| Date | 2 December 1994 |
|---|---|
| Started | 10:00 |
| Ended | 13:20 |
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Agenda item 37 (continued)
Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance
(b) Special economic assistance to individual countries or regions
(i) Reports of the Secretary-General (A/49/158, A/49/263 and Corr.1, A/49/356, A/49/376, A/49/387 and Corr.1, A/49/388, A/49/396, A/49/397, A/49/431, A/49/456, A/49/466, A/49/470, A/49/516, A/49/562, A/49/581, A/49/683)
(ii) Draft resolutions (A/49/L.28, A/49/L.30, A/49/L.31/Rev.1)
(c) International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
(i) Note by the Secretary-General (A/49/453)
(ii) Report of the Secretary-General of the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction (A/CONF.172/9 and Add.1)
(iii) Draft resolution (A/49/L.21)
(f) Emergency international assistance for a solution to the problem of refugees, the restoration of total peace, reconstruction and socio-economic development in war-stricken Rwanda: draft resolution (A/49/L.24/Rev.2)
(g) Special assistance to countries receiving refugees from Rwanda: draft resolution (A/49/L.17/Rev.3)
The President
This morning the General Assembly will resume its consideration of agenda item 37.
Members will recall that on 28 November the Assembly concluded its debate on the sub-items of agenda item 37, with the exception of sub-item (e).
We shall now proceed to consider some of the draft resolutions before us, namely, A/49/L.17/Rev.3, A/49/L.21, A/49/L.24/Rev.2, A/49/L.28, A/49/L.30 and A/49/L.31/Rev.1.
The Assembly will now take decisions on six of the draft resolutions submitted under agenda item 37.
Under sub-item (b), three draft resolutions have been introduced.
The first is draft resolution A/49/L.28, entitled "Economic assistance to States affected by the implementation of the Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)".
I should like to inform the Assembly that Argentina, Belarus, Denmark, Uganda and Sweden have become sponsors of this draft resolution.
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.28?
The President
The second is draft resolution A/49/L.30, entitled "Financing of the Palestinian Police Force".
I should like to inform members that Egypt has become a sponsor of the draft resolution.
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.30?
The President
The third is draft resolution A/49/L.31/Rev.1, entitled "Special emergency assistance for the economic recovery and reconstruction of Burundi".
I should like to announce a slight correction in the text of the draft resolution. Members will please note that the word "substantially" was inadvertently omitted from the fourth preambular paragraph. The fourth preambular paragraph should now read:
"Noting that Burundi has been making efforts to alleviate the adverse impact of the recent political turmoil on its economy and has thus helped substantially to improve the situation".
Mr. Sleeuwagen (Belgium)
Belgium would like to be included among the sponsors of draft resolution, A/49/L.31/Rev.1.
The President
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.31/Rev.1, with that addition?
The President
Under sub-item (c), draft resolution A/49/L.21, recommended by the Economic and Social Council, is entitled "International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction".
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.21?
The President
Under sub-item (f), draft resolution A/49/L.24/Rev.2 is entitled "Emergency international assistance for a solution to the problem of refugees, the restoration of total peace, reconstruction and socio-economic development in war-stricken Rwanda".
I should like to announced that India has joined the list of sponsors of the draft resolution.
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.24/Rev.2?
The President
Under sub-item (g), draft resolution A/49/L.17/Rev.3 is entitled "Special assistance to countries receiving refugees from Rwanda".
I should like to point out that the text of paragraph 3 of the English version of the draft resolution contains some inadvertent errors. The correct text should read:
The President
"Urges all States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and calls upon the international financial and development institutions to provide all possible financial, technical and material assistance with a view to facilitating the restoration of the basic services destroyed in the countries receiving Rwandese refugees";
The President
May I take it that the General Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.17/Rev.3?
The President
Before calling on the first speaker in explanation of position on the six resolutions, may I remind delegations that such explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Oulsa (Iran)
My delegation would like to comment on draft resolution A/49/L.30, which has just been adopted. We feel that the agreements referred to in the document will not lead to the full restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
In addition, my delegation would like to express its reservations regarding any part of the resolution which might be construed as any recognition of Israel.
The President
There are no further speakers in explanation of vote.
I should like to inform members that the Assembly will consider the remaining draft resolutions under agenda item 37 at a later date, to be announced in the Journal.
Agenda item 150
Commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War: draft resolution (A/49/L.33 and Corr.2)
The President
I call on the representative of the Russian Federation to introduce draft resolution A/49/L.33 and Corr.2.
Mr. Lavrov (Russia)
I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the delegations of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
As the representative of the country that is chairing the Charter bodies of the Commonwealth of Independent States, I have great pleasure in addressing the Assembly with regard to the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War -- a major event that we shall be celebrating very soon. In Russia, as in other States members of the international community, the war affected virtually every family. Thus we attach great importance to this event. The President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, appealed to the United Nations to commemorate the end of the Second World War in a dignified manner, and his proposal was approved by a special decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
One of the major lessons following the victory that was achieved through the united efforts of many peoples of various countries was that the preservation and maintenance of international peace and security requires that there be united, agreed, active steps on the part of all peace-loving States, that disputes be prevented where possible and that those that arise be settled by purely peaceful means. This is especially important at the present time as there is still the possibility of armed conflict between States, ethnic and local conflicts continue to cause bloodshed, and we face the increased danger of the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
We are convinced that no objective justifies the unleashing of war. The maintenance of peace is the highest ambition of our States and of all other members of the world community. The delegations on whose behalf I have the honour to speak, like all the other sponsors of the draft resolution, proceed from the premise that the States Members of the United Nations must do their utmost to put an end to the current armed conflicts, to prevent the emergence of such conflicts in the future and to enhance in every possible way the effectiveness of the United Nations as a central element of the system of collective security aimed at achieving this lofty goal proclaimed in the Organization's Charter:
"to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".
I should like briefly to introduce the draft resolution in document A/49/L.33 and Corr.2. I note with pleasure that the 46 sponsors listed in the draft have been joined by the Czech Republic and Hungary.
In the preambular paragraphs the General Assembly stresses that the end of the Second World War established the conditions for the creation of the United Nations; solemnly reaffirms the resolute commitment of all Member States to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations; stresses that remaining legacies of the Second World War should be overcome and that all Member States should cooperate in creating a new environment of international harmony; and stresses that it is in the common interests of mankind to promote actively the role and efficiency of the United Nations as a central element of the collective security system and as an effective instrument for the maintenance of international peace and security.
In the operative paragraphs of the draft resolution the General Assembly proclaims the year 1995 as World Year of People's Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War; calls upon all States and peoples solemnly to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War; decides to a special solemn meeting of the Assembly on 18 October 1995 in memory of the victims of the war; and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures for the implementation of the resolution.
We call upon all States Members of the United Nations, in memory of the millions who suffered and died in the flames of the Second World War, to commemorate in a comprehensive and solemn manner this memorable date in the history of mankind. We hope that the draft resolution will be adopted by consensus.
Mr. Graf zu Rantzau (Germany)
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union, Austria, Finland and Sweden.
The year 1995 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War -- the most devastating war ever witnessed by mankind. It is altogether fitting that during the course of the coming year we the States Members of the United Nations should pay special tribute to the sacrifices wrought by the war.
The European Union therefore fully supports the draft resolution that is before the General Assembly. We welcome the initiative of the Russian Federation in this regard, and we have cooperated closely in the preparation of the draft resolution, among whose sponsors are all States members of the European Union, as well as the acceding countries.
The European Union has brought together countries that fought on opposing sides in the Second World War. Most of today's member States were directly affected by the War. Despite dramatically different experiences, there is agreement that the victory of the Alliance then referred to as "the united nations" represented an act of liberation. To say this is not to ignore the division of Europe that also resulted from the war.
Our peoples remember all too well the horrors of the Second World War. Commemorating all victims of the War goes beyond remembering those who died or suffered. It is a matter of honouring the men and women who fought for the restoration of human dignity. It is a matter of mourning the innocent who suffered. Finally, it is a matter of preserving the memory of all victims for future generations.
As the draft resolution rightly notes, the end of the Second World War established the conditions for the creation of the United Nations. The Charter of the Organization is a living monument to the lessons learned as a result of the War. The scourge of war has not been eradicated. But the United Nations and the principles of its Charter are essential tools in the struggle for peace and fundamental human rights. It is thus appropriate that we should today solemnly reaffirm our commitment to the Organization and to those principles.
We hope that the year of commemoration proclaimed by this draft resolution will inspire our peoples. We hope that private and Government activities will address young people in particular. After all, 1995 is intended to be a people's year of commemoration, and not just a series of official events.
The European Union is willing to contribute, within the United Nations framework, to a dignified, solemn meeting of the General Assembly on 18 October 1995.
We hope that the draft resolution before the Assembly will be adopted by consensus.
Mr. Gnehm (United States)
The United States is proud to co-sponsor the draft resolution which proclaims 1995 as World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War. The text calls for a special meeting of this body on 18 October next. It is fitting that the General Assembly should undertake a solemn commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the bloodiest and most destructive war in history, a conflict that took the lives of some 53 million people and caused enormous suffering to people in all corners of the world.
It is fitting that the Russian Federation is the principal sponsor of this commemorative draft resolution. Twenty-six million Russians lost their lives in what Russians call "the great patriotic war" and what this body must ensure was the last great war. This commitment to peace can only be quickened and given poignancy by our remembering the people of Leningrad, who heroically withstood the horrors of a 900-day siege, and the heroes of Stalingrad, who made an enormous contribution to final victory; by our never forgetting the brave men and women of America's armed forces who died in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima, from D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge; by our recalling the citizens of Nanjing, Warsaw, Rotterdam, London, Malta, Manila and Singapore, upon whom unspeakable horrors were visited; and, yes, by remembering the dead of Hamburg, Dresden and Cologne, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Second World War brought great suffering to people everywhere: to soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who died in battle and to innocent civilians, including the millions who died in the concentration camps of the holocaust. Far, far too many around the world still carry with them the tragic memories and physical scars of a conflict that soaked native soils with the blood of men, women and children.
The burden of the war was not confined to any single nation; all suffered. It is our hope therefore that all will pause and reflect. Memories of this terrible collective experience cannot be allowed to fade. The world must never again open itself to the horrors of global war.
In paragraph 2 draft resolution A/49/L.33
"Calls upon all States and peoples solemnly to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War".
My Government has already created a Second World War remembrance committee to conduct activities on the national level and coordinate local commemorations in thousands of communities across the United States. This committee has been developing educational resources and programmes, and has mounted travelling exhibits on the war effort and the war's aftermath.
Over the Year, veterans' groups in cities and towns across the United States will hold commemorations, often in conjunction with veterans from other countries. In addition, various museums will stage exhibits on the contribution of American industry and science to the war effort, as well as the contributions of American civilians on the home front; requiem concerts will be held around the country in memory of the victims of the conflict; and panels will discuss how best to avoid another world-wide conflict, including, of course, the important role to be played by the United Nations in preventing wars.
During these activities the focus will not be on recrimination. Americans will certainly remember the great sacrifices they and their families and relatives made 50 years ago. They will remember the great personal tragedies experienced by the peoples of many nations. More importantly, they will remember the spirit of international cooperation and mutual assistance that the war brought forth and the role this spirit played, and continues to play, in nurturing peace, democracy and individual liberty throughout the world. They will remember that the United Nations, like a phoenix, emerged out of the ashes of the Second World War, and that all parties to the conflict have now pledged, in the words of the Charter,
"to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".
Our common determination to avoid another global catastrophe forms the roots of the United Nations. Looking back to what inspired us then, we must rededicate ourselves to the aims and ideals of this Organization: the search for disarmament, programmes of economic and social development and, above all, efforts to establish enlightened norms of human rights and dignity and the rule of law. This is the legacy left us by those who fought during the Second World War. Let us honour their sacrifices, and let us demonstrate our gratitude by building the peace for which they gave their last full measure. Our worth will be measured by the quality of the peace we build in their honour.
As the last post sounds before the monuments to the war dead in each of our lands, let each of us pledge that they shall be remembered. Our peace and our very lives have been paid for by their sacrifices. They shall be remembered.
Mr. Yaacobi (Israel)
At the outset, allow me to express our appreciation to the Russian Federation for taking the initiative of bringing this issue before the General Assembly. Israel has lent its wholehearted support to the Russian initiative to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. We are also proud to co-sponsor the draft resolution on the commemoration.
Commemorating the end of the Second World War is our moral obligation, not only to the fallen soldiers, to the civilian victims and to the honoured veterans, but also to the generations to come so that they may learn from the past. The lessons of the Second World War are eternal lessons -- always pertinent, always worthy of attention.
When we consider the bloodshed and slaughter that have taken place since the end of the Second World War, we must ask if the world has fully learned the lessons of that war. One of this century's greatest world leaders, Winston Churchill, once said: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last." Appeasement and isolationism have not disappeared from the world. Rather, these sentiments have been heard loud and clear in many places. Such short-sightedness enabled fascism and nazism to rise in the years before the Second World War. The terrible cost has to be lesson for us all, especially today.
The price of appeasement, aggression and conflict in the Second World War is staggering: tens of millions of soldiers and civilian dead in the largest bloodbath in history; a generation of young men sacrificed; the cultural centres of the world ravaged; the intelligentsia massacred and art, architecture, beauty and life destroyed.
The war launched by the Nazis shattered the entire world and directed special fury against the Jewish people. Not only was the systematic annihilation of European Jewry unique in the history of the Second World War, it was -- and remains -- unique in the history of mankind. The Nazis mobilized every sector of society in a national effort to destroy all Jews. The Government, the military, science, academia, business, the arts -- all collaborated first to dehumanize and then to destroy. The Nazis did not intend to conquer or enslave, but rather to annihilate an entire nation. Jews were murdered because they were Jews. They were guilty of nothing other than being born to Jewish parents. One of the survivors of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel, put it best when he wrote: "Not all victims were Jews. But all Jews were victims."
The years between 1939 and 1944 marked the final -- and darkest -- days of Jewish statelessness. The systematic extermination of the civilian Jewish populations of Nazi-occupied areas became one of the Nazis' main war goals. Six million Jews, one third of the world Jewish population, were wiped out.
The Jewish people's role in the Second World War was not only that of victim. Jewish soldiers joined in the fight against the Nazis. They fought as Jews in the Resistance armies and undergrounds all over Europe. Jews in Mandatory Palestine fought proudly in the Jewish Brigade of the British Army. Those who were citizens of Allied countries fought as Russians, Americans, British, Canadians, French and others.
We all owe a debt of honour and gratitude to the nations which fought to end the war, to liberate the occupied countries and to give new hope to the people and nations of the world. It was their finest hour. I hope that we all act in a manner befitting the memory of the millions who sacrificed their young lives to save others, to save humanity.
We have an obligation to build a world based on tolerance and mutual respect -- but let us never be tolerant of fanaticism, fascism or dictatorship. All these still plague the world today. Our mission is perhaps greater than it was immediately following the end of the Second World War. We cannot change the past, but we can learn its lessons. We have a responsibility to shape the future wisely. This has to be the outcome of the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Organization.
The United Nations was established on the ruins of a world destroyed by hatred and violence in order "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war". The dangers of bigotry, prejudice and discrimination are among the enduring lessons of that dark period in human history. The United Nations has a special mission to ensure that such evil never rears its head again. As it carries out this task, may its Member States always remember its roots and may they faithfully chart its course into the future.
Mr. Li Zhaoxing (China)
The Second World War, which ended some 50 years ago, was an unprecedented calamity in human history that plunged the whole world into a disaster. A great many people lost their lives or experienced unspeakable sufferings under the iron heel of aggressors. What is more, many people with lofty ideals gave their precious lives fighting against aggression, defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity and striving for peace and freedom.
China, invaded by foreign aggressors, was a victim of the war. At the same time, it was one of the major participants in the world-wide struggle against fascism. Like many other peace-loving and justice-upholding countries and peoples, China and the Chinese made tremendous sacrifices and important contributions to the overall victory of the Second World War.
Indeed, the lesson of the Second World War is a bitter one. Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future. The Chinese delegation is of the view that the observance of the fiftieth anniversary of the victory of the Second World War is of great practical and far-reaching historical significance in enabling us to cherish the memory of those innocent victims and those who sacrificed their lives for justice and peace, to voice the common aspiration of people the world over for peace and, at the same time, to educate the world's people and future generations by drawing lessons from history in order to value peace and prevent the recurrence of war.
Today's world is by no means tranquil. There are still various destabilizing factors. Conflicts and disputes in some regions, in particular, pose a serious threat to world peace and stability, as well as to people's lives and property. Under such circumstances, the international community, including the United Nations, is faced with the arduous question how better to safeguard world peace and security.
China has consistently pursued an independent foreign policy of peace. It stands for the peaceful settlement of disputes and opposes the use or threat of force in international relations. In our view, the basic way to prevent international conflict is through strict observance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, namely, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
These principles have been proved by practice to have immense vitality. All nations, notwithstanding their differences in social systems, ideologies, values or religious faiths can live in amity and carry out mutually beneficial cooperation as long as they abide by these principles. Failure to do so will lead to friction, confrontation or even military conflicts. In a world as diversified as ours, nations have no alternative but to adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and to find common ground while shelving differences in order to live together amicably and pursue common development.
The United Nations emerged from the total victory of the people of the world in the anti-fascist war. It has travelled a long and uncommon road against the background of a volatile international scene for half a century. In the wake of drastic changes in the international situation, we hope that the United Nations will, under the guidance of the Charter of the United Nations, and with the joint efforts of the entire membership, continue to play its due role in safeguarding world peace and security and promoting international development and cooperation.
As a permanent member of the Security Council, China is an important force for safeguarding world peace. At present, the 1.2 billion Chinese people are engaged in national construction and economic development. We need peace. We are ready to work with people all over the world in a joint effort to eliminate the scourge of war once and for all and build a beautiful world with lasting peace and common development.
Mr. Velliste (Estonia)
I am speaking here today on behalf of Latvia, Lithuania and my own country, Estonia.
The global commemoration of the end of the battles of the Second World War is an event we have long awaited. Yet, even as the anniversary of the end of the war approaches, we also remember that for many countries in Europe hostilities did not, unfortunately, end in May or September 1945. Some countries, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have struggled with the consequences of the Second World War for decades. We fully subscribe to the notion expressed in the preambular paragraphs of the resolution, in which the Assembly would stress the need to eliminate the remaining legacies of Second World War in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We also hope that the commemoration will allow us to face the past honestly in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Much public debate and discussion over the legacy and consequences of the Second World War have taken place in the Baltic countries since the first pro-democracy movements were established in 1987, and we hope to contribute actively to the global commemoration of the end of the war, to be held next year.
There are very many lessons to be learned from the dreadful experiences of the Second World War. Many in this Hall will focus on those events which have affected them most. We would like to draw attention to two lessons in particular which have been of great significance to our countries.
The concept of dividing countries or regions into spheres of influence set the stage for the Second World War. The excuse that the rights of fellow countrymen were being protected led to the occupation of Czechoslovakia. We must draw the appropriate conclusions from those two lessons.
In our reflections on past events, we must look back honestly and be careful not to create new and untrue myths. It is so easy to follow a false prophet, as was done in 1969 when the Commission on Human Rights decided to participate in the commemorations of the one hundredth anniversary of Lenin's birth. About 20 years later, the myth of Lenin was exposed and his message discarded in the ash heap of history. However, it will take generations to correct the false legacy of that myth.
The ethnic and religious conflicts that now threaten many parts of the world, but especially Europe, clearly demonstrate that policies which have attempted to bury the past and forge a false history have led to unholy atrocities that have reached a scale of horror reminiscent of that in the Second World War. Therefore, in the commemorations we will all be holding at the national and the global levels, let us pledge to examine both the war itself and the full extent of its consequences in a manner which will best honour the memory of all who have suffered as a result of it.
The best way to honour the memory of all those who perished during the war is to avoid further confrontations and strengthen the system of collective security.
Mr. Owada (Japan)
The year 1995 will be a historic occasion for reflection and celebration, marking as it does at the same time the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which brought untold sorrow to mankind, and the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of this universal organization for peace and cooperation: the United Nations.
It is most opportune and significant, therefore, that we proclaim the year 1995 as an occasion for the commemoration of the victims of the Second World War, as well as an occasion for reaffirming our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
The United Nations, created as a result of our determination to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, represents the universal values which all the nations of the world, whatever their historic experiences, embrace. It is for this reason that the United Nations has grown as a truly international organization for peace and cooperation. Having transcended the divisions of the cold war, the United Nations is now expected to play a greater role than ever before in maintaining world peace and security. It is thus most gratifying that efforts are now under way within the United Nations to overcome certain remaining legacies of the Second World War as we approach this important milestone.
The fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War will provide an excellent opportunity to reflect upon the valuable lessons we have learned during the past half-century of international cooperation, and to cement our common will to further strengthen the bonds of world peace as we look ahead to the twenty-first century. My country, Japan, has reflected with remorse upon the Second World War, and is determined never to waver from its commitment to contribute to world peace and prosperity. Japan does not, nor will it, resort to the use of force prohibited by its Constitution. Japan will remain resolutely a nation of peace.
In this spirit, my delegation has decided to join the initiative for the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Japan looks forward to the proposed commemoration as marking the beginning of a new era of peaceful and cooperative relations among all the nations of the world.
I should like to take this opportunity to express to the delegation of the Russian Federation my delegation's appreciation for the initiative it has taken in proposing the agenda item before us. My delegation heartily supports this initiative, and has become one of the sponsors of the draft resolution now before us. I am confident that the General Assembly will adopt it by consensus.
Mr. Gorita (Romania)
The United Nations has not thus far commemorated the anniversaries of the wars that have ravaged mankind in the contemporary era. It is busy enough dealing with current wars and conflicts, which, unfortunately, daily take a heavy toll in human lives and cause the widespread destruction of what the human spirit and hands have created.
Commemorating a war could mean remembering the victims whether from among the victors or from among the vanquished. Shall we commemorate the former and ignore the latter? Is any State or Government in a position to draw a clear-cut distinction between the victors and the vanquished if it is to be mindful that the victims of war have always been ordinary people, innocent people, irrespective of the side they were on or fighting for? Clearly, the victim has always been human civilization itself.
To commemorate the end of a war is therefore not only an opportunity to hail a victory but also an opportunity to meditate once again, more deeply and more objectively, upon its causes and consequences as well as upon the responsibilities of both the victors and the vanquished. It is also an opportunity to draw from it lessons that could make us all wiser when we scrutinize the state of the world today and try to arrive at solutions.
Romania, a peace-loving country, was dragged into the Second World War conflagration after suffering extremely painful territorial losses as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and of the Vienna Diktat in 1940. Romania had no other choice if it wanted to prevent its dissolution and perhaps its disappearance from the map of the world. Prior to any official declaration of war, large parts of Romanian territory, at both its western and its eastern borders, had already been under foreign occupation. Romania did not enter the war to serve any economic or political interests but to preserve its very existence as a State, a nation and a people.
Later, on 23 August 1944, through the determination of all its democratic forces, Romania joined the coalition of the United Nations and fought together with the Allies until the final defeat of the Nazi war machine. It is worth recalling that over half a million Romanian soldiers fought in the anti-Hitlerite war. In terms of the forces involved between August 1944 and May 1945, Romania ranks fourth among the Allied countries. Despite this important contribution, the status of co-belligerent was not granted to Romania. Echoes of that attitude were, unfortunately, retained in the United Nations Charter. I am confident that this historical injustice will soon be redressed, if we understand correctly the fourth preambular paragraph of draft resolution A/49/L.33, now before us, which states:
"Stressing that remaining legacies of the Second World War should be overcome".
The delegation of Romania supports this draft resolution because it believes that it can be useful to reflect thoroughly upon the lessons of history. I would venture to say that the victims we are commemorating are not only the millions of individuals who paid the ultimate price, but also the peoples -- the peoples for whom the United Nations Charter is designed.
Since peoples are the victims of wars, let us give them the means to participate in the process of government and to be consulted on matters affecting their destinies while affirming their right to live in peace. Thus far, peacemakers have not found a panacea for that recurrent illness that continues to afflict the world: warfare. We should try the medicine we have at hand and which may work, and that is democracy. Let us hope that the United Nations, in adopting the draft resolution before us, will not only proclaim 1995 as World Year of People's Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War but will also draw from it the lessons relevant to its own endeavours to preserve and consolidate peace for present and future generations, thus completing the noble and unfinished work of those victims.
Mr. Azwai (Libya)
The fact that fifty years have passed since the end of the Second World War is worthy of commemoration. We should like to thank the delegation of the Russian Federation, which has proposed the inclusion of this item on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly as such commemoration should inspire us all with feelings of goodness and love for peace. It was this very spirit that triumphed, 50 years ago, over the spirit of evil and aggression that had dragged humanity into a war that claimed the lives of millions, razed to the ground whole cities, towns and villages and devastated whole nations that still suffer the consequences of such devastation.
It is clear that the commemoration of any historic occasion cannot focus on the past alone. That is why the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, next year, will be an occasion that should make us take stock of the current international situation. In this context, it is worthy of note that, in the post-war era, the international community was able to make several important achievements. Colonialism receded from most regions of the world. Many peoples were able to regain their rights to self-determination and independence. There now exists a near unanimous desire to achieve arms reduction. Efforts are being intensified towards overcoming international economic difficulties, protecting the environment and putting an end to hunger, disease and poverty. All these achievements, which have been made thanks to the common struggle of peoples, encourage us to try to achieve more successes in those areas.
That, as of necessity, will require serious international cooperation in resolving current economic and social problems and in developing plans that would ensure effective respect for human rights and the establishment of a new just and equitable international economic order. In addition, the world needs a concerted international effort to consolidate peace and security through the eradication of nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction. We must also strive to halt the proliferation of hotbeds of tension and dispute that continue to increase, in a dangerous manner indeed, as a result of internal differences and ethnic conflicts. Also, the vestiges of colonialism, which persist in some countries, should be dealt with and liquidated, courageously, by the international community. The question of Palestine, for instance, is an issue of colonialism, overt colonialism. There is no denying this fact and, therefore, any solution devised for the issue must take the fact into account.
One of the important historical events that took place after the end of the Second World War, was the establishment of the United Nations, as an international forum for the maintenance of international peace and security, the settlement by peaceful means of conflicts, guaranteeing the rule of international law, promoting friendly relations amongst nations and peaceful coexistence amongst States. We the peoples of the world who have placed our hopes in this Organization, as the guarantor of our security and defender of our independence should reaffirm our abiding commitment to the principles of the United Nations as this is the sole guarantee against the ambitions of certain States that try to use the United Nations as a tool that serves their own goals and interests in complete disregard of the noble principle of co-equality of States that figures prominently among the principles of the Organization.
It is indeed cause for concern, that such attempts should be made by major Powers that are supposed to bear a major responsibility towards the maintenance of international peace and security. There are numerous precedents that prove this fact. For instance, there has been military aggression by sea and by air in which more than a hundred war planes took part against my country, a Member State of the United Nations, under a pretext that has been proven to be false. The latest proof has come out in the recently published book of Victor Osteovsky entitled "The other side of Deception". Two of our citizens have been accused of having a hand in the crash of a United States aircraft. The accusation has been levelled by States that know full well the truth concerning the crash and the involvement of their own intelligence services in it. All the details are known to us and we shall reveal them if the parties agree and if the Security Council compels all parties to accept litigation before a just and fair-minded international court on neutral territory. Then we shall reveal all these facts which are known to them. This fabricated allegation was brought to the Security Council, although the issue relates to legal matters that in no way fall within the Security Council's competence. However the influence of a major Power and some of its very powerful allies has made it possible for this matter to be brought before the Security Council and for resolutions and sanctions to be adopted against the people of my country, who have continued to suffer greatly, for three years, as a result of this contrived situation. Thousands of children, women and the elderly have died as a result of these sanctions, due to lack of medicine, poor transport communications and lengthy distances.
As the entire international community knows, all this suffering was designed to force Libya to adopt a policy of appeasement, a policy of slavish acquiescence. However, we are not a servile people. We have paid a very high price because we have consistently refused to be any power's lackeys. All we wanted was to be free under the sun, as is the right of every people in the world. Every nation on earth must be made aware of the dangers inherent in such machinations. If the necessary measures are not adopted by the international community to put an end to such practices, certain major Powers will continue to use their clout and will go to the extremes of trampling the very principles and objectives of the United Nations in which all the small nations of the world, like my own, have invested the hope of protecting their sovereignty, their independence, and their right to live in freedom, without wars, conflicts or destruction.
When the Second World War ended, and hostilities ceased, armies and their weapons were withdrawn from the theatres of war. However, the legacy of war still lingers, as can be seen in the underdevelopment of those many countries that suffered the horrors and destruction of war and the millions of land-mines that were left behind in their soil -- to kill and maim the innocents daily and impede efforts in the area of socio-economic development. Libya is one of the countries that have suffered and continue to suffer those after effects of war, because Libya's territory was part of the belligerents' theatre of operations. They left, but they left behind them hundreds of tons of weapons and millions of land-mines on our farms and in our deserts which explode every now and then, killing innocent people. I can only reiterate what my country stated before the General Assembly when it called upon the countries responsible for sowing those mines in our soil to abide by General Assembly resolutions and to provide the necessary technical assistance to eliminate these devices and compensate our countries for the damage they have caused.
The Second World War now belongs to history, but it is important that we reconsider the international situation as it was before and after the outbreak of the war. Many peoples were then living under colonialism. Now that colonialism and foreign domination have disappeared, in the very least, we should ask those colonial Powers which crushed whole nations and wrought destruction and catastrophe to apologize to their victims. They should pay compensation for all their exploitation of those countries. From this podium, we reiterate our appeal to the nations of the world to adopt an historic resolution through our Organization condemning colonialism and compelling the colonial Powers to pay compensation to all the peoples that they colonized and persecuted in the past. That is the very least that must be done if colonialism and the suffering it caused are to be truly things of the past and not spectres that haunt the future of mankind.
Mr. Sardenberg (Brazil)
The end of the Second World War in 1945 gave rise to a feeling of profound relief and to renewed hopes for the international community. We had survived the greatest conflagration in history. The magnitude of the loss of life and material destruction testified to the horrors withstood by peoples and by countries. Although the greater part of the hostilities took place in regions distant from Latin America, tragedy also touched the Brazilian people. Many civilians lost their priceless lives at sea during attacks against Brazilian passenger ships, while many Brazilian soldiers and airmen were sacrificed as they fought together with other allied forces to defeat the aggressors. We pay our heartfelt tribute to them and to the countless victims of the struggle against the forces of oppression all over the world.
Despite the tremendous sacrifices, the fact that justice and democracy had finally prevailed and that the countries emerging from the war had been able to articulate new forms of international coexistence served to renew mankind's hopes in the future.
It was in that spirit that the international community set out to rebuild the world order by establishing novel mechanisms for cooperation between nations. The goals were far-reaching -- to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to promote the economic and social advancement of all peoples. These ideals were embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, as the single most advanced document in international relations and as the depositary of the hopes and expectations of nations large and small.
Subsequent developments, alas, were not entirely conducive to the full blossoming of all the potentialities of the world Organization.
Today, as we look back to those years, we may notice some similarities. Mankind once again looks to the future with renewed expectations. The cold war is over, and with it the threat of global annihilation. Hope in our ability to promote the advancement of all peoples seems to revive.
History has been kind to our generation, as it has offered us a second chance to restructure the international order on a more secure and equitable basis. We owe it to those who suffered in the past not to miss the opportunity to achieve the goals of peace and development this time. With this objective in mind, we must recommit ourselves to the goals of disarmament and development. We should, furthermore, undertake a careful but necessary restructuring of our Organization with a view to enhancing its legitimacy and effectiveness.
My delegation has co-sponsored the draft resolution contained in document A/49/L.33 and welcomes the initiatives contained therein. It is our belief that we must take to heart the lessons learned from the tragic events of the Second World War. Brazil considers it most appropriate that we dedicate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of that conflict to paying tribute to the memory of its victims and to ensuring that history will not repeat itself.
The President
We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item.
We shall now consider draft resolution A/49/L.33.
I should like to announce that Mongolia has become a sponsor of this draft resolution.
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.33?
The President
By paragraph 3 of the resolution just adopted, the General Assembly has decided to hold a special solemn meeting of the Assembly on 18 October 1995 in commemoration of the sacrifices wrought by the Second World War.
In order for the Assembly to hold this special meeting, it will be necessary to include in the agenda of the fiftieth session an item entitled "Commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War".
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to do so?
The President
Several representatives wish to speak in exercise of the right of reply. May I remind members that, in accordance with General Assembly decision 34/401, statements in exercise of the right of reply are limited to 10 minutes for the first statement and 5 minutes for the second statement, and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Gelber (United States)
An occasion for reconciliation has been abused by a representative whose remarks were wrong in law and an insult to the Security Council: an insult to its members, who have consistently voted to sustain United Nations resolutions that sanction a State supporting terrorism, and an insult to the memories of those who died as a result of terrorist acts supported by that speaker's Government.
Given the nature of the occasion, this time for reconciliation, the intervention I protest was totally lacking in taste.
Mr. Manley (United Kingdom)
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| <type 'exceptions.UnicodeEncodeError'> | Python 2.6.6: /usr/bin/python Sat May 25 18:53:27 2013 |
A problem occurred in a Python script. Here is the sequence of function calls leading up to the error, in the order they occurred.
| /data/vhost/www.undemocracy.com/docs/trunk.py in |
| 194 if __name__ == "__main__": |
| 195 pathpart = os.getenv("PATH_INFO") |
| 196 maintrunk(pathpart) |
| 197 |
| 198 |
| maintrunk = <function maintrunk>, pathpart = '/generalassembly_49/meeting_74' |
| /data/vhost/www.undemocracy.com/docs/trunk.py in maintrunk(pathpart='/generalassembly_49/meeting_74') |
| 131 elif pagefunc == "gameeting": |
| 132 LogIncomingDB(hmap["docid"], hmap["gadice"] or "0", referrer, ipaddress, useragent, remadeurl) |
| 133 WriteHTML(hmap["htmlfile"], hmap["pdfinfo"], hmap["gadice"], hmap["highlightdoclink"]) |
| 134 elif pagefunc == "agendanumexpanded": |
| 135 LogIncomingDB(pagefunc, hmap["agendanum"], referrer, ipaddress, useragent, remadeurl) |
| global WriteHTML = <function WriteHTML>, hmap = {'docid': 'A-49-PV.74', 'gadice': '', 'gameeting': 74, 'gasession': 49, 'highlightdoclink': None, 'htmlfile': '/home/undemocracy/undata/html/A-49-PV.74.html', 'pagefunc': 'gameeting', 'pdfinfo': <pdfinfo.PdfInfo instance>} |
| /home/undemocracy/unparse-live/web2/unpvmeeting.py in WriteHTML(fhtml='/home/undemocracy/undata/html/A-49-PV.74.html', pdfinfo=<pdfinfo.PdfInfo instance>, gadice='', highlightth=None) |
| 322 if dclass == "spoken": |
| 323 if not gadice or agendagidcurrent == gadice: |
| 324 WriteSpoken(gid, dtextmu, councilpresidentnation) |
| 325 elif dclass == "subheading": |
| 326 if agendagidcurrent and (not gadice or agendagidcurrent == gadice): |
| global WriteSpoken = <function WriteSpoken>, gid = u'pg012-bk04', dtextmu = u'<h3 class="speaker"> <span class="name">Mr. Manl...and UTA (<i>Union de transports a\xe9riens</i>).</p>', councilpresidentnation = None |
| /home/undemocracy/unparse-live/web2/unpvmeeting.py in WriteSpoken(gid=u'pg012-bk04', dtext=u'<h3 class="speaker"> <span class="name">Mr. Manl...and UTA (<i>Union de transports a\xe9riens</i>).</p>', councilpresidentnation=None) |
| 69 print '</cite>' |
| 70 |
| 71 print dtext[mspek.end(0):] |
| 72 |
| 73 print '</div>' |
| dtext = u'<h3 class="speaker"> <span class="name">Mr. Manl...and UTA (<i>Union de transports a\xe9riens</i>).</p>', mspek = <_sre.SRE_Match object>, mspek.end = <built-in method end of _sre.SRE_Match object> |
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encoding =
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end =
449
message =
''
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u'\n\t<p id="pg012-bk04-pa01">I also should briefly ...and UTA (<i>Union de transports a\xe9riens</i>).</p>'
reason =
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start =
448