Thailand, 1982

The Thai delega¬tion takes pleasure in joining

with the preceding delegations in extending to

the President its sincere congratulations on his

unanimous election to his office for the

thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly.

At a time when the Organization is assuming ever

increasing responsibilities, not only in the

preserva-tion of peace, but also for the security

and well-being of peoples in all regions of the

world, we are gratified to have a person of his

demonstrable experience, skill and impartiality

to preside over our deliberations. In the coming

months, many issues vital to the general peace,

progress and prosperity of the international

community of which we are all a part will

doubtless be brought before the General Assembly.

On us will be focused much attention and of us

much will and should be expected. For in the

United Nations will be vested many of the hopes

and aspirations of the world's peoples. My

delegation therefore pledges to the President and

Vice-Presidents of the Assembly, as well as to

the Secretary-General and his able staff, its

full co-operation in the discharge of the heavy

responsibilities that lie ahead.

187. The delegation of Thailand also has the

honor to convey its deep appreciation to Mr.

Kittani, Presi¬dent of the thirty-sixth session

of the Assembly, for his distinguished services

on behalf of the Organi¬zation. His invaluable

contributions to the interna¬tional community

have earned for himself and his country the high

esteem of Governments and peoples around the

world.

188. The past year has been particularly

momentous. The seventh emergency special session

of the General Assembly, on the question of

Palestine, has been reconvened a few times

recently to consider the pressing situation in

the Middle East and, in particular, the tragedy

that has befallen Lebanon. The military

aggression committed by Israel against the

territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon,

resulting in the terrible loss of innocent

civilian lives, including those of women and

children, has undermined efforts on the part of

the international community to find a just and

lasting settlement for the conflict in the Middle

East. Moreover, the world was deeply shocked by

the ruth¬less massacre in west Beirut following

t.ie violation of the cease-fire agreements by

Israeli armed forces.

189. My delegation urges that a full and

impartial investigation be conducted by the

United Nations, with the consent of the Lebanese

Government and the co-operation of all parties

concerned, so that the facts may become known and

the culprits brought to justice as soon as

possible. Meanwhile, Thailand wishes to join in

calling for the expeditious and total withdrawal

of all foreign forces from Lebanon in accordance

with the relevant United Nations resolutions so

that the people of Lebanon can once again be the

masters of their own destiny.

190. Interpretation of national security

interests by one party can never be permitted to

be so broad as to encompass the right to invade

and occupy a sovereign and independent State, to

dislodge people from their homelands or to

subjugate them in occupied territories. The

Government of Thailand deplores the fact that the

Palestinian people continue to be denied their

inalien¬able rights. Every effort must continue

with urgency to enable them to attain and

exercise their rights, including the right to

self-determination without external interference,

the right to national indepen¬dence and

sovereignty and the right to return to their

homes and properties.

191. At the same time as the legitimate rights

of the Palestinian people are recognized,

including the right to statehood, the legitimate

rights of all States in the region to exist

within secure and recognized borders must also be

recognized in the interest of peace. It is my

delegation's firm belief that the conflict in the

Middle East, with the question of Palestine as

its core issue, must find a negotiated solution

with the par¬ticipation of all concerned

including the PLO, which represents the

Palestinian people.

192. The Lebanese crisis has proved that there is

no effective military solution to the Middle East

conflict and that military might not crush the

legitimate aspirations of peoples. On the

contrary, such aspira¬tions have gained greater

international support and will be more fervently

manifested. The course of events in the Middle

East must be steered towards a peaceful political

settlement; otherwise it might take an ever

downward turn drawing all concerned into a spiral

of increasing violence. My delegation therefore

wel¬comes the recent pronouncements of the United

States Government as a positive development.

193. However, while the State of Israel is a

recog¬nized reality, the legitimacy of

Palestinian yearnings for statehood must also be

recognized. In this connec¬tion the Arab

countries have announced the Fez plan, which

marks a historic step and establishes a

frame¬work for further dialogues and negotiations

accept¬able to the Palestinians and the key Arab

States. Provided that the plan takes due

cognizance of Security Council resolution 242

(1967), prospects for widening the dialogue to

include other interested parties seem more

promising. It is the earnest hope of my

delega¬tion that these welcome new developments

and the recent deplorable events in Lebanon will

help to intensify efforts to find a just and

lasting solution to the Middle East conflict that

will result in the attainment by the Palestinian

people of their rights and the enjoyment by ali

States, including Israel and Lebanon, of secure

existence within their recognized borders.

194. Over 20 years after the Declaration on

the Granting of Independence to Colonial

Countries and Peoples, it is regrettable to note

that peoples in many parts of the world are still

struggling for the dignity that only freedom and

self-determination can bestow. The valiant

struggle of the Palestinian people finds worthy

parallels in the situations in Namibia,

Afghani¬stan and Kampuchea.

193. My delegation is deeply concerned that the

presence of South African occupation forces in

Namibia continues to threaten peace not only in

Namibia but also throughout southern Africa, in

flagrant disregard of relevant United Nations

resolu¬tions. Indeed, the continuing instability

in southern Africa poses a threat to

international peace and security. The Government

of Thailand reiterates its view that the illegal

occupation of Namibia must be unconditionally and

immediately brought to an end to enable the

Namibian people to achieve sovereignty and

independence in an integrated Namibia.

196. It is our just expectation that the

contact group will redouble its efforts to bring

about a compre¬hensive settlement in Namibia that

will also end the aggressions committed by South

African forces against neighbouring front-line

States. Continued failure to arrive at a

political settlement would only confirm the

justified reaction of SWAPO that it must attain

its legitimate goals of self-determination,

freedom and independence in a united Namibia by

all possible means.

197. In Afghanistan the proud Afghan people

con¬tinue to suffer under the yoke of foreign

occupation. The Assembly has called for the

immediate, uncon¬ditional and total withdrawal of

foreign troops from Afghanistan. My Government

fully supports the efforts of the Organization of

the Islamic Conference to seek a solution to the

crisis. Continued humanitarian assistance must be

accorded to the hundreds of thousands of Afghan

refugees forced to flee from their country and

the ruthless suppression of Afghan patriots must

be brought to an end. We join in urging the

Assembly once again to help rectify the

injustices perpetrated against the Afghan people.

It is the responsibility of the Security Council

to preserve international peace and security, and

the permanent member concerned should recognize

that its actions in Afghanistan only destabilize

the precarious balance in that vital region of

the world, and that any prolonged instability

there will have serious repercussions beyond the

Afghan borders to its own detriment.

198. The plight of the Palestinian, Namibian and

Afghan peoples continues rightly, to be an

interna¬tional issue of grave concern to the

world community. In South-East Asia, the people

of Kampuchea also have been denied the right to

determine their own destiny, because their nation

has been invaded and occupied by a more powerful

neighbor. They have been forced to flee their

homes to seek food and shelter in neighbouring

countries. Moreover, they con¬tinue to be denied

their basic human rights by the occupation

forces. Therefore, the situation in Kam¬puchea

presents a political and humanitarian challenge

to the world community. The foreign invasion and

occupation of Kampuchea have resulted in untold

suffering for the Kampuchean people and created

severe tension in South-East Asia. The present

situation has interrupted the process ot

constructive co-operation among countries of

South-East Asia and brought about an

intensification of big-Power rivalry in the

region. Thus the conflict in Kampuchea

consti¬tutes a threat to international peace and

security.

199. In three successive years the General

Assembly adopted three resolutions calling for

the withdrawal of all foreign forces, respect for

the sovereignty, inde¬pendence and territorial

integrity of Kampuchea and the free exercise of

self-determination by the Kampu¬chean people.

However, these resolutions remain unheeded by the

instigator of the conflict. My country, together

with the other members of ASEAN, has endeavoured,

within the framework of the United Nations, to

seek a peaceful comprehensive political se dement

to the conflict in Kampuchea.

200. Last year the International Conference on

Kampuchea was convened by the Secretary-General

at United Nations Headquarters to consider ways

and means of achieving a just and durable

solution of the Kampuchean problem. The

Declaration adopted by consensus at that

Conference^ reaffirmed that with¬drawal of all

foreign forces from Kampuchea, restora¬tion of

the independence, sovereignty and territorial

integrity of Kampuchea and the free exercise of

self- determination by the Kampuchean people were

the principal components of any just and lasting

solution to the Kampuchean problem. The

Conference also called for negotiations on a

cease-fire and withdrawal of all foreign forces

under United Nations supervision and measures for

the maintenance of peace and order in Kampuchea

and for the holding of free elections under

United Nations supervision. Regrettably, these

calls by the overwhelming majority of the

international community have been ignored by Viet

Nam, which maintains its military occupation of

Kampuchea.

201. The Ad Hoc Committee set up by the

Interna¬tional Conference on Kampuchea, under the

chairman¬ship of Mr. Sarre of Senegal, has

undertaken several missions in pursuit of the

objectives of the Conference. My delegation would

like to express its deep apprecia¬tion to Mr.

Sarre and the Ad Hoc Committee for their efforts.

We strongly urge all parties concerned, in

particular Viet Nam and its allies, to join in

this peace process under the aegis of the United

Nations to effect a just and durable solution to

the Kampuchean problem.

202. My delegation would also like to express

its sincere appreciation to Mr. Willibald Pahr,

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria and

President of the International Conference on

Kampuchea, for his constructive role. We should

also like to pay a warm tribute to the

Secretary-General for this continuing concern

with regard to the Kampuchean problem. We call

once again on all States Members of the United

Nations to recognize the usefulness of these

efforts and to accord their full co-operation.

203. Despite the efforts made by the ASEAN

coun¬tries in ongoing bilateral dialogues to

facilitate a negotiated settlement of the

Kampuchean conflict, we regret to report that no

substantial progress has been made and that no

substantive change in Viet Nam's position has

been evident. Our hopes are constantly raised

prior to every session of the General Assembly.

At such times, seemingly new proposals are made

by Hanoi or at its instigation, as in the recent

Ho Chi Minh City communique and in the

communication of the Minister for Foreign Affairs

of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. However,

upon closer examination, it is apparent that

these proposals do not offer a viable basis for a

just and lasting settlement of the Kampu¬chean

problem.

204. In the Ho Chi Minh City communique issued

in July, a partial withdrawal of Vietnamese

troops from Kampuchea was offered. Subsequently,

the Vietnamese authorities claimed that this

partial with¬drawal had been completed in

mid-July. However, there are reports indicating

that there was merely a rotation of troops and

new units from Viet Nam have been arriving in

Kampuchea since the end of April. The relevant

United Nations resolutions call for a complete

and total withdrawal of foreign forces from

Kampuchea. Indeed, a genuine commitment to that

end by the party concerned would be welcomed as a

positive step in the right direction. The

Assembly, therefore, needs to reiterate its call

for the total with¬drawal of all foreign forces

from Kampuchea.

205. Viet Nam has also proposed an

international conference on South-East Asia with

limited participa¬tion. As I have already

mentioned, the International Conference on

Kampuchea was convened in July last year, with

the participation of over 90 States and parties

concerned. Ad Hoc Committee was estab¬lished by

that Conference to undertake efforts towards a

peaceful negotiated settlement of the Kampuchean

conflict. We once again call on Viet Nam and its

allies to participate in the United Nations peace

process on Kampuchea. As a State Member of the

United Nations, Viet Nam should have no

difficulty in participating in this United

Nations framework for a negotiated settlement of

the Kampuchean conflict.

206. On the one hand, Viet Nam appears to

regard the situation in Kampuchea as an internal

issue of concern only to the Heng Samrin puppet

regime; on the other hand, Vietnamese authorities

have stressed their preoccupation with the

Chinese threat against the three Indo-Chinese

countries. Therefore, it must first be

ascertained that the Kampuchean problem to be

discussed at an international conference would

not be the mere question of a so-called Chinese

threat against the puppet regime in Phnom Penh

but the exercise of the right to

self-determination by the Kampuchean people, free

from foreign occupation and alien domination. The

other countries of Southeast Asia must be

satisfied that such proposals would not serve to

legitimize Vietnamese occupation of Kampuchea and

prolong the suffering of the Kampu¬chean people.

207. Viet Nam has also proposed that a

so-called safety zone, or demilitarized zone, be

established along the Thai-Kampuchean border.

However, the armed conflict in Kampuchea is not

between Thailand and Kampuchea, but between

Vietnamese forces and Kampuchean patriots. If a

demilitarized zone is to be established, it

should be along the Kampuchean- Vietnamese

border. It should be recalled that Kampu¬chean

resistance forces are there because of the

Vietnamese occupation of their homeland. Only if

and when such foreign occupation comes to an end

can the Kampuchean patriots legitimately be

expected to lay down their arms. To restore peace

to Kampuchea and to reduce regional tension it is

necessary that the 200,000 Vietnamese troops be

completely withdrawn from Kampuchea.

208. Despite the presence of 200,000

Vietnamese troops in Kampuchea and their

four-year onslaught against Kampuchean

resistance, the latter has gained in strength and

numbers. The new Government of Democratic

Kampuchea under the presidency of Prince Norodom

Sihanouk is a natural and posi¬tive development

that reflects the firm resolve and relentless

determination of the Kampuchean people to resist

the imposition of any form of alien domination.

The new leadership of Kampuchea also offers

renewed hopes for improving the prospects of

achieving a comprehensive political settlement of

the Kampuchean problem in accordance with the

relevant United Nations resolutions.

209. The turmoil in Indo-China and in particular

the continued armed conflict in Kampuchea have

resulted in large numbers of people fleeing to

seek food and shelter in neighbouring countries.

Since 1975 over 1 million people from Indo-China

have sought tem¬porary refuge in Thailand, a

country of first refuge in South-East Asia. Many

others did not survive the perilous journey

overland or by leaky boat on the high seas.

Although the numbers have been reduced and many

refugees have been resettled in third countries,

the situation remains of grave humanitarian

concern to the international community. There are

still over 150,000 Vietnamese, Laotian and

Kampuchean refugees in Thai holding centers.

Furthermore, with the fighting in Kampuchea there

is every possibility that new waves of refugees

and displaced persons —now numbering some 200,000

to 300,000 along the Thai-Kampuchean border—will

sweep across the border into Thailand.

210. The Government of Thailand is therefore

sadly disappointed at the recent sharp decline in

the resettlement rates in third countries of

Indo-Chinese refugees in Thailand.

The need to expedite their resettlement as well

as to increase resettlement opportunities in

third countries should be a matter of serious

concern, not only to Thailand but also to all

countries which uphold humanitarian principles.

It is mainly because of international

humanitarian assistance provided by donor

Governments, United Nations agencies and over 50

voluntary agencies and Thailand's humane policy

and co-operation that mass starvation inside

Kampuchea has been averted.

211. My delegation would like to express our

profound appreciation to the donor countries and

to the Secretary-General and his Special

Representative, as well as to the various United

Nations and voluntary agencies, for their

dedicated efforts in this regard.

212. The needs of the Kampucheans remain real

and manifest along the Thai-Kampuchean border as

well as in the Thai holding centers. The

Kampuchean influx and the Vietnamese incursions

and cross-border shellings have also displaced

close to 100,000 innocent Thai villagers. We

therefore urge donor countries to continue to

support the humanitarian programmes of the United

Nations along the Thai-Kampuchean border and in

the holding centers and to assist the Royal Thai

Government in the relief and rehabilitation of

the affected Thai villagers.

213. The resources of Thailand, a developing

third- world nation, have been strained by the

need to assist in the care and shelter of the

large numbers of displaced Indo-Chinese persons.

While the Govern¬ment of Thailand intends to

continue to fulfill its humanitarian

responsibilities in accordance with its

traditions, the problem not only poses a heavy

economic burden for Thailand but also has

immediate and long-term political and security

implications. The most natural solution would be

for the refugees to return safely to their homes.

The Royal Thai Govern¬ment, in co-operation with

UNHCR, will continue to promote and assist in the

program of voluntary repatriation by land, sea

and air. Pending the full implementation of that

program, safe relocation of the Kampuchean

displaced persons in the border areas which are

accessible to relief supplies seems to be a

viable alternative.

214. It is worth noting that the humanitarian

aspect of the Kampuchean problem can find a

lasting solu-tion only if there is a

comprehensive political settle¬ment of the

Kampuchean problem as a whole. The international

community must therefore redouble its efforts to

resolve the Kampuchean conflict once and for all

in accordance with the relevant United Nations

resolutions. To this end, Thailand and the member

countries of ASEAN have sought the assistance of

the international community in bringing about a

negotiated settlement of the problem. The efforts

of ASEAN are undertaken with sincerity and in

good faith. We harbor no enmity towards any

country, particularly those situated in our

region. But the armed conflict in Kampuchea

stands in the way of closer co-operation among

the countries of South-Fust Asia and consti¬tutes

a serious threat not only to regional but to

interna¬tional peace and security. The peaceful

settlement of the conflict will pave the way

towards the establish¬ment of a zone of peace,

freedom and neutrality in South-East Asia which

would provide for the orderly development of all

peoples in the region, irrespective of

differences in their political, economic or

social systems.

215. One of the basic causes of international

conflicts today is the economic discrepancy and

exploitation among nations. In recognition of

this fact, the United Nations system has devoted

the greater part of its entire budget to the

tasks of economic and social development.

However, the fact remains that there are still

nearly 1 billion people living in abject poverty

in the world today, and by the end of the Third

United Nations Development Decade their number

will have surpassed the 1 billion mark.

216. In view of the present crisis in the

world eco¬nomy, progress in the efforts to narrow

the gap between rich and poor nations has not

been satisfactory. Thailand's current fifth

five-year plan is aimed at reducing the external

trade deficit and population growth rate,

restructuring its key productive sectors,

eradicating poverty in rural areas and

maintaining its annual growth rate of between 6

per cent and 7 per cent.

217. However, our export earnings have been

ad¬versely affected by the protectionist policies

of certain developed countries. In this

connection my delegation reiterates the hope

expressed by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their

fifteenth ministerial meeting, in June 1982, that

the GATT ministerial meeting in November 1982

will restore the basic task of GATT in ensuring

that the principles of free trade are

consistently practiced in the world market. We

also hope that the sixth session of UNCTAD, in

1983, will successfully tackle such priority

issues as pro¬tectionism, structural adjustment

and commodities.

218. We live in an increasingly interdependent

world. A global, integrated and comprehensive

approach to world problems is essential if there

is to be an agreed solution. For this reason, in

1974, the General As-sembly adopted the Programme

of Action on the Establishment of a New

International Economic Order which would ensure

the full and active participation of the

developing countries in gobal decision-making and

the management of international economic

co-operation for development.

219. My Government fully welcomed and endorsed

the decision taken at the sixth special session

as well as the subsequent adoption of the

International Development Strategy for the Third

United Nations Development Decade and resolution

34/138, calling for the launching of global and

sustained negotiations on international economic

co¬operation for development. We are, however,

dis¬appointed that, almost three years after

resolution 34/138 was adopted by consensus, and

despite con¬tinued endeavors and the flexibility

shown by the Group of 77 and many of its

industrialized friends, some influential Members

continue to procrastinate concerning the

launching of global negotiations. We earnestly

hope that the latter will, in the spirit of

Cancun, demonstrate the necessary will to

proceed, as further postponement of the launching

of global negotiations would not only aggravate

the already deteriorating relations between North

and South but also, in the eyes of the South,

demonstrate a lack of good faith on the part of

the North, which could impede further efforts at

co-operation.

220. Whatever the outcome of the global

negotia¬tions, my Government will continue to

develop its economic co-operation with other

developing countries in all fields as set forth

in the 1981 Caracas Programme of Action/ in

accordance with the principles of self- reliance,

self-help and North-South co-operation. Economic

co-operation among developing countries is not a

substitute for global or North-South

co¬operation, but it is an integral part of the

collective action of the Group of 77 for the

restructuring of international economic relations

and the establish¬ment of a new international

economic order. We therefore hope that, following

the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Follow

up and Co-ordination Com¬mittee on economic

co-operation a among developing countries, in

Manila last month, more concrete actions and

vigorous implementation of the Caracas Pro¬gramme

will be pursued.

221. My delegation believes that the United

Nations system provides the most appropriate

forum and a useful framework for identifying and

focusing world attention on major issues as well

as for seeking peace¬ful solutions to those

issues. Therefore all countries, developed and

developing, are urged to co-operate within the

United Nations system in achieving our worthy

common goal of a restructured and equitable

economic order for the world community that will

benefit all mankind. My delegation therefore

pledges its best efforts to continue to play a

constructive role in this regard.

222. The just and equitable utilization of the

earth's resources is seriously distorted by the

continuing arms race. The second special session

of the General As¬sembly devoted to disarmament

was convened at a time when the need to halt and

reverse the arms race had become even more

imperative than before. The recurrent crises and

conflicts which have marked the international

situation have heightened the sense of insecurity

among some States and spurred the pro¬duction,

acquisition, and stockpiling of weapons of

destruction, including nuclear, conventional and

chemical weapons, resulting not only in increased

insecurity for all States but also in the

retardation of the developmental prospects of

most third-world countries. Efforts made both

within and outside the framework of the United

Nations to reverse the arms race have not been

crowned with success.

223. But although the second special session

on disarmament fell short of expectations, the

convening of that session nevertheless served

some useful pur¬poses. Among other things, it

produced substantive advances in new ideas,

suggestions and proposals in various fields of

disarmament, many of which, if implemented, could

contribute significantly to the disarmament

process. Agreement was reached on guidelines for

a World Disarmament Campaign which underline the

universality of the program and allow all sectors

of the public unimpeded access to a broad range

of information and opinions on the questions of

arms limitation and disarmament and the dangers

relating to all aspects of the arms race and war,

in par¬ticular nuclear war. The launching of the

Campaign thus represents a step forward in the

efforts to attain meaningful measures of arms

limitation and dis¬armament.

224. The second special session on disarmament

generated an unprecedented degree of public

attention and interest, highlighted by mass

gatherings of the people of many nations in

support of the cause of disarmament. This should

serve as an impetus for all of us to continue our

efforts and revitalize the mul¬tilateral

negotiating process, which was kept in being at

the conclusion of the second special session on

disarmament.

225. My delegation urges that disarmament and

the reduction of the arms race in both nuclear

and con-ventional weapons remain an issue of

priority concern to the Assembly. The world has

thus far been spared the horrors of nuclear war,

but we all realize the consequences that such a

conflagration would have for the human race. The

specter and the reality of conventional wars,

with the terrible suffering in¬flicted through

the ever-increasing sophistication of weaponry,

are still sadly with us. Wars have been fought

because of the aggressive and expansionist

tendencies of militarily powerful States, or have

resulted from injustices inflicted and wrongs

that remain uncorrected.

226. Our task must surely be to rededicate

ourselves to the principles enshrined in the

Charter on the non- use of force,

non-interference in internal affairs and respect

for the territorial integrity of States, while

seeking to resolve international issues by

peaceful means.

227. In this connection my delegation urges that a dialogue

be agreed upon between North Korea and South

Korea for the consideration of effective ways and

means of reducing tension and strengthening peace

in the Korean peninsula.

228. Injustices against entire nations and

peoples continue to be committed in the Middle

East, in Namibia, in Afghanistan and in

Kampuchea. These appear to be among the most

intractable and critical issues to which the

General Assembly has addressed its attention over

the past several years, and they represent cases

where, in the Secretary-General's words:

"Governments that believe they can win an

international objective by force are often quite

ready to do so, and domestic opinion not

infrequently applauds such a course. The Security

Council, the primary organ of the United Nations

for the main¬tenance of international peace and

security, all too often finds itself unable to

take decisive action to resolve international

conflicts and its resolutions are increasingly

defied or ignored by those that feel themselves

strong enough to do so."

229. This is indeed a very dangerous trend and

could eventually turn the Organization, which was

intended to serve the cause of harmony and peace,

into a breeding ground for international

confrontation and anarchy.

230. The Thai delegation sincerely believes

that each and every Member State has the duty and

responsibility to reverse this trend, by

rededicating ourselves to the principles and

purposes of the Charter and by a renewed

commitment to use the machinery of the United

Nations more effectively. For only in this way

can the Organization truly become an instrument

for peaceful change and orderly progress for

mankind.