Secretary-General visits...

Secretary-General visits ...

Persian Gulf 

Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar made a week-long trip (30 March-6 April) to the Persian Gulf area, visiting four States of the region--Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

At the outset of his tour, Mr. Perez de Cuellar met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 30 March with King Fahd Ibn Abdel Aziz Al-Saud at the Royal Residence. Current matters of mutual concern were reviewed, including the Iran-Iraq conflict, the Middle East situation and Saudi Arabia's role in international economic development. Present at that meeting and a working lunch that followed were Crown Prince Abdallah bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Defence, Mohamed Abalkhail, Minister of Finance, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Foreign Minister and Ali Al-Shaier, Minister of Information.

In talks with Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Secretary-General expressed views on Iran-Iraq, Lebanon and other aspects of the Middle East situation, Afghanistan and Cyprus.

During a dinner hosted by Prince Saud, the Secretary-General met with other Saudi officials, including Minister of Oil, and Mineral Resources, Ahmed Zaki Yamani. The Secretary-General visited the Ministry of Planning where the Minister, Hisham Nazer, reviewed Saudi Arabian development plans through 1990. The Secretary-General visited Al-Dareyah, the site of Saudi Arabia's first city, 30 kilometres from Riyadh.

On 2 April, Mr. Perez de Cuellar arrived in Muscat, Oman, where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Youssuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdallah. Later in the day, he met at Ghabra guest house, where he was staying, with Abdallah Bishari, Secretary-General of the Gulf Co-operation Council, discussing initiatives to end the Iran-Iraq conflict and means of strengthening relations between the United Nations and the Council, particularly in the economic and social fields. He also received the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Geroge Iacovou upon his request.

On 3 April, the Secretary-General had a one-hour audience with the Sultan of Oman, Qaboos Bin Said, at Al-Seeb Royal Palace, during which they reviewed the current international situation, with special emphasis on regional issues. He also met with Foreign Minister Youssuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdallah, discussing issues relating to Iran and Iraq, the Middle East, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

On 4 April, in Manama, Bahrain, Mr. Perez de Cuellar had an audience with Sheikh Isa bin Sulman Al-Khalifa, the Emir of Bahrain, who hosted a working dinner attended by all members of the Bahrain Cabinet. He also met with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa to discuss Iran-Iraq, the Middle East, Lebanon and certain economic questions. The Secretary-General flew to Qatar on the evening of 5 April.

On 6 April, in Doha, Qatar, he had an audience with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani, reviewing the current international situation, including the Iran-Iraq conflict, the Middle East problem, the Lebanese crisis and the role of Qatar at the United Nations. During his visit, he also met with Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saif Al-Thani, and the country's Minister of Finance and Petroleum, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

While in Doha, it was announced that Mr. Perez de Cuellar and his party--including Diego Cordovez, Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs--would travel to Teheran and Baghdad on 7 and 8 April, "as a result of the consultations" conducted by the Secretary-General since 18 March with officials of Iran and Iraq.

... Paris and Geneva 

Aspects of global political tensions and economic difficulties were at the heart of talks between Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar and top French officials during a two-day visit to Paris in April.

The situation in the Middle East, particularly with regard to Lebanon, the continuing war between Iran and Iraq, third world economic problems and the crisis in drought-stricken Africa were among major topics discussed. The Secretary-General paid particular tribute to French troops participating in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in an address to the United Nations Association of France and the International Diplomatic Academy on 23 April.

Arrival: On his arrival in Paris on 23 April, Mr. Perez de Cuellar met with France's Foreign Minister Roland Dumas at the Quai d'Orsay, reviewing a number of international problems. In addition to discussions on Iran and Iraq, southern Lebanon and UNIFIL, the questions of Cyprus and Namibia were also examined.

On 24 April, the Secretary-General met with President Francois Mitterrand and Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, discussing many of the same situations. The situations in South-East Asia, Central America and Afghanistan and the role of the Security Council and the action of its permanent members were also discussed with President Mitterrand.

The same day, Paris Mayor Jacques Chirac hosted a luncheon at the Paris Town Hall for the Secretary-General. Mr. Perez de Cuellar also met with the President of the French Senate, Alain Poher; addressed the Commission on Foreign Relations of the French National Assembly at the invitation of Commission President Claude Estier; and met with Assembly President Louis Mermaz.

During his visit to the National Assembly at the Palais Bourbon, he also answered questions from members of parliament on United Nations activities in a number of areas, including human rights, the Middle East, Iran-Iraq and disarmament.

On 24 April, the Secretary-General was received at the Sorbonne, where he was given an honorary doctor of law degree by the University of Law, Economics and Social Sciences of Paris, after which he delivered a speech on the role of the Secretary-General under the United Nations Charter.

"As no sovereignty rests in the United Nations, the Secretary-General is not the chief executive of a world government", he told his audience. "He disposes of no power to enforce the decisions of the United Nations. Nor is he a secular Pope who can pronounce anathemas and issue edicts in the temporal realm."

The constraints on the Secretary-General's role, however, "do not justify a passivity on his part in regard to general turns in international relations or the responsibilities of the various parties in a particular situation ... He cannot merely wait for the atmosphere to change and the tide to turn; if he does, his functions can rapidly atrophy through disuse ... He has to be impartial but not indifferent."

To some extent, Mr. Perez de Cuellar said, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is "the conscience of mankind". It is on the "behalf of the peoples of the world that the Secretary-General must plead for disarmament, tolerance and solidarity."

Geneva: On 22 April, the Secretary-General attended the regular spring meeting in Geneva of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination (ACC) and delivered a speech on "The United Nations: Forty years in the service of peace" at a meeting at the University of Geneva sponsored by the United Nations Association of Switzerland and the University.

Although, since the beginning of the United Nations, there had been no third world war, war had not yet disappeared, he stated. It had taken the form of conflicts, which were limited as regarded space and the means employed, but unlimited as regarded time; of terrorism; and of an arms race "which increasingly appears to be the great fatality of our time".

The only option available "to those who refuse to live in indifference, insecurity and fear of the future", he said, "is to combat these forces of disintegration and destruction." That explained the value of the "commitment assumed by all the nations which have joined the United Nations and subscribed to its Charter". Everyone, the Secretary-General concluded, was free to judge the results of United Nations activities as they saw fit. "Let us at least, however, acknowledge its virtues of tenacity and patience.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar returned to New York on 25 April.

... Caribbean countries

Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar visited three Caribbean countries--Cuba, Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago--from 28 May through 4 June 1985.

On his arrival in Cuba on 28 May, Mr. Perez de Cuellar was received with full honours at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana by Fidel Castro, President of the Council of Ministers; Vice-President Rafael Rodriquez; and Foreign Minister Isidoro Malmierca Peoli. The Secretary-General at the airport reviewed detachments of the Cuban air force. He later laid a wreath at the Jose Marti monument in Havana's Revolution Square.

On the same day, the Secretary-General held talks lasting nearly three-and-a-half hours with President Castro and other high Cuban officials. Discussions focused on Central America, the world economic situation, and southern Africa.

Regarding Central America, the Secretary-General reviewed recent actions of the Security Council, calling for a resumption of the Manzanillo talks between the United States and Nicaragua and asking the Secretary-General to keep the Council informed of developments and of the implementation of the resolution.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar reaffirmed his support for the efforts of the Contadora Group and for the need for a diplomatic process to solve the region's problems.

President Castro briefed the Secretary-General on his recent proposals to improve the world economic situation and relieve the burden of third world countries, including a moratorium on debt incurred by developing countries. Problems related to trade, transfer of technology, the role of international finance institutions and protectionism and "dumping" were also reviewed.

Both men, in exchanging views on the situation in southern Africa, expressed concern at recent developments in the region, including the incursion by South African intelligence forces into Angola.

On 29 May, Mr. Perez de Cuellar and President Castro flew to the Isla de la Juventud, 100 miles off the southern coast of Cuba, where some 28,000 children and young men and women from 15 countries receive training and education. The Secretary-General visited a centre where children from Nicaragua are being educated, and a museum housed in a former jail where President Castro was detained before the Cuban revolution. Later in the day, after returning to Havana, a visit was made to the old part of the city. In the evening, Mr. Perez de Cuellar attended a special performance of the National Ballet of Cuba at the Garcia Llorca Theater.

On 30 May, the Secretary-General and President Castro spent the day outside the capital, some of the time on the Presidential boat, having talks lasting some 10 hours and described as "informal and private" regarding problems of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the general political situation in the hemisphere. On 31 May, he left Cuba for the Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic: On his arrival on 31 May at Santo Domingo, the Secretary-General received a 19-gun salute and reviewed detachments of the Dominican armed forces. In the afternoon, he met with Salvador Jorge Blanco, President of the Republic, and Jose A. Vega Imbert, Secretary of State for External Relations.

On 1 May, he visited the old city of Santo Domingo, where he visited the tomb of Christopher Columbus at the Santo Domingo Cathedral. He also visited the offices of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women. He left the Dominican Republic on 2 June.

Trinidad and Tobago: On 2 June, the Secretary-General met with Prime Minister George Chambers and other high officials of Trinidad and Tobago. He said the country's election to the Security Council was "a measure of the confidence the international community has" in the country, and its ability "to co-operate with our efforts at maintaining peace and security".

On 3 June, Mr. Perez de Cuellar in Port of Spain addressed the opening meeting of the 10th anniversary session of the Caribbean Development and Co-operation Committee (CDCC). "The United Nations will maintain the focus on providing support to the promotion of co-operation among the Caribbean countries, as agreed upon by themselves", he said. While the Organization was ready to assist member countries as best it could, Governments of the sub-region also had to demonstrate their willingness to cooperate adn take necessary initiatives.

In the evening, he delivered the 1985 Eric Williams Memorial Lecture at the Port of Spain Queen's Hall on the subject "The United Nations: A Framework for Multilateral Co-operation".

Never before in history, he said, had there been such a "clear awareness of the existence of interests and problems common to all mankind and the need to handle them in a concerted manner. And never had the world had institutional machinery for multilateral co-operation that was comparable in scope or that kept pace with the emergence of new concerns". It was paradoxical, he said, that at a time when there was most need for it, the rules, instruments and modalities of multilateral co-operation were increasingly being questioned.

"The contradiction between the emergence of an interdependent world whose proper running depends on the solution of essentially global problems and the preference for using bilateral or unilateral mechanisms for tackling those problems is perhaps the most fundamental problem of our time". And, he added, the developing countries would be "the great losers" from an erosion in international co-operation.