96. Mr. President, the delegation of the Romanian People's Republic regards your presence in the Chair as a mark of appreciation of your qualities as a distinguished diplomat and as a tribute to your country, the Republic of Ghana, with which Romania maintains friendly relations; we see in it a token of the ever- increasing role which the African peoples, with their ancient culture and civilization, are playing in international affairs.
97. On behalf of the delegation of the Romanian People's Republic, I should like to convey to you the warmest congratulations on your unanimous election to the office of President of the General Assembly of the United Nations at its nineteenth session.
98. The Romanian delegation would also like to express its best wishes for peace and prosperity to the States recently admitted to the great United Nations family, Malawi, Malta and Zambia.
99. The United Nations is faced with serious international problems, political and economic, and all the peoples of the world demand and expect that they will be solved. The discussions that have thus far taken place reflect a concern to find the most appropriate means by which the United Nations may justify mankind's faith in this international forum. This concern leads naturally to the question what, in the efforts of the Organization, should be the guiding factor which might enable it to meet the heavy responsibility of these tasks.
100. In view of the Romanian delegation, the establishment of a climate of peace and of a world safe from the danger of war depends upon respect for and loyalty to the principles on which the United Nations was founded. The principles embodied in the Charter nineteen years ago, enhanced and developed by subsequent experience, are as timely and viable as ever.
101. For the purposes of maintaining peace, developing international co-operation and promoting economic and social progress, the Charter prescribes, among the fundamental obligations of States, that they shall refrain in their relations from the threat or use of force, that they shall employ peaceful meant: to settle all their disputes, and that they shall under no circumstances intervene in the domestic affairs of another State,
102. The Charter gives first place among the rules of international conduct to respect for the sovereign equality of States — a principle rightly regarded as the keystone of international relations.
103. We believe that the assurance of good-neighbourly relations and co-operation among States lies in the strict application of this principle and of its implied consequences — respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the right of every people freely to choose the economic and political system it prefers, and the right to respect for its personality in international life. The possibility of promoting unilateral interests at the expense of peoples and of the free expression of their will is thus ruled out.
104. Conversely, violation of this principle conflicts with the legitimate rights of peoples, creating foci of tension and situations that endanger the peace and security of mankind.
105. How, then, can the foreign armed intervention against the Congolese people be described, but as a ’grave violation of the Charter? This totally unjustified action, which prolongs the sufferings of the Congolese people, is one of a long series of open or covert actions, typical of colonialism, aimed at curbing the will of this sorely-tried people to decide its own future. The actions of the colonialist Powers in attempting to keep the Congolese people in a state of dependence arouse the just indignation of international public opinion.
106. Foreign intervention in South-East Asia, where a state of tension continues to prevail, is an undeniable violation of the provisions of the Charter. The Romanian people expresses its complete solidarity with the Viet-Namese people's righteous struggle to defend the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and to realize its legitimate aspirations for the peaceful reunification of Viet-Nam, in accordance with the Geneva Agreements.
107. The other foci of tension in the world are due to the same futile attempts to prevent peoples from exercising their sovereign right to arrange their lives in keeping with their own aspirations — a right proclaimed in the Charter and in solemn United Nations declarations.
108. We vigorously condemn the policies of apartheid, and any manifestation of racial discrimination, as a challenge to fundamental human rights.
109. The Romanian Government reaffirms its constant position of solidarity with peoples struggling to achieve a life of freedom, dignity and independence. We are firmly convinced that no obstacle, no foreign intervention, can prevent the fulfilment of these aspirations, and that the historic process at present under way is about to wipe out the last vestiges of the colonialist system. The fact that dozens of States have recently won their independence and are now making their contribution to the efforts to implement the principles of the Charter bears witness to the objective and irreversible nature of this process.
110. As was pointed out recently by the President of the State Council of Romania, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej: "There are circumstances today which cannot be compared to those of the past and which make it possible for peoples to develop along sovereign and independent lines, to enjoy equality in international relations, to arrange their political, social and economic life as they see fit, and to choose the path which best suits their fundamental interests."
111. I have laid stress on these principles because they also reflect the concern of a great many delegates to this session regarding the Organization's ability to make an effective contribution to the solution of major international problems.
112. How can these principles, which prescribe the equal right of all States to participate in international life, be reconciled with the fact that one of the great countries of the world — the People’s Republic of China — is prevented from occupying its rightful seat in the United Nations? It is not in keeping with the principle of universality of this Organization to continue to exclude the representatives of the great Chinese people from the United Nations. It is quite impossible to imagine a realistic solution of vital world problems without the participation of the People's Republic of China, the fifth nuclear Power which is playing an important role in the struggle to strengthen peace.
113. The Romanian People's Republic has co-sponsored the item submitted by Cambodia for inclusion in the agenda of this session, in the belief that consideration of this problem will lead to the restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and the expulsion of the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from all United Nations bodies.
114. Our country approves and supports an increase in the membership of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, since the implementation of the resolutions adopted in that connexion will more equitably reflect the present composition of the Organization and the interests of Member States.
115. We feel that it is necessary to ensure that the Organization functions regularly and smoothly, in accordance with legal procedures.
116. In the view of the Romanian Government, the United Nations can become strong only if it places all its activities on the firm footing of the principles of the Charter. Only thus can the United Nations offer to all States, great and small, a suitable frame within which to express their views and a fertile soil for the development of constructive endeavours; only thus can it become what the Charter considers a fundamental purpose: "a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends".
117. However numerous the problems facing mankind and however varied the methods of approach to them, there is nevertheless one factor which brings States together: the interest of the peoples in safeguarding peace. Where peace is concerned, we are one world. Romania, firmly committed to the principles of peaceful coexistence enshrined in the United Nations Charter, considers that negotiation is the only reasonable way of settling international problems in dispute.
118. Romania places an active interpretation on the notion of peaceful coexistence. We do not regard peaceful coexistence as being the simultaneous existence on the map of the world of certain separate entities which ignore each other. Each State, having its individual character, may have something to offer and something to receive fa a steady flow of material and spiritual values.
119. This concept of the Romanian Government finds an expression in its policy of continually developing our country's relations with all States on the basis of the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit.
120. The actions of the Romanian People's Republic within the United Nations and the proposals it has submitted to the Organization are aimed at the application of the principles of the Charter to international relations and at finding realistic solutions to international problems.
121. The Romanian Government, believing that any improvement of relations on the regional plane helps to create a climate of confidence in international relations as a whole, has submitted to the General Assembly the following item: "Actions on the regional level with a view to improving good neighbourly relations among European States having different social and political systems".
122. Developments in recent years have shown that the creation of a favourable climate for grappling more effectively with the problems which prevent a relaxation of tension in Europe must result, in the first instance, from the efforts of every European country to promote co-operative relations with its neighbours.
123. We are of the opinion that the General Assembly must encourage the efforts already being made to find solutions to the major problems of concern to the peoples of Europe, the solution of which would j have positive effects throughout the world.
124. Living in a part of Europe which has often been a scene of conflict, in the past, the Romanian people has had to bear the dire consequences of several wars. That is why Romania feels it its duty to help to establish good neighbourly relations and peaceful co-operation in the Balkans. Its 1957 and 1959 proposals which were aimed at achieving multilateral agreement between the Balkan States and concluding a treaty that would transform the Balkans into an area of peace and co-operation, are just as timely today.
125. We are gratified to note that negotiations have taken place and are continuing between the countries of that area, indicating a positive trend towards rapprochement and understanding based on mutual interest and confirming the existence of countless possibilities in that respect.
126. Romania attaches importance to the drafting of an international declaration on the promotion among youth of the ideals of peace, mutual respect and understanding between peoples. The idea of a declaration of this kind has gained ground every year and now has the support of many States. Its adoption has been recommended by international conferences and organizations. The Romanian delegation is sure that the General Assembly will proceed to draft this declaration.
127. The arms race, and particularly the continual stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction, are an obstacle to the restoration of normal international relations and to their being placed on a solid footing. Genuine security is hardly conceivable while the peoples are living in the shadow of nuclear arsenals.
128. Concern for the application of the principles of the Charter, to which I have referred, must go hand in hand with the continuing and persevering efforts needed to achieve general and complete disarmament. The achievement of this goal might create conditions for the development of peaceful relations between States, which would rule out for ever the threat or use of force and open up broad prospects of international co-operation.
129. For that reason, the Romanian Government considers that the adoption of the programme for general and complete disarmament recommended by the Soviet Union and supported by the socialist countries and other peace-loving States would be of historic importance to all mankind.
130. The common interest of the peoples in being freed from the threat of war demands chat every country should participate actively in seeking ways and means of achieving disarmament. That is why we fully support the proposal for the convening of a world disarmament conference put forward by the Cairo Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non- Aligned Countries.
131. The Romanian Government is also in favour of the proposal made oy the Government of the People's Republic of China concerning the convening of a conference of Heads of State and Government to discuss the general prohibition and total destruction of nuclear weapons, the immediate aim of which would be to achieve an agreement banning the use of such weapons.
132. At the same time, we are in favour of any measure designed to reduce international tension, to increase confidence among States, and to hasten the achievement of general and complete disarmament. Among these measures, we attach special importance to the establishment of denuclearized zones in different regions of the world, and we are in favour of the implementation of the proposals to establish such zones.
133. Now that the idea of peaceful coexistence between all States regardless of their social systems is gaining more and more ground, the division of the world into military blocs seems more and more anachronistic.
134. In the spirit of peaceful coexistence, Romania has expressed support for the conclusion of a nonaggression pact between the Warsaw Treaty Organization and NATO, as a transitional step towards the abolition of all military blocs.
135. The plans for the creation of multilateral nuclear forces under the auspices of the NATO military bloc are contrary to the interests of peace and security. These plans are one more example of the danger of aggressive blocs. The creation of NATO multilateral nuclear forces can only lead to international tension, to growing suspicion between States, and to the stepping-up of the arms race; that is why it is pausing justifiable anxiety.
136. In our view, the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament should make increased efforts to carry out its mandate and to meet the responsibilities entrusted to it by the United Nations. The Romanian People's Republic is always ready to do all it can in helping to find mutually acceptable solutions which could hasten agreement on disarmament.
137. We continue to believe, as in the past, that the liquidation of the aftermath of the Second World War through the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany would lead to a clearing of the world political climate. The only realistic basis for a discussion of this problem is one which takes account of the existence of both German States.
138. An incidental consequence of progress towards general and complete disarmament would be the release of material and human resources, which are so much needed in order to hasten the economic and social advancement of peoples. The amount now being spent on armaments is roughly equal to the aggregate of the national incomes of all the developing countries.
139. As long as there remains a gulf between the economic situation of the developing countries and that of the industrialized countries, and as long as the need to battle against chronic scourges in vast areas of the world grows ever more urgent, social and economic problems will inevitably continue to be among the major concerns of the States Members of the United Nations.
140. We realize that the beginning of a new stage in activities in this area was marked by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, which the Secretary-General of the United Nations rightly considers "an event of historic importance likely to have a significant impact on international co-operation for decades to come" [A/5801/Add.l, sect. IV].
141. The recommendations adopted by the Conference reflect an intensification of the efforts to transform international trade—freed from discriminatory barriers—into a beneficent agent for the economic development of all countries and for the creation of a climate of peace and international co-operation. Romania, as a country whose complex and multilateral economy is making great strides, has a direct interest in the problems considered at the Conference.
142. Because its economy has been developed in a balanced manner and at a sustained tempo, Romania maintains economic and trade relations with all countries, irrespective of their social and economic systems. Over the last twelve years, Romania's foreign trade has more than quadrupled. At the Geneva Conferee the Romanian delegation submitted, jointly with other delegations the proposal concerning credit arrangements for the delivery of capital equipment to be paid for in goods produced by the unit concerned or in other products. This form of co-operation is advantageous to the developing countries, because it promotes accelerated economic growth through the construction, with the help in the form of credit, of industrial units — which are the exclusive properly of the countries concerned — thus ensuring respect for their economic independence.
143. The proposal is also of interest to countries which export capital equipment, because it provides them with markets and with opportunities to obtain supplies of finished products from the units they have delivered. A proposal emphasizing the importance of long-term trade agreements was also submitted; the experience of our country and of other States has demonstrated the effectiveness of such agreements in stabilizing and developing international trade. We hope that these proposals, which appear in the Final Act of the Conference, will contribute to the expansion of international trade in the interest of economic development.
144. In our view, one important result of the Conference is that it laid down guidelines for economic co-operation between States. The adoption, under United Nations auspices, of a declaration embodying these guidelines would have positive effects on the development of trade.
145. In the economic sphere, as in political relations, there is a growing feeling of the need to establish generally acceptable norms, based on the United Nations Charter, to govern economic relations between States.
146. In support of the efforts which the developing countries are making for their own economic and social progress, the United Nations must expand its activities in connexion with the training of national personnel, planning, the use of natural resources in the national interest, and industrialization.
147. Before concluding, I should like to express the conviction of the Romanian Government that it is now more than ever necessary to explore every avenue, every possibility, which might lead to the restoration of normal international relations, to the strengthening of peace and to the development of co-operation between countries and peoples.