protection of the United Nations. In all cases we have argued that it is the duty of the Administering Authorities to prepare these peoples to assume responsibility for their own future in the shortest possible time. We shall spare no effort in this direction and we shall work constantly for the future of these peoples. In a few months, a number of nations which the Trusteeship Council has helped towards preparedness and political maturity will attain their independence. We salute the future free countries of the Cameroons, Togoland and Somalia, and we look forward confidently to their prompt entry into the United Nations, with a view to receiving their co-operation in strengthening the prestige and unity of the international community.
101. Another item of great interest to my delegation is that relating to the freedom of the seas and of international rivers and waterways. We have listened to many statements in the course of the general debate, as well as many arguments for and against free passage through the Suez Canal. Paraguay enjoys excellent relations with the United Arab Republic and is a staunch admirer of its people, as it is of the people and Government of Israel, so that the statement which I shall make is in the nature of an appeal and an expression of hope that a sincere under standing and an agreement will soon be reached which will make transit through the Suez Canal free to all shipping under any flags wishing to pass through it on their peaceful and lawful errands.
102. Paraguay has always defended the principle of the freedom of the seas and of international waterways and canals. Its whole history as an inland country offers examples of this unswerving policy. Because it has had experience of this type of problem and because it is familiar with the trouble and unpleasantness which restrictions on this freedom can cause to any country, Paraguay fervently hopes that the United Arab Republic and Israel may be able to reach a peaceful understanding on the use of and passage through the Suez Canal.
103. In our view, an agreement of this kind would do a great deal to diminish the international tension which is now a feature of relations in that part of the world. Reaching an agreement does not mean renouncing rights or relinquishing sovereignty. We know perfectly well that the Suez Canal lies within the territory of the United Arab Republic and that the Republic's sovereignty extends over the Canal, but we make this appeal in our anxiety to see an amicable solution to the problem of free passage through this waterway, which is at present denied to Israel.
104. In regard to the problem of the economic development of the under-developed countries, my delegation would like to place on record the importance which Paraguay has always attached to United Nations technical assistance. Much has already been done in this direction and more and wider technical assistance services are envisaged for the future. The establishment of the Special Fund rounds off this extremely effective action by the United Nations. The Managing Director, Mr. Paul Hoffmann, is envisaging a target figure of $100 million to cover the programmes of the Special Fund. Paraguay is contemplating a substantial increase in its contribution, with a view to assisting the operation and activities of the Special Fund which is doing and will do so much in future for the under-developed countries. We therefore greet with sincere appreciation the announcements which have been made regarding future contributions to the Special Fund, noting with special pleasure the United Kingdom's pledge of a substantial increase in its contribution and that made by the United States, which will continue to contribute on a large scale to the operations of this very important agency of the United Nations.
105. In the regional field, Paraguay's international policy is based on the inter-American system; accordingly, it attaches particular importance to all that relates to joint and positive action to secure a stable and lasting equilibrium and understanding within the American continent. We take particular satisfaction in keeping in close touch with and actively participating in all efforts made to strengthen inter-American relations, and especially anything connected with the economic development of Latin America.
106. Paraguay attended the Fifth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American States held at Santiago from 12-18 August 1959 under the auspices of the Organization of American States, in a spirit of harmony and understanding. Our attitude at this international meeting was clear and specific. As an illustration, I should like to quote, with his permission, what Mr. José Ramón Gutierrez, leader of the Chilean delegation at this fourteenth session of the General Assembly, so pertinently said in this connexion: “… The Organization in question has just achieved some very satisfactory results at Santiago as has been recalled here by ether speakers. There is no need therefore for me to sing its praises. I will merely reiterate our faith in the effectiveness of its methods. "However, I do feel that we should contribute something of our own experience, in regard to a few of the matters with which we have to deal. At the Santiago Conference, the principle of non-intervention was of course reaffirmed "This principle which in the past placed the former Spanish colonies beyond the reach of any foreign jurisdiction threatening their recently-won independence, now forms part of a statement of principles for our own internal use. It is no less valuable for that reason. "There is a tendency to meddle in the affairs of other Governments or to judge them from our own particular point of view. This is especially true where frontiers permit easy contact between individuals and even actual infiltration with a view to changing prevailing systems. "This would be a most unfortunate policy as far as American coexistence is concerned". [817th meeting, paras. 123-127.] This is a sound and positive approach to good inter-American understanding.
107. Much has already been said from this rostrum regarding the disastrous and almost non-existent state of economic development in Latin America, and also regarding the right of Latin America to act jointly and in harmony, in the international field, as a creative and steadying force. In this connexion, Paraguay warmly supports the principles put forward [797th meeting], so ably by the head of the Brazilian delegation at the current session of the General Assembly, Mr. Augusto Frederico Schmidt, in his lucid explanation of the plan which his chief, the President of the United States of Brazil, Mr. Juscelino Kubitschek, called "Operation Pan-America". As we understand it, this is in essence a plan to set in motion a gigantic effort on behalf of the political and economic development of Latin America, transforming static Pan-Americanism into a philosophy equipped to cope with the anxieties and realities of the present or contemporary world.
108. The President of Paraguay had occasion to say, replying to the message from the President of the United States of Brazil: "Paraguay is and has always been devoted to the principles of continental solidarity, and shares the zeal inspiring your Government’s activities in this Pan-American crusade, formally initiated by the exchange of letters between Your Excellency and His Excellency Mr. Dwight Eisenhower, President of the United States of America. That is the reason why I intimated to you my Government’s sympathy with your anxieties and aims. “The Government of Paraguay agrees fully with your view that America should participate dynamically in problems of international scope in accordance with its contribution, its responsibility and the risk it assumes in the settlement of world conflicts, and Paraguay is therefore willing to participate, to the same extent as the other nations of this continent, in what Your Excellency has called 'Operation Pan-America'. "I share whole-heartedly in the tribute you paid to the United States as a nation which has made many sacrifices, and is doing its duty towards the world, on behalf of international law and in defence of human dignity. This sacrifice will always be worthy of remembrance by the other nations, and will serve as a moral basis for continental solidarity. "I agree with Your Excellency that investment for the advancement of the backward areas, intensified technical assistance, protection against fluctuations in prices of raw materials and products and a reconstruction of the international financial organs are fundamental problems which America should approach with speed and energy. I therefore offer Your Excellency the collaboration of the people and Government of Paraguay in the task of laying the necessary economic, social, cultural, and political foundations for genuine American progress towards a happy solution of world problems”. We Paraguayans regard this as the legitimate attitude of a country which sincerely desires to contribute to the growth of our American continent and thus to strengthen peace and mutual respect throughout the world.
109. In conclusion, may I express the heartfelt wish that the deliberations of this fourteenth session of the General Assembly may prove of benefit to the future of this world of ours, and in particular to all the peoples in all parts of the world whose hopes are centred on this great international organization, the United Nations.