Pakistan, 1982

I should like first to convey to you, Sir, the warm and sincere

felicitations of the delegation of Pakistan on your ejection to the

presidency of the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly.

Your assumption of this high office is an acknowledgement by the

international community of your outstanding merit and qualities as a

statesman. it is also a tribute to your great country. I wish you

every success in guiding the deliberations of the general Assembly

on the complex issues facing it in the year ahead. 1 should like to

take this opportunity of expressing our esteem and admiration for

your predecessor, Mr. Kittani, who presided over the thirty-sixth

session of the General Assembly with great distinction and success. I

should also like to convey our deep appreciation to Mr. Perez de

Cuellar for his dedicated and unremitting efforts in search of peace

during a year which has seen a succession of crises and continuing

turmoil. We commend his resolve in the bleak international

circumstances of today, to strengthen the role and influence of the

United Nations in the conduct of international relations.

73. The report of the Secretary-General on the work of the

Organization is an eloquent and candid comment on the grim reality of

the international situation, which he has succinctly described as

international anarchy . in the recent past we have witnessed an

alarming intensification of conflicts and tensions, use of force with

impunity, growing mistrust among nations, increasing confrontation in

East-West relations and a new escalation in the arms race, which in

this nuclear age portends the gravest consequences for the very

survival of mankind. This spiral of violence is accompanied by a

deepening apathy regarding the principles of the Charter of the

United Nations and an indifference regarding the role of this

institution as the primary multilateral instrument for the

maintenance of international peace and security.

74. The gravity of the international scene demands a rededication

to the ideals of the United Nations in the same spirit of commitment

as ted to the foundation of this world forum after the agony and

horror of the Second World War. The strength of the United Nations,

which is indispensable to world peace, is also a measure of our

determination to achieve adjust and civilized world order and to

prevent a universal holocaust.

75. The Middle East conflict remains the most serious crisis on

the international horizon and a glaring record of persistent

violations of international law and brazen defiance of the United

Nations by an intransigent and implacable aggressor.

76. The recent massacre of Palestinians in west Beirut epitomizes

the tragedy of the Palestinian nation. The shock and indignation felt

throughout the world over this massacre should serve as a reminder of

the continuing Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, whose

homeland has been usurped and who have been subjected to relentless

persecution. Since its occupation of the Arab and Palestinian

territories in 1967, Israel has been pursuing a systematic policy of

annexing those territories by changing their demographic and historic

character, establishing settlements there and driving the Arab and

Palestinian population into exile. In the process Israel is

determined to liquidate the identity and nationhood of Palestinians

in their ancient homeland.

77. Beyond the occupied territories, Israel desires to establish

its military diktat and hegemony in the region. It has attacked its

neighbours at will and with impunity. The brutal invasion of Lebanon,

the cruel siege of Beirut and the events which led to the Israeli

advance into the city and the massacre of Palestinians fully expose

Israeli ambitions in the region. The crisis in Lebanon should make it

clear to Israel's friends and allies that their support and

protection only encourage Israel to sustain its irredentist ambitions

on the pretext of strengthening its security.

78. The valour with which the Palestinian freedom fighters

withstood the ferocious Israeli attacks, and the sacrifices of the

Palestinian people, bear testimony to the strength and justice of

their cause, which cannot be trampled by terror and expansionism. The

Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] has emerged with renewed

vigour as the voice for Palestinian freedom and has won international

acclaim for its restraint.

79. The proposals endorsed by the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference

at Fez constitute a major initiative for a durable peace in the

Middle East and demonstrate the sincere desire of the Arab countries

and the PLO to bring to a dignified and honourable end the chapter of

conflict in the Middle East. Predictably, Israel has rejected the Fez

plan, as well as the proposals by President Reagan, which illustrates

Israel's obsession with holding on to the occupied Arab and

Palestinian territories and its negative response to opportunities

for peace.

80. In the immediate context, it is imperative that Israel's

withdrawal from Lebanon be secured, that civilian life be fully

protected and conditions of peace and normality be restored in that

ravaged country. The agony of the Palestinian people and the justice

of its cause demand that the international community take determined

action for the achievement of durable peace in the Middle East. Such

peace depends on the imputable condition of Israel's withdrawal from

the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied since 1967 and the

restitution of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian

people, including its right to a sovereign State in its homeland.

81. In our neighbourhood, the crisis in Afghanistan resulting

from Soviet military intervention in that country nearly three years

ago persists, with no sign of reprieve in its severity. The Afghan

national resistance has proved to be enduring and steadfast, despite

the awesome military superiority and sophisticated modem equipment

deployed against it.

82. The presence of 100,000 foreign military troops in

Afghanistan, with its dangerous portents forthe stability of the

entire region, continues to evoke deep concern in the international

community, which has consistently pronounced itself on the illegality

of that presence and has demanded its termination. The latest

expression of this international concern was embodied in general

Assembly resolution 36/34, adopted last year with the overwhelming

support of 116 Member States, which outlined, once again, the

essential elements of a just political solution of the Afghanistan

problem, namely, the immediate withdrawal of the foreign troops from

Afghanistan, the preservation of the sovereignty, territorial

integrity, political independence and non-aligned character of

Afghanistan, the right of the Afghan people to determine its own form

of government and to choose its economic, political and social system

free from outside intervention, subversion, coercion or constraint of

any kind whatsoever, and the creation of necessary conditions which

would enable the Afghan refugees to return voluntarily to their homes

in safety and honour.

83. Despite the repeated calls of the United Nations and similar

demands by the movement of non-aligned countries and the member

States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the end of the

crisis in Afghanistan is not in sight. It is a matter of regret that

the Soviet Union, which had traditionally enjoyed good relations with

countries of the area, including Afghanistan, and which takes pride

in its solidarity with third-world causes, should engage and persist

in an action which has caused immense tragedy to the people of

Afghanistan and which has been firmly opposed by the international

community.

84. The grave political implications of the Afghanistan crisis

are compounded by a vast and growing humanitarian problem in the

exodus of the Afghan population on a massive scale from their

country. Nearly 3 million Afghan refugees, who represent one fifth of

the total population of Afghanistan, have been forced to seek shelter

on our soil and have placed on us an enormous responsibility for

their upkeep which we have willingly accepted as our humanitarian and

Islamic duty.

85. As a country grievously affected by the crisis in its

neighbourhood, Pakistan has a direct and vital stake in a peaceful

solution of the Afghanistan problem. Consistent with the decisions of

the United Nations, Pakistan has sincerely co-operated with every

international endeavour, including the constructive efforts of the

Secretary-General and his Personal Representative on Afghanistan. The

Geneva discussions held in June under the good offices of the

Secretary-General marked an important step in his efforts for a

political settlement. We participated in those talks in a positive

and constructive spirit and we look forward to further progress in

the process of consultations initiated by the Secretary-General and

assure him of our continued co-operation.

86. It remains our ardent hope that the Afghanistan crisis will

soon be resolved in compliance with the decisions of the United

Nations with the aim of strengthening peace and security in the

region, white preserving respect for the independence, sovereignty

and territorial integrity of each State.

87. The ramifications of the crisis in Afghanistan and the

disturbing security climate in our region have deepened our concern

for the defence of our frontiers. We are seriously endeavouring to

turn those borders into frontiers of permanent peace. But we have no

control over developments in our neighbourhood and cannot turn our

eyes away from the imperative of maintaining an adequate defence

establishment commensurate with the size of the country and the

extent of its international frontiers, which stretch across more than

5,000 kilometres. The strengthening of Pakistan's defence capability

should not be a matter of concern to any other country-first, because

any suggestion of such concern would have no relation to reality and,

secondly, because those who make us assume the privilege of passing

judgement on vital matters falling exclusively within our sovereign

domain. We are tied to no bloc or strategic consensus, a/id our right

to have a minimum defence capability of our own is an expression of

our sovereign status as a non-aligned country.

88. The unfortunate conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran

and Iraq has been a source of deep anguish and concern for us. In

addition to causing extensive human and material tosses, this was has

aggravated the climate of insecurity in a highly sensitive region,

and its early termination remains in the best interests of the

peoples of the area. With this conviction, the President of Pakistan

has made several efforts, singly and collectively, under the auspices

of the Islamic Conference, and will continue to make every endeavour

for the solution of this tragic conflict.

89. The conclusion of our neighbourhood have made us keenly aware

of the perils of great-Power rivalry and confrontation to which, in

an historic sense, the Indian Ocean region has always remained

exposed. Pakistan has consistency supported Sri Lanka's proposal for

the establishment of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace, which

symbolizes the shared aspirations of the people of the region for

progress in conditions of peace and security. In the regional as well

as international context, we will Co-operate with every initiative

aimed at securing the elimination of any foreign military presence in

the Indian Ocean region and the removal of threats, whether from

within or from outside the area, to the independence, sovereignty and

territorial integrity of the countries of the region.

90. I am happy to note that seven countries of South Asia have

initiated concrete measures to promote regional co-operation aimed at

the well-being and progress of their peoples; Joint studies have been

undertaken and action programmes have been worked out to promote

co-operation in important economic sectors for mutual benefit. The

recently held meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of South Asian

countries in Islamabad was the third in a series of such meetings

establishing an auspicious tradition of co-operation and

understanding among countries of South Asia which we are committed to

strengthen in the future.

91. Apart from being a geo-political imperative, good-neighbourly

relations between Pakistan and India are essential to the fulfilment

of the aspirations and hopes of millions of people in the two

countries to live in peace and to ensure for themselves and for

succeeding generations a life of dignity, well-being and prosperity.

In this spirit, Pakistan sincerely desires full normalization of

relations with India which can be achieved with the resolution of the

Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the only outstanding problem between the

two countries.

92. The Government of Pakistan has taken several Initiatives,

including the offer of a non-aggression pact, to foster an atmosphere

of trust and confidence. We are gratified that last January, the

Foreign Ministers of the two countries agreed that the conclusion of

such a pact would make a positive contribution to peace and stability

in the region. We also welcomed the suggestion of the Prime Minister

of India for the establishment of a joint commission between the two

countries. Already an exchange of views on the substance of the

proposals has been initiated which augurs well For the future of

Pakistan-India relations, on which the peace and tranquillity of the

region largely depend.

93. Pakistan has consistency maintained a firm position of

principle on issues which concern the sovereignty and freedom of

nations, whether these pertain to our region, or regions far beyond

it. Accordingly, Pakistan supports the right of the people of

Kampuchea to shape their own future free from outside intervention

and has joined the international call for the withdrawal of foreign

troops from that unfortunate and Pakistan welcomes the formation of a

coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea, headed by Prince

Sihanouk and hopes that this Government will facilitate the creation

of conditions conducive to the full implementation of the decisions

of the general Assembly on the Kampuchean question.

94. We feel equally concerned over the dangerous situation in the

South Atlantic and hope that a negotiated solution to the problem

will be found on the basis of the resolutions of the United Nations.

93. The illegal occupation of Namibia and the abominable system

perpetrated against the black population of South Africa continue to

be an affront to human morality and values. The hopes which had been

raised for an early independence of Namibia by the adoption of

Security Council resolution 433 (1978) proved short-lived. South

Africa, having first accepted the United Nations plan for free and

fair elections in Namibia under the supervision and control of the

Organization, baulked at its implementation and even questioned the

impartiality of the United Nations. The authors of the United Nations

plan, namely the members of the Western contact group, have a

responsibility to ensure the implementation of the plan as the

credibility of their commitment to this plan is at stake.

96. Pakistan joins the international community in its demand for

the realization of the independence of Namibia without further delay,

and reaffirms its total solidarity with the struggle of the Namibian

people under the leadership of the South West Africa People's

Organization PO] to bring the dark chapter of colonialism in their

country to a close.

97. Pakistan shares the dismay and disappointment of the

international community at the failure of the second special session

on disarmament. It is clear that heightened international tensions

prevented any progress on important disarmament issues, for which a

modicum of detente in East-West relations and improvement in the

global political situation have become a prerequisite. However, the

failure of the special session should not lead to pessimism; nor

should it be seen as the defeat of an ideal. The cause of disarmament

concerns the very survival of mankind and must be pursued with a deep

commitment, a positive outlook and a sense of destiny.

98. Pakistan believes in a comprehensive approach to disarmament

and emphasizes the need to pursue it at every level since these are

all organically linked to each other. Progress in one direction could

stimulate movement in the other. Consequently, we welcome

initiatives, at the bilateral, regional or global level, and

measures, either interim in character or undertaken in a long-term

perspective.

99. The prevention of a nuclear war is a primary challenge of our

age and imposes a grave responsibility on all, especially the major

nuclear Powers. We welcome the non-first-u ) declaration by the

Soviet Union in the same manner as we had welcomed an earlier

commitment by China to the same effect. We are also encouraged by the

resumption of negotiations between the United States and the Soviet

Union on the reduction of theatre and strategic nuclear forces and we

hope that this dialogue produces meaningful results.

100. Without prejudice to the usefulness of unilateral or

bilateral initiatives, we are convinced that the complex issues of

disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament, can best be addressed in

a multilateral context. The threat of nuclear weapons is pervasive

and concerns equally every member of the international community. The

United Nations, therefore, remains the most appropriate forum in

which negotiations on disarmament could be effectively pursued.

101. Motivated by its commitment to the objective of general and

complete disarmament and to nuclear non-proliferation, Pakistan had

taken initiatives at the United Nations for the establishment of a

nuclear-weapon-free zone in South Asia and for effective assurances

to non-nuclear-weapon States against the use of nuclear weapons.

Measures such as these could also strengthen the links in an overall

comprehensive programme of disarmament.

102. The demands of security, disarmament and development are

fundamentally interrelated. Progress in disarmament could release the

colossal resources, currently consumed by the insane arms race, for

economic development and for combating deprivation and disease, which

afflict vast sections; of humanity. A common historical cause for a

new world order must, therefore, motivate our efforts for

strengthening international security and pursuing effective

disarmament, and for alleviating injustices and disparities besetting

the international economic situation.

103. Over the past few years we have passively witnessed a rapidly

deteriorating crisis in the international economic system. A

galloping cancer of stagnation, recession, inflation and mounting

external debt have plunged the global economy to levels redolent of

the Great Depression. This has led to the emergence of new attitudes

and practices characterized by inward looking short-term solutions,

elements contrary to the spirit of international economic cooperation

and the principle of interdependence. Deflationary policies pursued

by some developed countries have rapidly transferred the crisis to

the developing countries because of the interdependent nature of the

world economy.

104. White the contraction of the economies has been a universal

phenomenon, the brunt of the crisis has fallen upon the developing

countries. In 1981, for the first time since the 1950s, the per

capita real income of the developing countries as a whole actually

fell in absolute terms. The consequent deceleration in the process of

development has led to record unemployment in both the developed and

the developing countries, with resultant social unrest and growing

political insecurity. The rapid deterioration in the terms of trade

of developing countries, rising protectionism and reduced financial

flows have led to an enormous increase in their external debts

resulting in drastic reductions in development budgets and growth

rates. At the same time, the debt burden of oil-importing developing

countries increased during 1981 by $50 billion over the 1978 level.

This feeds into the recession by towering their capacity to import.

105. The increasing current account deficits and the absence of

property designed international mechanisms to finance these deficits

in the short run or to correct the fundamental structural imbalance

in international payments in the long run is the central dilemma

confronting us today. It should be a matter of concern for the

international community that the burden of this extraordinary

adjustment is being passed on to the developing countries, the most

vulnerable members of the international community. ,

106. We believe that it is possible for the international community

to find solutions to its problems. The glaring shortcomings in the

existing economic system which are responsible for the present crisis

also present a rare opportunity to rebuild the various components of

the international economic order on a just and equitable basis. There

is a need for massive and urgent structural changes, the parameters

for which are so clearly outlined in the International Development

Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade and

resolutions adopted by the United Nations on the establishment of the

new international economic order. The basic malady is not the

shortage of liquidity in the international system but its gross

misdistribution.

107. It is indeed regrettable that global negotiations, proposed

at the thirty-fourth session of the Assembly, have not yet been

launched. The assurances sought by the industrialized countries are

already provided for in the proposal submitted by the Group of 77 on

the subject. Let us, therefore, abandon suspicions and apprehensions

about each other's intentions and move forward to the substantive

issues. However, what is alarming is the fact that lack of progress

in the launching of global negotiations has been accompanied by a

similar situation in sector-wise negotiations.

108. Another disturbing development is the alarming erosion of the

spirit of international co-operation at a time when increasing

multilateral economic co-operation could play a critical role in

triggering the process of international economic recovery. Eight

years ago, when the general Assembly at its sixth special session

adopted resolution 3201 (S-Vl), the Declaration on the Establishment

of a New International Economic Order, it unequivocally emphasized

the reality of interdependence, an interdependence between the

developed and the developing countries. The Assembly also recognized

the fact that the political, economic and social well-being of

present and future generations depended more than ever on

co-operation between all the members of the international community

on the basis of sovereign equality and the removal of the

disequilibrium that exists between them.

109. Global interdependence demands that the restoration and

growth of the international economy must be undertaken on the basis

of international co-operation. We can find answers to the present

problems involving financial transfers, protectionist sentiments and

changing attitudes towards policies of development assistance only

through a compact of mutual help and assistance. What we are looking

for is not short-term financial and trade concessions, although they

are important in themselves, but long-term structural changes which

would involve creating a framework for expansion of world trade,

provision of development finance on a long-term basis and the

progressive democratization of the present international financial

system to enable it to function in an equitable and efficient manner.

110. There is no alternative to a dialogue and mutual co-operation

to overcome the malaise which has afflicted the economies of the

North and the South alike. Increased interdependence in the world

economy has ensured that no country or group of countries can achieve

genuine recovery merely through efficient domestic management of

their economies. A consensus on the root of the current problems and

a co-ordination of responses to solve them are indispensable for this

purpose.

111. While calling for a global response to the present crisis, the

developing countries are conscious of the need to promote economic

co-operation among themselves. This is one area in which positive

developments have taken place. We believe that expanding economic

co-operation among developing countries is a dynamic and vital

element in any effective restructuring of international economic

relations. However, co-operation among developing countries can only

complement, and cannot be a substitute for, a new international

economic order based on equity and justice.

112. The present economic crisis calls for vision and imagination

on the part of the leaders of the industrialized countries, and we

look to the emergence of a new internationalism, the awakening of a

new spirit of global Co-operation and recognition of the imperatives

of interdependence, requiring a more equitable management of the

international economic system. The world economy can be rebuilt only

on a sound and permanent foundation of economic efficiency and

economic justice with the full participation of developing countries

in international decision-making, and not through their exclusion.

This is an imperative which the world leaders can no longer afford to

ignore in their search for reducing tension and promoting peace and

harmony.