environmental issues not as an extra conditionality, but as a need the satisfaction of which should also be translated into additional resources to be made available by the industrialized countries and in the facilitation of the transfer of necessary technologies. Because Portugal has the larqest exclusive economic zone in Europe, we must pay particular attention to all issues pertaining to maritime pollution and to the exploration and exploitation of marine resources. Underlying all those concepts is the need for continuing sustained and increased assistance -quantitative and qualitative -from the international community to developing countries, particularly to the least developed, whose JB/28 A/S-18/PV. 4 132 (Mr. Rei no, Portugal) structural deficiencies will, for a lonq time to come, continue to require hiqh levels of official development assistance on ooncessional terms. In the near future, it will also be necessary to find a solution to the debt problem, so that this heavy burden will cease to affect adversely the development process of countries that, with enormous effort and sacrifice, are tryinq to find the riqht path to their economic, financial and social balance. On the matter of debt, besides the successive restructurinq arranqements that Portuqal has neqotia ted in the framework of the Paris Club, we are pleased to have introduced some innovative solutions in Particular in the case of official debt that may contribute to reducinq the burden. Its limited financial resources notwi thstandinq, Portugal has made a qreat effort towards co-operation, particularly in the area of traininq and in the development of human resources in qeneral. It has also contributed in the field of technical assistance and in the transfer of technology, so as to lessen the more pressinq needs of the countries with which it co-operates more closely. Finally, all this has been accomplished without reducinq -and in some instances even with increasinq -the financial funds that are vital to the 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the importance of addressing environmental issues, debt problems, and the need for continued assistance to developing countries, particularly the least developed ones. It also touches on the topic of cooperation in areas such as training, human resources, and technology transfer. Given the focus on international cooperation, economic development, and the environment, it is likely that the text falls under the categories of economic development and natural resources and environment.

**Category**
Economic development, Natural resources and environment