Belize, 1982

203. The delegation of the newly independent

Central American and Caribbean nation of Belize

has listened with great interest to the various

statements made in the general debate during the

past two weeks. We have heard Presidents and

Prime Ministers, heads of governments and

Ministers for Foreign Affairs from rich and

powerful nations, poorer and less powerful

States, and even the poorest and least powerful

among us, relate their perceptions of the state

of the world today, their blueprints for a better

world, and even their anguish and agony at their

inability to mandate the necessary changes. One

perception is clear to our delegation: it is that

we are witnessing in the world today a crisis

situation of a political and economic nature

almost unparalleled in the history of the

Organization. But in the face of this bleak

prognosis, the delegation of Belize shares the

optimism of our distinguished Secretary-General

that "we now have potentially better means to

solve many of the major problems facing humanity

than ever before".

204. In recognition of this great potential of

the United Nations to be an instrument for the

preservation of peace, stability and security in

these troubled times, one of the first acts of

independent statehood made by the Government of

Belize on Independence Day, 21 September 1981,

was to apply for membership of the United Nations.

205. The delegation of Belize is pleased to be

able to congratulate you, Sir, on your unanimous

election to the high office of President of the

thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly.

You represent a country, Hungary, that has been

steadfast in its support of Belize's right to

exist as an independent nation on its own

territory-for which Belizeans will always be

grateful. We also pay a tribute to Mr. Kittani of

Iraq for his mastery as President of the

thirty-sixth session. He presided when Belize was

first admitted to the Organization and we hold Mm

in high esteem. The delegation of Belize also

taxes this opportunity to congratulate our

brother Latin American. Javier Perez de Cuellar,

on his appointment as Secretary-General. His

clear-minded and level-headed approach to the

job, as evidenced in his first report on the work

of the Organization, encourages us to believe

that he will be able to prod the Organization on

to achieve its lofty goals.

206. We in Belize share with the

Secretary-General his profound concern for the

need to strengthen to the fullest the mechanisms

of the United Nations for the maintenance of

peace and security. Our path to freedom and

independence, with the co-operation and support

of the United Nations, is an example of the value

of concerted action by peace-loving nations, it

is therefore of vital importance to Belize, and

indeed to most countries, that the system of

collective security continue to be given

practical and effective application.

207. Our foreign policy is rooted in certain

cardinal principles of international behaviour:

non-intervention in the internal affairs of

States; the inalienable right of peoples to

self-determination; and the strict observance of

the non-use of force in the settlement of

international disputes. Most of the conflicts,

injustices and tension that beset us today spring

from flagrant and continuing disregard of these

important rules.

208. The barbarity of Sabra and Shatila that

fills the world with revulsion should not be the

price exacted from the Palestinian people for

their legitimate right to live in their own State

within secure boundaries. Our delegation puts on

record Belize's condemnation and revulsion at the

cold-blooded massacre of innocent civilians in

Lebanon. We record our support for the right of

the people of Palestine to determine their own

destiny and to establish their own homeland in

their own State within defined and secure

boundaries. We also support the right of Israel

to exist a§ a State with its security guaranteed.

209. The constant attacks on the humanity of

the Mack peoples of southern Africa by Pretoria's

racist regime and its continued occupation of

Namibia and harassment of neighbouring African

States are affronts to civilized conscience. We

record our condemnation of the apartheid policies

of the racist regime of South Africa, and our

support for the right of the black majority in

southern Africa to determine the governance of

their territory.

210. The senseless war between Iraq and the

Islamic Republic of Iran, the Soviet occupation

of Afghanistan, military conflict in the South

Atlantic, turmoil and destabilization in Central

America and the Caribbean -the list goes on. All

of those are possible because we ignore the norms

of international behaviour to which we all pay

lip service.

211. We support the implementation of the

relevant United Nations resolutions concerning

Afghanistan with full respect for the

independence, sovereignty and non-aligned status

of that country.

212. Belize also endorses the position of the

non-aligned movement in respect of Western Sahara

and appeals to the parties to initiate

negotiations in order to obtain a fair and

lasting solution of the conflict in Western

Sahara in accordance with the principles of

General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), the

decisions of the OAU and the principles of the

non-aligned movement.

213. We look forward to the solution of the

problem of the people of East Timor with due

regard to the principle of self-determination.

214. The outbreak of hostilities earlier this

year in the South Atlantic between Argentina and

the United Kingdom was a cause of grave concern

to Belize. Consistent with our principles, we

unequivocally reject the use of force in

attempting to settle this dispute. Belize calls

for a formal end to hostilities and for the

negotiation of a peaceful settlement in

accordance with the relevant United Nations

resolutions, and with the participation and good

offices of the Secretary-General.

213. War, and the consequences of war, must

always remind us that the use of force is never a

permanent solution to a dispute.

216. In our own region of Central America and the

Caribbean, the struggle for peace and freedom and

the struggle for development are clearly linked.

The social unrest and tension in this part of the

world are, in many ways, products of a long

history of exploitation and abuses of human

rights, aggravated by external pressures and

disregard of the principles of non-intervention

and non-interference.

217 Although we in Belize have embarked on

policies and practices designed to prevent

exploitation and abuse, we are not unaffected by

the problems of the, region. It is incumbent on

us to strive resolutely for regional harmony

based on mutual respect, and for the elementary

democratic right of a people to shape their own

destiny.

218. In this context, Belize welcomes the

initiative of President Lopez Portillo of Mexico

and President Herrera Campins of Venezuela to

bring peace to the region by way of a political

solution. We also endorse the decision of the

non-aligned movement to convene an extraordinary

ministerial meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau

in Managua, Nicaragua, from 10 to 14 January 1983.

219. Because Belize shares the view that

direct dialogue among democratic countries is an

appropriate mechanism for reviewing the situation

in their region, and seeking solutions to common

problems, the Mme Minister of Belize, Mr. George

Price, met in San Jose, Costa Rica, on 4 October

with representatives of Colombia, El Salvador,

the United States of America, Honduras, Jamaica,

Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

220. Belize subscribed to the final

declaration of San Jose which stressed support

for the principles of representative, pluralistic

and participatory democracy, and concern about

the serious deterioration of the present

international economic order and international

financial system.

221. The San Jose meeting declared its

conviction that in order to promote regional

peace and stability, it is necessary to support

domestic political understanding that will lead

to the establishment of democratic, pluralistic

and participatory systems. Such understanding

would lead to absolute respect for delimited and

demarcated borders in accordance with existing

treaties, compliance with which is the proper way

to prevent border disputes and incidents,

observing, whenever applicable, traditional lines

of jurisdiction.

222. The meeting in San Jose also declared

respect for the independence and territorial

integrity of States, rejection of threats or the

use of force to settle conflicts, a halt to the

arms race, and the elimination, on the basis of

full and effective reciprocity, of the external

factors which hamper the consolidation of a

stable and lasting peace.

223. Belize, for its part, continues to extend

the hand of friendship, and an attitude of good

neighbourliness to the Republic of Guatemala. As

two sovereign nations, which must inevitably live

together with shared borders, we are optimistic

that, together, we can work out areas of

co-operation for our mutual benefit. We stand

ready to take steps to resolve, peacefully, a

controversy born in another century. Belize must,

however, insist on respect for its independence,

sovereignty, territorial integrity, and

non-aligned character.

224. The refusal, to date, of the Republic of

Guatemala to recognize the reality of Belize

within its long-established and traditional

borders, is in open defiance of-and shows a

contemptuous disregard for-the overwhelming

support we have received from States Members of

the United Nations. For the Republic of Guatemala

to assert that they have "legitimate rights over

the territory of Belize" is to reveal a blatant

expansionist policy devoid of any legal,

historical, or political merit.

225. No part of the territory that is Belize

has ever been possessed or occupied by Guatemala.

Belize belongs to the Belizeans. The peace-loving

and democratic people of Belize know this. Our

other neighbours in Central America and the

Caribbean affirm it. The world, through the

United Nations, recognizes the sovereign,

independent nation of Belize.

226. We reiterate our commitment to find a

peaceful resolution of differences with the

Republic of Guatemala for the mutual benefit of

our two peoples. But the territorial integrity of

Belize cannot be sacrificed as a "quick fix"

solution. Rather, we seek a permanent and lasting

peace with all our neighbours-a peace based on

mutual trust and respect, conducive to the

continuing development of all our peoples.

227. In this same spirit Belize supports our

sister Caribbean Latin American nation of Guyana

in its efforts to preserve its territorial

integrity, and calls on the parties to seek a

peaceful solution through an acceptable

international forum.

228. If there has emerged one clear consensus

in international thinking today, it is that the

world is plunging into economic disorder; that

the international financial system urgently

requires overhauling.

229. More and more men and women who want to

work cannot find jobs. Trade is slowing down to a

trickle. Commodity prices are falling rapidly

exchange rates are unstable and the level of

investments is very low. These conditions cause

havoc among the poorer nations. Added to this,

cruel protective trade barriers deny us a market

for our products. The costs of servicing external

debts keep soaring, and speculation runs rampant

and uncontrolled in the financial markets.

230. In the face of all this, is it any wonder

then that the economic struggle for poor

countries like Belize is one of sheer survival?

231. The richer, developed and industrialized

countries are not encouraging the development of

the exports of the developing countries, by their

refusal to pay just prices for our commodities,

which in the long run would lead to a healthy

expansion of international trade for the benefit

of all. Instead, they prefer to finance the

imports of the third world with loans on

exorbitant terms. We are now reaping the bitter

harvest of this unenlightened policy.

232. Many third world countries had a higher

rate of growth, but it was artificial, because it

resulted in an unprecedented increase in their

debt burdens. The inevitable consequences now

affect us all. Even those countries which had the

courage to practice good husbandry and fiscal

responsibility are victims of this unjust

economic system, which has created the phenomenon

of a liquidity crisis and a slow-down in

investments. In a situation such as this, no one

can win; all will suffer. And because of our

vulnerability, the small, poor, developing

countries suffer most. Common sense and simple

equity demand a change. The cry for a new

international economic order can only be stifled

at the risk of total economic chaos.

233. We appeal to the industrialized world to

implement bold and effective initiatives to

strengthen the economic recovery efforts of our

countries. We recognize the co-operation of the

United States Government in approving President

Reagan's Caribbean Basin Initiative, and hope

that the measure is a first step in a wider

economic co-operation effort. We also applaud the

economic co-operation and assistance efforts by

the Nassau Group of countries in this

hemisphere-Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela.

234. Belize notes with great satisfaction that

after 14 years of difficult negotiation the

United Nations has finally adopted the United

Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This

Convention, which has attracted almost universal

support, is perhaps the single most important

example in recent times of the possibilities for

co-operation in an enterprise designed for a

better future. It gives us hope that we shall

find other formulas for co-operation in other

spheres of human endeavour. And what better place

to devise such formulas than the United Nations?

233. The delegation of Belize feels that the

Charter of the United Nations holds the key to

the mechanisms to create a better world. The will

to use the machinery of the Charter must be

consciously strengthened. For this reason, we

support the recommendation of the

Secretary-General that a meeting of the Security

Council be held at the highest level "to make a

serious effort to reinforce the protective and

pre-emptive ring of collective security which

should be our common shelter and the most

important task of the United Nations". Indeed,

the United Nations remains the last best hope for

mankind.