shouId give further impetus. A year ago now, Sir Anthony Parsons, your predecessor, Mr. President, in the Council, under similar circumstances made the same finding [234Zsf meeting]. I should like to quote what he said: “there is common ground amongst them, particularly amongst those most closely involved in the problems of the Central American region. There seems to be a clear wish for peaceful solutions. There appears to be a common desire for, io quote a number of speakers, negotiation and co-operation rather than confronta- tion.” * *Quoted in English by the speaker. 156. Our problem today is to ascertain how we can reach a stage where a non-machiavellian ethic prevails in international affairs in general and in relations among -certain Central American countries in particular. The ethic of international relations should be based essen- tially on thoughtfulness and moderation. I find that this ethic can be found in the Mexican proposal of last year, to which reference has recently been made, to the effect that the way to find a solution is through direct dialogue and regional co-operation, to which the aid of friendly countries and the moral weight of the Security Council, politically and institutionally, could give its sanction. 157. The PRESIDENT: The representative of the United States has asked to speak in exercise of his right of reply, and I now call on him. 158. Mr. LICHENSTEIN (United States of America): I did not want to let the occasion pass without any reflec- tion on the extraordinary statement that we heard this morning from the representative of Libya [242Zst meet- ing], and it was, indeed, an extraordinary statement. I do not refer to the calculated assault on rationality and civil- ity. No, what I found most striking was the very sure sense in which the representative of Libya seemed to 