I should like, first of all, to join other delegations in conveying to Sir Leslie Munro my delegation's sincere congratulations on his election as President of this Assembly. By inviting him to preside over its discussions, the Assembly has recognized him as a man of great tact, competence and devotion to the cause of the United Nations. My delegation is all the more pleased at this election in that relations between our two countries have always been characterized by friendship and mutual co-operation.
2. At the same time, my delegation would like heartily to congratulate Mr. Charles Malik of Lebanon on his spirit of abnegation and understanding, which has enabled the General Assembly to continue the tradition of harmony and unity which has attended the election of its President every year since the foundation of the United Nations.
3. The Cambodian delegation is glad to welcome the Federation of Malaya, which has just become the eighty-second Member of our Organization. Slowly but surely the United Nations is moving towards its goal of universality, and its membership is reflecting more and more faithfully the realities of the world situation.
4. Whereas in 1956 our discussions were overshadowed by tragic events, we can be thankful this year that the Assembly is beginning its work in a somewhat more peaceful atmosphere. That is not to say that we have completely forgotten the events of last year. As the Secretary-General has pointed out in the introduction to his annual report, they have "cast a clearer light upon the role of the United Nations in these times", a role which the Organization has played "sometimes successfully, sometimes with disappointing setbacks" [A/3594/Add.1, p.3].
5. The world Is not at present experiencing an ideal and lasting peace. The danger of conflict still exists in certain parts of the globe. Peoples are still struggling for their freedom and independence. Cambodia considers that the international situation is far from satisfactory, and the Cambodian people are anxiously wondering if there are not other threats to the security of nations.
6. Notwithstanding the present situation, Cambodia remains firmly convinced that all international disputes can and must be settled by peaceful means, with respect for the rights and sovereignty of each country and in conformity with the principles of the Charter.
7. As far as my country is concerned, we have never departed from those principles. Long before becoming a Member of the United Nations, Cambodia had steadfastly pursued a consistent policy of peace. In the struggle for its independence, its freedom and its right to live, it has always refrained from the use of violence and force.
8. Some might regard our policy of peace as a policy of weakness. I can assure them that my Government practises neither a weak nor a defeatist policy but that it considers that all countries, great or small, powerful or weak, should adhere to the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiation. In the event of direct negotiation failing, disputes should be brought before the United Nations, which should be regarded not as a forum for propaganda or sterile debate but as the highest international court where constructive discussion may take place.
9. I would even go further and say that the United Nations should have more authority and that it is the duty of all Member States, both large and small, to give it that supreme jurisdiction which it still lacks in some cases. The Members of the United Nations have every reason to unite their efforts and their aims in order to give it this authority, for in recommending the settlement of disputes by peaceful means the Charter makes it an essential condition that the principles of justice and international law should be safeguarded. Peace and justice are the foundations of the present-day world; neither can exist without the other. If justice is wanting, peace will be threatened.
10. In recent times, Cambodia has repeatedly had its air space violated and its frontiers threatened and encroached upon, while those of its people who are living in territories which were once an integral part of our kingdom are oppressed without cause. Nevertheless, true to its policy of peace, my Government sincerely hopes that all its disputes with its neighbours will be settled by peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of the Charter.
11. It was in order to uphold this policy of peace that Cambodia adopted the principles of neutrality and of the pancha sila. which have been approved by the entire Cambodian people and are strictly applied by the royal Government. Cambodia desires the friendship and co-operation of all nations and does not intend, unless its existence is endangered, to participate in any military bloc or alliance or to engage in any ideological or propaganda campaign against regimes or ideas prevailing in other countries. This policy of peaceful coexistence is reflected in the diplomatic, cultural and economic ties which the royal Government of Cambodia is maintaining with countries having different political systems.
12. The Government of Cambodia feels that, in order to strengthen these ties, the gulf which today separates the developed from the under-developed countries must be gradually narrowed. So far the United Nations has worked unremittingly to aid those countries which have recently attained their independence but which lack the means of adapting their economies to the rapid development of the modern world. My Government is glad to express its gratitude for the technical assistance which it has received from the United Nations. In view, however, of the vast amount of lost time which those countries have to make up and the comparatively meagre resources available to the United Nations, the assistance given is still not enough to secure adequate and balanced economic development in all parts of the world.
13. It is encouraging to note that some of the larger nations have understood the importance of the problem of economic co-operation and, setting aside all political considerations, have come to the aid of the less developed countries. Sincere and loyal economic cooperation between large and small nations is perhaps one of the most effective means of creating an atmosphere of understanding and collaboration and, in the final analysis, of promoting peace among nations. Whether this co-operation is brought about through the United Nations or through bilateral or multilateral arrangements, we should encourage it or facilitate it if it is based on the principle of equality and mutual respect.
14. International co-operation of this kind would contribute substantially to the maintenance of peace if the great nations would agree to use their scientific discoveries in the nuclear field solely for peaceful purposes and if they succeeded in reaching a satisfactory solution of the problem of disarmament. The United Nations has not yet been able to find an answer to the fundamental questions placed before it year after year: the reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons and other instruments of mass destruction. It has not yet succeeded in persuading the great Powers to agree to reduce their armed forces or to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons or even to stop testing such weapons.
15. All delegations here are already aware of Cambodia's position with regard to this problem. In view of the mortal danger that nuclear weapons would bring upon mankind in the event of armed conflict, my Government has made the following proclamation: "In common with the other peoples of the world, the people of Cambodia are gravely concerned about the repeated testing of nuclear weapons. They are fully aware that the effects of atomic or hydrogen bomb explosions cannot be fully controlled and they fear contamination of their territory, which is totally unequipped, not only to protect itself, but even to detect the danger. "Furthermore, the people of Cambodia, being deeply imbued with the teachings of Buddha, have the utmost respect for life in all its forms. "They view with alarm the colossal means of destruction in the hands of the great nations ranged against each other which they may at any time be tempted to use. "Any attempt to conclude an international agreement to halt nuclear tests and to prevent the use of atomic missiles will have the whole-hearted support of our peace-loving people."
16. In this matter, we cannot accuse the United Nations of being ineffective. If it has not attained the objectives set forth in the Charter it is because, as the Secretary-General states in the introduction to his annual report, the facts of international life impose limitations upon it.
17. My Government feels that an immediate agreement on the cessation of nuclear tests would constitute an important step forward in the search for a compromise solution among the nations possessing these weapons of mass destruction.
18. The facts compel us to recognize that the problem of disarmament, like all fundamental problems in which the special interests of the great Powers are in conflict, cannot yet be solved. The small, poor and weak countries are bound to suffer just like the great Powers from the possible consequences of this conflict of interests. In view of the share of responsibility that they are obliged to assume, the United Nations would do well to pay a little more heed to the smaller countries and to try to make the best use of their good offices, for they are not powerful or important enough to have any stake in international affairs and problems, but show dignity and propriety in their policies and in their international relations. These small countries could offer a modest but impartial opinion and make a constructive contribution to the settlement of the difficulties besetting the peoples of the world.
19. By assigning an equal vote to each of its Members, the United Nations has enabled these small countries to participate in international affairs irrespective of their geographical importance or their power. This is no more than fair, and we feel that there is no justification for the suggested revision of the Charter in such a way as to enable the great Powers to play a dominating role. The system of an equal vote for each country, large or small, has never prevented the finding of just solutions. The small countries are just as conscious of their responsibilities as are the great countries, for they are just as sensitive to the consequences of a conflict between the great Powers. All too often they play the part of helpless spectators in the conflict of interests between such Powers. They are not in the habit of forming blocs against the strong nations. For these reasons, we feel that neither the facts of the case nor the demands of justice warrant any attempt to change the voting system.
20. Since regaining its independence, Cambodia has constantly striven for loyal and sincere co-operation with many countries in order to be able to live in an atmosphere of mutual respect and peace. It is in the same spirit that my country wants to participate in the work of the United Nations. I am certain that we have the same goal, and I venture to think that the services rendered by a country in the cause of peace cannot be measured purely in terms of its strength, its area or its population. If the United Nations is to abide by its principles, Member States must co-operate in an atmosphere of equality and mutual respect. The effectiveness of the United Nations depends primarily upon its moral strength and upon the collective conscience of mankind. All nations, whether small or great, strong or weak, may be usefully employed in the noble task in which our Organization is engaged.