collective compassion intheframework ofamixedeconomy andpursuing inits foreignrelations astatusofneutrality basedontheprinciples ofnon-alignment hasfoundintheunitedNations boththeunderstanding aswellasthesupport which haveenabledittopersevere initschosenpatheveninmoments ofdifficulty and opposition .. Wehavealsofoundthat,inspiteoftheconstraints imposed byourlimited resources, wehavebeenabletocontribute directly totheworkandobjectives of theUnitedNations.AW/ljb A/40/PV.3l 26 (Mr.Trigona, Malta) SoonafterwejoinedtheOrganization, westarted· playing aprominent rolein thelawoftheseanegotiations. Overthepast15yearswehaveserved onmostof themajororgansofthesystem, namely, theGoverning Council oftheunitedNations Development Programme (UNDP) ~theCouncil oftheInternational Maritime Organization (IMO);theEconomic andSOcial Council~ theGoverning Bodyofthe International LabourOrganisation (ILO);theExecutive Council oftheFoodand Agriculture Organization oftheUnitedNations (FAO);theIndustrial Development BoardoftheUnitedNations Industrial Development Organization (UNmO), together with·ourcurren~ membership ontheExecutive BoardoftheworldHealthOrganiza tion (WHO)andtheGoverning Council oftheUnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP). Wehavealsohadtheprivilege ofserving twiceasVice-President ofthe UnitedNations General Assembly, in1970andagainthisyear. Ourroleas Rapporteur oftheCommittee ontheExercise oftheInalienable Rightsofthe Palestinian Peoplesinceitsinception in1975has,webelieve, provided avaluable contribution tothesearchforajustandlasting solution oftheMiddleEast question. Wearekeenoncontinuing toplaythisrole. Byfarourmostchallenging andrewarding experience intheUnitedNations has certainly beentheopportunity wehadin1983andin1984toserveatermasa non-permanent memberofthesecurity Council. Thismembership permittedusto project withgreater clarity andpurpose ourwholehearted commibnent tothemethods ofpeaceintherelations amongStates. TheUnitedNations forumhastherefore enabled us,andotherslikeus,to underline thepointthatthepursuit ofanindependent foreign policyisasmucha vitalandindispensable element ofsovereignty forasmallStateasitisfor larger andmightier States. Atthesametimehowever -andthishasbeenbroughtAW/ljb A/40/PV.3l 27 (Mr.Trigona, Malta) outinal'ecatCommonwealth studyonthesubject -smallStatesfacethechallenge ofaparticular vulnerability whichoftenexposes manyoftheirforeign policy decisions andactions tointensive scrutiny andunjustified suspicion bylarger States. Maltahashadtofacethisreality eversince,in1971,underasocialist administration, itstarted takingthosepolicydecisions inthepolitical, economic, socialandotherfieldswhichwerecaJ.ledforinthepursuit ofits sovereignty andnationaldevelopment. Wehavehadtodealnotonlywithopenly expressed disapproval butevenwithoutright hostility inrespectofsuchactions astheinternal reformsofourhealth, education andsocialwelfare systems, and ourforeign policyopenings towards newcountries inourregionandbeyond. The essential Objeetives inpursuitofwhichtheseforeign policyactions weretaken, namelyourdesiretotransform Maltaintoaneutral andnon-aligned StateintheJ Mediterranean, actingasafocalpointforregional peace,stability and co-operation, weredeliberately misinterpreted anddistorted. Fourteen yearsagomanyeyebrows wereraisedwhenthenewlyelectedsocialist Government ofMaltatookthefirst,andmostlegitimate step,inassertion ofan independent foreign policybyopening relations withthePeople's Republic of China.Ittookmanyyearsforthissteptoberecognized forwhatitreallywas: anextension ofMalta's rangeofpartners andbynomeansareplacement ofoneset ofpartners byanother. Duringtheseyearstheinvaluable assistance oftheChinese people toMalta, inmajor infrastructur~ projects, inthesetting upofjointindustrial ventures, andintechnical assistance, hasinitselfreflected thepositive andprogressive natureofthispartnership. AtthesametimeChina's interest inandsupport of Malta's efforts totransform theMediterranean intoazoneofpeacehasbeenofAW/ljb A/40/PV.3l 28 (Mr.Trigona, Maltal :9Uchanatureastoconfirm theimportant cootribution whichsuchpartnerships can maketowards regional andinternational stability andCQ-operation. Farfromjustifying anyinitial misgivings, Malta's political opening towards Chinahasthexefore translated itselfintofriendship between peoples, allowing directcontact asamodelpartnership formutualeconomic co-operation andfor
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a statement by the government of Malta on its foreign policy and its role in the United Nations. It highlights Malta's commitment to neutrality and non-alignment, its contributions to UN organizations, and its experiences as a small state. The text also touches on Malta's economic and social development, its relationships with other countries, and its efforts to promote regional peace and stability.

**Category**
International relations, Economic development