countries andratified by21todate.Inthisregard, theposition oftheunited-----------.---------~~.--_ .._- AP/jh A/4O/PV.9 97 (Hr.Malmierca Peoli, Cuba) States Government -whichrefused tosignit-anditsdecision tograntlicenses toprivate corporations toengageinprospecting activities inpartsoftheZone, inviolation ofGeneral Assembly resolution 2749(XXV)andofarticle 137ofthe Con~'ontion, shouldbeVigorously condemned bytheinternational cOJ1l1'lUnity. Weare'infavouroftheestablishment ofthenewinternational information and coJm1unications orderasaninvaluable contr!bution tothecauseofdecolonization inthisvitalareaofrelations amongpeoples; wearealsoinfavourofscientific education andthefreeandthorough education ofthehumanperson. Thepeoples' basicrightsinclUde therighttoself-determination, development, workandan independent life. Sportsarealsoarightofthe people:~ anditishightimeforthemtobe practised byall,onanequalfooting, without hierarchies orsmallgroupsdeciding onwheresportseventsshallbeheldandwh~willparticipate inthem,without consulting thepeople. Webelieve thattheUnitedNations istheappropriate Organization forpromoting sports, sinceitsuniversal nature makesitthe depository parexcellence ofthehighidealsoftheOlympic Games. TheCuban ~~ople, whichhasbeenconstructing socialism 90milesfromthe strongest imperialist P("Werforthelast26yearsandhasmanaged towithstand everyblowwithfirmness andheroism andvictoriouslytodefenaitsindependence andnational sovereignty, isstillreadytosetasideitstoolsandtakeupweapons withwhici.todefenditselfandtodefeatwhoever attempts toconqueritsterritory. Onreiterating oursupport fortheUnitedNations onthefortieth anniversary ofitsfounding, wealsoreiterate ourfaithinjustice, freedom, independence, development andequality foraUpeople!;. AsJoseMartisaid,"Manismorethan race,morethanwhiteorblack." TheC6anRevolution isforthisuniversal man; formankind without exploited orexploiters; andforpeaceforallStates, both b:xgeandsmall.AP/jh~~---~~---_ ..".~------------------ A/40/PV.9 98 (Mr.Malmierca Peoli, Cuba) Today,tothisaugustassembly, wereiterate ourfirmcommitment tostruggle tirelessly, alongside theunitedNations, fortheconstruction ofabetterworld. Hr.vandenBROEK(Netherlands): Afewdaysagoar~emberstatewas plunged insorrowbyamajornaturaldisaster. Asthecitizens ofMexicoare Jll(Jurning theirdeadourthoughts arewiththebereaved families. Allowmeto . extendonbehalfofthepeopleoftheNetherlands tothepeopleofMexico mydeep sympathy atthistragicevent. Thefortieth anniversary ofthisOrganization, whichwearetocelebrate ina month's time,promises tobeverybusyanddifficult forthoseresponsible forthe properandorderly conduct ofbusiness. Wearetherefore particularly happy th~ta distinguished diplomat andanoldhandatUnitedNationsaffairs willpreside over ourmeetings" Andhehasrepresented inNewYorkuntilrecently acountry which willshortly joinusinourendeavours tobuildanewEurope. Atananniversary session likethis,oneistempted todrawupabalance-sheet ofpastsuccesses andfailures of.ourorganization. Inthisconnection Iwas reminded ofaconversation nottoolongagobetween aFrenchintellectual anda Chinese philosopher. TheFrenchman askedwhathethoughtoftheFrench revolution. Thephilosopher replied thathewasnotcertain whether sufficient timehadpassedsincethenandthathetherefore preferred nottojumpto conclusions. Tomatofusthismayseemexcessively cautious. Wecan,however, drawsomehop-sfromthisobservation. Whenwelookbackon40yearsoftheUnited Nations, weseeapicture ofbothsuccesses andfailures, ofprogress andlost opportunities. Whenweembarked uponthisenterprise 40yearsagotheimmediate pastwas almosttoohorribletocClltemplate. Consequently thereseemedmuchtolookforward to.Withthechaosanddestruction oftheSecondWorldWarbehindusprogressAP/jh A/40/PV.9 99-100 . (Mr.vandenBrook,Netherlands) seemedsomehow inevitable. TheCharteroftheunitedNations bearswitness tothat mod.Promnowonnations wouldwalkhandinhand.Itwasnottobe. Soonitbecameapparent thattheCharter's systemofcollective security had beoomefrequently paralysed, anditissadtonotethat40yearslaterthis Organizatioh hasstilltoliveuptoitupromise Btosavesucceeding generations fromthescourgeofwarB•Thesituatiol'! inAfghanistan isacaseinpoint. Moreover, weseemtogetconfused bythegrowing nWllberofworld-wide problems thatstUbbornly resistsolution. AsClresult, international institutions are quietly butirresistibly erodedbyai?roce~ofsla-motion diaintegl'aU.on. Oui: Secretary-General didnotrelentfro. expz:essi,~.g inhisannualreportshisanxiety atthepresent trends,attheerosionoftheauthority andstatusofworldand regional institutions andatthecrisisinthemultilateral appE'oac:h to ;~ternational affairs. AsforthisOrganization, Icontinue tobelieve thatithasthecapacity and theresilience todobetterthanitspredecessor, theLeagueofNations, which