1. I should like first, on behalf of the Chad delegation, to express our sincere condolences to the United Kingdom delegation on the painful loss suffered by the British nation in the death of one of the greatest statesmen of the first half of this century, Sir Winston Churchill.
2. Since the Chad delegation is speaking before this great Assembly at the beginning of the new year, we would like to extend, both personally to the President and assembled representatives, and to the nations and countries represented, as well as to our Organization, our best wishes for prosperity and peace.
3. On behalf of our President, Mr. François Tombalbaye, and of the Government and people of Chad, my delegation is happy to offer its sincere congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your unanimous election to the Presidency of the nineteenth session of the General Assembly. We consider that your election is a mark of confidence and an expression of awareness: I say mark of confidence, because we are all aware of your impartiality and personal qualities; we are sure that this impartiality is a guarantee that our debates will be properly conducted; I say expression of awareness, because we are all acquainted with your distinguished record, your experience of the United Nations as representative of Ghana and your intimate knowledge of international problems. We also consider that your election is a great tribute, not only to Ghana, your own country, but to the entire African continent.
4. We welcome the new Members joining the United Nations: Zambia, Malawi and the Republic of Malta.
5. I should also like to take advantage of this opportunity to pay a well-deserved tribute, on behalf of our President François Tombalbaye, my delegation and myself, to Secretary-General U Thant, for the dynamism, devotion and tact with which he has been fulfilling the increasingly arduous tasks entrusted to him by our Organization, in this difficult period of the twentieth century. We are happy to see him back among us, resuming his difficult duties with the same devotion and courage, and we wish him better health.
6. The Government and people of Chad have embraced the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and it would not be amiss, at a time when there are so many reasons for anxiety in the world, to recall some of those principles: the maintenance of a lasting peace in the world; international security; the development of friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples; pacific settlement, through negotiation, of national and international problems and disputes; promotion of respect for the human person; and, in addition, I would particularly stress, respect for the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of all nations, large or small; non-intervention in the domestic affairs of States; cooperation, based on mutual interest, among all the peoples of the world, without distinction as to colour, race, or religion.
7. Unfortunately, at the opening of the nineteenth regular session of the General Assembly, these principles seem to be, and I would even say are, seriously threatened by a series of complex events in the world, events provoked by various crises, such as the increase and spread of nuclear weapons; imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism; unequal economic development, ignorance, disease, poverty and hunger which afflict certain peoples, even while other countries enjoy great prosperity.
8. In my opinion, these are the problems which we have to face and for which we have to find appropriate solutions. My delegation believes that, for some of these problems, we must find priority solutions, bearing in mind that the harmony of the world hinges thereon.
9. The General Assembly must examine these problems without passion and without considering special interests, and arrive at just and impartial solutions. That is the significance of the statement made by my delegation with all good will. Chad is a Member of the United Nations because it believes very sincerely in peace.
10. One of the problems of the moment is the dangerous situation now existing in the territories under colonial domination, together with the reactionary and inhuman policy of apartheid which is still being practised, in defiance of elementary moral principles, by the racist Government of South Africa.
11. The Portuguese colonialists, scorning the many resolutions adopted by the Security Council, continue to exploit the brave peoples of Mozambique, Angola and so-called "Portuguese' Guinea, and to deprive them of their fundamental rights to freedom, independence and self-determination. The racist Government of South Africa does not seem to be affected by the huge wave of protest, condemnation and indignation from all corners of the world against its policy of apartheid.
12. Apartheid, in defiance of the principle of equality of all men, without distinction as to race, religion or political ideas, a principle which is enshrined in the United Nations Charter, degrades man in South Africa, flouts the United Nations Charter, and tramples underfoot the dignity of the African people. The people of Africa, and indeed all mankind, can no longer tolerate such an odious regime. Faced with this serious, critical situation which is liable to disturb international peace and security, each State Member of the United Nations has a duty to help the Organization to solve the problem of apartheid once and for all and by all the means at hand.
13. Special mention must be made here of the Labour Government of the United Kingdom for the two courageous decisions which it has just taken, opposing the unilateral declaration of independence by the white minority in Southern Rhodesia, and suspending delivery of bombers to the Pretoria Government. My delegation considers that these two important decisions are useful examples and a prelude to wider action which must be initiated by those other nations which still continue to trade with South Africa in spite of the appeal made by Heads of African States at Addis Ababa and in spite of the numerous resolutions adopted by the United Nations.
14. The maintenance of outdated relations and the incessant attempts to impose new forms of domination on the developing countries give rise to continual crises and conflicts to those countries' detriment.
15. You must be wondering what attitude Chad, an African country and a member of the Organization of African Unity, will take concerning the tragedy in the Congo. The attitude of the people of Chad can only be that of a peace-loving people. In his speech to the nation, at the Independence Day celebrations on 11 January last, President François Tombalbaye declared: "What we must preserve at all costs is the dialogue. We must be able to show that, whatever the circumstances, no friction between States is so great that it justifies violent ruptures, fraught with danger for the future. "Chad has proved its attachment to these principles by its offer of mediation made last August. It remains prepared to bring a spirit of conciliation to those States — or men — who are divided by misunderstandings or by uncontrolled passions. In these early days of 1965, it hopes that peace will return to those unfortunate countries which are at present torn by war. Africans must be allowed to settle their own affairs. Whatever their origins, their ideals or their religion, two Africans will always reach an agreement for there is a strong tradition behind them."
16. If we wish to solve this problem we must find an African solution. The draft resolution submitted to the Security Council by the Ivory Coast and Morocco, with laudable courage, advocated such as African solution, namely, "national reconciliation".
17. We cannot deny that the tragedy of the Congo is only one of the many serious problems which at present are liable to endanger peace in the world. We are determined to do all in our power to eliminate these anomalies and, by mobilizing all our resources, help to put an end to colonial domination. More than once our indignation at all forms of foreign domination has led to action. Thus, in compliance with a decision taken by the Organization of African Unity, we proclaimed and celebrated 25 May as "African Liberation Day", similarly, we opted unequivocally for the policy of non-alignment advocated by the Organization of African Unity. Again, Chad, which has no diplomatic relations with Portugal or South Africa, severed by decree all trade and economic relations with these two countries and prohibited landings at its airports and flights over its territory by Portuguese and South African aircraft and by aircraft transporting passengers or goods to those two countries.
18. Another equally pressing problem, which my delegation hopes will be resolved, is that of disarmament. In order to end the danger of contamination and radiation in the atmosphere, to spare man and his descendants indescribable torment and suffering, to liberate the energy, financial resources and technical knowledge which are at present in the service of destruction and which the world greatly needs for its efforts promote the economic and social development of the underprivileged peoples, my delegation calls on the developed nations to do all in their power to arrive at the speedy conclusion of a treaty on general and complete disarmament. While this problem remains unsolved, the world will continue to live under the perpetual threat of disaster with incalculable consequences for mankind.
19. For this reason the Republic of Chad will support whole-heartedly any suggestions which may lead to a final solution of the problem of general and complete disarmament. Moreover, my delegation is convinced that, in the present circumstances, mankind must regard the idea of peaceful coexistence as the only means of strengthening world peace, such peace being based on liberty, equality and justice prevailing among the States and nations of the whole world. We consider that the principle of peaceful coexistence rests on the right of all peoples to be free and to choose their political, economic and social systems in conformity with their national personality and their ideals, and that consequently this principle excludes foreign domination in all its forms. It is in full awareness of these ideas that my country has decided to follow a policy of non-alignment.
20. Fully aware also of the fact that we are a young nation whose protection can only be ensured through respect for the right of peoples to self-determination enshrined in the United Nations Charter, Chad participated in the Conference of Non-Aligned Countries.
21. While we have entire faith in the United Nations, we believe that it is time to endow the Organization with a dynamic and democratic structure capable of coping with the many problems existing in our international society. For this reason, our country ratified the amendments to the Charter adopted last year at the eighteenth session of the General Assembly [see resolution 1991 (XVIII)]. My delegation hopes that in the very near future these amendments will be ratified by two thirds of the Member States.
22. We feel that we must also draw the Assembly’s attention to a situation which more than any other threatens world peace, because it threatens the very existence of our Organization which is the only hope of those who believe in peace through respect for and enforcement of the law, international co-operation and peaceful coexistence. Young nations like ours are vitally concerned in the survival of the United Nations.
23. You will understand then that we are profoundly disturbed by the financial crisis which the United Nations is undergoing. We consider that all methods of persuasion must be utilized to induce those Powers which have precipitated this serious crisis to find a compromise solution and to resolve this problem without endangering the very existence of the Organization. Let all nations of goodwill take warning!
24. An equally important problem is the social and economic development of the developing countries. The world knows today that in addition to the concept of two ideological blocs, which has prevailed for a long time in international relations, there is now the concept of a group of underprivileged countries vis-á-vis the prosperous countries.
25. Now that the principle of peaceful coexistence has prevailed over the confrontation of ideologies, a new era must dawn in the development of those nations which, for various reasons, have not shared in social and economic progress. World prosperity demands economic development, which has become an obligation for the whole international community. Consequently, all countries must help to bring about the early establishment of a new and just economic order in which all nations can live without fear, hardship or despair, and prosper to the full in the family of nations.
26. The structure of world economy and the existing international trade and development institutions have not been able to lessen the disparity between the per capita income of the developing and of the developed countries, nor have they been able to launch international action to correct the market and increasing imbalance between the two groups of countries. We must widen and intensify international co-operation on a basis of equality and in keeping with the needs of rapid economic development.
27. While it considers that the results of the Geneva Conference were neither sufficient nor commensurate with the essential needs of the under-developed countries, the Government of the Republic of Chad thinks that this Conference marks the first step towards the formulation of a new international economic development policy and constitutes a sound basis for future pi ogress. Similarly, it supports without reservation the declaration made by seventy-seven developing countries at the end of the Conference and undertakes to co-operate in enhancing the solidarity of those countries.
28. It is time for me to conclude, Mr. President, but I shall not do so without expressing my delegation’s feelings on the subject of Indonesia's withdrawal from our Organization. My delegation sincerely regrets the Indonesian Government's decision to withdraw from the United Nations at a time when, more than ever, the Organization needs a concerted effort by all its Members to maintain peace and security in those regions of the world which are in danger. On behalf of the Government of Chad and of its President, my delegation appeals to the good sense of the Indonesian Government to reconsider its decision.
29. Furthermore, with your permission, I shall address certain countries which by their attitude and the stand they have taken, have encouraged this withdrawal. I ask them: is this the way to maintain international peace and security? There is only one possible reply to this question, and that is a decisive ”No".
30. Chad appeals to the conscience of the world so that the United Nations, that instrument of peace, may survive.