earnest public d~batenowunderwayaatohowJapan,apacifist nation, canmore fullyco-operate withtheUnitedNationstoachieve worldpeace. Itrustthat similar debates aretalcingplaceinothernations aroundtheglobe. NeverbeforehavehopesbeenhigherthattheUnitedNationswillplaya leadingroleinthepursuit ofworldpeaceandstability; inthecreation ofafree anddemocratic society, wherehumanrightsarerespected; intheachievement of lastingprosperity; andinsolving theenvironmental andotherglobalproblems facinghumanlcind. Nearenowinthefinaldecadeofthetwentieth century and,asweloolcback, itisclearthatthiswasacenturyofprotracted warandconflict. Itshouldbe justasclearthatthetwenty-first century mustbeoneofpeaceandco-operation. Allnationswillhavetoco-operate topreserve theglobalenvironment, control drugabuse,deterinternational terrorism aDdpreventthsdeplotion ofthe Earth's resources. HavingmadetheUnitedNations acentral focusofitsforeign policyever sine.beingaccepted asaMember, Japanplac••itsfulltrustandhopeinthe Organisation. Japanis4etermlnea tomakeeverypossible effortforworldpeace andstability forahumaneinternationol community endforanenduringly beautiful planet. ~~STBIBR (C.ecboclovakia)a Mr.Presid3nt, allowmetocongratulate youonyour .lec~ion. YourprofessioDal skillsandyourkindness, whichIhadthe Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library!f8/csII---------~----_.- A/45/PV~7 42 (Mr. Di~nstbi~r, Caecbosloyakia) oppo~tunit7 toknowduring myrecentvisittoyourcountry, willbemuchneededin guIding theprement .esslonoftheGeneral Assembly. Yhepastyearwastoasubstantial extentayearofEurope. Thaeasternhalf ofEuropeisregaining itsfreedom andsovereignty. Yourpresidency appears tometobeasymbol. Youar~takingofficeasa representative ofaEuropean country whichis,however, alsofairlyclosetoAfric& andwhosaportofLaValletta wasforcenturies aplaceofclashes aswellasa refugethatwasalwaysavailable ontherout~sbetween EuropeandAsia,theNest andtheBast,aswassaid 1~Rudyard Kipling's time,orthaNerthandtheSouth,as wearebeginning tosaynowadays. Themostrecent8essioDs oftheGeneral Assembly have al~vady indicated that theUnitedNationsisonlynowreturning totheopportunities ofthetimeofits founding. Thesucc£ss oflastyear'ssession wasdue ~oyourpredecessor, General JosephN.CarbaofNigeria, whodeserves ourgratitude. Ithasbecomecustomary toaddress herealltheparticular areasofUnited NatioDSactivities. Ishallcertainly comment ODsomeofthemtoday,anawewill express ourviewsonotherslater. YetIfeelaDeedtob.alittlebitpersonal~ whiChwilltakealittletime. Itisaspecial honourform~tobew.lcomed intothecomm~ity ofnatione os thefirstFore1gn Minister ofnewlyliberated Czechoslovakia. Twenty~two yearsego IwassittinginthisBallinthepr.ssgallery andlistening toastatement bythe thenSovietForeign Minister, AndreiGromyko. B.vasputting forward arguments to backupadefinition ofaggr.ssion. Itvasafin.definition. However, If.lta shiverrunninq dOlfilmyspin.. Gromyko wasspeaking asifh.didnotknowthathe wasdefining. deecribin9 andcondemning precisely whathisowncountry had perpetrated against Czechoslovakia nomorethansixweeks.arlier. Then,formany y.ars~Ifollowed fromthepleceswhereIhadtoliveandworkbecause ofthat Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryNS/c•• A/45/PV.7 43 (Mr, D~Atbier, Cllchosloyak,lA) 2a99re.sion -among oth~rsfrcmaprison-thedifficulties andsometimes even political paralysis ofthisOrganisation, thecascades ofrhetoric andmutaal accusations. Itwasnotuntilthepestfewyearsthat,amongotherthingsbecause oftheaorefavourable developments intheeaeternpartofEurope,certainresults umerged. To&considerable extentweoveittothetireless activities ofthe Secretary-General, Mr.JavierPer.sdeCuellar, thattheUnitedNations has.after all,playedameaningful role-fore:ample inN~ibia'8 accession toindependenc~ andintheassertion ofminimum human-rights standards. Ihavesai4thatthepastyearwasayearofEurope- ayearofhistorical failureofitstotalitarian regimes. Mycountry, teo,isnow,after50years, rededicating its.lftoitsdemocratic traditions. HeareallstillsomGwhat surprised. NomorethanayearagoIwaslivinginacountry miredinimmorality, economic declinG andpolicepersecution; nowIamlivinginacountryfullofhope thathasalready hadfree electio~s andistakingthefirststepstowards introducing ama~k.teconomy. AyearagoIwasworking 8Saboiler-room attendant, publishing anindependent un4erground newspaper andbeingchasedbythesecret police, whiletodayIamaddressiDg youastheForeign Minister ofmycountry. IntheheartofEurope,atthecrossroads ofEuropean history, wehaveoften b.encompelled tothinkaboutourplacewithinthecommunity ofnatioDs. Armies u.edtorolloverOQrterritory, andanumberofEuropean warsstarted andendcd there. Morethanonce,forcesstronger thanourselves forcedustogivewayto theirintereats. Khenwewerenotwillingtodo~o-asatthetimeofMunichor thePragueSpring-theysenttroopstomakeusobey.Nevertheless, wehavealvays 5uccee4e4 inrecovGring.
**Analysis**
The text discusses the United Nations' role in achieving world peace, stability, and human rights, as well as Japan's cooperation with the UN in these efforts. It also touches on the theme of freedom and democracy, mentioning the fall of totalitarian regimes in Eastern Europe and the rededication of Czechoslovakia to its democratic traditions. The text does not specifically focus on economic development, natural resources, or other technical aspects, but rather on the international relations and diplomacy.

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