TNAG-1788-FCO40-2548-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 213

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022376

MDLIAN 2738

26.

MR. PRESIDENT, IN CONCLUDING THIS REVIEW OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SITUATION, I MUST LAY EMPHASIS HERE ON A PROBLEM OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO US, THAT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS. NEED I RECALL THE PRIORITY WHICH THE TWELVE GIVE TO THEM AND THE IMPORTANCE THEY ATTACH TO THE PROMOTION AND RESPECT FOR

HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN ALL COUNTRIES WITH WHICH THE COMMUNITY HAS RELATIONS? IN THIS FIELD, THE TWELVE'S ACTIVITIES ARE GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES WHICH WERE SET OUT IN

THEIR DECLARATION OF 21 JULY 1986. PRINCIPLES WHICH WERE INITIALLY ENSHRINED IN THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS, THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE TWO COVENANTS. WE EXPECT ALL

MEMBERS OF THE UN TO LIVE UP TO THE OBLIGATIONS THEY HAVE FREELY

ASSUMED. WE WELCOME ANY EFFORTS AIMED AT STRENGTHENING THE EXISTING MECHANISMS ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE THAT NATIONS' WORDS ARE MATCHED

BY DEEDS.

27.

ISSUE:

FINALLY, ALLOW ME NOW TO TURN TO ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT

TWO YEARS AGO ALL MEMBER-STATES OF THE UN UNDERTOOK THE

DIFFICULT BUT FORMIDABLE TASK TO REFORM THE ORGANIZATION AND MAKE

IT MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH THE COMPLEX

PROBLEMS OF CONTEMPORARY REALITY.

AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THE FULL SUPPORT

OF THE TWELVE TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS DETERMINATION TO FOLLOW-UP SERIOUSLY THE REFORM PROCESS.

THE TWELVE BELIEVE THAT THE SECRETARY GENERAL IN IMPLEMENT- ING THE PART OF THE REFORM THAT WAS ENTRUSTED TO HIM HAS PERFORMED HIS DUTIES WITH FLEXIBILITY AND POLITICAL JUDGEMENT. THE MATTER

NOW IS AT THE HANDS OF MEMBER STATES WHICH MUST SHOW THE SAME

KIND OF POLITICAL PERSPICACITY AND DETERMINATION. IN THIS RESPECT

WE CANNOT FAIL TO NOTE WITH REGRET THAT THE SPECIAL COMMISSION UNDERTAKING THE IN DEPTH STUDY OF THE UN INTERGOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS IN THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL FIELDS, WAS NOT ABLE SO FAR TO REACH CONCRETE RESULTS. UNFORTUNATELY NO PROGRESS WAS MADE DURING THE RECENT SUMMER SESSION OF ECOSOC. OUR COMMIT- MENT TO REFORMS REMAINS STRONG AND WE CONSIDER THE REFORM OF ECOSOC ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS EXERCISE. WE EXPECT THAT OTHER MEMBER STATES WILL NOT LACK THE POLITICAL WILL TO ENGAGE IN FRUITFUL CONSULTATIONS ON A MATTER WHICH WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF OUR ORGANISATION TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THE ACTUAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS.-

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