Ambassador dePiniaspresides. IfirstcametotheunitedNations asastudent interninthe1960s. BythenAmbassador dePiniashadalready beenaprominent figurehereforsomeyears.Itisentirely appropriate thatheshouldnot;have beenelected totheAssembly's highest office. Iofferhimmycongra~ulations, and thefullsupportofmydelegation forhisefforts tomakethisfortieth session a fruitful andmemorable one. Aswecelebrate thisfortieth anniversary oftheUnitedNations, th~thoughts ofallofusmustturntoreflect ontheaspirations andobjectives thatwere pursuea withsuchenergyandconfidence whentheCharter ofthis Organizatio~ was drawnup.ForaNewZealand representative itisnatural toremember withpride thatourPrimeMinister oftheday,theRightHonourable PeterFraser, con~ributed tothisoriginal process withstatesmanlike vigour. Todayespecially Iwishto recallandpayhomagetotheleading roleheplayedinseeking toasserttherights ofsmallcountries tothemaximum possible protection undertheCharter against the vicissitudes ofinternational lifeandintheaftermath oftwoWorldWars. =-------------..,...,,-------------------JSM/rd A/40/PV.7 59-60 (Mr.Palmer, NewZealand) Now,fortyyearson,thisisnolesscogentaproblem. MyGovernment, by ironyoffate,findsitselfatthisrostrum againconcerned toseemaintained, in difficult circumstances, thesovereign rightsofasmallstateagainst the increasingly complex andsophisticated pressures thataregenerated fromlarger countries withintheinternational community. Itcontinues tobemyGovernment's apprehension that,fortyyearson,the atomicweaponhaskeptitsmalignpacealongwiththeexistence oftheunited Nations. Nolessthanin1945,thehorrific atomicshadowstillfallsacrossall ourproceedings. Insayingthat,Iamnotexpressj.ng aplatitude. Mypointisthatthe continued development ofthisweaponoverthelifetime ofourorganization hasin factsucceeded indistorting thefabricofinternational life.Inourown experience itconditions thesovereign freedoms wehadthought in1945wereonce andforallassured tous.Attheveryleastaspolicies ofpowerarepursuedit hasimpinged onstandards ofinternational morality andbehaviour.MLG/at A/40/PV.7 61 (Mr.Palmer, NewZealand) Insuchapolitical climate,itisnatural thatsmaller countries mayturnto thepossibilities ofcollective self-help thattheCharter oftheunitedNations encourages. Itisindeedtotheadvantage oftheunitedNations thateachcountry contributes theperspective ofthatpartoftheworldinwhichitfindsitself theSouthPacific -therehasoverrecentyearsbeenagrowing perception that greatPOwerrivalries couldstarttoextendtoourregion~ Thefactis,however, thatthestrategic circumstances oftheSouthPacific arenotthoseofthenorthern hemisphere~ norhastheSouthPacific sofarbeenanareaofgreat-Power confrontation. Itneedneverbe;andourownsecurity isbestservedbykeepingit so. Against thatbackground thecountries intheregionhaveacted. Wehaveset inbeingthebestpractical measure ofagreedarmscontrol available toustoguard against theemplacement ofnuclear weapons inourmidst. Aswasannounced earlier thisyear,theSouthPacific Forumcountries endorsed andopenedforsignature on 6August, theanniversary ofHiroshima Day,atreatyestablishing theworld's secondnuclear-weapon-free zoneinapermanently inhabited area.ThisSouth Pacific nuclear freezoneTreatysignals innouncertain termsthedeeply anti-nuclear sentiments ofourpeoples, andtheirdesiretoliveinpeaceand independence andtoruntheirownaffairs inaccordance withtheirownwishes. Itisbasictotheirpeaceofmindthatthereshouldbenouse,testing or stationing ofnuclear explosives intheSouthPacific, andthattheactivities of theSouthPacific countries themselves shouldfullyrespect andfulfiltheaimsof suchapplicable international measures astheNon-Proliferation Treaty. TOtheseends,allparties tothesouthPacific nuclear freezoneTreaty undertake nottopossess, manufacture oracquire nuclear explosive devices anywhere, norallowthemtobestationed ontheirterritory. TheyalsoundertakeMLG/at A/40/PV.7 62 (Hr.Palmer. NewZealand) toprevent thediversion offissionable material tonon-peaceful purposes, andnot todumpradioactive wasteatseainthezone. UndertheTreaty, SouthPacific countries retaintheirunqualified sovereign rightstodecideforthemselves, consistently withtheirsupport forthese objectives, theirsecurity rights, andsuchquestions astheaccesstotheirports andairfields byvessels andaircraft o~.}thercountries. TheTreatyisnot, therefore, somesortofdisguised attempt toundermine existing military alliances. Itisadetermined efforttoensurethattheSouthPacificisnotriven bythetension~ whichhaveovershadowed somanyotherpartsoftheworld. TotheSOuth,theZoneborders theareaofanother andmucholderagreement - theAntarctic Treaty. WevaluethatTreatynotjustbecauseofthenuclear-free anddemilitarized zoneitestablishes forAntarctica butbecause for25yearsit
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech delivered by a representative of New Zealand at the United Nations, discussing the country's concerns about the continued development of nuclear weapons and its efforts to establish a nuclear-free zone in the South Pacific. The speech also touches on the country's sovereignty and its desire to maintain its independence and freedom to make decisions.

**Category**
International relations, Humanitarian aid and relief