Mr. UGON reaffirmed the warm adherence of his country to the purposes and principles laid down in the United Nations Charter. He emphasized that such adherence was active in character, for it sought to carry out effectively the programme contained in that basic document on the level of international law. Uruguay was always prepared to co-operate in the cause of progress and the positive development of the standards governing the high interests of the community of nations. The majority of States, aware of the need for international order, had agreed to the discussion and adoption of recommendations intended to bring into the light the basic postulates of their common actions. No hesitation could be tolerated in the face of demands which did not conform to the spirit of peace, justice and collective security.
Work done in the name of such lofty ideals could but promote the development of solidarity between the nations gathered at the General Assembly of the United Nations, in such a way as to build up a tradition permitting intensive work to be carried out with a full sense of reality, keeping in view the obligations which various ideologies imposed. The sense of reality must not, however, lead to a denial of the principles laid down in the first Articles of the Charter.
Both in public and in private law institutions had always been perfected by means of mutual concessions and timely compromises. The United Nations was characterized by its essentially juridical structure. To carry out work effectively, the essential conditions were the respect of principles and the desire for realities. It could be said without fear of being wrong that the duration and creative forces of such work depended on the proportion in which these elements intervened. Nevertheless, as disputes or existing situations between States derived, as did the interests, from certain laws — even when they were the result of political or economic interests — it was only on a legal foundation that any lasting decision could be taken.
None of the organs of the United Nations could neglect being inspired by legal standards, for those standards were above the interests involved. In accordance with the principles of the Charter, right must always be superior to purely political or economic considerations. For that reason, it would be desirable to grant the International Court of Justice — within the limits of the competence granted by its Statute — wider powers of intervention both in its purely judicial functions and in its consultative ones; in the latter respect its conclusions should be firmly supported, account being taken of them in any ulterior decision.
The value of recommendations founded on law lay in their objectivity and the spirit of justice which inspired them. The most effective way of restoring the prestige of the United Nations and of obtaining the greatest collaboration from States signatory to the Charter was to accept the guidance of law in the solution of all problems arising from international relationships, while not however casting aside altogether political or economic interests. There was no surer guarantee than that based upon law. The first place must be given to the principles of right and legality which governed and determined the freely accepted juridical order. Justice and the general principles of international law must inspire the solution of problems or situations submitted to the consideration of the organs set up by the United Nations Charter. That was why Uruguay had always fought for the setting up of a very broad international jurisdiction; that was why Uruguay would recommend to the competent organ of the United Nations a formula for unrestricted arbitration, thus giving proof of its desire to work for peace and international understanding
If the realization of the universal tendency were embodied in the Charter, the achievement of the aims of that instrument would be facilitated and advanced. The ideal sought was, of course, that no dispute should remain outside the jurisdiction of the United Nations; from this it followed that it was essential to admit as Members of the United Nations the greatest possible number of States able and willing to fulfil the conditions laid down by the Charter, both in the letter and in the spirit, so that none might remain outside the community of nations.
The maintenance of the integrity of the Charter required that the undertakings and obligations it imposed should be spontaneously and scrupulously respected. The peaceful settlement of all international disputes and the maintenance of peace and security, those were the obligations which the Charter stipulated. The settlement of disputes by force should never be permitted. The voice of all peoples now called on all Members to do their utmost to see that that ideal was put into practice.
The problem of the maintenance of security was closely bound with that of means of aggression. The Assembly should adopt a resolution calling for a study of the basic conditions required for the establishment of a control system over atomic energy, so that that energy might be used only and exclusively for peaceful purposes. That should be one of the main objectives of the third session of the Assembly. The requirements of humanity, the needs of social peace and the assurance and advent of real peace made it absolutely essential for all nations to accept any and all proposals likely to reconcile in the best possible way the obligations and interests of all parties.
The Uruguayan representative went on to say that his delegation, in full conformity with the provisions of the Charter and certain basic principles of the Uruguayan Constitution would firmly support all proposals likely to strengthen in any way the protection of human rights. In order not to make that solemn declaration an. empty promise it would be necessary to establish appropriate, indispensable institutions and to grant them all the necessary legal rights.
Any such declaration of human rights would indeed be useless if the appropriate legal institutions did not provide means to enforce it. Every right should be protected and covered by legal provisions. The Uruguayan delegation would do its utmost to ensure that the principles of democracy, justice and right should never be relegated to a place of secondary importance.