In response to the unanimous sentiments of the people of the Dominican Republic, my Government comes for the seventh time to this General Assembly in order to give further evidence of its firm resolve to contribute unwaveringly and unconditionally by every means at its disposal to the efforts made by the United Nations in the difficult task of attempting through conciliation and agreement to find a just solution of the many problems and disputes that have been submitted to it for consideration and decision. These problems and disputes reflect the most varied aspects of the serious social and political crisis through which our generation is passing m these difficult times, and they confront the world with the terrible threat of war and destruction. Our participation in the noble work of the General Assembly is based, as always, upon an imperative desire for international co-operation. That we are able to realize that desire is the result of one of the most outstanding victories of contemporary civilization in the field of international law, namely, the final and complete recognition of the equal sovereignty of States, irrespective of their military strength or the extent of their territories.
49, We in the Dominican Republic are convinced that this fundamental principle of equality, which unites in this Assembly the community of the nations of the world on the basis of their common right to participate in the examination and discussion of problems and points of disagreement and, consequently, in the taking of decision designed to settle such matters, can and should be a sufficient stimulus to the creation and strengthening of an unshakeable faith that this eminent body can ensure a progressive implementation of the principles of international law and the supremacy of justice which will eventually make it possible for confidence and mutual respect to prevail in relations between States. This is the only way which will assuredly lead to the foundation of the hoped-for world of peace in which all peoples have equal rights to pursue their respective destinies in fitting conditions of well-being, their spiritual expansion unhampered.
50, In this urgent task of achieving international peace and security, it is the General Assembly which, by a kind of positive and praiseworthy development, has become the leading organ of the united Nations. Because the Assembly is indisputably competent to deal with the essential problems of the maintenance of peace and to seek practical formulae for the co-operation of States in economic and social matters, the Assembly is in itself the strongest guarantee of the effectiveness and permanence of the United Nations.
51. When it made a careful and patient examination of the long list of items on the agenda of the present session, my Government, like that of all nations which love peace and order, was never for a moment unaware of the almost insurmountable difficulty inevitable and relentlessly arising in connexion with every problem before the General Assembly, due to the continued misunderstanding of certain governments whose selfish interests, sharpened by ideological zeal, lead them to reduce all their arguments to vituperation and slander and whose totally intransigent attitude in most cases frustrates or disappoints the most legitimate hopes for a speedy settlement of disputes and the successful outcome of that high endeavour which it is the duty of the United Nations to make in order to lead the peoples of the world towards true progress.
52. Thus, the course of the very serious events in Korea, the questions of Tunisia and Morocco, the restoration of Austrian sovereignty and independence, the repatriation of Gr eek children, the international regulation of armed forces and armaments, collective measures to ensure peace and security, and, finally, the question of the admission of new Members — to mention but a few of the items for our consideration — are all questions which, given present political circumstances and independently of their own characteristics and peculiarities, are unfortunately and inevitably dominated by considerations which are/ strictly speaking, alien to them and which can in no way contribute to a correct assessment of their elements, in accordance with a true and unrestricted adherence to the purposes and principles freely and unanimously adopted at San Francisco.
53. The delegation of the Dominican Republic will, as it has always done, support the efforts of those who understand and admit that, whatever the obstacles, the General Assembly, in response to the urgent appeal of international public opinion, must fulfil the high purposes which explain and justify the existence of our Organization, My delegation will unhesitatingly approve all solutions which, while ensuring respect for and proper application of the basic principles of international law, particularly those principles set forth and enshrined in the letter and spirit of the Charter, ensure also, in accordance with the relevant provisions, both the inviolability of the domestic jurisdiction of States and the faithful observance of international obligations voluntarily assumed.
54.. I shall take this opportunity to reiterate our conviction that if we could succeed in achieving unity of mind and effort with regard to methods of collective action which might be used to maintain and strengthen international peace and security, all, or nearly all, the political problems before the General Assembly might, solely by virtue of that important agreement, find, speedy and appropriate solutions.
55. Likewise, on the question of the admission of new Members, we wish to reaffirm our belief in the universality of the United Nations. An obvious paradox arises whenever there is a refusal to admit peace-loving peoples who respect the principles of the Charter; such exclusion limits the scope — which is necessarily universal — of our Charter, to the detriment of the peoples so arbitrarily deprived of the benefits of the co-operative action which is proceeding with increasing effectiveness within our Organization.
56. In the same way, we naturally give our full attention to economic and social matters. These have greater possibilities than political matters, and there is no doubt that they offer more encouragement to hope and to believe in a reconciliation of views leading to the restoration of tranquility and the final achievement of peace. In this connexion, it would be no exaggeration to state that if we can find some positive means to promote the real development of economically under-developed nations, we shall have taken an enormous step forward towards the fulfilment and realization of the high purposes of the international community. That is our main reason for approving any proposal which, like the proposal for the establishment of an international finance corporation [E/2215] now under preparation by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, is designed to settle the most urgent needs for capital, which is often difficult to obtain in the open money market, the object being to promote the healthy economic expansion of the under-developed countries by rendering possible the establishment and consolidation of undertakings which will ensure a substantial increase in their productivity.
57. Given the increasing interdependence of the different parts of the contemporary world, all questions directly related to the international circulation and distribution of wealth, and in particular to the equitable distribution of exportable products from the countries in process of development, are just as important as the question of increasing the productive capacity which is required to ensure the economic development of nations which have hitherto been less favoured — a most urgent task, This will explain the support which we are prepared to give to any step which, in connexion with item 25 of the agenda, referring to the economic development of under-developed countries or with any of the items considered annually by the Second Committee, would lead to the inclusion, as a permanent item, in the agenda of the General Assembly of a periodic study of problems specifically arising from the expansion of international trade. That would enable the General Assembly, as the supreme executive organ of the United Nations, to outline or help to outline the overriding principles which should serve as a basis for international policy in this matter, reconciling the difficulties arising from a lack of flexibility in the import markets of the industrialized countries with the legitimate concern of growing nations that their exportable products should be properly absorbed by those markets. By this means, the General Assembly and the competent organs of the United Nations would be able to open up impressive opportunities for the development of trade, and accordingly for a rapid rise in the standard of living of all the peoples of the world, disposing of the problems and the risks at present involved in the fair distribution of resources and exportable surpluses, such problems being an obvious impediment to the progress of nations which are endeavouring to reach economic maturity and an open insult to the peoples who are directly contributing to the creation of wealth by their efforts and sacrifices.
58, In the honourable tradition of American international legal thought, we may, as a justification for our proposals, refer to our profound devotion to the principle which has long prevailed in inter-American affairs, that the economic security indispensable for the progress of all peoples is at any time the best guarantee of their political security and of the success of their joint efforts for the maintenance of peace. No other convictions but these have inspired and continue to inspire the Government of the Dominican Republic in planning and embarking on the implementation of one of the most outstanding and complete programmes of economic rehabilitation ever attempted in Latin America. Allow me to say, with proper patriotic pride, that it has also been one of the most fruitful and most productive of benefits for our people.
59, The policy of agrarian reform and industrialization which my Government is pursuing, with the intention of progressively meeting the needs of our people while enabling them to purchase a greater quantity of the foreign products that are required to expand our production and raise our levels of consumption, is an immense effort which can achieve its maximum results Only if the laws of economic interdependence are observed and if international co-operation is practised on a basis of equality. As in the case of any country in process of development, our productive capacity might be seriously hampered and even paralysed if we were unable at the same time to rely on a speedy and substantial demand from world markets in a position to absorb our exports and thereby to secure our purchasing power and means of exchange,
60, I have referred only to my country's experience as an example, although I am sure that other nations which, like it, are passing through the same stages of economic development, share its needs and concerns, and I feel that these needs are sufficient to justify our plea that the United Nations should devote its unswerving attention to this most important aspect of co-operation and solidarity among peoples.
61. We are prepared, as always, to offer the United Nations any contribution which we may be able to make on the basis of the technical experience and knowledge we have acquired concerning the various matters related to the process of the economic development of nations. We attach particular importance to the valuable efforts contributed by the Economic and Social Council, of which my country hopes shortly to become a member, and we trust that our application for admission will be favourably received in 1954. We cherish this hope because we understand that active participation in the work of such an important United Nations organ must be of the greatest benefit, by reason of the high quality of the study and research which that organ carries out in the economic and social fields, in which my Government is especially interested and in which it has already achieved so much at the national level.
62. Furthermore, 1 can say that our country attaches equal importance, as we have previously stated, to the social questions under consideration at this session] among these I would mention, together with questions which are just as important, the question of international respect for the right of peoples to self-determination and the recognition of political rights for women. We shall naturally collaborate with the utmost goodwill and determination in securing both those rights.
63. In view of the high honour conferred upon the Dominican Republic when it was chosen some years ago as a non-administering member of the Trusteeship Council, we are anxious to contribute from the technical experience acquired by us in this field to all subjects to be examined by the General Assembly in connexion with the application of the International Trusteeship System, and we are prepared to give our unreserved support to any steps which may contribute effectively to the promotion of the political, economic, social and educational progress of the inhabitants of the Trust Territories and thus ensure that those peoples may proceed without hindrance along the path towards self-government or independence.
64. The questions before the Sixth Committee are of equal concern to us. Amongst them those concerning the establishment of an international criminal jurisdiction and the definition of aggression are of particular importance. As regards the plan for an international criminal court, we think that it would be necessary to settle satisfactorily certain major difficulties which might arise in connexion with the prerogatives and fundamental rights of States, before taking a final decision on the practicability of such a grandiose project. As to the definition of aggression, we must stress its importance not only as one of the supreme requirements of collective security, but also as an essential preliminary to the effective establishment of an international criminal jurisdiction.
65. The Government of the Dominican Republic takes this opportunity solemnly to reaffirm its unconditional adherence to and its full acceptance of the purposes and principles upon which the United Nations Chatter is based. My Government is anxious to make this act of faith before the General Assembly as an expression of its hope that the insecurity and disagreement prevailing at this moment in the work of our Organization may speedily give place to a vigorous and close collaboration among the peoples and States exercising political dominion over the world, to the end that a firmly established feeling of good neighbourliness, that quality of which we are so proud in inter-American relations, may prevail ever more forcefully and effectively within the United Nations.
66. Discarding the negative attitudes of scepticism and impatience, we are so optimistic as to pin our faith to devotion to the higher values of the spirit and the indestructible empire of law, justice and freedom. Thus inspired, we are taking part in these debates, as at all previous sessions, in the same spirit of collaboration, with the abiding purpose of assisting the great Powers to find honourable means of conciliation and understanding ; with the same faith in the power of our Organization to ensure amongst all nations the inevitable triumph of the rule of law; and with the same hope that we are now witnessing the dawn of international peace in which man, who is struggling towards perfection, may find an appropriate environment for the full realization of his high destiny and the final achievement of the universal aspiration of brotherhood and progress.