Heads of state or government - addresses at the opening of the thirty-ninth General Assembly of the United Nations

UN Chronicle, August, 1984

Kare Willoch, Prime Minister of Norway: Every nation has a right to defend itself, but the continuing arms build-up becomes ever more dangerous and meaningless. Efforts to achieve arms control should be given the very highest priority. Norway hopes the Soviet Union will soon return to the negotiating table with the United States, without preconditions, to negotiate substantial reductions in nuclear weapons and accompanying measures to create an atmosphere of mutual trust.

"We should strive to create a basis for an agreed, balanced and verifiable freeze on nuclear weapons". In view of present imbalances, such a freeze must be pursued in the context of negotiations to substantially reduce such weapons, and must be part of a settlement which establishes balance between the nuclear arsenals. Balanced and substantial reductions in conventional weapons and a halt to the accelerated conventional arms buildup are also vitally important."

"There is no room for the militarization of outer space", therefore Norway favours talks to find a basis for arms control and disarmament in outer space. It also hopes the Warsaw Pact countries will agree to discuss the concrete confidence-building proposals presented by Western countries at the Stockholm Conference on Disarmament in Europe.

The appalling fact about the alarming increase in international terrorism is that there are serious indications of involvement by Governments. "The assumption that the ends could justify the means is particularly dangerous since it would inevitably lead to anarchy." The world community must act to stop "this intolerable development". The senseless attack on the United States Embassy in Beirut is a strong reminder of the urgency to do so.

Norway favours establishing more efficient international machinery to safeguard human rights, including a United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. It welcomes democratic reforms now under way in several Latin American countries, adding, however, that "no one has the right to exploit a fragile political and economic situation in another country to promote his own interests". At the same time, the expectation is that a promise of democratic elections really means free elections.

Major industrial countries must contribute to promoting better living conditions in developing countries through intensified development aid and improved access to markets. The problem of too high population growth must also be addressed; improving the status of women is a prerequisite for any successful population policy.

The Security Council should feel a special obligation to bring about a stronger United Nations. Peace-keeping operations are "a tangible extension of the authority of the Security Council" to areas of conflict, which must have the Council's full support and the co-operation of parties concerned.

Fernando Belaunde Terry, President of Peru: Threats of "financial colonialism" and terrorism are of great concern to the Latin American countries. World peace requires a realistic solution to the problem of indebtedness. Drastic reductions in public expenditure are frequently prescribed by world organizations, but austerity is not enough. Prescriptions should not be "a kind of death certificate." Austerity measures must be accompanied by new measures for development.