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East Asia, and Prime Minister Whitlam of Australia made a similar tour earlier this year. i08. The pursuit of normalized relations between lhe People's Republic of China and South-East Asian countries continues. In mid-1974, Malaysia estabfished full diplomatic relations with the People's Jl.epublic, and. trade and cultural missions from Peking and various South-East Asian capitals have exchanged visits-visible evidences of a more relaxed ieiationship between them. At this very moment, Mrs. Imelda Marcos, wife of the President of the philippines and his designated envoy, is in Peking on a goodwill mission and has been very well rec.eived there. 109. Behind these acuvrues lies the hope that the new balance of power will be a force for constructive changes on the basis of complementary interests, not alone among the big Powers with interests in the region, but also between them and the smaller Asian Powers. 110. However, the problem of stability and security in the region remains the principal responsibility of the nations of the region. Among the six member countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations [ASEANJ, the first large step in enhanced economic co-operation was taken this year when

active negotiations began on the implementation of industrial complementation projects and on the establishment of a free-trade zone in the region. An expanding web of relationships has also begun to develop between the ASEAN member countries and other countries and organizations, with, among

others, Australia and New Zealand, and with the European Economic Community. I] 1. Much, of course. remains to be done to ensure

the security of the region. As long as the Paris agreement remains unenforced-and apparently unenforce-

able-the situation in Indo-China will continue to be a threat to the general security of South-East Asia. 112. In the Khmer Republic, an unprecedented situation has emerged, raising political, legal and moral questions of great complexity. Last year the Philippines opposed the "back-door" grant of recognition to the rival Sihanouk "Government", which would give it the right to represent Khmer in the United Nations. We will continue to oppose this move, in the belief that the people of Khmer should be free to decide their own political future and to adopt the economic and social system of their choice without interference from any outside sources. 113. On the question of Korea, the peaceful reunification of the divided halves remains our objective, and we are prepared to lend our support to mutually acceptable means of reaching this goal. Provided it is acceptable to both the Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of Korea, we shall support the admission to the United Nations of both those States in the hope that this would provide an additional avenue for reaching agreement on reunification.

114. Let me touch on other items on the agenda that are of particular interest to us. My delegation feels that the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea is one of the most significant endeavours of the world Organization. The objective of developing a progressive international law based

169

on equity and social justice in order to bring about

peace and stability in the oceans and to permit the full utilization of the vast resources of the sea for the benefit of all mankind cannot be long deferred. Moreover, we cannot ignore the possibility that an area comprising two thirds of our planet will, unless agreement is reached, become yet another focus of intense rivalries dangerous to the peace of

the world. 115. From the particular point of view of an archipelagic State like the Philippines, the Conference has given us and similar States an opportunity never before provided us to secure recognition of the unique problems arising from our geographical configuration. 116. Although we cannot, in complete candour, say that we were entirely satisfied with the result of the session held at Caracas, we feel that it has generated a momentum which should be maintained. It is our view, therefore, that no time should be wasted in permitting the Conference to continue

its work. for this reason, the Philippines will support the recommendation that another session be convoked in Geneva from March to May 1975. 117. Our traditional respect for human rights and the fundamental freedoms remains undiminished. Indeed, out recent experience has given us a deeper insight into the nature and meaning of human rights. We realize today with special force the truth of the observation that the achievement of economic and social rights through accelerated national development is an indispensable requirement for the exercise

of civil and political rights. Without the effective enforcement of law and order and without a sound economic base, respect for human rights remains at best theoretical. In this connexion, I am pleased to inform this Assembly that the Government of the Philippines deposited with the Secretary-General on 7 June 1974 its instruments of ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [resoluti"m 2200 A (XXI), af/nex]. 118. At this session we shall support all measures which assist in advancing the cause of human rights throughout the world. And we shall continue to give the most vigorous support to the struggle against racist policies of all varieties and against all efforts to segregate peoples on the basis of colour and race from the mainstream of their national life. 119. As a nation which by tradition has held women in high esteem, the Philippines favours the prompt elimination of discrimination on the basis of sex.

Women in my country are the full and equal partners of men in national development; we look forward to the day when this practice is made universal. The observance of International Women's Year in 1975, for which the Philippines has already made preparations, is a timely reminder of the need to integrate women, who, after all, constitute half of the world's population, into the total human resources available for national development. 120. Let me reiterate that this Assembly is faced with global problems which demand global solutions. Those solutions can be achieved only through greatly enhanced international co-operation. In turn, co-operation of such scope and depth requires the