91. Comrade President, permit me first of all to offer you, on behalf of my delegation, my sincere and fraternal congratulations on your election to the high office of the Presidency of the twenty-second session of the General Assembly. Your election to this important post is a tribute to your great nation and to your people, a worthy tribute to the family of socialist nations of which your country is a member, and an eloquent recognition of your remarkable personal qualities as a statesman and diplomat.
92. I am also taking this opportunity to pay my delegation's warm tribute to Ambassador Pazhwak, who presided over the last three sessions of this body in a highly able and efficient manner.
93. A distinctive feature of the present session of the General Assembly is that its agenda embraces the most urgent issue of liquidating the consequences of the aggression committed by the imperialist agent in the Middle East against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a number of Arab States. This fact, in our opinion, is most expressive of the strained international situation obtaining at present.
94. World reactionary elements, with United States imperialism at their head, have resorted to force wherever possible to hinder the steady advance of humanity along the road of national independence and social progress opened up half a century ago by the victorious October Socialist Revolution. United States ruling circles, in pursuance of the unrealistic objectives of their global strategy, flagrantly interfere in the internal affairs of other sovereign States, seek to suppress national liberation movements wherever possible, organize reactionary plots, antinational coups d'état, and instigate so-called local wars.
95. Of all the crimes being committed today by reactionary forces against mankind, the gravest is the colonial war being waged in Viet-Nam by the United States of America and its accomplices against the people of Viet-Nam. The United States invaders, intensifying the escalation of the war, commit unprecedented atrocities that are by no means second to the inhuman deeds of nazi criminals. Bombs are being dropped on nurseries and kindergartens, schools and hospitals, and living quarters in the towns of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam. The soil of Viet- Nam has been converted into a veritable testing ground for a variety of weapons and means designed for the ruthless annihilation of every living thing and for the destruction of material goods. In order to justify the brutal crimes that are being committed against the innocent people of Viet-Nam, United States officials often tell us that their troops are fighting there to defend the cause of freedom and democracy. Any sober-minded person, however, cannot fail to see what sort of freedom and democracy would defend the troops sent by the country which on its own soil, with the help of the regular army, ruthlessly suppresses in blood the movement of the people of African origin for their basic constitutional rights.
96. Spokesmen for the United States have sought, in many statements, to give the impression that their Government seeks a peaceful settlement in Viet-Nam. However, the real actions of Washington clearly reveal the fact that assertions of peaceful intentions are meant solely to deceive the American people and mislead world opinion. To cite a glaring example to this effect, the United States resumed intensified bombing raids on North Viet-Namese territory after the short truce of the lunar new year last February without having even waited for a reply to the much publicized letter of Mr. Johnson to President Ho Chi Minh of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam.
97. This new act of the further escalation of the war was perfidiously taken despite the fact that on 28 January the Government of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam had announced publicly that it was prepared to enter into negotiations with, the United States if the latter unconditionally ceased the bombing and other acts of war against the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam.
98. What is the value of the assertions of the United States representative regarding his Government’s peaceful intentions, of which he spoke a few days ago from this rostrum, particularly in the light of the fact that the United States Administration on the eve of this session of the General Assembly announced its decision to send to South Viet-Nam not less than 45,000 more troops, and the preparedness Investigating Sub-Committee of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate came up with its endorsement of a new plan for the total bombing of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam?
99. United States representatives also often speak of an "honourable settlement" in Viet-Nam. The only course left to the United States is to give up this hopeless war and leave Viet-Nam so that the people of that country can solve their affairs themselves without any outside interference. The United States Administration should immediately and unconditionally cease the bombing of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam. This would open up an avenue to negotiations and could, in the long run, lead to political settlement of the Viet-Nam problem on the basis of the Geneva Agreements of 1954.
100. In this connexion I should like to stress here again that no United Nations organ has the right to handle the Viet-Nam question.
101. The Government of the Mongolian People's Republic, which consistently supports the Just stand of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Viet-Nam, which is the sole legitimate representative of the people of South Viet-Nam, has lent and will continue to lend all possible support and assistance to fighting Viet-Nam In its courageous struggle against alien invaders. The just struggle of the Vietnamese people for the salvation of their motherland, for the defence of the cause of peace, democracy and socialism, enjoys the ever growing support of all peoples of the world, including the American people, This fight will no doubt be crowned with complete victory.
102. The United States colonial war in Viol-Nam, although the gravest, is not the only source of danger which threatens peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world. The increasing provocations by the United States and its accomplices against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia and Laos pose a real danger that the war will spread to the entire Indo-China peninsula, an eventuality which is fraught with grave consequences.
103. South Korea, which has virtually been turned into a United States military base, has became a hotbed of growing tension in the Far East.
104. The Mongolian people, like peoples in other countries, are deeply concerned about that régime's increasing involvement, under United States pressure, in the Viet-Nam war and, equally, in various bilateral and multilateral alliances with other reactionary forces on the Asian continent. The United States occupation administration and the Park régime in South Korea have resorted to increasingly frequent violations of the Korean Armistice Agreement and have set out to intensify their provocations against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
105. In order to eliminate this dangerous source of yet more international tension and to give the Korean people an opportunity of bringing about their country's peaceful unification, it is urgent that the American and other foreign troops stationed in South Korea — to our great regret under the flag of the United Nations — should be withdrawn immediately. With this particularly in view, the Government of the Mongolian People's Republic, together with other socialist countries, has proposed an item for inclusion in the agenda of the General Assembly entitled "Withdrawal of United States and all other foreign forces occupying South Korea under the flap of the United Nations" [item 33 (b)]. My Government considers that the so-called United Nations Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea should be dissolved, too.
106. It is high time that the United Nations took concrete steps towards the positive solution of those important and urgent matters if it is to remain faithful to the aims and principles of its Charter. It is our firm conviction that the withdrawal of American and other foreign troops from South Korea will remove the main obstacle which stands in the way of the peaceful unification of Korea. It is our considered view that the constructive proposals put forward repeatedly by the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea would serve as a good basis for the solution, of this problem.
107. The position of the Government of the Mongolian People's Republic on the Middle East issue remains, as before, that of invariable and firm support for the just struggle of the Arab peoples against the encroachment of the imperialist and colonialist forces. The Israel aggression against the United Arab Republic, Syria and Jordan is part and parcel of the notorious global strategy of world imperialism directed against freedom, independence and social progress of peoples. The main goal of that aggression has been and remains to undermine progressive systems in the Arab countries.
108. The Mongolian people follow with deep sympathy the efforts of the Arab countries to work out joint measures to liquidate the consequences of the aggression. We are glad to note that those efforts have found their expression in a number of decisions of the Arab Summit Conference held at Khartoum from 29 August to 1 September 1967.
109. Our Government resolutely supports the common stand taken by the party and government leaders of the socialist countries on the Middle East problem worked out at the Moscow and Budapest meetings, and is in full accord with their decisions to render assistance to the Arab countries, which have become the victims of the aggression, in the elimination of the consequences of the war and in strengthening their economic consolidation.
110. The Mongolian people strictly censure Israel for continuing its aggression by its virtual annexation of the seized portions of the territories of neighbouring States and by laying claims which have far- reaching objectives.
111. Mr. Tsedenbal, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Mongolian People's Republic, in his statement at the fifth emergency special session on 22 June said:
"...the only just way to restore peace is the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all the troops of the aggressor from the territories of the Arab States and the making of reparations in the shortest possible time for all the damage caused to the United Arab Republic, Syria and Jordan as a result of the aggressive military action of Israel. Only on this basis can measures be taken for the further stabilization of the situation in the Middle East." [1531st meeting, para. 168.]
This is the view that my Government continues to hold on this problem.
112. The Mongolian delegation shares the opinion expressed by many speakers here that the Security Council should consider the Middle East issue in view of its urgency and of the necessity to apply sanctions against Israel which continues to flout important resolutions of the United Nations, We are in full agreement with the opinion of the Secretary-General that there should be no territorial gains by military conquests, that it would lead to disastrous consequences if the United Nations were to abandon or compromise that fundamental principle.
113. It is most urgent in these days that this principle be strictly observed. This is particularly important if we look into the present policy of West Germany and see how the revanchist forces in that country are becoming more and more stubborn in their territorial claims, how they are exerting every effort in order to change the outcome of the Second World War. It is the aggressive policy of the ruling circles of the Federal Republic of Germany, abetted by the United States, that constitutes a major threat to peace and security in Europe and elsewhere.
114. The Bonn revanchists seek in every way to obstruct the commendable trend that has been brought about lately in the improvement of relations and the development of mutually beneficial co-operation between East and West in the European context. Such favourable development has become possible thanks mainly to the concerted efforts of the European socialist countries which have consistently come forward with constructive programmes for ensuring peace and security in Europe and for creating a system of collective security on the continent.
115. In our opinion the crux of the question of ensuring European security is the peaceful solution of the German problem through the recognition of the indisputable fact of the existence of the two sovereign German States, and on the basis of the normalization of relations between them. As the Foreign Minister of the Hungarian People's Republic so aptly put it, the existence of two German States has become a historic reality, a historic necessity.
116. The Government of the German Democratic Republic, which, by its consistent policy of friendship and co-operation among nations is enjoying increasing recognition, has come forward with an important new initiative. The draft treaty on the establishment of normal relations between the two German States proposed by the Government of the German Democratic Republic to the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, contains principles the realization of which is of great importance not only for the settlement of the German problem but also for the consolidation of peace in Europe and for the development of co-operation among the nations of that continent. It is therefore the view of the Mongolian delegation that our Organization should accord unreserved support to that constructive step of the German Democratic Republic.
117. World public opinion is becoming increasingly resentful of the attempts of the ruling circles of the United States to assume the right to arbitrary armed interference in Latin American affairs. This policy of brutal force is directed particularly against the socialist system in Cuba that has been established by the heroic Cuban people. Lately the United States has been seeking to whitewash its subversive activities against the Republic of Cuba by exerting pressure on Latin American countries to agree to initiate collective measures against that country. The work and results of the recent meetings of the Foreign Ministers of countries members of the Organization of American States, held in Washington, speak clearly of that policy of pressure.
118. The Mongolian people demand that the United States of America stop forthwith its hostile acts against the Republic of Cuba, a Member State of the United Nations.
119. In the present circumstances, when the adversaries of peace and security of nations are active at work, the proposal of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the necessity of accelerating the elaboration of the definition of aggression is most timely.
120. The implementation of this proposal would be significant for the activities of the United Nations itself and for the confirmation and development of the principles of its Charter related to the maintenance of international peace and world security. The exact definition of aggression would render important political and juridical assistance to peoples in their struggle against the war-mongering and reactionary forces.
121. The Government of the Mongolian People's Republic, as in the past, considers that the United Nations should take effective measures for the implementation of the historic Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples with regard to the scores of millions of the indigenous population of South-West Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique, so-called Portuguese Guinea, Zimbabwe, Aden and other Territories. The United Nations also should act to prevent the reduction of the southern part of Africa into a nest of most inveterate colonialism and white settler fascist racism. The development of events is such that an alliance of the Republic of South Africa, the Southern Rhodesia régime and Portugal is being knocked together under the patronage of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany.
122. Under the existing circumstances, when imperialist forces are active at work, one of the paramount tasks of national liberation movements has come to be the fight for strengthening the political and economic independence of liberated countries. In the opinion of my delegation, the fourth session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, which adopted a series of important decisions aimed at the consolidation of united action in the struggle against colonialism and racism, has called attention to this very real problem of the newly-born States of the African continent.
123. The United Nations could play an essential part in the strengthening of the economic independence of the developing countries. To carry out this task in. a more efficient way, as we see it, the United Nations should introduce appropriate changes into its policies and methods of rendering technical assistance to the newly-born States in such a way that the aid provided would be earmarked mainly for the construction of industrial enterprises and for the development of other projects to produce material resources of which the particular country is in need. The United Nations must further undertake effective steps for the elimination of the economic disparities which have become the cause of much concern and for the creation of favourable conditions for the developing countries in international trade and economic relations. The implementation of decisions of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has been far from satisfactory. As a result there are many challenging issues that must face the second session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
124. The position of the Government of the Mongolian People's Republic on the question of general and complete disarmament under strict international control is well-known. The Mongolian delegation has stressed on many occasions that the first and foremost task in this field should be the elimination of the means of conducting thermonuclear warfare. We therefore welcome the positive steps that have been made in the elaboration of an agreed text of the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The conclusion of such a treaty would constitute an important landmark in the struggle to curb the arms race.
125. The proposal of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the conclusion of a convention on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons is highly significant. The Mongolian People's Republic is strongly in favour of the immediate conclusion, of the said convention and considers it not only as an additional guarantee of the effectiveness of the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons but also as an act that would outlaw this terrible weapon of mass destruction.
126. My Government also strongly favours the implementation of all other measures which would promote the solution of the problems of disarmament and the curbing of the arms race such as the elimination of military bases in foreign territories, a total ban on nuclear tests and the creation of atom-free zones. In this connexion, my delegation welcomes the encouraging start the Latin American countries have made by declaring their continent a non-nuclear zone.
127. The year 1967 has been a difficult one for the United Nations. This Organization, as a political and moral factor, has stood the test. However, due to the unrealistic policies of some of its western Members, it has not lived up to the expectations of the peoples as an instrument called for to strengthen world peace.
128. Here is a fresh reminder of the necessity strictly to respect and observe the Charter. Too often have we witnessed the facts of gross violation of the aims and principles of the Charter by certain Powers who, in their own selfish interests, have thus jeopardized the effectiveness and prestige of this Organization. As an example one may cite the continued discriminatory attitude of certain Powers on the question of restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. The representative of Chiang Kai-shek still illegally occupies the seat of the People's Republic of China.
129. The Mongolian delegation demands that the United Nations grant the request of the German Democratic Republic for admission into this body. The German Democratic Republic, a peace-loving socialist State, meets fully and well all the requirements necessary for becoming a Member of the United Nations Organization.
130. It is also high time to put an end to the abnormal situation in which one of the German States — the Federal Republic of Germany — has its Permanent Observer here at the United Nations, while the other — the German Democratic Republic — has not been given such an opportunity. That this situation has obtained, and for so long a time, is due to the discriminatory attitude towards this question on the part of some Member States, above all the United States of America.
131. I have dwelt briefly on the position of my Government with regard to certain major issues of the international life of today. The Mongolian People's Republic pursues unwaveringly the policy of peaceful coexistence of States with differing social systems in the interest of peace and co-operation among nations. Our people and Government hold dear the unity and cohesion of the community of socialist States, since we see In it not only an external guarantee for the successful building of socialism in our own country but also a decisive factor in the struggle for the good of mankind.
132. The Mongolian people was one of the first to take the path opened by the Great October Revolution, and in our struggle to overcome century-old economic and technological retardation and in building our new life we have always relied, as we do today, on the fraternal friendship and unselfish assistance of the Soviet Union, which is indeed a true friend of all peoples.
133. In connexion with the fiftieth anniversary of the October Socialist Revolution, my delegation today from this rostrum most heartily congratulates the delegations of the multinational Soviet Union, the representatives of the country which, at the cost of immense sacrifices, saved mankind from fascist slavery and today firmly defends the cause of peace, national independence and the social progress of all nations.