81. Before making my statement, I wish to say how much my Government, my delegation and I myself have been gratified at the election of Mrs. Pandit as President of the eighth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Our satisfaction springs from two sources: first because of the fact that, as the head of the Indian delegation, she represents a country dear to the hearts of all Brazilians and one which has been a relentless worker for the cause of freedom and peace; and secondly, because of the fact that the President of this Assembly is a distinguished lady whose charming personal gifts are not second to her political experience.
82. I should like to add a word of congratulations to Mr. Hammarskjold, the Secretary-General of our Organization. His personal qualifications, as we have already come to know them in the short period since his election, are a guarantee for the good handling of matters pertaining to the United Nations, as well as for the creation of a better climate for understanding among the-major Powers.
83. Year by year, the United Nations is widening its field of action. Political, economic, cultural and juridical imperatives, in short, all the free forces of international life, are transforming the General Assembly of the United Nations into a real world forum In this hall are voiced the opinions of all geographic groups, as well as all political ideologies and all the yearnings towards the betterment of economic and social conditions of mankind, the strengthening of world harmony and the observance of the universally proclaimed principles of law.
84. Nonetheless, with the broadening of this field of action, we are faced with an upsurge of scepticism. Those who find fault with the practical results of the action of the United Nations contend that much more could have been accomplished; that the world is still divided into two opposing blocs, that certain major problems have been dealt with only superficially, and that hesitations and the alternation of progress and setbacks has done great harm to some endeavours of the Organization, which offered, at the start, promising possibilities. I do not deny that up to a certain point those criticisms might be well-founded. We should, however, point out that the Organization, owing to the very fact that it was born out of a profound political chaos, is handicapped by certain unavoidable imperfections and shortcomings. These imperfections and shortcomings are the aftermath of the throes of the immediate post-war period. One of the highest juridical and diplomatic authorities in my country, Mr. Raul Fernandes, former Minister for External Relations, once remarked that nowadays the world is granted but a “moratorium of peace”.
85. The danger to be averted is that this growing scepticism with regard to the action of the United Nations should succeed in contaminating minds that up to now have been inspired by constructive realism.
86. In all truth — and this is my deep belief — it is now an established fact that world public opinion reposes its trust in the United Nations. If one were to draw up a brief balance of the activities and achievements of the United Nations, it would be immediately clear that its assets are already considerable. I should like to add that, if more has not been accomplished, the responsibility should not be placed entirely on the Organization; it has mainly resulted from political currents and counter-currents which have exerted great influence on the solutions to the problems under consideration.
87. In my opinion, it is necessary that sooner or later we proceed, in the prescribed order, with the revision of the Charter, so that the Organization may be in a better position to accomplish its aims to the fullest and thereby eliminate the criticisms that have been levelled against it. This revision should be undertaken in an objective and impartial manner, taking advantage of the lessons learned from the experience acquired in the course of the past years. If in fact the Charter of the United Nations contains flaws and imperfections, and if we all are aware of their existence, why not tackle this problem and try to find a remedy for it? The Charter is not only a political and juridical document that serves as a guide and a code of discipline; the Charter is indeed the expression of a kind of political, juridical and moral plebiscite which voices the yearnings of our world.
88. The peoples of our time, those of big, small or medium Powers, long for law and justice, both in the national and international fields. War has become more and more murderous and destructive, threatening the very existence of human society. It is probably this instinct, of self-preservation in the human species that has inspired the creation of this political body. This instinctive will to live is, in fact, an irresistible force that cannot be ignored by anyone. The proof of this is that even those who voice the most violent criticism of the efficiency of our Organization are nevertheless most anxious to keep it alive.
89. If the government of a big Power, such as the Soviet Union, criticizes the actions of the Organization and repeatedly expresses its displeasure at the manner in which our problems have been dealt with by the United Nations, it would seem natural and, I should say, logical to expect this government to be, in theory or in practice, in favour of the revision of the Charter. May I indulge in the hope that the Soviet Union will eventually join with those who seriously consider the possibility of carrying out the revision of the United Nations Charter so as to make it a better tool in the political and juridical fields.
90. As the representative of a peace-loving nation, earnestly devoted to the juridical rules and moral principles which should guide international society, I should like to stress that our main wish is that the work of the United Nations may grow from year to year in order to afford better protection to sacred human rights and to mutual respect among nations and in order to strengthen the ties among all peoples.
91. The division of the world into two ideologically opposed blocs, and the cultural, economic and political antagonisms which have resulted from this split, have not been strong enough to undermine the foundations of the Organization. On the contrary, this unfortunate division has acted as a true catalyst. It has actually enhanced the power of endurance of the United Nations.
92. We are in truth not creators but interpreters of the profound aspirations of mankind. It is our mission to seize the main currents of world public opinion, which seeks the betterment of the economic, social and moral conditions of the individual and the perfecting of the international community. The present Minister for External Relations of Brazil, the eminent professor, Dr. Vicente Rao, who represented Brazil at the General Assembly in 1950, has already emphasized the paramountcy of the juridical order over transitory issues which arise as a result of the desire of certain Powers for expansion.
93. The present session of the General Assembly is required to consider the serious political and economic questions on whose solution rests the assurance of lasting-'world peace. Among these problems, I wish to refer to the reduction of armaments, economic aid to under-developed countries, technical assistance, human rights and the ironing out of the conflict between the nationalistic spirit of the young, nations and the so-called colonial order.
94. It is absolutely necessary that the United Nations should give the greatest amount of time and attention to the gigantic economic problems that distress vast regions of most of the under-developed countries. It is indeed advisable to note that collective security of an economic nature should coexist with the classic idea of collective security in the political and juridical domains. Although it is already outlined in the Charter, this concept deserves to be thoroughly explored, thus permitting a practical solution designed to allow underdeveloped countries to meet the pressures resulting from an imbalance in the economic levels and the rate of economic growth of the different nations.
95. In this particular field, the work of the United Nations is bound to bring immediate results. Under-developed countries look forward to a swifter increase in their per capita income through increasing productivity, both in range and in depth.
96. It is a matter of importance that, thanks to their excellent experts and executive organs, the United Nations and its specialized agencies will gradually and indefatigably not only pursue the technical assistance activities^ but also establish schemes of international co-operation for the financing of economic development. This policy cannot fail to be implemented, and it will lay the foundations for a firmer world economic order.
97. It is my country’s heartfelt hope that peace will prevail in Korea. Need I say that peace is indeed the main goal of the United Nations? The tragic lesson learned in Korea will not have been learned in vain. Let us not relent in the noble striving for peace and the strengthening of peaceful and fruitful relations among all the nations of the world.