Portugal, 1993

Mr. President, I should like to begin by congratulating you

on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly

and by expressing our confidence in your ability to steer the

proceedings of the present session.

I also express our gratitude to the outgoing President,

Mr. Stoyan Ganev, for the dedicated way in which he

fulfilled his mandate and contributed to the rationalization of

the work of the Assembly.

I also congratulate the Secretary-General,

Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, whose initiative and commitment

have already made it possible to take important steps

towards a thorough reform of the United Nations and

towards strengthening its international credibility as an

irreplaceable instrument of peace.

The universal calling of the United Nations, enshrined

in its Charter, gives special meaning to the accession of six

new Member States, Andorra, the Czech Republic, Eritrea,

the Slovak Republic, Monaco and the Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia; they have reinforced the legitimacy

of this forum and assumed, before the international

community, the responsibility entailed in the full exercise of

national sovereignty.

My Belgian colleague, in his capacity as current

President of the Council of Ministers of the European

Communities, has already had the opportunity to make a

statement on behalf of the 12 member States; Portugal fully

subscribes to that statement. I should, however, like to refer

to a number of issues that are of particular importance to my

country.

The period of global transition now before us is marked

by particularly contradictory signs.

On the one hand, the détente that surfaced with the end

of the cold war has led to an increase in regional integration

and the strengthening of cooperation between States, and has

brought to life the concept of complementing the activities

of the United Nations with those of regional organizations

and arrangements.

On the other hand, violent nationalistic claims have

re-emerged and old and seemingly forgotten antagonisms

have resurfaced, leading to an unexpected outbreak of

conflicts that threaten the internal cohesion of States and

international peace and security.

In this context, and more so than ever, the role of the

United Nations collective security system, now back on the

front line of international relations, seems decisive. For this

reason, we attach great significance to the ongoing

restructuring of the Secretariat. We also deem particularly

important the reform of the Security Council, which has

special responsibilities and is now free to accomplish its

original mission and to emerge as the driving force behind

the Organization’s political activities in maintaining stability

and peace.

Other organizations, such as the European Community,

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE),

have, in their turn, an important role to play in consolidating

democracy, maintaining stability and promoting development

in the entire European region.

It is essential for close cooperation to be established

between those bodies and the United Nations - which has a

primary and universal responsibility - so as to avoid

duplication and to enhance what each can contribute to the

search for peace and stability.

Peace-keeping operations have recently undergone a

considerable expansion, and we are witnessing the

deployment of large numbers of men and women in

situations of various natures, including the protection of

humanitarian assistance missions and preventive diplomacy

initiatives. The involvement of military contingents in those

operations requires clear political aims as well as unity of

command and close and permanent coordination between the

Secretariat and the interested parties, namely the contributing

States and those States that may be able to offer, in a

constructive manner, a political contribution to the peace

processes.

Resolving the conflicts of today, building peace and

preventing the conflicts of tomorrow will be no simple task.

The demands and expectations that fall upon the United

Nations have no historical precedent, and so every effort

must be made to turn "An Agenda for Peace" into a reality.

Only then will the Organization be able to cope with

the present and future challenges of maintaining peace,

12 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

giving humanitarian assistance and providing aid for

development.

Unfortunately, as I speak, the United Nations is

confronting its greatest financial crisis in 48 years of

existence and is facing the risk of not being able to assume

its responsibilities in the important domain of maintaining

international security.

This question remains the cornerstone of the future

activity of the United Nations. If it remains unanswered, the

consequences for the United Nation credibility and for world

peace will be dramatic.

An important development that has resulted from the

end of the cold war concerns respect for human rights,

which are inalienable and universal and figure above all

other considerations when we look at a particular political

regime or model of society. We believe that it is necessary

for the international community today to judge violations of

human rights without double standards.

In this respect, I should like to stress the importance of

the final declaration of the Vienna Conference, which

emphasizes fundamental ideas and principles, specifically,

those that concern the responsibilities of the international

community in this area and define human rights as a priority

for the United Nations. With this aim, it is now urgent for

the General Assembly to discuss, without delay, the

establishment of the post of high commissioner for human

rights.

A commonality of values that reflect the dignity of the

human person is an indispensable component of a better

international order allowing the development of peaceful and

lasting international relations. Thus, together with peace,

development and democracy, we consider human rights to be

one of the basic principles that should govern international

society.

It is precisely because of the imperatives of human

solidarity, and because we believe that the international

community has an important role to play, that Portugal, both

as a State and as a member of the European Community, is

following with deep concern the conflict that, for the last

two years, has been devastating parts of the territory of the

former Yugoslavia. Portugal reiterates its firm position that

only a settlement accepted by the three parties can put an

end to this blood-stained chapter in European history.

The Portuguese Government truly regrets the

interruption of the latest negotiating round in Geneva at a

time when an agreement seemed within reach.

We once again urge all the parties involved in the

conflict to show the necessary good will and flexibility so as

to put an end to the suffering of the affected populations.

Portugal considers that it is extremely urgent for a viable

and just peace agreement to be signed: Only thus will the

conditions for a return to peace be met.

Lastly, I wish to pay a tribute to the United Nations

Protection Force - in which Portugal has the privilege of

being included - to the European Community monitoring

mission and to all humanitarian organizations operating in

the area of the former Yugoslavia for the tasks they have

performed under circumstances of particular hardship.

Portugal, a country which is historically and culturally

linked to Africa, is profoundly aware of the unparalleled,

appalling and ever-deteriorating living conditions prevailing

in vast regions of the continent. Today, Africa certainly

deserves the international community’s special attention. It

is in Africa that we should concentrate our principal efforts

to end wars that are sometimes forgotten, but that are laying

waste to large areas, and it is to Africa that we should be

directing economic resources in quantities commensurate

with the unparalleled scale of the problems it is facing.

Only by increasing trade flows, economic ties and

humanitarian assistance can we provide a degree of certainty

for the success of democratization and progress.

I should like to refer also to the utmost importance that

we attach to the work of the Organization of African Unity

in the search for solutions to bring an end to the conflicts

that overshadow Africa.

In Africa, there are five countries that officially use

Portuguese. With these countries we have steadily deepened

our ties in all areas. Based on a common culture and values,

we are developing, together with Brazil and these African

countries, a true community of Portuguese-speaking nations

that is characterized by solidarity and tolerance.

It was precisely because of these special ties that my

Government interceded in the Angolan conflict. The

mediation efforts it deployed there, together with the United

States and Russia, resulted in the signing in Lisbon of the

Acordos de Paz on 31 May 1991. The year and a half of

peace that followed those agreements raised in all the

Angolan people the legitimate expectation that almost

30 years of war were coming to an end. It also revealed

Forty-eighth session - 30 September l993 13

stimulating signs of economic recovery and the advent of a

new era of democracy and national reconciliation. Angolans

therefore participated massively in the elections of last

September. The resurgence of war in Angola cause by

UNITA’s failure to accept the results of the elections calls

for a new effort from the international community to re--

establish the cease-fire and to safeguard the democratic

process, in accordance with the legitimate wishes for peace

and democracy of the Angolan people.

Portugal welcomed the adoption on 15 September of

Security Council resolution 864 (1993), in which the

Council, in the wake of previous resolutions and under

Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, decided

upon a set of important measures.

I remain convinced that dialogue is possible, and that

only through direct negotiations between the Government of

Angola and UNITA can a lasting solution and a durable

peace be found. I therefore once again urge UNITA to

return to the negotiating table, on the basis of the Acordos

de Paz and full acceptance of the outcome of the

September 1992 elections and the Abidjan guidelines, which

were reached with the invaluable help of President

Houphouet-Boigny and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

I applaud the peace initiatives undertaken by the Special

Representative of the Secretary-General, to which Portugal,

together with the two other countries of the troika of

observers, the United States and Russia, has given its

strongest support.

Only with the restoration of peace will it be possible to

bring about an end to the suffering of the Angolan people

and make possible the provision of the much-needed

humanitarian assistance that the international community is

ready to provide. In this respect, the efforts already made

by the specialized agencies of the United Nations and the

International Committee of the Red Cross are to be

commended.

Regarding Mozambique, the role of the United Nations

in conducting the peace process is for us a source of

satisfaction. In this context, we welcome the adoption of

Security Council resolution 850 (1993), which is a sign of

the Organization’s unequivocal commitment to bringing this

process to a satisfactory conclusion.

Portugal is deeply involved in the Mozambique peace

process, not only through its active contribution to the

United Nations Operation in Mozambique but also through

its participation in the structures created by the General

Peace Agreement and through our contributions pledged

during the donors’ conference last December.

We also welcome the results of the recent meeting

between the President of Mozambique and the leader of

RENAMO, which represented a breakthrough and gave

reason for hope in a future of peace and prosperity in

Mozambique.

The positive outcome of that meeting, namely, the

agreement on the issues of territorial administration and

police, has been recognized by Security Council resolution

863 (1993), in which all parties are urged to implement

without delay all the provisions of the General Peace

Agreement so that the elections can be held in October 1994

at the latest.

Concerning South Africa, we are following events there

closely, in particular the multiparty negotiations, which we

hope will meet with success and constitute the foundations

of a new, multiracial reality.

The withdrawal of significant forces in South African

society from those negotiations is a cause for concern, and

could have a negative impact on the normal course of the

transition process, which, as we all hope, will end with the

holding of elections next year.

The spread of violence in South Africa provides a

special cause for concern, as pointed out by the European

Community observer mission in South Africa and the

Goldstone Commission, in both of which Portugal is

participating actively. We deeply regret the violence, which

cannot but jeopardize the path to national reconciliation.

We must stress, however, the positive aspect, namely

the progress achieved with the 7 September agreement at the

multiparty negotiations on the creation of the Transitional

Executive Council. This was achieved by the efforts of the

various parties that believe in a consensus solution for the

political transition in South Africa.

I should also like to refer to Mr. Nelson Mandela’s

praiseworthy appeal, before the Special Committee against

Apartheid, for an end to the economic sanctions imposed

against South Africa, an appeal which constitutes a valuable

encouragement to the process of political reform initiated by

President F. W. de Klerk.

Leaving now the African continent, I would say that

Portugal, because of its very important legal, moral and

14 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

historic responsibilities in the case, continues to devote, as

a matter of priority, particular attention to the question of

East Timor, a Non-Self-Governing Territory recognized by

the United Nations as being under Portuguese administration,

its decolonization process not having been completed.

I should like to reaffirm, at this rostrum, my country’s

position of principle on this question: Portugal accepts in

full the relevant resolutions adopted by the General

Assembly and Security Council regarding East Timor.

These resolutions reaffirm the need to apply, in the case of

East Timor, the essential principles and rules adopted by this

Organization on decolonization; those contained not only in

the Charter, but in the historic resolutions 1514 (XV) and

1541 (XV) as well. The rejection of military conquest as the

basis for claiming territorial enlargement, the need to respect

East Timor’s territorial integrity and the right of its people

to self-determination are clearly established in those

resolutions.

We remain firmly committed to achieving, in a peaceful

and negotiated manner, a just, comprehensive and

internationally acceptable settlement to this question. That

settlement must not fail to meet the standards of

international law and must fully respect the legitimate rights

of the East Timorese, who are those most directly concerned

and who have been the principal victims of this painful and

long-protracted problem.

I should especially like to applaud the efforts of the

Secretary-General - and those of his collaborators - under

whose auspices talks have been held with Indonesia aimed

at settling this issue. We do recognize how very difficult

this task is as a result of the wide gap between the positions

of the parties on the substance of the question, which is the

conclusion of the process of the decolonization of the

Territory. Three rounds of discussions have already taken

place at the Ministerial level, and we are in the process of

adopting a set of confidence-building measures in order to

improve the atmosphere of dialogue and to foster the

advancement of the process.

Allow me to quote, in this context, a passage of the

progress report submitted, just a few days ago, by the

Secretary-General to the General Assembly:

"Equally important and intrinsically linked to the

peace process is the human rights situation in East

Timor. The improvement of the conditions in East

Timor is sine qua non to progress in the talks".

(A/48/418, para. 5)

I am sorry to have to say that, unfortunately, the human

rights situation prevailing in the territory continues to elicit

condemnation on the part of the international community.

The resolutions adopted this year by the United Nations

Commission on Human Rights and by its Subcommission on

Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities

are a clear demonstration of this. We sincerely hope that

steps will be taken that will bring about a tangible and

genuine improvement of the situation in the territory and that

this can be monitored without obstruction. I therefore call

upon all Governments and human rights organizations to

continue to keep a close eye on the situation in East Timor.

We are witnessing events of great significance in other

parts of the world. Allow me to emphasize those which

merit our particular attention.

Portugal remains faithful to the construction of an

enlarged and strengthened Europe. We are close, therefore,

to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and, guided

by that objective, we propose to contribute through our

participation in the framework of the European Community

with a view to enhancing dialogue as well as political and

economic cooperation. This approach will ensure peace,

stability and economic well-being.

In this context of the joint responsibility of all actors on

the international scene, we should encourage the ongoing

political and economic reforms in the States that have

emerged from the collapse of the former Soviet Union aimed

at a peaceful evolution towards democratic societies based

on the rule of law and fundamental human rights. We

support their progressive integration into the international

economy, which will prevent the political division of the

past from being replaced with a new economic gap.

Allow me to salute at this point President Yeltsin for

his courage and determination to carry on without

interruption the process of political and economic reform

that is indispensable for the complete democratization and

development of the Russian Federation.

We lend our unequivocal support to all the efforts made

by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe

(CSCE) and the United Nations - which constitute a good

test for cooperation between regional organizations and the

United Nations - to reach peaceful settlements to the

disputes that have arisen on the territory of the former Soviet

Union.

Regarding nuclear arms control and disarmament,

Portugal considers the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Forty-eighth session - 30 September l993 15

Nuclear Weapons to be an instrument of major importance,

and looks forward to its indefinite extension at the 1995

Review Conference. Portugal urges all the parties that have

not yet done so to ratify it, and reiterates the need for all the

nuclear-weapon States that have emerged from the former

Soviet Union to implement and comply with the obligations

resulting from the START I and START II Treaties and the

Lisbon Protocol.

At this point, allow me to stress the importance my

Government attaches to the work of the Conference on

Disarmament, to which my country has recently presented its

candidature for full membership.

I wish to refer here to the current negotiations that are

seeking to conclude the General Agreement on Tariffs and

Trade talks. While we hope for their successful conclusion,

which we consider to be fundamental for the world

economy, we also believe that the result should reflect a

global and balanced solution based on an opening of markets

and a reinforcement of the rules of international trade.

I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate the

Government of Israel and the leaders of the Palestine

Liberation Organization for the realism, lucidity, courage and

also imagination they displayed with the conclusion of the

recent agreement, which represents a historic step towards

the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace

for the Middle East based upon the relevant resolutions of

the United Nations. The agreement will certainly lend a new

and encouraging vitality to the peace process in both its

bilateral and multilateral tracks, irreversibly consolidating the

latest developments.

Geographical proximity and historic and cultural ties

justify the genuine attention with which my country is

following the evolution of the situation in the Maghreb.

Portugal has stressed, within the European Community and

in other international forums, the importance of that region

to security and stability in the Mediterranean. In this sense,

the declaration of the Heads of State and Government at the

Lisbon meeting of the Council of Europe set out a new

approach to a political, economic, social and cultural

dialogue between the European Community and the Maghreb.

Portugal has centuries-old relations of friendship with

Latin America. Our special relationship with Brazil cannot

be overemphasized. We are therefore in a position, in the

spirit of the recent Ibero-American Summit in Salvador da

Bahia, to enhance dialogue and cooperation with this region.

In this respect, I should like to stress the importance we

attach to an agenda for development in the advancement of

a constructive and effective dialogue aimed at identifying

and exploring new forms of solidarity in encouraging

international cooperation for development.

In respect of the activities of the European Community,

we have been striving to strengthen European ties with Latin

America, through the San José process and the Rio group,

by encouraging the efforts - which have already made

progress possible - aimed at increasing respect for

democratic institutions and human rights and developing new

forms of economic integration.

I should also like to mention the current negotiations on

the preservation of natural resources and the maintenance of

environmental balance. The obligations of States go beyond

the mere signature of multilateral treaties. At stake is a

legacy to future generations of sufficient, conserved and

renewable resources to ensure their well-being.

All efforts in that direction deserve the commitment of

the international community as a whole, through the

implementation of policies of a continental or even global

scope. The Rio Conference was merely a step on the long

road to convincing the world of the need to preserve the

environment and to maintain the balance between the means

of production and the human component without resorting to

destruction and waste.

It is now important to put into practice the decisions of

the Rio Conference in order to give expression to the

measures decided on there. Portugal will not fail to do its

part, in the full realization that only then shall we be able to

build a future for coming generations.

At this point in its history, the United Nations is facing

an unprecedented opportunity and, for the first time, can

play the role originally intended for it, without restriction, in

the resolution of conflicts and the maintenance of

international stability and as the custodian of respect for

human rights.

We are all committed to providing a positive

contribution to meeting this challenge. Portugal, for its part,

will do everything possible to achieve these ambitious goals.