foirce!s, prim&y of the counttries lof the socialist com- mu.nity, thcroaghout th,e post-war period, It is a direct consequence of the easing of international tension, which has m&e particular progress in recent years. 49. By &opting this ,decdsion ‘the United Nations is drawing the final line on the bsalance-sheet of that great world’ tragedy which began a third of a century ago in Europe and has caused immeasurable suffering tb the peo;ple!s of the worlsd. In the United Nations system the policy and practice of di~soriminatioa against mdividual State’s have been endled. A new eca’is dawning in the hi,stov d ithe activities of the United Nations ;-the loag-awaited (era of universality. 50. ‘The adnission of the~German De~m~ocratic Repub- lic. to membership in the *.United Nations mmt be viewed as yet another direct and espe&lly important indication of the recognition of !the growing inter- national role and authority (of the German Democratic Republic, an independent, sovereign socialist State and a consist,ent advolcate ,of peace, internatioaa1 secua%ty anld social pqress. The peaceful foreign policy of the German Demofcratic Republic is of greatt significance for the cause of peace and d&me in Europe and for the organization of a&Euro~pean co-operation. The role of the German Democratic Republic as an influence for peace and sect&y in Eua-opean and world affaks is growing steadily. 51. The German Democratic Republic maintains that the favourable changes which have been achieved in the international situation should be m&e irreversible, Mr. Honecker, First Secretary of the Central Com- mittee of ithe Sodalisit Unity Party of Germany, stated: “This L Itile goal of olur policy tolo. We advolcate compliance w’ith the latter and spirit of the treaties which have been concluded; in accordance with their purport, they should be the anost e&xtive means of guaranteeing peace and thle easing of tension.” 