Pakistan, 1992

This session of the General Assembly is

taking place at the dawn of a new era. The international structure

constructed since the Second World War on the balance of terror between the

super-Powers has broken down. We perceive new opportunities to promote peace

and to accelerate progress throughout the world. Yet we face new and

unprecedented problems, both regional and global.

The international community must squarely face the challenges and seize

the opportunities that the momentous developments of the past few years have

presented. We must build a peaceful, stable and progressive international

order on the debris of the cold war, an international order where principles

of equity and fair play govern the conduct of States, where the weak live

without fear of domination by the strong, where prosperity flourishes and

where human dignity is safeguarded.

Such a new international order can come about only through concrete steps

agreed by the vast majority of the international community. The United

Nations is the only forum where we can concert our actions to construct new

arrangements for global peace and prosperity. The Assembly should take the

initiative by adopting an appropriate action plan in this emerging era of

international relations. I should like to take this opportunity to outline

Pakistan's views and suggestions on the elements of such an action plan.

To build a new and effective framework for peace and progress, the world

community must achieve five major objectives.

The first objective is the promotion of a structure of global security

that ensures the security of both large and small States, of both weak and

powerful nations. Historically, threats to international peace and stability

have emanated from the drive for power and hegemony sustained by the

accumulation of massive military arsenals. An international order based on

hegemony will always remain unstable, because it is unjust. The challenge

before us is to build a new international structure that would check the

hegemonic ambitions of the powerful nations and promote disarmament at global

and regional levels. Only through such measures can we create a just and

stable order ensuring global and regional peace and security. Such a

structure presupposes the revitalization of the United Nations on democratic

lines to regulate inter-State conduct in conformity with recognized principles

of inter-State behaviour, particularly the exercise of the right of peoples to

self-determination, respect for the sovereign equality and territorial

integrity of States, non-interference in internal affairs, non-use of force in

international relations and peaceful resolution of international disputes.

A comprehensive programme of disarmament at global and regional levels

constitutes the second pillar of a stable structure of international security.

Significant reductions in weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear

weapons, leading ultimately to their total elimination, and in conventional

arsenals are essential elements of the disarmament process. Pending the total

elimination of weapons of mass destruction, their proliferation must be

arrested. We have welcomed the agreements between the United States and the

Russian Federation which will reduce their strategic nuclear arsenals by

half, in the present conditions of instability, further reduction of these

nuclear warheads is a pressing priority. Pakistan hopes that their number

will be drastically cut, leading to their eventual elimination all over the

globe. This is no longer a Utopian goal.

Until complete nuclear disarmament has been achieved, the nuclear-weapon

Powers are under the obligation to assure the non-nuclear-weapon States

against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. With the end of the cold

war, there is no reason why such assurances cannot be extended to the

non-nuclear-weapon States unconditionally and in a legally binding manner.

An essential element in the programme for nuclear disarmament is the

acceptance by all States of a permanent ban on nuclear-weapon testing. The

absence of a comprehensive nuclear-test ban will, in the long run, compromise

the goal of nuclear non-proliferation. We further believe that the conclusion

of nuclear-test-ban agreements among regional States in different parts of the

world not only would facilitate the conclusion of a comprehensive

nuclear-test-ban treaty but would also act as an important confidence-buildinq

measure at regional levels.

Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

Pakistan fully agrees that the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other

weapons of mass destruction would increase the danger to world peace and

security. Non-proliferation measures can gain universal credibility and

acceptance if their scope and application are comprehensive and

non-discriminatory. This pre-condition applies as much to nuclear

non-proliferation as it does to the endeavour to control the spread of medium-

and long-range missiles.

With the end of the cold war and tangible progress in arms reductions

between the two pre-eminent nuclear Powers, the urgency of promoting regional

disarmament is greater than ever before. Today threats to peace arise largely

from regional discords and divisions. The armaments race is increasingly

acquiring a regional dimension. Global peace and security will remain in

jeopardy unless greater attention is paid to regional security concerns. In

recognition of this reality, the United Nations has begun to focus on the need

to promote disarmament at the regional level. This is evidenced by the

adoption at the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly of the resolution

on regional disarmament by an overwhelming majority. This approach also

featured prominently in the deliberations of the Disarmament Commission at its

last session. This trend needs to be encouraged and strengthened.

Pakistan fully subscribes to the objectives of the draft Convention on

the prohibition of chemical weapons, which has been transmitted to the General

Assembly by the Conference on Disarmament. We completely share the resolve of

the international community to banish forever this hideous instrument of

warfare. However, the draft Convention contains some provisions that cause us

concern. It remains our hope that these shortcomings will be redressed to

ensure universal adherence to this truly landmark document.

The second objective of an action plan for peace and progress should be

to promote the fullest application of the principle of self-determination.

The principle of self-determination is the bedrock of the present system

of international relations between sovereign, independent States. Over the

past 45 years, the exercise of this right has led to the independence of the

majority of the States represented in this Hall. All peoples under colonial

or alien domination or foreign occupation are entitled to self-determination.

This has been repeatedly recognized by the United Nations.

The process of self-determination remains incomplete. In its resolutions

of 1948 and 1949 the Security Council decided that the future of Jammu and

Kashmir should be determined in accordance with the wishes of its people, to

be expressed in a free and fair plebiscite under United Nations auspices.

Pakistan and India both undertook to implement those resolutions. That was

the first time that the Council set out the actual process by which the right

of self-determination was to be exercised. It is ironic and sad that the

first resolutions of the Security Council providing for the exercise of the

right of self-determination remain unimplemented.

The passage of a generation has not extinguished the desire for

self-determination in Kashmir. It is the children of 1947 who are now

sacrificing their lives in the struggle for Kashmir's freedom from Indian

rule. Since 1990 more than 10,000 Kashmiri men, women and children have been

killed. According to Amnesty International, an estimated 15,000 citizens are

in prisons and torture cells in Kashmir. The brutal repression unleashed by a

security force, of over 400,000 has failed to break the spirit of the Kashmiri

people. Pakistan cannot remain indifferent to their sufferings. We will

continue to extend full moral, diplomatic and political support to the

struggle of the Kashmiri people for self-determination.

Peace and tranquillity cannot return to South Asia unless this

outstanding dispute is resolved. Pakistan has proposed to India the

commencement of a bilateral dialogue in accordance with the Simla Agreement to

reach a final settlement of the Kashmir dispute on the basis of the United

Nations resolutions. We hope this dialogue can start without further delay.

We call upon the international community to persuade India to desist from

its policy of suppression and to enter into a serious dialogue with us with a

view to resolving this dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the

Security Council and in the spirit of the Simla Agreement.

May I also urge the Secretary-General to use his high office to persuade

India to desist from the path of violence and suppression against the Kashmiri

people and to allow them the exercise of their right to self-determination as

envisaged in the Security Council resolutions. Attempts by India to portray

the 45-year-old just struggle of the Kashmiri people in terms of external

interference are aimed at distorting the historical facts and should therefore

be rejected outright.

I reiterate before the Assembly Pakistan's long-standing proposal to

station impartial observers along the line of control to investigate and

verify accusations of interference. We made this proposal in all sincerity

and are convinced that such a mechanism would help establish the correct

position beyond any shadow of doubt. That position is that the uprising in

Indian-held Kashmir is entirely indigenous and spontaneous. Indeed, India's

persistent rejection of our proposal exposes the hollowness of its allegations.

The people of Palestine too have been denied their right to

self-determination. Pakistan shares the hope that the current Middle East

peace process will lead to a just and comprehensive settlement in the Middle

East based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973).

Pakistan also shares the view that the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all

Arab and Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including Al-Quds

Al-Sharif, and the exercise of the right to self-determination by the

Palestinian people are essential to ensure a durable peace in the Middle East.

In South Africa, some progress has been made towards eliminating

apartheid. However, the recent violence threatens to disrupt the negotiating

process. The South African Government must shoulder its responsibility for

salvaging the negotiations by taking immediate steps to stop the bloodshed and

bring to book those responsible for the recent massacres. Meanwhile,

international pressure against South Africa should be maintained until the

positive changes introduced in the last two years become irreversible and the

South African people's struggle for justice, equality and majority rule is

finally crowned with success.

Pakistan fully supports the efforts of the Secretary-General in

implementing the peace settlement in Cambodia. We call upon all Cambodian

factions to cooperate with the United Nations in creating conditions conducive

to the establishment of a national Government in Cambodia. Pakistan's

commitment to the Cambodian peace settlement is evidenced by its substantial

contribution to the United Nations Transition Authority in Cambodia, to which

we have provided a full infantry battalion.

The valiant people of Afghanistan have finally regained control over

their destiny. On 28 April 1992 an interim Afghan Government assumed power in

Kabul. Pakistan congratulates the people of Afghanistan on their triumph and

pledges to them its complete support and cooperation in the arduous task of

nation-building and reconstruction. We are determined to develop close and

cooperative relations with Afghanistan on the basis of sovereign equality and

mutual respect. It is our sincere hope that the process of reconciliation in

Afghanistan will be accelerated and that the people of that country will be

able to live in peace and harmony. We urge the international community to

make its due contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the

rehabilitation of the returning refugees, as well as to the maintenance of the

remaining millions of refugees in Pakistan and Iran. For its part, Pakistan

is ready to make its contribution to the gigantic task of rebuilding the

war-ravaged Afghan economy.

Pakistan welcomes the new Members of the United Nations: Armenia,

Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,

Moldova, San Marino, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Their

presence in this Hall is a source of strength for the United Nations.

Unfortunately, one of these new Member States is being subjected to

brutal aggression. This world body must strongly oppose this aggression. We

call on the Security Council to take action, including the use of force under

Article 42 of the Charter, to reverse the Serbian aggression and restore the

sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia

deserves assistance in accordance with the Charter's provisions on

self-defence. The Security Council should lift sanctions to enable Bosnia to

receive such assistance. We further urge that an international tribunal be

established immediately to prosecute and punish the reported war crimes by

Serbian forces, including the genocidal practice of "ethnic cleansing". The

world community must also make more determined efforts to ensure that

humanitarian assistance reaches the suffering people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Pakistan holds the view that the former Socialist Federal Republic of

Yugoslavia has ceased to exist. Serbia and Montenegro, therefore, should not

be allowed to take the seat of the former Yugoslavia in the United Nations.

The third objective we must promote in an action plan is the

establishment of viable structures for regional peace and security as

envisaged in Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. With the end of the

cold war, threats to peace and security are most likely to be regional rather

than global in origin and dimension. It is, therefore, in the regional

context that the barricades against war must be constructed.

Pakistan desires good-neighbourly relations with India. We want to

devote our energies to the vital task of economic and social development. We

want our people to live in dignity. These goals cannot be attained unless a

climate of trust and cooperation prevails in South Asia.

In South Asia, as elsewhere, a balance in the military capabilities of

the regional States is essential to build and maintain a viable structure of

peace and security. Pakistan has made proposals to India for a regional or

bilateral agreement to ensure nuclear non-proliferation, the total prohibition

of all weapons of mass destruction, and mutual and balanced reduction of the

conventional forces of the two countries.

Pakistan and India have concluded agreements not to attack each other's

nuclear facilities and on prior notification of military exercises and

prevention of air violations. Recently, we also signed a declaration on the

total prohibition of chemical weapons.

Regrettably, India remains unresponsive to the proposals aimed at

ensuring nuclear non-proliferation in South Asia and bringing about a mutual

and balanced reduction of conventional forces. It continues to vote against

the proposal for establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in South Asia, which

has been repeatedly endorsed by the Assembly. India has yet to accept the

proposal for talks involving the United States, the Russian Federation and

China, as well as India and Pakistan, to ensure nuclear non-proliferation in

South Asia. All the other proposed participants have responded positively to

the proposal.

Pakistan stands at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, China,

West Asia and the Gulf. In the past, this region was the subject of the great

game between rival imperialist Powers. With the end of the cold war and the

emergence of the independent republics of Central Asia, Pakistan hopes to

serve as a link between interlocking structures for economic and commercial

cooperation in these adjacent regions of Asia. The admission of the Central

Asian States in the Economic Cooperation Organization, grouping Pakistan, Iran

and Turkey, will help towards the emergence of the region as a vibrant

economic entity. Pakistan enjoys close fraternal relations with the member

States of the Gulf Cooperation Council and we hope to promote cooperation and

moderation in the Gulf region. Similarly, the South Asian Association for

Regional Cooperation can make a positive contribution to the evolution of a

new era in the relations among the regional States.

Threats to the security of the littoral and hinterland States of the

Indian Ocean arise mainly due to large disparities in their military

capabilities. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has proposed a conference of the

littoral and hinterland States to agree upon measures for strengthening

regional peace and security. The maintenance of an equitable balance in the

land, air and naval forces of the regional States is an essential prerequisite

for achieving this objective. The Assembly should suggest appropriate

guidelines to the United Nations Committee on the Indian Ocean to evolve a new

framework for peace and security in that strategic region.

A fourth and essential objective of the Action Plan for Peace and

Progress must be to revive global economic growth and restructure

international economic relations on a just and equitable basis. As the

Secretary-General has pointed out in his report on the work of the

Organization:

"Political progress and economic development are inseparable: both

are equally important and must be pursued simultaneously".

(A/47/1, para. 64)

Growth in the world economy has been imbalanced. The gap between the

developed and the developing countries has increased. The incidence of

absolute poverty is growing. Recurrent economic recessions have reinforced

trade protectionism and frozen the level of development assistance.- This,

combined with the crushing burden of the external debt-servicing of the

developing countries, has led to the invidious phenomenon of negative resource

flows.

We cannot allow growing economic disparities in an increasingly

interdependent world in which destinies of nations are linked. Further

deprivation in the third world can endanger international peace and

stability. On the other hand, the integration of the developing countries in

the world's financial and trading system can contribute immensely to global

output, as we have witnessed in East Asia. Indeed, there is a unique

opportunity today to create a truly global economy, since the developing

countries, as well as the Central and Eastern European States, have adopted

the principles of free markets and open trade.

Pakistan recommends the following steps to revive world economic growth

and improve the plight of the developing countries. First, the major

industrialized countries should take the policy actions required in the fiscal

and monetary fields to revive global growth and break out of the current

recession. Second, they must overcome the special interests that are pressing

for protectionism, and conclude the Uruguay Round without further delay.

Third, the debt burden of the developing countries should be effectively

ameliorated. Countries that have scrupulously serviced their debts, imposing

a great sacrifice on their peoples, could be offered relief through generous

balance-of-payments support. Fourth, the developing countries should be

provided preferential access in the regional trade areas in Europe and North

America. Fifth, financial resources must be generated to meet the development

needs of the poorest countries. Sixth, the developed countries should support

mechanisms designed to stabilize commodity prices, including agricultural

commodities. Seventh, an extensive programme of technical assistance and

training should be undertaken in the developing countries to enhance their

capacity to implement economic and social development projects. Eighth,

additional resources and technology should be made available to integrate

environmental and socio-economic objectives for sustainable development in

accordance with the commitments of the Rio Conference.

As the current Chairman of the Group of 77, Pakistan will work to evolve

common positions for the developing countries on all the major economic

issues, including the follow-up of the United Nations Conference on

Environment and Development and the reform and revitalization of the

Organization in economic and social fields. We also look forward to

constructive cooperation with our developed-country partners.

The present Government of Pakistan has introduced a free-market

revolution in the country. We are seeking economic growth by releasing the

dynamism of our private sector. These reforms are based on deregulation and

privatization. We have offered generous incentives for investment, including

foreign investment. We have encouraged export-led growth. The response to

these reforms has been most heartening. Private investment has accelerated;

our exports have continued to increase despite the global economic slowdown.

The Pakistan economy has grown by over 6 per cent annually during the past few

years despite the constraints of a drastic structural adjustment programme.

Unfortunately, heavy floods have dealt Pakistan a severe blow. Over

2,000 people have perished. The damage to our public infrastructure, private

property, and agriculture is estimated in the billions of dollars. We have

fully mobilized our governmental machinery to recover from the effects of this

natural calamity. We greatly appreciate the international expressions of

sympathy and support. We are grateful for the assistance offered to Pakistan

by the world community for relief and rehabilitation in flood-affected areas.

Pakistanis are a resilient people and are facing this natural calamity with

courage.

The final and vital objective of our Action Plan should be to strengthen

the role and effectiveness of the United Nations itself in the areas of

international security, economic and social development and human rights.

Pakistan welcomes the renewed confidence reposed in the United Nations

security role by the major Powers. This is, indeed, as the Secretary-General

has said, a second chance for the international community to build the system

of collective security envisaged in the Charter. . The Security Council can act

as a credible deterrent to aggression against smaller and weaker States.

Where aggression does occur, the Council can be the agent for the rapid

restoration of peace and the redress of injustice.

While the revival of the Security Council has already been celebrated, we

must acknowledge that its determination in responding to aggression has not

been uniform. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, for instance, Serbian aggression

could have been checked more effectively. The Council's decisions will

possess credibility only if they are perceived to be fair and

non-discriminatory, in strict conformity with the purposes and principles of

the United Nations Charter. The actions of the Security Council will gain

support if its procedures and processes are democratic and transparent. We

should resist efforts to create new centres of privilege.

We broadly endorse the Secretary-General's recommendations in his report

entitled "An Agenda for Peace" regarding the United Nations role in preventive

diplomacy, peace-making and peace-keeping. We particularly agree with him

that conflict-prone situations should be identified at an early stage and that

the United Nations should play an active role for their peaceful settlement.

Pakistan strongly endorses greater resort by Member States to the procedures

for mediation, conciliation and arbitration provided in Chapter VI of the

United Nations Charter.

Pakistan's participation in several United Nations peace-keeping

operations reflects our unqualified support for United Nations peace-keeping

activities. As a gesture of solidarity with our brothers in Somalia, Pakistan

has provided the United Nations operation in Somalia with an infantry

battalion along with vehicles and equipment. Pakistan is prepared to

designate specific units of its armed forces for rapid deployment in the

service of the United Nations.

We believe that the General Assembly must also be enabled to play a more

effective role in the promotion both of international peace and security and

of economic and social progress. Our agenda must be rationalized. The

decisions of the General Assembly must also gain in credibility and

responsibility. Member States should observe and implement all resolutions of

the General Assembly, especially those which are adopted by consensus.

The Charter envisaged that the United Nations would play a central role

in promoting economic and social progress and development. The world

Organization now requires even greater support in order to be able to respond

to the host of new global issues confronting mankind population,

environment, drugs and international migration. The response of the United

Nations membership to these issues will shape the political, economic and

social structures of the twenty-first century.

The United Nations will lose its second chance to realize its potential

if it continues to be denied the financial resources required to discharge its

growing responsibilities. At this Assembly, we should give serious

consideration to ways and means of ensuring adequate financing for all the

activities of the United Nations.

It is the hope of the Pakistan delegation that the forty-seventh session

of the General Assembly will adopt an action plan for peace and prosperity.

We should endeavour to reach specific decisions to restructure international

relations by the fiftieth anniversary session of the General Assembly. This

would be an appropriate occasion to launch the world Organization on its

journey towards the vision of peace, justice and progress reflected in the

Charter of the United Nations.

At this critical session of our Assembly, we are very happy to have

someone with your wide diplomatic experience and wisdom as its President. I

am confident that you will make a vital contribution to the success of our

deliberations on the major issues of our time. Your predecessor.

Ambassador Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, has established a superb record of

achievements, for which I would like to congratulate him warmly.

Our Organization is most fortunate to have a new Secretary-General who,

with his distinguished academic and diplomatic experience, can comprehend the

strong currents of history flowing in these times. He has already manifested

his political courage in defence of justice, equity and peace. The Pakistan

delegation reposes full confidence in the ability of Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali

to guide the membership of the United Nations towards the new era of peace and

prosperity which we all wish to see emerge from the debris of the cold war.