TNAG-1788-FCO40-2548-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 154

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067237

MDHIAN 3372

CLUDED WHICH INVOLVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, THE DESTRUCTION OF WEAPONS. THE INF TREATY WHICH BRINGS ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF A WHOLE CATEGORY OF WEAPONS IS A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF EAST-WEST RELATIONS AND HAS OPENED THE WAY FOR FURTHER PROGRESS IN OTHER AREAS OF ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT. CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TOWARDS THE PEACEFUL SO- LUTION OF SOME OF THE MAJOR CONFLICTS AFFECTING THE WORLD COMMU- NITY# SOVIET TROOPS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WITHDRAWING FROM AFGHA- NISTAN# THERE IS A CEASEFIRE IN THE GULF# THE CONFLICTS IN CAMBODIA AND ANGOLA LOOK LESS INTRACTABLE THAN A YEAR AGO. THE TWELVE, WHO HAVE ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO BRINGING ABOUT THIS CLIMATE, CANNOT BUT REJOICE.

3. HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL SERIOUS PROBLEMS TO WHICH NO SOLU- TION HAS BEEN FOUND AND NEW CHALLENGES ARE LOOMING IN THE HORIZON WHICH WILL REQUIRE PERSISTENT EFFORTS ON THE PART OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IT IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL THAT WE PURSUE OUR EFFORTS, CONVINCED THAT IT IS IN A GROWING SPIRIT OF REALISM, CO-OPERATION AND DIALOGUE THAT THE PROBLEMS WHICH PREOCCUPY US MAY FIND SUITABLE SOLUTIONS. THE UN ARE AND MUST REMAIN THE ADVOCATE OF THIS SPIRIT.

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4. IT IS WITH GREAT SATISFACTION THAT THE TWELVE HAVE WELCOMED THE ORGANIZATION'S GROWING ROLE, AS WELL AS ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN RECENT MONTHS. IT IS AN ENCOURAGING SIGN OF THE STRENGTHENING OF RESPECT FOR THE PRINCIPLES ENSHRINED IN THE CHARTER WHICH CONSTITUTE THE BEST BASIS FOR ENSURING WORLD PEACE, AS WELL AS FOR PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS AND ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS. WE ARE THEREFORE DETERMINED TO SUPPORT EVERY EFFORT IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE AUTHORITY OF THE UN AND RENDER ITS EXISTING MECHANISMS AND ACTIVITIES MORE EFFECTIVE.

MR. PRESIDENT, THE RECENT POLITICAL EVENTS ENHANCED THE ROLE OF THE U.N. IN THE PROCESS OF SETTLING INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS. IT IS HOWEVER, IRONIC, THAT OUR ORGANIZATION AND NOT LEAST ITS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS FACE A MOST SERIOUS FINANCIAL CRISIS AT A TIME WHEN CONFIDENCE IN ITS USEFULNESS IS GROWING. THE TWELVE HAVE MADE EFFORT TO FULFILL THEIR FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS TO THE UN AND ARE DETERMINED TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE. WE STRONGLY URGE ALL MEMBER STATES TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT TO THE ORGANIZATION BY DEEDS NOT WORDS AND FULFILL THEIR FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS IN FULL AND ON TIME ACCORDING TO THE CHARTER. WE HOPE THAT OUR COMMIT- MENT TOWARDS A STRONG AND EFFECTIVE U.N. WILL BE SHARED BY ALL MEMBER STATES.

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