26. Madam President, allow me on my own behalf
and on behalf of the Czechoslovakian delegation to
congratulate you on your election to the high office of
President of the current session of the General Assembly. In
congratulating you, we rejoice not only that the President
of our session is a representative of the African continent,
but also that your election symbolizes one of the purposes
of the United Nations—the equal rights of men and women.
We hope that under your guidance our session will
accomplish the tasks which lie before it.
27. Allow me also to express our wholehearted condolences
on the death of Mr. Arenales, the President of the
previous session of the General Assembly.
28. For a number of years, the international situation in
which the General Assembly session was being held has
been described in the general debate as complicated and
tense. This year is no exception.
29. And yet, particularly on the eve of the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the inception of the United Nations, we
should like to express the hope that the day will come
when we can rejoice together that war is not raging in any
part of the world, that crises have been averted by the
common efforts of all the peace-loving countries in the
world, that the era of disarmament has begun, and that the
heritage of colonialism has been entirely eradicated.
30. We in Czechoslovakia are convinced that such a world
situation will ultimately prevail and are prepared to do
everything in our power to ensure that the noble objectives
which the United Nations set itself at its establishment
become a reality. But the reality has so far been entirely
different. Instead of a world without wars and crises, we
live in a divided world, constantly balancing on the brink of
the most terrible of all wars, in a world where dangerous
hotbeds of tension are constantly smouldering, the arms
race is continuing, and military arsenals are stockpiling
increasing reserves of weapons with a destructive power
many times greater than that which could transform our
earth into a dead planet.
31. Although the United Nations has in past years
achieved some partially favourable results in its efforts to
alleviate international tension, we cannot rest content with
this. The urgent problems of the current international
situation impose upon the United Nations the obligation to
use all the means at its disposal to transform the ideas
contained in its Charter into reality. It would therefore be
desirable to try once again at this session to lay some
foundations which would enable our Organization next
year to enter upon a new twenty-five-year period which
would be an era of lasting peace and co-operation, based
not on the principle of the “balance of power and fear” but
on awareness of the beneficial and useful effects of the only
alternative open to mankind, that of peaceful coexistence.
32. In the forthcoming anniversary year we shall have an
opportunity of assessing our Organization’s contribution to
solving the urgent problems which have confronted mankind
over the past twenty-five years. We can already note,
however, that in the period following the end of the Second
World War the peace-loving peoples have succeeded in
preventing the outbreak of a new world-wide conflict. The
community of socialist States has played a distinguished
and decisive part in this effort. This by no means
unimportant achievement gives us grounds for hope when
we look into the future.
33. Unfortunately there are still not only smouldering but
also flaming hotbeds of war in the world which threaten to
expand into a world-wide conflagration of unprecedented
dimensions. Accordingly, resolute efforts to eliminate
existing military conflicts and the constant establishment of
conditions for preventing a new war are among the most
urgent tasks of our time, and consequently among the most
urgent tasks of this session of the General Assembly.
34. The world has on many occasions heard denunciations
from this rostrum of the aggressive actions of the United
States in Viet-Nam. Yet the war against the people of
Viet-Nam still continues. United States soldiers thousands
of kilometres from their homes are striving to crush the
heroic resistance of patriots fighting for their independence
and to preserve the venal Saigon régime.
35. Meanwhile the sound and progressive forces in South
Viet-Nam have formed the Provisional Revolutionary
Government of the Republic of South Viet-Nam, which is
gaining increasing international recognition and increasing
support among the people of Viet-Nam. This Government is
fully entitled to express its views on the future destiny of
South Viet-Nam. Its programme and its specific proposals
for the establishment of peace provide a realistic solution
for the problems of that country’s future.
36. With feelings of hope and relief we welcomed last year
the news of the opening of negotiations in Paris at which
the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Provisional
Government of South Viet-Nam submitted their proposals.
These negotiations have so far not yielded the desired
results. After so many years of suffering and bloodshed,
nothing could better promote the settlement of the
Viet-Nam problem than an approach to these negotiations
by the United States which would allow the conclusion of
an honourable and just peace for the entire people of
Viet-Nam. It is indeed high time that the United States put
an end to this war, withdrew its troops from Viet-Nam and
enabled the people of Viet-Nam to live in peace and
tranquillity without foreign interference.
37. From the very outset Czechoslovakia has taken the
side of the heroic people of Viet-Nam and has given it all
possible support in its difficult struggle.
38. Similarly, little success has so far been achieved in the
negotiations for terminating Israeli aggression in the Middle
East. Vast Arab territories are still occupied by Israeli
troops. The rights of the Arab population of these
territories are being violated and its plight is appalling. Is it
therefore surprising that the situation in this region is
explosive and may at any moment break out into a military
conflagration the consequences of which are hard to
imagine.
39. The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic sees a way out of
this crisis in the adoption and particularly in the implementation
of all the provisions of the Security Council
resolution of 22 November 1967 [242 (1967)]. It now
depends on Israel whether it will comply with the demands
of the peace-loving nations and, above all, whether it will
withdraw its troops from the occupied Arab territories, or
whether it will assume full responsibility for further
dangerous developments in that region.
40. Among the other sources of international tension is
the continuing abnormal situation in Korea. It is deplorable
that, sixteen years after signature of the armistice agreement,
the armed forces of the United States are still
violating security and increasing tension on the Korean
peninsula under cover of the United Nations flag. It is
essential that the idea of peace should at last prevail in that
part of the world. The proposals which the socialist States
have submitted to this session of the General Assembly, and
of which Czechoslovakia is a co-sponsor, [A/7641/Add. 1-5
and A/7642/Add.1-2] are directed towards adoption of
equitable requirements for the peaceful unification of the
country. We are convinced that their adoption would
promote a peaceful settlement of the Korean situation.
41. There is no doubt that the true guarantee of peace and
security would be general and complete disarmament. This
goal is still before us and we must continue to strive for its
attainment. The road to it will be long, and we cannot yet
see its end. In any case, however, the prospect of creative
activity and of useful human labour in a world without
arms provides an inspiration which makes our continued
efforts worth while.
42. We are as yet at the very beginning of this road and
the first milestones are the so far modest results achieved
by negotiation: the treaty partially banning nuclear tests,!
the demilitarization of Antarctica, the demilitarization of
other space [General Assembly resolution 2222 (XXI)] and
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
[General Assembly resolution 2373 (XXII)]. Although of
course we attach great importance to these agreements, this
is not enough in either quantity or quality.
43. For example, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons, the conclusion of which we enthusiastically
welcomed last year, does not of course represent the
maximum of what should be achieved in that sphere.
Although its entry into force would be a step forward along
the road towards alleviating universal tension, even this
result has not yet been achieved, since the Treaty has not
been ratified by a sufficient number of States. In the
opinion of the Czechoslovak delegation, the General
Assembly, having adopted this instrument, should consider
it a matter of its responsibility and honour to ensure that
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
enters into force and that as many States as possible accede
to it.
44. During the negotiations in the Disarmament Committee
at Geneva new possibilities emerged for reaching
agreement on partial measures; although these negotiations
did not make the desirable progress for which we are
striving. The Czechoslovak delegation hopes that the
twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly will at least
succeed in advancing work on certain measures of disarmament
which if implemented would effectively limit the arms race.
45. In addition to nuclear weapons, chemical and bacteriological
weapons present a fearful danger which threatens
the existence of all human life on our planet. The peace-loving
nations are becoming increasingly aware of the
danger of these weapons, owing to the relative ease with
which they can be obtained, and are actively demanding
their elimination from the military arsenals of all States.
46. The solution of this problem could be considerably
advanced by the recommendations contained in the report
of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, U Thant,
concerning these types of weapons and the possible
consequences of their use [A/7601/Add.1].
47. In accordance with these recommendations, the socialist
States have submitted a draft convention on the
prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling
of chemical and bacteriological (biological) weapons
and on the destruction of such weapons [A/7655]. The
consequences of this convention would be a direct and
logical extension of the Geneva Protocol of 1925 and
would ultimately lead to the complete elimination and
destruction of these weapons.
48. The Czechoslovak delegation hopes that the draft of
the socialist countries will be favourably received, so that
this session of the General Assembly may mark a turning-point
in this highly important matter.
49. Nearly ten years have elapsed since the adoption in
this forum of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence
to Colonial Countries and Peoples [General Assembly
resolution 1514 (XV)].
50. This is indeed a document of historic importance. The
Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial
Countries and Peoples has, among other things, promoted
the establishment of dozens of new States which have
overthrown colonial domination and subsequently become
Members of the United Nations. Nevertheless, it cannot yet
be said that the requirements set out in the Declaration on
the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and
Peoples have been fully implemented. There are still vast
territories whose peoples continue to suffer under the
colonial yoke and look to this Organization in the hope of
assistance. This hope must not be disappointed; nor must
the hopes of peoples which have shaken off colonial
domination but which are still obliged to pursue their
struggle against various forms of neo-colonialism.
51. The problems of peace and universal security set
mankind a task of primordial importance. A world without
armaments and wars and the creation of peaceful conditions
for the free and creative development of human
labour — these are purposes laid down by the United Nations
in its Charter at its foundation. We are convinced that it is
essential at this time once again to draw attention to these
purposes and to concentrate all the efforts of the peoples
on their implementation. That is why we welcome the step
taken by the delegation of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics, which has requested the inclusion in the agenda
of this session of the General Assembly of an item entitled
“The strengthening of international security” and has
proposed the adoption of an appeal to all States of the
world on that subject [A/7654].
52. We consider that this appeal serves the interests of all
peace-loving nations and that, during the forthcoming
quarter-century of the Organization’s existence, it should
therefore become a base for the solution of problems
related to international security.
53. Speaking of international security, we should also like
to stress that Czechoslovakia, as a European State, is vitally
interested in establishing security in the European continent
in particular.
54. In this connexion we regard as a favourable development
the response to the Budapest appeal by the States
members of the Warsaw Treaty Organization, drawing the
attention of nations to the necessity of taking decisive steps
towards achieving security in Europe. It is gratifying that
most European States have expressed an interest in the
constructive programme proposed by the socialist
countries, and willingness to co-operate in its implementation.
We particularly welcome the fact that the Government
of Finland has already given a practical reply to this appeal.
We fully support that move and regard it as a significant
contribution to the cause of European peace.
55. Europe has its own outstanding problems, which are
not insignificant. They are due to the existence of two
contradictory trends, which have marked all European
development since the Second World War. The first trend is
one Which strives for peace and mutual co-operation and is
supported by all those who have really learnt a lesson from
the anti-Fascist struggle and wish peace to prevail in Europe
at long last. Czechoslovakia, like the other socialist States,
has always advocated, supported and promoted this programme.
56. In contradiction to this positive attitude, however,
there are still forces in Europe which do not wish to
reconcile themselves to the post-war settlement resulting
from the victory over fascism and are trying to pursue a
revanchist policy. Czechoslovakia, which has learnt by
experience of the expansive tendency of German imperialism,
is following with particular concern the activities of
militarist and neo-Nazi groups in the Federal Republic of Germany.
57. The Czechoslovak people harbours no feelings of
hostility against the people of the Federal Republic of
Germany. On the contrary, in our efforts to achieve
European security, we are prepared to do everything in our
power to restore our relations with the Federal Republic of
Germany to normal. But this will be impossible while
revanchist tendencies towards the revision of the European
frontiers laid down after the Second World War proliferate
in the Federal Republic of Germany. This will, above all, be
impossible until the Federal Republic of Germany agrees to
declare the infamous Munich Diktat null and void and to
abandon its unlawful claims to West Berlin and its
dangerous nuclear ambitions.
58. It is also necessary to end the unwarranted claim of
the Federal Republic of Germany to exclusive representation
of the whole German people, and thus also to end
discrimination against the German Democratic Republic,
which as one of two German States, is pursuing a consistent
policy of peaceful co-operation and thus gaining increasing
international authority. In October this year the German
Democratic Republic will celebrate its twentieth anniversary.
This fact shows the absurdity of attempts to ignore
the existence of the German Democratic Republic. It must
be recognized that urgent problems of European security
cannot be solved without the full participation of the
German Democratic Republic.
59. In spite of the undesirable phenomena I have mentioned,
trends towards the easing of tension and rational
peaceful co-operation are emerging with increasing clarity
in Europe. Indeed, it could hardly be otherwise. After all,
in the past half century this continent has twice been the
scene of world wars which have claimed over 70 million
human lives. These facts have not yet been obliterated from
the memory of entire generations of European peoples.
This has also contributed to the favourable response to the
Budapest document of the socialist States, which offers
possibilities for the settlement of all acute European
problems and for improving the atmosphere in Europe.
That is why the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist
Republic sees as one of the primordial tasks of its foreign
policy the implementations of the conclusions of the
Budapest appeal, particularly with regard to the convening
of an all-European conference on problems of security and
co-operation. We have already taken the lead in this
connexion and have entered into contact with a number of
European States. We cannot say that we have not met with
understanding; on the contrary, we are convinced that the
time has come for taking specific action in the near future.
60. The European peoples, like the peoples of other
continents, are interested in developing mutually-advantageous
economic co-operation in Europe under
conditions of peace and security and within the framework
of economic co-operation between all the countries of the
world. Czechoslovakia, a relatively small industrial country
in the centre of Europe, is endowed by its geographical
situation, its economic structure and its historic traditions
with favourable conditions for the most active participation
in such co-operation.
61. However, we are directing this co-operation not only
towards European countries but also towards the countries
of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Czechoslovakia has
participated to the best of its capacity in efforts to secure
the accelerated economic growth of the developing countries,
the transformation of their economic structures and
the strengthening of their position and role in the world
economy.
62. We want to continue to follow a policy of economic
co-operation with countries of both social systems, since
such co-operation will further the growth of the world
economy as a whole. We wish to participate in an
appropriate manner in preparing a global strategy within
the framework of the Second Development Decade. Attention
should be drawn to the fact that optimal development
on a world-wide scale cannot be achieved without the
solution of certain outstanding problems of economic
relations between countries with different social systems,
particularly between the developed capitalist and socialist
countries, and without the abolition of prevailing trade
barriers and restrictions between the countries of these
systems.
63. Czechoslovakia considers that the United Nations and
the specialized agencies have an important part to play in
international economic co-operation. In this connexion I
should like to point out that the Czechoslovak Government
recently adopted a decision to renew the membership of
the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Further
evidence of Czechoslovakia’s determination to develop and
strengthen international co-operation is given by the
increase in our contribution to the United Nations Development
Programme and in our voluntary contribution, to the
United Nations Industrial Development Organization, since
we regard industrialization as a basic instrument for the
economic growth of the developing countries. Accordingly
our country is increasingly making its human and material
resources available for the solution of these many-sided
problems, and intends to continue to do so.
64. The foreign policy of the Czechoslovak Socialist
Republic follows from the socialist nature of our State and
the historical experience of the Czech and Slovak peoples,
particularly during the period of the national liberation
struggle against fascism during the Second World War. It is
directed towards ensuring stable peaceful conditions for the
all-round development of socialist society in our country.
65. A month ago our country celebrated the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the Slovak national uprising, an event which
we regard as one of the most important in Czechoslovak
history. The dignified atmosphere and large scale of the
celebrations in honour of this event showed the whole
world the true attitude of our people. The objectives of the
Slovak national uprising are still a living reality. By its
political and military action the Slovak people expressed its
noblest aspirations for freedom and independence, as well
as its firm resolve to contribute to the cause of defeating
fascism and, together with the fraternal Czech people, to
establish the Czechoslovak Republic and to develop it on
new, democratic and socially equitable foundations. The
new constitutional and legal settlement of the relationship
between our peoples is a further expression of this sentiment.
66. The experience of the anti-Fascist struggle which
culminated in the victory over Nazi Germany and in which
the peoples of the Soviet Union played a decisive part
confronted the Czech and Slovak peoples with the acutely
urgent problem of safeguarding their future security in
Europe. The determination to achieve this end, together
with the firm resolve to develop a new and more equitable
system of socialism in our country, have unequivocally led
our people to stable friendship and mutually-advantageous
co-operation with the Soviet Union and other States of the
socialist community. The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
has found a reliable guarantee for its security in the
defensive alliance between the countries of the Warsaw
Treaty Organization.
67. The socialist development of Czechoslovakia has
become a bright page of its history, despite the fact that
there were certain shortcomings, as happens in every
far-reaching social movement. Anti-socialist forces, inspired
and actively supported from abroad, tried to make use of
our honest efforts to rectify these errors and shortcomings.
Nevertheless, the danger of a counter-revolutionary uprising
was averted and eliminated in time.
68. I am dwelling on these facts because an unheard-of
campaign of hostility has been unleashed against our
country and its Government in recent months. The purpose
of this campaign was to confuse public opinion; we are still
witnessing slanders and insults levelled at our constitutional
representatives, and attempts to turn our Czechoslovak
people against its Government and against our binding
alliances.
69. Our people has paid a high price for the lesson of
history and is perfectly capable of recognizing its real
friends and distinguishing between truth and lies. That is
why the overwhelming majority rejected these hostile acts,
Provocation by anti-socialist forces, which assumed the
character of counter-revolutionary acts, culminated in the
defeat of those who organized and took part in them. The
people supported and still support the necessary measures
and policy of their Government.
70. No one will succeed in diverting the Czechoslovak
Socialist Republic from the path of building a socialist
society, the path of friendship and close co-operation with
the Soviet Union and the other socialist States. Nor will this
cause be promoted by acts encouraged from abroad, of
incitement to uprisings in the country, or by the most
subtle ideological campaigns based on pseudo-theories of
some kind of “limited sovereignty” and similar concepts. It
is therefore not only in the interests of the Czechoslovak
Socialist Republic, but also in the interests of promoting
friendly relations between nations, to put an end to
attempts to introduce the so-called question of Czechoslovakia
into this international forum. There is no such question.
71. The development of Czechoslovakia and the measures
we are taking for this development are exclusively our own
domestic concern. Decisions on our internal and foreign-policy
affairs are taken by constitutional and government
organs. These organs are headed by selfless patriots who
have fought actively for a free Czechoslovakia, who stood
by the cradle of the new, modern, socialist Czechoslovakia,
and who enjoy the respect and gratitude of our people.
What problems we have, we shall solve by ourselves.
72. The Czechoslovak people and its Government greatly
appreciate the friendship and sympathy shown to them by
other peoples and their Governments. We realize that many
of the countries with which the Czechoslovak Socialist
Republic maintains sound, mutually-advantageous friendly
relations might, as a result of the complexity of our internal
political development and of the lack of truthful information,
have reached premature conclusions concerning the
so-called events in Czechoslovakia and their causes and
might have encouraged or tolerated various acts which the
Czechoslovak Government could not and cannot regard as
friendly. We hope that these countries will take the point of
view of the Czechoslovak Government into consideration.
73. In the existing complex international situation, the
Czechoslovak delegation regards the United Nations as an
important instrument through which the solution of urgent
problems of peace and security could be promoted. The
principles and purposes of its Charter provide reliable
guidelines for the solution of important international
problems and for strengthening the United Nations itself
and its role in the contemporary world.
74. We therefore, consider that it would be useful for the
United Nations, in the year of its twenty-fifth anniversary,
first of all to reaffirm the full relevance of these purposes
and principles and the necessity of observing them. Efforts
must also be made to eliminate the obstacles which lie in
the way of the implementation of the purposes of the Charter.
75. Accordingly, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the
United Nations should be celebrated next year not merely
by declarations, but primarily by specific action, by
bringing certain unfinished projects to a conclusion and by
reaching agreement on outstanding questions. One such
action should be the conclusion of work on the declaration
on the principles of international law governing mutual
relations and co-operation between States. The adoption of
these principles would do much to promote the strengthening
of peaceful coexistence between countries with different
social systems, increased confidence between States and
the stabilization of the hopes and tranquillity of the peoples.
76. Much but by no means everything has been done to
enable the world to live without fear of war. We are
therefore in duty bound to co-opt all the peace-loving
forces and movements in the world which are actively
supporting this aim and are striving for its realization and
which quite rightly regard the United Nations as an
important instrument for the defence of peace and the
realization of the noble purposes of the Charter.
77. For my part, therefore, I should like to state that at
this session of the General Assembly, as in the past, the
Czechoslovak delegation will actively support and promote
all measures and steps directed towards the strengthening of
the peace and security of all mankind.