Guatemala, 1982

On behalf of the Guatemalan delegation, over which I have the honor

to preside, I wish to express to you, Mr. Hollai, congratulations on

your unanimous election as President of the General Assembly. Such a

high distinction is well deserved recognition of your human act

professional qualities and your profound knowledge of the problems

being discussed in the Organization. I am convinced that under your

able leadership our tasks will attain the very best results. Mease

rest assured that you may count on the whole hearted cooperation of

the Guatemalan delegation. I also wish to express my delegation's

recognition of the work accomplished under the direction of Mr.

Kittani as President of the previous session. My delegation greets

with special satisfaction the Secretary General, Mr. Javier Perez de

Cuellar, that illustrious Latin American diplomat, who is

indefatigable in his efforts in search of a more effective role for

the United Nations in its endeavors to attain international peace,

understanding and harmony. As regards the national policy of my

country, I wish to declare that the present Government of the

Republic of Guatemala, which assumed power on 23 March of this year

to put an end to a practically untenable situation stemming from

corruption and lack of respect for the will of the people as

expressed at the polls, received the immediate assent and approval of

the entire Guatemalan people and met with expressions of

international acceptance and satisfaction. The goals of the

Government of Guatemala are basically to bring peace to the country,

which is now in such a serious state of upheaval, especially in some

areas, as a result of actions by subversive groups which have sown

terror among the population and caused incalculable personal and

material damage to inhabitants, forcing them to abandon their places

of origin, disintegrating families, causing suffering, desolation and

death. My Government is trying to bring into active productivity and

the benefits of progress through policies, projects and development

programmes, a great mass of the native population which has lived a

forsaken and marginal existence and thus to eliminate as much as

possible the enormous social differences that now prevail. It is

trying also to reduce the causes of dissatisfaction and frustration

in various sectors of the population, to bring about respect for

universally recognized human rights, and observance and full exercise

thereof, to accelerate the process of integrated and harmonious

development for the entire country, to reactivate the country's

economy and to create everywhere the conditions necessary for the

country, to move towards a political event in which citizens may

freely choose their new authorities and thereby return to

constitutional normalcy. On coming to power the new Government of

Guatemala, which is presided over by General Jose Efrain Rios Montt,

outlined 14 points containing its aspirations and the guidelines to

be followed in order to achieve full wellbeing for the people of

Guatemala. Those points are as follows: first, to make the people

aware that the authorities are there to serve them and not the people

to serve the authorities; second, to bring about the reconciliation

of the entire Guatemalan family for the benefit of peace and national

concord; third, to ensure the security and tranquility of the

individual, through absolute respect for human rights; fourth, to

restore individual and national dignity; fifth, to develop a

nationalistic spirit and to create the foundation for the

participation and integration of the various ethnic groups that make

up our nation; sixth, to bring about the economic recovery of the

nation in keeping with the free enterprise system, through the

controls required by the present state of the nation; seventh, to

restructure the judicial power, with the participation of the Bar

Association, in order to adapt it to present circumstances and ensure

that it Motions in accordance with ethical, moral and juridical

norms; eighth, to eradicate administrative corruption and promote

among civil servants a genuine spirit of public service, which

constitutes the foundation of a national Government; ninth, to

encourage among the various pressure groups which represent national

activity a new development oriented reformist and nationalistic

spirit; tenth, to strengthen national integration, efficiently

utilizing the cooperation of other States and international

organizations, at the same time pointing out certain problems of the

State in its foreign relations; eleventh, to improve the standard of

living of the people in order to reduce existing differences;

twelfth, to restructure the electoral system so that as a true

democratic institution it represents the political participation of

the people and so that their wishes are not frustrated; thirteenth,

to reorganize the public administration so that government programmes

are carried out in a dynamic way and to ensure its efficiency and

control its regular functioning, thereby avoiding administrative

anarchy; fourteenth, to restore a constitutional form of government

for the country within a fixed period of time, so that Guatemalans

will know and demand their rights and know their duties and

obligations within free democratic institutions. To attain those

objectives the Government of the Republic of Guatemala has since

coming to power taken steps to cleanse the public administration,

reduce public expenditure through a policy of austerity, promote

investments, increase exports of traditional and nontraditional

products and to provide immediate help to the villages affected by

subversive violence. At the political level, a Council of State has

been created, with members representing all the sectors of the

country and constituting an advisory body of the Government of the

Republic and a balancing factor within it. It should be emphasized

that this is a body which, for the first time in the history of the

country, comprises the various ethnic elements which make up the

nation, so that they now have a forum in which to put forward their

problems, needs and desires and the aspirations of their respective

communities. In the future they will participate with all the other

sectors of the nation in the decision making process, so that we are

better able to define the destiny of the Republic. The President of

the Republic, in his address at the inauguration of the Council of

State, said: The political concept which at present we define as

Guatemalan reformism or reform will be valid only when the various

objectives materialize and become legal fact. These objectives,

reached over the short, intermediate or long term, will be the

framework upon which the roof of our nationality will rest. Among

other general objectives, since the detailed objectives will be

established by mutual agreement and depending upon the encouragement

provide I by the participation of those sectors concerned in the

development of our nation, we point out the following. First, the

Council of State shall legislate on the privileges and exemptions of

Guatemalans, enhancing and reinforcing in this legal body all that

pertains to human rights. These rights must be examined, publicized,

taught and practiced and their principles should serve as the basis

for all types of legislation. The present Government is committed to

the inclusion in the fundamental laws of Guatemala of everything that

pertains to human rights. Secondly, the Council of State shall

propose the legal procedures through which political development may

be guaranteed with the utmost security and respect for social

stability. To this end, basic agreements must be reached to ensure

the democratization of the country, thus establishing its own system,

efficient and reliable, just and flexible, capable of meeting the

problems inherent in our national identity, and a strong State which

will be representative, consolidated and dynamic. Thirdly, the

Council of State shall, furthermore, draft a provisory law for the

purpose of electing a Constituent Assembly which will broaden

political life by the authentic representation of all Guatemalans, promoting

participation by the people and consolidation of the State by

encouraging the expression of public opinion and organizing large

numbers of people and social groups in order to establish a more

united society which will emphasize our common interests and ensure

the enjoyment of harmony with freedom among its pluralistic

constituents. In view of the frustrations suffered by the

Guatemalans, the repeated and successive contradictions inherited

from previous Governments, the lack of an overall strategy on the

part of the political authorities to deal with subversion; the lack

of solutions to our basic problems; the total lack of any ethical or

moral example set by those leading or claiming to lead the nation;

and in view of the obvious irresponsibility in the management of the

national economy and the widespread corruption, the Guatemalan army

commits itself to lead the country, the President asked me to state

before the Guatemalan people, with firmness and a vocation to serve,

towards a democratization process which will create the conditions

and legal machinery required for the establishment of a Government

that will represent legitimacy and put an end to corruption. The

Guatemalan army firmly rejected the disruptive activities of

individuals or institutions, as well as the corrupting effects of any

demagogy on the part of those who that upon themselves rights which

are only the result of their own frustration, irresponsibility or

ignorance. Corruption in former regimes led Guatemala to a process of

decay, not only politically but also socially, spiritually and

morally, and to the loss of the ethical values that are essential to

people's lives. For this reason, the Government of the Republic has

encouraged a dialogue between the people and the authorities; and it

is hoped that by example, new attitudes and the implementation of a

new philosophy of Government, these intrinsic values of our people

will be gradually restored, so that together with material

development can also be a change in the ethical and spiritual

standards, which will unquestionably enable Guatemala to see its

future more clearly, recover its identity as a nation, and shape its

own destiny. Our national problems are difficult, we shall need

sacrifice, effort, work and good will on the part of all Guatemalans

to see our country through. It is to these noble tasks that we are

presently devoted, tasks that will undoubtedly also require

international understanding and cooperation. The stage which

Guatemala is presently going through is critical because the

structures, resources, values and principles that held good are now

being judged and analyzed so that we can apply them in future and

gain a clear and revised image of our situation. We are in fact a

country where there is a great deal to be done. And so it must be

when a people decides to face the responsibility of building its own

history. From experience we have learned that if we do not take the

making of our own history into our own hands, others will do it for

us in their own way, which implies an ominous fate for a people which

respects itself: intervention. The historic commitment of the present

Government of Guatemala is to consolidate the peace and security of

the nation; to solve the serious economic crisis which is affecting

Guatemala, as indeed it is affecting the entire world, because of an

economic recession which in Central America has become aggravated by

internal causes; to restructure and incorporate large sectors that

are representative of the country and which have been unjustly left

out in the past and have not participated in the democratic decision

making of the nation, but which under a new and safe electoral system

will for the first time freely exercise their right of universal

suffrage, thus ensuring the self determination of the people of

Guatemala and ruling out the electoral fraud which in the past has

been the means of diverting our democracy from its true course; to

return to a state of law and to install a democratic Government

representative of all the people, a process whose gradual development

will be completed by the beginning of 1985. We are convinced that all

sectors of the country will patriotically cooperate in this

enterprise to implement a true democracy involving the representation

and participation of the people of Guatemala. That is our commitment,

and those are the firm steps we shall take towards the future of

Guatemala in the search for a better national and international

destiny. From this rapid glance at the transformation which has taken

place in my country, it can be inferred that its international policy

will also be different from now on. Without underestimating the

sacred concepts of the sovereignty and independence of nations, the

Government I represent is aware of the interdependence of nations in

the economic, political and cultural fields and it recognizes the

need that our problems a id our differences be resolved in the

concert of nations, in open discussion, in the best way, on the basis

of respect and trust. In addition to the circumstances just

described, we have also had to deal with a national disaster in the

southern part of the country, brought about by an atmospheric

depression, causing loss of human life, crops and property. All this

has brought a shadow of mourning over Guatemala. I wish to take this

opportunity publicly to express, on behalf of the Government of

Guatemala, our appreciation for the prompt and effective help we have

received from friendly Governments and international organizations.

As regards the foreign policy of my country, the Government of

Guatemala has since the day it assumed power on 23 March this year,

seen the necessity of revitalizing our democratic institutions and

restoring the fundamental values of the people and the dignity of the

nation, and it has declared its intention of abiding by and complying

with the international commitments acquired by Guatemala and

maintaining full respect for the legal rules governing relations

between States, as well as cooperating closely with the organizations

that concern themselves at the international level with human rights

and guard and protect their exercise. The Government of Guatemala

intends to strengthen its bonds of friendly relations and cooperation

with all countries with which such relations already exist and to

extend them to all countries which love peace and democracy and which

desire such relations, in order to achieve the principles of progress

within the international community. Guatemala also wishes to confirm

its trust in international organizations and its decision to comply

with commitments undertaken in terms of the principles and the

Charter of the United Nations and those of the charter of the

Organization of American States and to reaffirm my Government's

support for the United Nations as the principal instrument for

maintaining peace and strengthening international security. As

regards our Central American policy, Guatemala pursues a policy of

fraternity with the countries of the region, as we have the same

origin, we acceded to independent life at the same time, we make up a

geographic unit, we share the same history, we speak the same

language, we have the same traditions and customs and we face similar

problems. Maintaining utmost respect for the principle of

nonintervention in the internal affairs of other countries, Guatemala

seeks a rapprochement with the sister nations of Central America. The

terms of this rapprochement can best be summarized as respect for the

highest values of humanity, namely peace, justice and freedom, and

the building of economic, legal and political mechanisms for the

development of the Isthmus, to promote cooperation among our nations,

to strengthen the bonds among our peoples and to engage in a joint

search for a more promising future for the area, which of late has

seen 50 many upheavals. At the Latin American level, Guatemalan

policy is aimed at reaffirming its faith in the inter American

system, the objectives of which are outlined.in the charter of the

OAS; our international policy at the regional level is one of interrelation,

solidarity and cooperation with the countries of the region. We

believe that Latin America must play its proper role, within the

world community, for it is a continent that has struggled for the

principles of freedom, social justice and dignity and a region that

has a geo political influence of undeniable importance within the

world community. Guatemala has faith in the historic destiny of our

America and believes that by strengthening relations in the

hemisphere within the framework of the QAS, Latin America will be in

a position to promote gradual, independent and sovereign development

for its peoples and to secure for them the conditions necessary to

derive maximum benefit from their natural resources and to utilize

the advances of science and technology. As far as world policy is

concerned, Guatemala supports those democracies which respect the

dignity of the human being. In the economic field, Guatemala, as a

developing nation, shares the just aspirations of the third world

countries and, as a member of the Group of 77, we share the concern

of poor nations with regard to the obvious international injustice

evident at many levels but fundamentally in the areas of

international trade and economics. As regards human rights, the

Fundamental Statute of Government, which constitutes the highest

legal instrument regulating the actions of the Government of the

Republic of Guatemala, provides that respect for human rights is one

of the basic principles of its internal organization and of its

international relations. The same Fundamental Statute of Government

defines human rights and elaborates on them in its articles, covering

basic human rights, civil and political human rights and social,

economic and cultural human rights. The Government of the Republic

respects those rights within the country and internationally it is

cooperating with the organizations created to ensure their

observance. In line with this policy, the Government of the Republic

extended a cordial invitation to the whole Inter American Commission

on Human Rights to visit Guatemala to ascertain that those rights

were being observed, within the context of the national situation.

This invitation was accepted with pleasure and the visit took place

during the week of 20 to 26 September this year. The Inter American

Commission on Human Rights publicly recognized that its members

enjoyed full cooperation and broad freedom during their stay in

Guatemala while carrying out an in depth investigation of human

rights in my country. They met with officials from the Government,

institutions, associations, representative groups and political

parties, as well as with individuals and legal entities who wished to

file complaints. They travelled to the interior of the country,

visiting the villages of their choice, to interview the inhabitants

and exchange impressions with them and to view on the spot their

problems and their living conditions from a human rights standpoint.

The report of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, once the

procedural requirements laid down in its rules and regulations have

been met, will be made public by the Commission and may be read by

the entire international community. At the end of their visit the

members of the Commission made recommendations to the Government of

Guatemala, which are at present under consideration for appropriate

implementation. Within the jurisdiction of the United Nations, the

Commission on Human Rights decided to appoint a special rapporteur to

investigate the human rights situation in Guatemala. The Government

asked the Secretary General to propose the name of a candidate for

that post. The person proposed has already been appointed and has

been accepted by my Government, and he will be given full cooperation

and freedom for the fulfilment of his mission. There have also been

interviews and conversations with the Working Group to examine

questions relevant to involuntary or enforced disappearances of

persons, established by the Commission on Human Rights, and the

information requested concerning cases under consideration by it has

been submitted. It has been offered our full cooperation for the

fulfilment of its mandate. This attitude by the Government of

Guatemala reflects its sincere mention to improve the human rights

situation in the country and to request the assistance of the

relevant international organizations in order to make human rights in

Guatemala more effective every day. I turn now to the problem of the

Malvinas Islands. Following the decision of the Republic of Argentina

to reincorporate the Malvinas Islands within its sovereignty,

Guatemala confirmed its position in support of that sister nation's

legitimate rights over those islands and endorsed its determination

to claim sovereignty over them. My country, in public declarations

and in statements both in the Security Council and at the twentieth

consultative meeting of Foreign Ministers convened by the OAS in

accordance with the Inter American Reciprocal Assistance Treaty,

expressed its views in connection with the Malvinas Islands,

reaffirming its solidarity with the Republic of Argentina and

recognizing the latter's full rights to territorial integrity. In the

Security Council itself Guatemala stated: It is inconceivable that

the colonialist system, which is fortunately in its death throes

throughout the world, including our continent, should have sprung to

life, allowing a colonialist empire to impose its interests upon our

America to the detriment of a Latin American country, whose right to

sovereignty over the full extent of its territory has been

internationally recognized. We believe that this matter should be

dealt with through negotiations so that the vast majority of the

States that make up this international community may maintain their

faith and belief that international justice lives and prevails, even

when what is at stake are the interests of great Powers which seek to

impose their will by means of their military might. If this does not

come about, Latin America will consider this action against Argentina

as a serious threat to all of Latin America too and very disturbing

for the rest of the world, which might suffer similar treatment if an

attempt were made to subject them to similar circumstances. We have

witnessed the anguish of a Latin American republic being attacked by

an extra continental Power in violation of international law, and we

have also been grieved at the fact that Argentina did not receive the

response of solidarity which it should have in this case and provided

for in treaties which up to now have been in full force and fully

complied with. As the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Guatemala,

I had the honor to sign together with the Foreign Ministers of other

Latin American countries, a request for the inclusion of an item on

the Malvinas Islands in the agenda of the present session of the

General Assembly, to be discussed in plenary meeting. None the less,

I now urge the countries involved in the controversy to resume as

soon as possible the required negotiations under the auspices of the

United Nations for the purpose of resolving that dispute. The

peaceful settlement of disputes is and must continue to be, within

the United Nations, perhaps the most powerful instrument for

achieving peace and security. The General Assembly has not discussed

the question of Korea in the pa x years. Guatemala feels that it

should be for the Koreans themselves to find a peaceful solution to

the problem of Korea and that the Organization can help to create a

favorable climate in which to resume inter Korean talks rather than

engage in an unproductive debate on the question. Nevertheless, in

view of the tense and unstable situation prevailing at present in the

Korean peninsula, my country is of the opinion that resumption of the

dialogue between North and South Korea is urgent, so that, through

direct negotiations and without outside pressure or interference,

they may find a solution to their differences. To that end, it is

essential that North Korea make the political decision to return to

the conference table as soon as possible. Guatemala believes that,

irrespective of the main objective that total reunification of the

Korean peninsula be achieved, both South Korea and North Korea, as a

means of relieving the existing tension and creating conditions

favorable to the stability of the area, could be admitted as Members

of the United Nations, pursuant to the principle of universality

provided for in the Charter. In regard to disarmament, with which the

United Nations has concerned itself since its creation my delegation

would like to quote the statement by the President of Guatemala sent

as a contribution by my country to the twelfth special session of the

General Assembly, the second special session devoted to disarmament:

Guatemala, whose people and Government are deeply committed to peace,

deems it appropriate to express its ideas to this forum convened to

discuss all aspects of disarmament. Guatemala considers that the arms

reduction campaign is vital for the peace of the world, the

development of States and the prosperity of peoples. It is necessary

to express openly the dangers inherent in the continuation of the

arms race and to dispel the hope that peace and security can coexist

with the accumulation of vast quantities of means of destruction.

General and complete prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons is of

paramount importance, since it helps to reduce the risk of nuclear

war which would mean a holocaust for mankind. My country believes

that both atomic and nuclear energy should be used only for peaceful

purposes and for the benefit of the human race. Guatemala considers

that a lasting peace can: be secured only through general and

complete disarmament under effective and strict international control

and not through a balance of armaments between the great Powers.

Disarmament is one of the objectives proclaimed by the United Nations

for over three decades, but despite the numerous initiatives adopted,

by the Organization, the world is witnessing a frenzied arms race.

Although the great Powers should be primarily responsible for

disarmament, Guatemala believes that it would also be desirable to

ban sophisticated weapons in Latin America as a way of contributing

to universal disarmament and of increasing the resources allocated to

economic and social development. The Treaty of Tlatelolco, to which

Guatemala is a party, is a very useful instrument for preventing

Latin America from being converted into a depository of nuclear arms

or a test site for atomic weapons. I feel it is appropriate to

underscore the great importance of the highly industrialized

countries understanding that if, instead of devoting large sums of

money to the production of weapons of mass destruction, they were to

channel those resources to poor countries to help them in their

efforts to achieve integral and harmonious development, the major

scourges of hunger, unemployment, malnutrition, illiteracy and

precarious living conditions which prevail in the third world would

be considerably reduced. Peace and social justice, which are the

greatest aspirations of mankind, can be achieved with the active

participation of all nations with a view to establishing a new

international order and creating for present and future generations a

more human and balanced world based on, solid foundations of equality

and dignity. Guatemala believes that all the problems of disarmament

should not continue to be viewed in the traditional way, but that it

is necessary to extend the field of knowledge as to the attitude of

certain Powers and countries which unconditionally serve their

hegemonistic interests by providing subversive movements with arms,

munitions, military training, logistical support, money and

international patronage. If a global analysis of matters related to

disarmament is not carried out,, various initiatives to reduce

military expenditures and calls to Powers to halt their arms race

deal with only one aspect of the problem but overlook the other

aspect, which is the supplying of arms to subversive factions so that

they may continue to use terrorism and armed struggle as means to win

power, at the resulting cost of human lives and suffering and

hardship for the civilian population, as well as the unavoidable use

of resources to fight subversion, which could otherwise be used for

works of public benefit and major social interest. Guatemala notes

with satisfaction that the Third United Nations Conference on the Law

of the Sea, after holding several sessions, has succeeded in

producing the text of a Convention on the Law of the Sea. My country,

like others, sincerely regrets that a text which has the subject of

protracted negotiation has not been adopted by consensus because some

States have reservations concerning some of the provisions of the

instrument, basically those concerning the exploitation of sea

resources beyond national jurisdiction. Guatemala urges those nations

to show their goodwill by making concessions in their political

attitudes, so that the Convention on the Law of the Sea may be

strengthened through its implementation by all the States Members of

the Organization. Guatemala voted in favor of the Convention and will

sign it when it is open for signature by States. As regards Belize,

Guatemala reiterates and maintains in this Assembly its reservations

regarding the unilateral granting of independence to Belize by the

United Kingdom, ignoring Guatemala's legitimate rights to that

Territory, which was the subject of dispute under an international

legal controversy, in accordance with the peaceful procedures of the

Charter of the United Nations. That dispute remains unresolved

because of that unilateral and illegal act by the United Kingdom

which has created a permanent situation of insecurity in the area. We

feel it indispensable to resolve this controversy through

negotiations and by means of a peaceful solution that is equitable to

all parties, including basically the rights of Guatemala, which are

founded on solid historical, geographical, legal, political and moral

arguments. 170. Guatemala, confronted by this unacceptable action,

considers that the way in which independence was granted to Belize

was in violation of international norms; therefore, it does not

recognize that independence, it does not recognize Belize as a State,

nor does it recognize its sovereignty or its borders, or its

membership in the community of nations. That will continue as long as

a fair, equitable solution preserving Guatemala's legitimate rights

over the Territory and the interests of the population of Belize is

not found. 17l. Guatemala has asked the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Northern Ireland not to disregard its historical

responsibility in this matter and to continue direct negotiations so

that a peaceful and at the same time equitable and honorable solution

may be found for this age old controversy. The noble purposes of the

United Nations will not truly be achieved the large majority of

mankind ceases to suffer from poverty, hunger, ignorance, illiteracy,

unemployment, malnutrition, precarious living conditions, lack of

housing and many other hardships. If all human beings have a right to

happiness, material progress and intellectual, moral and spiritual

advancement, the main tasks of the United Nations must be to

strengthen international cooperation and to create the conditions

necessary to exercise those fundamental rights. My delegation

believes it essential to initiate global negotiations on cooperation

for development in the economic field, since everybody is aware that

it has not been possible to reduce the gap between developed

countries and developing nations. On the contrary, the economic and

monetary crisis has of late merely worsened those adverse effects on

the sensitive economies of developing nations. No effective solution

has been found for the problems of commodities, international debts,

balance of payments, protection of the purchasing power of developing

countries, trade and transactions, transfer of technology, increase

of actual available ,resources, and access to capital markets.

Although Guatemala believes that the United Nations is the most

appropriate forum for resolving questions affecting the future of all

the countries of the world, we admit that the Organization has not

always acted with the promptness and effectiveness needed to solve

the crises threatening world peace. This situation occurs because it

is difficult to strike an accurate and practical balance between

human rights, the interests of States and the principles and purposes

of the Charter. We have thus noted that the Security Council and the

General Assembly have not always made the same assessment of

situations that threatened international peace and security. The

Security Council itself has to some extent distorted its role by

using procedures of informal consultations among its members, instead

of concerning itself, as it ought to, with handling matters falling

directly within its jurisdiction and finding adequate solutions for

them. My country saw a good example of that when we submitted to that

body our petition opposing the admission of Belize to the United

Nations. The Security Council, in open violation of the principles of

the Charter, refused to be seized of the matter. It did so without

any reason, forgetting that there had been an open controversy to be

resolved within the principles of the Charter. It is necessary to

establish a solid basis of equity and justice for the development of

international relations. My delegation believes that we must return

to the sources that gave birth to this Organization. The light which

then shone at San Francisco, when the Organization was created,

should become a beacon for present and future generations; one which

will light our way and enable us to build a better and more balanced

world, one founded on the pillars of fraternity and solidarity, where

peace, social justice, freedom and dignity to which all human beings

without exception are entitled will prevail.