On behalf of the delegation of Iran and on my own behalf I wish to offer you my most cordial congratulations on your election as President of the General Assembly. I am especially happy to see one of our colleagues, whose ability and high ethical sense are universally recognized, elected to the highest office of the United Nations.
55. At the same time I should like to express my profound esteem for Prince Wan Waithayakon, who presided over the debates of the eleventh session with such graciousness and skill.
56. I cannot conceal from you how pleased lam to be back in this Assembly, in whose proceedings I last participated three years ago. My pleasure is all the greater since, with the addition of twenty-two new Members to the great family of the United Nations, the Assembly has now become well-nigh universal. I should like to add that to us the absence of these countries was a source of concern and regret and, as the spokesman of my Government, I hope with all my heart that the principle of universality to which we have always subscribed may become a concrete reality through the admission of other States which have applied for membership and which fulfil the conditions of membership.
57. The increase in the membership of the Organization should, we think, have as its corollary the expansion of the principal organs of the United Nations, notably the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. I am gratified to note that this problem is also engaging the attention of several of our colleagues, and I congratulate those Members who already last year took the initiative of proposing [A/3138 to A/31401 that the Assembly should consider the items which reappear on this session's agenda as items 19, 20 and 21.
58. At this point I should like to review briefly the events of the past year and, from them, to draw a few conclusions concerning the influence our Organization exerted on their course. When the General Assembly met last year, storm clouds had already begun to overshadow international co-operation, inconsequence of the events that had taken place in both the Middle East and Hungary. The peoples of the world have become so interdependent that the least disturbance, the slightest upheaval, the faintest unrest, wherever in the world they may arise, are apt to spread swiftly and to create general uneasiness and anxiety.
59. The entire world, keenly aware of the dangers implicit in another world war, sincerely desires to forestall it and is making arduous efforts to ward off any explosive situation threatening to expose mankind to this dreadful prospect.
60. It is to this sincere desire, I believe, that we must attribute the easing of tension which had occurred a few years ago. Although interrupted momentarily by last year’s events, this relaxation is again developing, albeit very slowly, in a desirable direction. For instance, it has been possible to continue the progress made in the peaceful utilization of atomic energy before the events of last autumn, and this progress has smoothed the way for organizing effective international co-operation in this field. The same is true of the disarmament problem, in which the meagre results obtained are nevertheless an encouraging sign.
61. Yet we should frankly admit that the world is still divided on several issues and that the tension persists, at least in some areas of the world. Hence, our first task is to eliminate the remaining evil consequences of last year’s serious events. At the same time we should strive to find solutions to the still unsolved problems.
62. Our conviction is unshaken - and the fact that the sincere desire for international collaboration survived last year's crisis supports this conviction - that it is still possible, if each one shows the necessary good will, to work out an acceptable solution for the problems still pending and to map out a path along positive, constructive lines for international cooperation among all nations, regardless of their political, economic and social systems.
63. Now, as we are about to begin, this session's work, we cannot fail to be guided by what we have learned, not only from the grave events which clouded the atmosphere of international relations for a while, but also from the positive accomplishments of our Organization. For, however serious and regrettable the events I referred to may have been, it is still gratifying that our Organization was able to meet the situation and proved once again that it is capable of bringing into play and utilizing successfully all the moral authority at its disposal, when the issue is the purpose for which it was created - the maintenance of international peace and security.
64. In this connexion, it is especially gratifying to me to note that the United Kingdom and France responded favourably to the Assembly’s summons and complied with its resolutions. In this way, they restored the trust the United Nations had placed in those two Powers which, as permanent members of the Security Council, bear a heavy responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
65. We would have liked the Powers most directly concerned in the situation created in Hungary to show the same respect for the Assembly's decisions and the same willingness to comply with them.
66. To return to the crisis in the Middle East, I think it may be said with certainty that our Organization won prestige and authority through the firmness and speed with which it faced this problem. For it organized the United Nations Emergency Force very promptly, and this Force was able to make an invaluable contribution to the restoration of order in the region. The organization of that Force and the efficiency with which it discharged its delicate duties encourage us to look forward to the establishment of a permanent force of this sort, whose deployment wherever danger threatened would be the best means of safeguarding the peace. Such a force, moreover, would be a first step towards establishing the international army so earnestly desired by the authors of the Charter.
67. Accordingly, we express the hope that this new experiment in world diplomacy may prove to be a seed capable of growing and developing into an international police force, which in the past has been sorely wanting in our Organization.
68. The part played by the United Nations in the freeing and clearing of the Suez Canal ahead of schedule, an operation which enabled the users of that waterway to resume passage through it in the interests of international co-operation, also merits our unreserved admiration.
69. Beyond any doubt, the initiative and efforts of the Secretary-General greatly contributed to the favourable turn taken by the events in this sphere. To him, for his successful endeavours, we offer our profound gratitude.
70. It would, however, be a grave mistake to think that the malady from which this region suffers is completely cured. Now that relative calm has been restored, we must attack the very origin of the disease and try to remove its causes. This means that we should exert ourselves to attain lasting and final results; otherwise, this precarious calm might easily be broken by violent shocks.
71. As the representative of a country situated in the region, a country whose independence, though often threatened, has been preserved, I may perhaps submit certain general observations, which I hope will make a modest contribution to the return of lasting tranquillity in the region. I shall try to do this in all objectivity and without bias or preconceived ideas.
72. Most of the peoples inhabiting this vast region were long deprived of their independence. By reason of scientific and social advances and of the development of means of communication, these peoples came to realize the conditions under which they were living and were encouraged to assert their right to freedom and their just aspirations to dispose freely of their economic resources.
73. This realization is a factor we ought to respect and take into consideration, and we should understand that the movements to which I have alluded, far from being destructive or harmful, are evidence of an historical and natural evolution for which we ought to show comprehension. The free and powerful countries, particularly those enjoying prosperity, should make every effort to help the recently liberated peoples to fulfil their aspirations in tranquillity; they should show them, in tangible form, what sincere international cooperation can achieve.
74. In my opinion, it is by anticipating the legitimate aspirations of these peoples, by welcoming them in a spirit of fairness, that we shall succeed in guiding them in the direction of harmonious co-operation beneficial to all. Otherwise, these forces would follow channels leading to rancour and vindictiveness, and in any event it would prove impossible to perpetuate certain privileged positions which cannot nowadays be justified in any way whatsoever.
75. In the Middle East today we are confronted by opinions and ideas which are at times extremist. In some quarters these ideas arc condemned, while elsewhere they are welcomed enthusiastically. These ideas, rejected outright by some, are the basis and quintessence of policy for others. We must seek to discover the origin of that divergence. If the aspirations and trends new emerging are actuated by enlightened patriotism, by the desire to maintain or to exercise national sovereignty in full freedom, to guard the common heritage of civilization, to curb the influence of certain personal interests, no one is entitled to regard them as anything but legitimate. If, however, these movements spring from selfish ambition, if they aim at the establishment of absolute rule and if their object is the employment of force for expansionist purposes, creating apprehension and division among nations, then they can only be regarded as baneful and injurious.
76. We cannot content ourselves with words of promise. We shall support with all our power the legitimate aspirations of the peoples and we shall do our utmost to satisfy them by making common cause with those who, like ourselves, are dedicated to the quest for a just and equitable international order through co-operation in the community of nations. In following this course, we merely conform to the traditions inherent in our civilization.
77. I think it is proper at this point to outline the role which my country has been trying to play in the Middle East with a view to contributing to the stability and to the maintenance of peace in the region. As a counterpart to our efforts in the United Nations, we considered it our duty also to join, in the framework of a defensive pact, those Powers which have the same political and economic aims, in order to safeguard our security and to hasten our economic development. For this reason, we acceded to the Baghdad Pact, which in the course of the last year has developed in notable fashion.
78. Like any other international arrangement of its kind, this Pact is designed to fill existing gaps in the collective security system provided for in the United Nations Charter. Purely defensive in character, this association constitutes, as we see it, an advance in international relations, inasmuch as it meets more clearly and more completely the requirements of the present situation and, in particular, promotes the necessary collaboration between States whose interest and wish it is to harmonize their efforts both in the field of security and in the field of economic and social development.
79. The deliberations of the third annual session of the Council of Ministers of the Baghdad Pact, held at Karachi in June 1957, furnished striking proof that the structure of peace has been materially reinforced by the entry into effect of the provisions of that Pact, that the Pact has done much to bring together certain Middle Eastern countries with a total population of 140 million and that it has associated them, in a cooperation beneficial to all the parties concerned, with the United Kingdom and the United States, whose highly industrialized economy supplements that of a region which is as yet at the initial stage of industrial development.
80. Needless to say, Iran, as a member of this alliance, will redouble its efforts to consolidate the ties linking it with its allies, not only to promote security and stability in the region, but also to help consolidate world peace.
81. Although neighbours of Iraq, Pakistan and Turkey, it is only since the signing of the Baghdad Pact that we have been able to join with these countries in true cooperation embracing all fields where co-operation may be fruitful of results. In addition to certain technical assistance projects, we have been able to prepare plans for intensifying our commercial and agricultural relations and improving our public health services and communications.
82. The factors which prompted us to adhere to the Baghdad Pact also account for our enthusiastic support of the principles contained in the Eisenhower Doctrine, designed to strengthen the defence of the Middle East against all aggression and to provide economic assistance to the countries in that area.
83. I should now like to turn to some other problems still outstanding, a few of which appear on the Assembly’s agenda.
84. First and foremost, we have the Palestine question. While there remain almost a million Palestine refugees in the Arab countries and while the parties concerned continue to hold widely divergent views, grave incidents are always apt to occur. We must therefore display tolerance, foresight and realism in striving, on the basis of the principles adopted by the General Assembly, for a satisfactory solution likely to ensure the political stability of the countries of the Middle East, thus leaving them free to devote their efforts to the economic development of the area.
85. Another problem of vital importance is the present tragic situation in Algeria,
86. Ever since the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 1012 (XI) on the question of Algeria, we have been waiting for France to comply with the hope expressed by the Assembly and to make every effort, in a spirit of co-operation, to find a peaceful democratic and just solution, through appropriate means, in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
87. My Government deplores the fact that nothing tangible has been accomplished towards attaining the purposes stated in the resolution and is greatly disturbed by the constant deterioration of the situation, which merely prolongs the suffering and daily causes further large-scale loss of human life.
88. There is nevertheless a clear and growing tendency on the part of world public opinion, including French opinion, to admit the need to recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Algerian people, not only on humanitarian grounds, but also in order to put an end to a situation fraught with danger to peace. We hope that, in dealing with this question, the General Assembly will be able to consider the facts in a spirit of calm and moderation and thus help the French Government to find a speedy solution of the problem,
89. Our views on the Algerian problem are equally applicable to all other questions involving the legitimate aspirations of peoples who are either under trusteeship or non-self-governing, and we believe that the United Nations must abide by the principles of the Charter and intensify its efforts to see that those aspirations are satisfied.
90. It is highly gratifying to note that our Organization has already made a great contribution towards the realization of the purposes laid down in the Charter; nevertheless, in view of the fact that there still exists a large number of peoples subject to foreign domination, we feel that the United Nations should make even greater efforts to ensure that those peoples attain their independence.
91. It was with great joy that we greeted the independence of the peoples of Ghana and the Federation of Malaya. I wish to take this opportunity of assuring them once again from this rostrum of our sincerest wishes for their happiness and prosperity.
92. I should now like to turn briefly to Europe and say a word about the German problem, which is of serious concern to us. We are deeply grieved to see the continued division of that country into two sections; this situation is not only repugnant to the aspirations of the German people, but also constitutes a source of tension and grave unrest. We ardently hope that the problem of the unification of Germany may be solved, in the interests of world peace and with due regard for the legitimate aspirations of the German people.
93. I now feel bound to mention one of the most important questions on the Assembly’s agenda: the question of disarmament. This question, which has already been discussed at such great length in the United Nations, is of universal interest. It is a source of concern not solely to the great Powers, which discuss it regularly, especially in the Sub-Committee of the Disarmament Commission, but also to the small and medium Powers, which are compelled by the absence of agreement on the subject of disarmament to expend a large part of their national revenue on defence. The small and medium Powers also realize that wars can no longer be localized and that, sooner or later, any war would engulf both the great and the small in a general conflagration.
94. This universal concern has been repeatedly reflected in the General Assembly, where representatives of various Powers have expressed their alarm at the armaments race and have addressed urgent appeals to the members of the Disarmament Commission and of its Sub-Committee to spare no effort in order to reach appropriate agreements.
95. It is important to note that, despite the difficulties encountered by the Sub-Committee in its debates and despite the fact that no tangible result has yet been achieved, new factors have been introduced by the parties concerned, affording grounds for hope that an agreement - although of only limited scope - may be possible.
96. We sincerely hope that the General Assembly’s discussions on this subject will have a favour able outcome and thus help the Disarmament Commission and its Sub-Committee to continue their task in a more auspicious atmosphere and with greater chances of success.
97. Before concluding this part of my statement on political questions I am in duty bound to call attention to the special importance of close international cooperation and the maintenance of excellent good-neighbourly relations.
98. In this connexion I should like to emphasize the importance of the developments over the past few years in relations between Iran and our great neighbour to the north, the Soviet Union. Two years ago we succeeded in settling the differences existing between our country and the Soviet Union regarding the demarcation lines of our common frontiers. We have also succeeded in strengthening car commercial ties, and an agreement has just been concluded with a view to exploring the possibility of jointly harnessing our resources of water power through the construction of dams along the rivers which run between our respective countries.
99. I should like to say a further word concerning international economic co-operation. One of the serious economic problems is the sizable gulf which still separates the industrialized and the economically under-developed countries. One of the essential tasks of the United Nations is to promote conditions of stability and well-being in the world and to contribute to economic and social progress and development, particularly in the under-developed countries where the peoples’ level of living is still very low.
100. It should be observed that the United Nations has done what it could towards the development of those countries, among other things by rendering them technical assistance on a relatively large scale. So far, however, the United Nations has been unable to achieve the economic and social purposes set forth in the Charter. This situation can be ascribed in part to a lack of the funds needed to extend the technical assistance programmes of the United Nations and to the absence of a special agency equipped with the credit resources which the preparation and execution of plans for essential works require.
101. The need for such an agency seems the more obvious today in that neither the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation nor private institutions can furnish the necessary financial help. It is essential, therefore, that these institutions should be reinforced by others capable of filling the gap. Hence it was with great satisfaction that we learned that, at its twenty-fourth session, the Economic and Social Council had adopted a resolution [662 B (XXIV)] recommending the establishment of the Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development [SUNFED], the essential function of which would be to supply the financial needs we have been describing. We hope the General Assembly will also support this idea, and that this Fund can be set up as soon as possible.
102. So far as my country is concerned, we fully appreciate that it is for us to ensure our own economic development. That is why we have devoted most of our oil revenues to that purpose. With the capital thus amassed we have been able to institute a second economic plan, under which we have been able not only to revive those branches of industry that had been affected by the Second World War and the ensuing political instability, but also to increase our production by setting up new industries and modernizing our agricultural equipment. In this connexion I avail myself of this opportunity to express to the United States Government our gratitude for the generous assistance which it has rendered us in recent years, and which has enabled us to revive our economy at a difficult time.
103. With a view to encouraging the investment of foreign capital in our country and to speeding up the pace of our economic development, an Act has been passed providing adequate guarantees for foreign capital invested in Iran. Moreover, another Act has been passed to promote the utilization of our oil resources and we are convinced that, over and above the agreement concluded on 5 August 1954 by the National Iranian Oil Company with the international oil consortium, we shall manage to step up the working of other oil deposits with the co-operation of other interested concerns. This will enable us to increase our national income and intensify our economic development, and will at the same time offer wider possibilities for improved international co-operation.
104. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm our confidence and faith in the United Nations and our fidelity to the principles of the Charter. It is in this spirit that we shall take part in the work of this session, with the firm conviction that the health and prosperity of our people, as of all others, can be assured only within that framework of international solidarity of which the United Nations is the living symbol.