Bastareacau.eofeztrem& concern. Inmyopinion, theunprecedented solidarity shownbymembersoftheSecurity Council duringthiscrisisi5anencouraging sign fora.afefutureinthi.regionandeverywhere ODourplanet. Itisquiteclear thatthisreguires carefulattention onthepartofallcountries oftheworld cOIDunity. TheByelarus.ian SSRsupports theSecurity Council resolutions aimedata peaceful settlement ofthecrisisinthePersian Gulfregion. Nebelievethatthe UnitedRations hastherighttoezpecttheGovernment ofIraqtocomplywiththe Security CouncU'. demands, thomostimportant ofwhichistheililllecUate and unconditional withdrawal ofallIraqitroopsfromtheStateofEuwaitinorderto restorethatState's sovereignty, independence andterritorial integrity. IshouldliketopointoutthatinrecentyearsByelorussia hasdonemuchto consolidate theeffortsofStatesaimedatpreventing thecreation ofnewweapoDS oflIa••de.truction. Keintendtocontinue ouractiveworkinthisimportant area, andweareconvinced thatavoiding thedangerofintroducing newmilitary technologie., .specl~lly inthefieldofweapons ofmassdestruction, ismore re.sonable thanpainfUlefforts toeliminate Dewweapons frommilitary arsenals. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryPJCB/ljb--------------- 11·_ A/45/PV.8 &6 (Mr,lobicb,Irelgrussion SSR) Howdangerous eVGnthep~aceful usesofnuclear technologies sreIsMgmething thatweunfortunately havelearned byourownbitterezperience. rouryearsage Byelorussie fellvictimtotheconsequences ofahorrible disaster -onethetdid nottakeplaceinourterritory. Theaccident atthenuclear powerplantinthesmalltOVDofChernobyl became agreatcalamity sharedbytheByelorussian peopleaswellastheUkrainian and Russi&D peoples, atragedy oftrulyplanetary proportions. Themalfunctioning of onesinglenuclear reactor contaminated enormous areasandendangered thehealthof thepopUlation inmuycountries. Buttheheaviest burdenisthatbornebythe peop1~ofBye10rusaia. Seventy percentoftheradioactive fall-out appeared in theterritory oftheR~public. Hotjustanarrowstripoflandadjacent tothe reactor, aswasthoughtinitially, buttheentire-andIemphasise this-the ontireterritory oftheRepublic hasbecomeazoneofnational ecological disaster. TodayChernobyl isbeating inourhearts. Itbeatswiththeradioactive discharges inGeigercounters inourfieldsandInthestreetsofourcitiesand towns.Itisinthedeceptive tranquil beautyofthoseforesta andriversthatno onemayenter, Onemuataeethedeapairofapeasant unabletocultivate theland onwhichhisancestora hadgroVDcrop.forceDturie.~ thegriefandhelplessness of amotherwhoseesherchildren dyingbeforehereyes,thesilentsorrowofold peopleforcedtoleaveforever thebelovedvilleqes andtOVDSwheretheyhadspent theirentirelivesandwheretheirfamil!es areburied. OurRepublic suffered andiscontinuing tolufferenormous damage. MOrethan 2.2million people,thatiseveryfifthreaideDt oftheRepublic, 18percentof themostproductive farmland aDd20percentofallforests areintheaoneof long-term radiation. Tbeezterna1 andinternel radi~wion dosesabsorb8d by Byelorussia'. population atthetimeoftheaccident fromshort-lived radlonuclides andstillbeingabsorbed from10Dg-1ived radloDucl1des arethehighest knowniD --------------------~, Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryPKP/ljb A/45/PV.8 67 (Mr.Kobicb. QyeloruslilD SSB) practice'anywhere Intheworld. According tothemostconservative estimatea, the directeconomic 10••aloneamountatoaboutlaannualbUdgets. Restoration viII re~uir. morethanfInaDcial resources. Thereisaneed,animmediate andpres.ing noed, f~requipment, modernmedicines, state-of-tbe-art know-how andtechnology. Therelaevenaneedforfoodbecause wehavebeenforcedtostopagricultural production onalargepartofourterritory. Unfortunately, thetruescaleofthe tragedy4i4notbecomecleartousimmediately, sinceitwasthofirsttimein worldhistorythatsuchaDeventhadoccurred. Howitisevidentthatthegrave consequeuces, whichwillbefeltforcenturies, andtheextentoftheradioactive contamination makeChernobyl, without exaggeration, thegreatest disaster inthe historyofmankind. TheChernobyl tragodyha.spreadfarbeyondourfrontiers. Therei.an inescapable spreadofradionuclides. Wemuststopit.Wemust ac~uire experience formankind ODhowtocopewiththecODse~ueuce8 ofsuchadisaster. Thati.whyI appealiD~grief,onbohalfofourpeople, totheentireworldcommunity. Today ~urborder. areopeDtoreceivehelp,andwehopethatagrowing awarene.s ofthe scaleofthedi3astor willatepupthishelp. Wemusteliminate thethreattothe healthofpeopleindozen8ofcountriea. Ourpeoplehasalwaysborneitsburdens onitsovnshoulders. Wearedoing everything inourpowertoel{minate theconsoquences ofthedisaster. However, I wiahtoatre,sODceag8inthatitadimensions aresovastthatwithout concerted international e~fort. thetalkwIllbeimpossible. Fromthisloftyrostrum I shouldliketoexpre.& thedeepgratitUde oftheParliament andGoverDmOnt of ByelorusBia toallStates,allorganizations andallpeopleofgo04willwho,
**Analysis**
The text is primarily focused on the devastating effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on the environment, health, and economy of Belarus. The speaker is appealing to the international community for help and support in mitigating the consequences of the disaster. The text discusses the economic burden, health risks, and environmental damage caused by the disaster, highlighting the need for international cooperation and assistance.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Health