unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (10/11/89)
adopted various types of reform, he said. Their economic
miseries were unabated. The net transfer of resources from the
developing countries was close to $30 billion a year; the World
Bank and the IMF should be net donors to developing countries.
Debt reduction initiatives should be implemented with greater
speed and should cover a greater volume of debt. The General
Assembly should also adopt the draft resolution on the
establishment of an advisory commission on debt and
development. High-income countries could create a favourable
environment for the exports of developing countries and could
enhance the levels of their ODA.
The international community was replete with opportunities for
actualizing the support needed by the developing countries, he
said. The success of the Uruguay Round, the new international
development strategy and the 1990 special Assembly session could
galvanize the political will of all countries to boost
international economic co-operation. The special session should
reach a consensus on the nature of global economic problems and
the approach to be applied to the pressing problems of the
developing countries.
TON NU THI NINH (Viet Nam) said the capacity of many developing
countries to adjust to the disadvantageous development of the
international economic environment had been limited, resulting
in their worst economic and financial situation since the Second
World War. The external debt problem was a continued obstacle
to the stabilization and development efforts of developing
countries and resulted in political and social instability. Both
debtors and creditors had to share the responsibility for the
debt crisis, which required a global and integrated solution.
Many developed countries had used trading, financial and
monetary instruments to consolidate the dependence of the
developing countries, she said. Coercive measures applied by
the developed countries included economic aggression, blockade,
embargo and the use of economic assistance to exert pressure and
impose trade barriers against the developing countries. As long
as the principles of the new international economic order were
not applied, the economies of the developing countries would
face insurmountable difficulties. International economic
relations must be based on equality and mutual benefit.
Viet Nam had carried out a policy of renovation and reform in the
past two years, she said, with a view to creating favourable
conditions for economic development. Human resources and
material wealth had been concentrated on successfully
implementing the production of food, consumer goods and
production for export. More than 60 investment licences with a
total investment capital of more than $600 million had been
granted, and her Government had made great efforts to remove
obstacles to foreign investment.
CARLOS WOLFF (Colombia) said that at a time when political events
brought hopes for a future of peace and understanding in the
political arena, it was time to pay greater attention to the
imbalances in the socio-economic spheres. One part of the world
had maintained growth rates which had allowed them to
consolidate their position and accumulate wealth on a level never
reached before. There had been no symmetry, however, in
adjustment policies; there were imbalances that made it
impossible for the developing countries to recover. The
existence of a fiscal deficit in an important country, the
ineffiency which was responsible for extreme protectionist
attitudes and the increase in the rates of inflation, were
factors the developed world was not controlling effectively.
So much prosperity in the North was senseless so long as poverty
afflicted the majority of the South, he went on. Developing
countries were being told that their problems stemmed from their
incapacity to manage their domestic policies. He stressed that
those problems stemmed, rather, from interrelated factors.
Developing countries did not have problems because they wanted
to, but because there were structural limitations that prevented
them from implementing changes overnight. The strengthening of
multilateralism was a positive element. He hoped the debate in
the Committee would be guided by the principles of
multilateralism.
The great obstacles to reactivation of growth and development
were the debt crisis and the negative flow of resources from
developing to developed countries, he said. It must be
recognized that the debt crisis was not a financial issue but
rather a political one. It could not be overlooked that there
had been some recent proposals on the debt question which had
some encouraging aspects, but they were insufficient for a
solution to the problem. He referred to the frustration of his
country with the work of the Secretariat concerning the external
debt. He looked forward to reading a report of the
Secretary-General on the question of debt crisis to be issued in
the coming days. Finally, he reviewed measures taken by his
Government concerning the eradication of poverty, and expressed
hope that the present session of the General Assembly would be a
point of departure for actively combating poverty.
* Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501)
---
Patt Haring | United Nations | Did u read
patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information | misc.headlines.unitex
patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange | today?
-=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-