Chile, 1992

In our

times, a unique advance has been made in the search for peace, understanding

and cooperation among peoples. Mankind is progressively becoming more and

more aware of this new reality.

Accordingly, the present juncture is an appropriate one for reflection

and dialogue within the framework of the United Nations, for a review of our

achievements as well as of our shortcomings, and for a serious, in-depth study

of the role we assign to the Organization and the hopes we seek to fulfil,

hopefully in the near future.

I wish to reiterate here the conviction of President Aylwin's Government

regarding the moral, political and social imperative of placing the needs of

people at the heart of United Nations activities. Reducing poverty.

increasing employment and promoting social cohesion are needs shared by the

entire international community.

For these reasons, the importance of this forty-seventh session of the

General Assembly is inarguable.

We welcome the new Member States that have joined the United Nations and

that will take part with us in its endeavours.

We welcome your election, Mr. President, since it will permit an

experienced figure in world politics to guide our deliberations and lead them

to an outcome which is satisfactory to all. At the same time we appreciate

the judicious administration of your illustrious predecessor,

Ambassador Shihabi.*

The world is on the threshold of the twenty-first century. We have left

behind us the senseless ideological confrontations between the super-Powers

and the danger of nuclear holocaust.

But there is no guarantee of peace. There are still old tensions and new

ones the result of racism, religious fanaticism and extreme nationalism; there

remains the historic challenge of development for all; and there is still a

terrible social debt which cannot be rescheduled to the most

disenfranchised members of all our societies.

Our Organization is still faced with many challenges calling for more

effective action. The war in Bosnia and the grave reports of massive

violations of human rights, reaching the point of genocide, in the territories

devastated by the conflict in the former Yugoslavia demand concerted and

vigorous action.

The auspicious but still uncertain process launched in South Africa poses

new challenges for our Organization.

The ongoing negotiations on the Middle East augur well for the future,

but other situations in the world still pose a threat to peace.

Social confrontation, the outcome of the growing gap between well-being

and poverty, has become a source of global instability. Today more than ever,

development with equity is the new requirement for peace, a common task we are

called upon to join together and undertake.

Now that the cold war is over, the role of the United Nations has taken

on more relevance than ever before. The Organization has a central role to

play in building a new international order which will make it possible to face

the crises that constitute serious threats to peace in many parts of the world.

These crises, and a whole series of economic, social and environmental

challenges, can be overcome only if the Organization is strengthened, commands

more respect and becomes more efficient in the pursuit of its lofty goals.

Of course, it is essential that this enormous task we are calling on the

world Organization to perform be complemented by the preventive activities

carried out by regional organizations. Our own regional organization, the

Organization of American States, is carrying out that mission by engaging in a

realistic and tenacious effort to forestall or resolve the region's varied and

difficult problems.

But it is in the United Nations that we must develop the concepts,

principles and agreements which will make the security of individuals a

priority objective of international cooperation. This, in turn, will enhance

coexistence among States.

We must search together for new political directions that allow us to

strengthen the role of the Organization in the maintenance of peace and

security, in the defence of human rights, in the protection of the

environment, in the struggle against drug trafficking and terrorism and in

closing the gap between North and South.

The starting-point must be the values that inspire our action. Chile

proclaims before this worldwide forum its unswerving dedication to peace and

respect for the dignity of the individual, its conviction that justice is the

foundation of any truly stable society, its belief in the universal value of

human rights, its respect for individual creativity and democracy as an ideal

form of government its commitment, in short, to the needs of the most humble

in all our societies and its recognition of the validity of law and of the

search for consensus as a foundation for major national and international

agreements.

Chile firmly believes in the Charter of the United Nations. There is no

substitute for this Organization as a world parliament, as a forum for

international debates and agreements, as a source of innovative technical

analysis and as a multilateral body responsible for peace, security and

development.

Just as we back the role of the United Nations without reservation, we

likewise set no limits on our demand that it should be efficient and

democratic in the attainment of its objectives. Certainly, that depends on

the will of Governments, as well as on the strengthening of the competence and

autonomy of the Secretariat.

Above all, a balance needs to be struck between the General Assembly as

the principal political organ, the Security Council as the organ responsible

for dealing with the traditional problems of peace and security, and the

Economic and Social Council as the primary body for promoting sustainable and

equitable development.

Mutually respectful interaction among these three levels should permit

the United Nations to take the lead in creating an international order of

peace in which the interests and problems of all countries are adequately

represented.

In this new world order which is taking shape and which all members of

the Organization must contribute to designing, a vitally important place is

occupied by the Secretary-General's report, entitled "An Agenda for Peace"

(A/47/277), which contains ideas and suggestions regarding preventive

diplomacy and peacemaking, peace-keeping and peace-building.

Chile agrees that the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of

international peace and security should be strengthened.

While preventive diplomacy is playing an increasingly significant role on

the international scene, the concept of peace-building, in the sense of

creating a new climate and strengthening security through economic, social and

cultural development, is a fundamental issue.

Our country is collaborating with the United Nations and is prepared to

increase its participation in the future, should that prove necessary.

Chile's readiness in this regard has been expressed in its support for the

Security Council in the decisions that have been adopted. Likewise, it has in

recent years placed at the service of the United Nations the knowledge and

professional experience of its armed forces and forces of public order.

Chilean soldiers have traditionally been among the members of the United

Nations observer forces in the Middle East and the Asian subcontinent. Our

marines are initiating their activities in Cambodia, our pilots have been

active in Kuwait, and our police are collaborating with the peace force in El

Salvador.

In this spirit of service to the cause of peace, Chile is a constant

participant in the debates in multilateral forums on disarmament on a global

scale, without prejudice to our active involvement on the regional level.

We support the Convention on chemical weapons and reiterate our

legitimate desire to become a full member of the Conference on Disarmament

once the issue of its enlargement becomes the subject of real discussion.

In the regional sphere, we see as important the initiative we have taken,

together with Argentina and Brazil, that is designed to give full effect to

the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the

Caribbean through a set of amendments intended to strengthen its monitoring

system and which the conference of signatories has approved by acclamation.

In the context of the positive spirit that has succeeded the cold-war

period and is characterized by the search for agreements and a climate of

friendship and collaboration between the Powers, my country considers that the

time has come to undertake, on a carefully thought-out time scale, the total

elimination of nuclear weapons, and to put a definitive end right now to the

testing of such weapons.

I join my voice with those of the Ministers of the Nordic Group who,

meeting at Svalbard, welcome the efforts being made, particularly the halting

of the French tests in the Pacific, and expressed their wish that the

voluntary moratorium on all nuclear explosions should become a permanent one,

removing from the world once and for all these practices which threaten our

security, coexistence and environment.

In the years to come, we shall have to take up the issue of the

composition of the Security Council. We believe that this important body

should reflect new international realities, and we are accordingly ready to

consider with interest and sympathy new formulas that would appropriately

reflect the aspirations of new world Powers which are seeking to become

regular members of the Council.

It is also essential to strengthen the presence in that body of the

various developing regions. Inevitably, this will entail greater

participation numerically, as well as new forms of regional representation.

With improvements over time, this practice could become a mechanism for

representation of the regional groups which would combine freedom of action

for the country elected with the expression of the will of the countries of

its region. This system, if effectively operated, could ensure that all

Members of the Organization feel that they are participating to the proper

extent in the decisions of the Security Council.

Chile is also interested in strengthening the Economic and Social

Council. According to the Charter of the United Nations, this is the

principal specialized body of the system for analysing in an integrated way

the political, technical and operational dimensions of current economic and

social problems. The Council should be strengthened and renewed in order to

become a true council for development, capable of guiding high-level dialogue,

formulating development policies and providing proper guidance for the

operational activities of the system.

We shall be participating actively in discussions under way on these

issues on the basis of the interesting proposals submitted by the Nordic

countries and the Group of 77, and of the resolutions of the most recent

session of the Council.

A factor that will contribute to the reform of the" Economic and Social

Council will be the establishment, under it, of the commission for sustainable

development, which is called upon to become the body for monitoring

environment. problems. The link between the commission on sustainable

development and the world environment fund is also the key to the success of

Agenda 21, the ambitious programme of action approved by the United Nations

Conference on Environment and Development.

The practical results of the Conference, which were characterized by the

great effort made to reach agreement, are being carefully watched by the

public at large, which is participating in ever-greater numbers in this

process.

The signing of the Conventions on biological diversity and climate

change, the convening of the world conferences on desertification a subject

of great interest to many countries, but of vital importance to the African

nations and the conference on fishing on the high seas are milestones in the

international effort to preserve the environment.

We cannot enter a new era of world peace although it is potentially

within our grasp if we forget the human being. In the final analysis, our

capacity to lead and the raison d'être of the United Nations will be measured

by the success we achieve in the field of social development.

Without greater well-being for all our citizens, there will be no peace,

security or lasting stability at either the national or the international

level. That is why we put forward the initiative for a world summit for

social development. This proposal was recently endorsed unanimously in the

Economic and Social Council, which approved a positive recommendation to the

General Assembly that it convene the summit at the beginning of 1995 at the

level of Heads of State and Heads of Government.

I should like to take this occasion to thank all the Member States which

participated in that consensus, and in particular the 121 countries that

sponsored the relevant resolution. I should also like to thank the

Secretary-General for having assigned to our representative to the United

Nations, Ambassador Juan Somavia, the task of bringing to a successful

conclusion the consultations required to put this initiative into effect.

The first step has now been taken. Much remains to be done. There is no

doubt that the primary responsibility for resolving this situation is borne at

the domestic level. Each country must take steps to stabilize the functioning

of its political system, encourage investment, trade and technological

development and ensure equitable distribution of income.

Chile has accepted that challenge. It is growing today at an annual rate

of 7 per cent and has reduced unemployment to about 5 per cent and inflation

to 13 per cent a year. In addition, under President Aylwin's Government, the

process of solving the problem of external debt has been concluded, the real

income of salaried workers has increased by 15 per cent and policies designed

to alleviate the poverty of the most disenfranchised sectors of the population

have been implemented. This has been done on the basis of an open economy

which has concentrated on both economic and social efficiency against a

background of personal freedom and political democracy.

Although the success of these programmes has been recognized by the

various sectors in our national life, we are aware that much more still needs

to be done with our resources. But we are equally aware that the benefits for

our country would be significantly greater if the ground rules of the

international economy were more equitable.

Even while most of the world is calling, with growing clarity and force,

for the abolition of protectionism and the formulation of stable and

non-discriminatory rules to govern international trade, unilateral measures

are reversing this world-wide trend and giving rise to direct forms of

protectionism in the main world markets, in a departure from the principles

and regulatory framework established under the General Agreement on Tariffs

and Trade.

I now wish to say a few words on the Secretariat.

First, we welcome the election of the distinguished scholar, diplomat and

politician Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali as Secretary-General. The Members of the

United Nations are witnesses to Chile's consistent support for the African

continent's aspiration to see one of its own in that high post. We have

already expressed our opinion publicly at the bilateral level, within the

Non-Aligned Movement and in the General Assembly last year. We already have

evidence of the Secretary-General's character and decision-making ability. We

support him in his task.

The Secretariat is of course a vital organ under the Charter and in the

United Nations system. In order to meet the challenges that lie ahead, it

must act with the maximum efficiency and autonomy.

The Secretariat is at the service of all countries, and accordingly all

of them must be properly represented at its various levels. The efficiency of

the Organization depends to a large extent on the confidence Governments have

in the technical ability, experience and impartiality of its staff.

At a time when we are asking the Organization to perform all the tasks

that arise in this era, its constant financial insecurity is absurd. It is

essential to enhance the fluidity and automaticity of countries' payment of

their assessments. This is doubtless a responsibility that is shared by all,

but to the greatest extent by the main contributors. We cannot have a strong

Organization with a weak financial base.

The specialized agencies and regional commissions are called upon to

continue playing a vital role in such fields as cooperation for development,

protection of the environment and economic and social analysis. The

contributions they have made, to the benefit above all of the developing

world, must be assessed at their true value.*

The support of the United Nations for the second Space Conference of the

Americas, to be held shortly in Santiago, is another example that regional and

global efforts are complementary.

Chile has long had the privilege of being the site of important regional

offices of the world Organization. Their presence in our country is proof of

Chile's commitment to the activities of the United Nations, which we shall

always be prepared to support.

The subject of the United Nations, which is certainly what has brought us

together, is an exciting one for the international community. Indeed,

fulfilment of the purposes and principles of its Charter has been a constant

concern of our country. Likewise, failure to respect them arouses a sense of

frustration.

The duties and rights of each Member State vis-a-vis the Organization can

in no way be reduced to a matter of legalities or to simple mechanical

action. We recognize a real commitment to the United Nations system, and

consequently we discharge each of our duties responsibly.

The nations assembled here and indeed the world have before them the best

possible opportunity of firmly guaranteeing the future of coming generations,

a substantial improvement in the quality of life, the elimination of the

development gap and the attainment of peace in short, the opportunity of

building a better world for all and with all. Let us all take up that

challenge.