225. When this entire Assembly elected you to the high office of President, it was as if every country, from the far corners of the earth, had sent a sprig of laurel to be woven into a crown to adorn your brow as a guerdon for a whole life devoted to working on behalf of peace among nations through respect for international law. My delegation rejoices at this act of cosmic justice and extends to you its heartiest congratulations and its best wishes for the success of your labours.
226. Each delegation in reviewing the main items affecting the world situation, gives particular attention to those which directly concern it. Costa Rica is a small nation, classified among the economically underdeveloped notwithstanding its traditional civic practices and its constant concern to raise the level of education. Consequently, without failing to give due importance to the great world problems, I shall confine myself so far as possible to dealing with our economic position. We have worked in the economic field in the United Nations as a member of the Economic and Social Council and, outside the United Nations, in continental and regional programmes for the expansion of the Latin American economy.
227. The great world problems affecting peace are of equal concern to all of us because a disturbance of the peace would involve us in a war with atomic weapons of such destructive power that they recognize no bounds or frontiers. Moreover, because we are small nations, we risk becoming proving grounds for these lethal weapons. Since we are all threatened with extinction, we all have the same right to be heard with respect in the great debate for peace. Moreover, the small nations of America are not acting individually; they are acting as parts of a continent composed of millions of people, with tremendous potential resources and extraordinary reserves, who, from the moment they achieved their independence, have un-stintingly lavished their wealth upon the world. They have offered their fertile fields as a haven for all those who, weary of the hatreds and rancors of the world, desired to begin a new life with a new spirit in our bountiful America. On that account, we are restating our right, not to be merely informed of what is done to resolve the great problems, but to be consulted concerning their solution.
228. The defence of the Small nations lies in the respect for law. That is the essence of juridical equality: the law applies to everyone because it is wise and just. That is why we must reiterate our desire that the decisions of the General Assembly and of the Security Council, which bears primary responsibility for preserving peace, should be duly respected and carried out. If all Member States, and particularly the economically under-developed nations, demonstrate to the world that they abide by the decisions of this world Organization, we shall have strengthened our moral force and enhanced our prestige in the eyes of the nations which, being economically strong, are the masters of the world's fate. That is why there must be no weakening of those principles which were arrived at after much struggle and are meant to apply to both large and small nations. The principle of freedom of the seas and of the neutrality of international waterways must now and in future be reaffirmed, although this does not mean that in those areas of the world where these principles involve political problems we are supporting the claim of either side.
229. Latin America has been passing through stormy times. The position of Costa Rica, which has been involved in disputes because revolts have been organized from its territory against a neighbouring country, has been clearly established in this distressing situation. It abides by treaties, fulfils its international obligations of neutrality and endorses the conclusions of the fifth meeting of consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American States held from 12-18 August 1959 at Santiago, Chile, whose fulfillment requires the combined action of democracy, the respect for the principle of non-intervention, the observance and implementation of human rights, and the economic security of the individual. As for our position and our desire with regard to the Governments of our sister republics of America, we would rather not explain it in words, however eloquent they may be. Let us rather let the facto speak for themselves. My country has lived in an atmosphere of freedom and of respect for democratic principles; it was described by "Time" magazine on 21 April 1952 as "rustic democracy fit to gladden Thomas Jefferson's heart". Under our Constitution we have no army. This is a clear indication that we have no claims to anybody else's territory, and we are confident that no country would be justified in attacking us. The resources that used to be invested in military installations are being utilized to build schools, and we do not want military casts that nurture despots. Our teachers are our soldiers, and our laws are our weapons. It is a good thing to know that the current President of the Republic is governing with a majority against him in the Legislative Assembly and that he sustains his power by the rule of law, that is, by the democratic methods practised in that Assembly. Since such is our tradition and such is our way of life it is hardly necessary to ask us, we who love freedom to the extent that it has become the very fabric of our existence, what we should like for our sister republics of America.
230. Costa Rica is a member of the Economic and Social Council and has there fought courageously for a solution of economic problems. We have found great inspiration in the pithy arguments of the Secretary-General, who holds that the under-developed countries constitute the major obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of the United Nations. There are many hard facts, and they sometimes have tragic overtones. We do not underestimate, indeed we support, the efforts of the United Nations, the projects which it is seriously and responsibly considering, and the new organs of economic co-operation which are being established. Nor do we fail to recognize that the United States is constantly endeavouring to increase our resources, but there are still many things to be done and many problems which must be settled not simply by assistance but on a basis of justice.
231. Under prevailing systems the factors which create economic differences operate in such a way as to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. The standard of living of workers in the economically developed countries is steadily rising while that in the less developed countries is getting lower, creating a contrast between the wealth of the former and the poverty of the latter. Wages depend on the prices fixed on the market for manufactured goods, which tend to go up in response to a demand for wage increases. It is inconceivable that the prices of these commodities should go down, with a corresponding effect on wages, since these prices have apparently been rendered invulnerable to market fluctuations. On the other hand, the agricultural, under-developed countries, which have also fixed the prices of their commodities on the basis of wages, feel the impact of the reduction in prices determined by the more developed countries. The price of our coffee is going down dragging with it wages that are already low, and bringing about ruin, despair and desolation.
232. The answer to the problem is not aid, but equity, for just as the prices of goods produced by the big countries are not permitted to go down to the detriment of the wage-earners, so the prices of our essential commodities should be respected in the world market so that our workers do not suffer. Trade is an exchange of goods, and they should be treated equally. It certainly does not make for social stability if our peoples are prevented from enjoying the goods which civilization has created for their benefit and convenience. In order to protect our foreign exchange we have to set up high tariff barriers; the exorbitant prices which result prevent people from buying automobiles, refrigerators, radios and many other such luxury goods. The peoples of the economically more developed nations can have all these things because they manufacture them, and, what is more, they can get our coffee at prices even lower than what we, who produce the coffee, have to pay for it. This is an economic anomaly.
233. We know that these economic disparities can be overcome, and we have the example of small countries which have attained advanced stages of development, such as Switzerland, Denmark, Finland — to mention only a few. In those countries, there are no people living in slum conditions, or illiterate, or beggars; their future and the future of their children is assured through systems of social security by which the doors of universities, hospitals and technical institutes are opened to them not as a gift, but as a right. Why can we, as small nations, not attain that level of social security?
234. We have heard sensible statements in this hall drawing attention to the fact that not only should assistance be given to the under-developed countries, but that the basic factor is the individual who resolutely fights to solve his own problems. That is true, but it is also true that in this endeavour those who control the great markets should be fair. South America is working intensively to create a common market, and Central America to a lesser extent. With the very valuable help of the United Nations, broad surveys are being made on the economic integration of Central America, which would mean that this territory, inhabited by people of similar origin, language and customs, would be free of tariff barriers and that the various geographical areas with a large consumer demand would be industrialized on a rational basis. In order to industrialize, we need the technological means for producing economically and a tremendous investment of capital made available on easy terms so that we shall not be working for foreign investors,
235. While we are forging ahead with the diversification of our production so as to free ourselves from the bondage of a single-crop economy and foster our development, the price of our basic commodity, coffee, is going down on the world market, causing economic and social ruin and confusion, and we are unable to provide price supports as is done by the economically more developed countries. It is an unequal battle, and our difficulties are becoming more acute. That is why we feel that what the under-developed countries need is not assistance, not charity, but justice, which is the corner-stone of peace. If Central America is to succeed in its plan for economic integration, it not only needs technical assistance and capital for industrialization, but it must in the meantime be protected from the economic disaster of a drastic decline in the prices of its basic commodities.
236. The sub-committees of ECLA have successfully brought about a lowering of the tariff barriers of the countries of Central America, the prospects for an integrated meat and produce market- are being considered, and determined progress is being made towards a common market. At the most recent meetings, we were happy to learn that our sister republic of Panama is watching these economic developments with keen interest and may join in this great United Nations experiment. All this shows that our peoples are fighting resolutely, with confidence and zeal, to extricate themselves from their state of economic backwardness, and that is why they are appealing for the justice due them in the solution of those of their problems which can only be solved by outside economic groups or forces.
237. The Secretary of State of the United States of America, Mr. Herter, referred in his statement to the continuing and substantial co-operation of his country in its economic relations with our countries, but he recognizes that there is still much to be done and dramatically appeals to the United Nations to join forces with the United States in this war being waged against poverty, disease and illiteracy. He says that "the fact that more than 1,500 million people in this world live in dire want poses a challenge to which we must respond” [797th meeting, para. 88]. That proclamation is being issued by the strongest economic and moral power on earth. We have been summoned to wage this Christian and holy war to extricate men from poverty with our best weapon, justice, which we, the under-developed peoples, implore.
238. The attention of the Assembly and of the world is riveted on the question of disarmament. It should be recalled here that on 21 October 1958, Costa Rica, together with Bolivia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti and Uruguay, submitted an amendment [A/C.1/L.209] to the seventeen-Power draft resolution [A/C.1/L.205] inviting all States to devote larger resources to assist the under-developed countries out of the funds made available as a result of disarmament. From that spring, we shall draw the clear waters to wash away so much of the poverty, hunger and injustice in the world today. With the savings from disarmament, let us build a new world in which all men shall be economically free so that they enjoy our present civilization and savour fully the divine gift of freedom.