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troops withdrawn and to establish an effective system of guarantees. 155. If effect were given to the proposal of the Soviet Government to convene an international conference within the framework of the United Nations,' in which Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and all States members of the Security Council would participate, and in which other countries, specifically non-aligned countries, could also be involved, this would be the best way of achieving a settlement satisfactory to the vital interests of the Greek and Turkish population of Cyprus and the security requirements of all peoples. In accordance with the primary responsibilities of the permanent members of the Security Council under the Charter for the maintenance and safeguarding of international peace, these States should-as contained in the Soviet proposal to convene the conference-provide the required guarantees of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and of compliance with the decisions the planned conference on Cyprus will be taking. 156. Despite growing protests by world public opinion, the military junta in Chile is carrying on with the cruel suppression, tortures and assassination of upright patriots, in brutal violation of human rights. It has so far ignored the appeals of the Secretary-General and the President of the twenty-eighth session of the General Assembly. Its actions create a dangerous source of tension in Latin America and challenge international public opinion as a whole. This twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly should vigorously demand the restoration of human rights and democratic freedoms in Chile. 157. The settlement of the Middle East conflict is now sought by political means. The German Democratic Republic welcomes this. But, unfortunately, a durable peace settlement is still outstanding. The delegation of the German Democratic Republic is in favour of the immediate reconvening of the Geneva Peace Conference on the Middle East so that a stable settlement of this issue on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) can be achieved. The German Democratic Republic has always supported the Arab peoples in their struggle against the permanent Israeli aggression and its consequences and will do so in future. 158. The German Democratic Republic comes out in support of securing the legitimate national rights of the Arab people of Palestine. My Government supports the demand of the Palestine Liberation Organization and of the Arab States that the question of Palestine should be considered at this year's session of the General Assembly. 159. The relations between the Soviet' Union and the United States are of particular weight in international affairs. The Soviet Union has set in motion the reshaping of the Soviet-American relationship, and has thereby made the decisive contribution to ending the era of "cold war" and confrontation. 160. Those who invented the theory of the socalled super-Powers have, from generally known selfish motives of great-Power chauvinism, given the Soviet Union's relations with the United States an arbitrary interpretation of their own. But nobody

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can deny the plain truth that the evolution of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States on the basis of peaceful coexistence is essential to the maintenance of world peace and hence serves the interests of all peoples. The period of the "cold war" and the imperialist strategy of "war brinkmanship" have not fallen into oblivion, It is the fundamental improvement in international relations which highlights the specific weight of the relations between the Soviet Union and the United States. 161. Conditions have improved for the United Nations to work in the interest of international security, disarmament, the liquidation of colonialism and racism, of international co-operation among States on a basis of equality. At the same time, the activities of the opponents of detente underscore the need for the United Nations to make a greater contribution to the normalization of the international situation. 162. Is it not a proved practice to make regular reviews of how decisions that have been taken are carried out? The delegation of the German Democratic Republic would therefore be in favour of a thorough analysis of how the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security, adopted in 1970 iresolution 2734 (XXV)), is being implemented. This would also meet the demand for the increased effectiveness of the work of the United Nations. 163. It is the policy of the German Democratic Republic, just as it is of many other States, to promote detente in Europe. to urge that it should be extended to the whole world and be complemented by military detente, and to demand the implementation of the right of peoples to self-determination and of the principles of peaceful coexistence in the relations among States with different social orders. Should it not be a paramount aim for this General Assembly to adopt further measures to fulfil the Declaration of 1970'1 As is known, the socialist States proceed from the fact that effective measures towards military detente. armaments limitation and disarmament are indispensable to promoting political detente, and vice versa. Arms expenditures are an unbearable burden on the working people. In many countries the corporations producing arms exacerbate the effects of the objective crisis. Vast human and material resources in science and technology are withheld from peaceful, productive work for the benefit of the people. Scientists in the German Democratic Republic have estimated that almost 50 per cent of the scientific and technological intelligentsia in the principal countries of NATO are directly or indirectly engaged in the development of weapon systems. The arms race, that material preparation of war, is threatening international detente. 164. There is still time to halt that disastrous development. There are constructive proposals to this end. We second the initiative of the Soviet Union to request the inclusion in the agenda of the item entitled "Prohibition of action to influence the environment and climate for military and other purposes incompatible with the maintenance of international security, human well-being and health". The draft resolution-submitted by the Soviet Union on this item [A/Cd /L.675] has the undivided support of the Germatl Democratic Republic. It is of great im-