Basic HTML Version
14
A.
These power roles to sorne extent
are in the future. But in the past, the
United Nations has brought about a tre–
o1endous change in attitude in regard to
'economic development of the less devel–
oped countries. The same is true in
regard to the importance of trade, the
lmportance of industrial development,
education. In regard to the averting of
famine, the world food program is an
example of the United Nation's role.
The Children's Fund, the entire work
of the labor organization, is bringing
about industrial peace and so on. The
role of the World Health Organiza–
tion has helped to practically abolish
maJaría in countries like mine. In my
area, malada was a common thing. Now
.malaria is almost as unheard of as tbe
plague. These are all achievements of
the international system.
Q.
You raise an interesting point
here. No nation wants war; no nation
wants hunger; no nation wants pov–
erty; no nation wants bad health. Yet,
why is the United Nations able to
make progress in the social, industrial
and economic area, and yet the United
Nations is unable to make any inroads
into the political area?
A.
This, I suppose, reflects the basic
- what shall I say - nature of human
beings and of nations. U Thant has
been talking about the need for a
double allegiance - an allegiance to
the human community, as well as an
allegiance to the nationaJ state. Basi–
cally, in issues which transcend the
interest of nation states, we are effec–
tive. In issues where nation-states' inter–
ests are greatly involved, we iind that
we are not able to be effective.
Q.
Given the history of the world -
of recorded history for thousands of
years - it is obvious that natíons havt;
been unable to resolve their problems
in regard
to
war and peace. Given the
realitíes of today, as you mentioned,
is there really any hope for making
any breakthroughs in this area?
A.
My one feeling on this is the fol–
lowing: The United Nations can per–
form two or three functions.
It
can still
play a fire brigade function. It can pour
water on a fire and bring the fire under
control. The fi re may smolder, but the
The
PLAIN TRUTH
United Nations can bring it under con–
trol. This is one function. Without
stopping or removing the actual causes
of the confl ict, it might bring about a
cease fue. Now the cease fire wi ll give
you time. But
if
the political will is not
there, as in the Middle East and to
some extent in the Cyprus situation
where we have had a peace-keeping
force now for seven years - no solu–
tion is possible.
Q.
Why is this ?
A.
You come to the answer that 1
gave you earlier. This seems to be one
of the failings of human beings. T hey
think of themselves as Turks, or as
Greeks, or as this or that. They will not
have this, they will not have that. 1 am
not saying that one is r.ight and that one
is wrong. It is not for me to judge. But
the facts are that this attitude makes it
impossible for the two communities to
live together in peace and harmony.
Here is an island composed of eighty
percent Greeks and twenty percent
Turks. They are both human beings who
believe in human brotherhood. Why
should they not live together witb proper
safeguards for minority, cultural, eco–
nomic and political rights and so on?
Q.
Why isn't it possible ?
A.
lt
should be possible! But it does
not prove possible because tbere seems
to be something wrong with the human
race. On the other hand, if it comes to
the economic developmeot of Cyprus,
there is no problem.
Q.
If
1 could, 1 would like to ask a
speclfic question concerning - let's
say - the Middle East area. What
role can the United Nations play in
the future, and what are perhaps sorne
of your ideas of what may happen in
the long term there?
A.
I am afraid that it is not open to
me to give any views on this matter. All
I want to do is point out to you that U
Thant in bis last public appearance
stated that the key to the Middle East
líes in the implementation of Resolution
242.
*
So long as the resolution remains
unimplemented, there will continue to
be danger in the Middle East. The
implementation cannot take place over–
night. T his will take time. But if the
March-Apri l 1972
first steps could be taken, then you
would immediately have a lessening of
tension. This first step has not yet been
taken.
Q.
People sometimes say that we
need what we call a "one-world gov–
ernment." Do we really need a one–
world government? Do we primarily
need people to change their attitudes ?
Or do we need both?
A.
1t is very difficult to answer that
question. Governments and people real–
ize that peace is better than war. And in
the long run, no problem is really
solved by the use of force. The prob–
lems that are solved and remain solved
for good are problems that are solved in
a democratic way by sorne kind of a
consensus. 1 feel that where the will to
or the obvious need to cooperate is,
there the problems vanish. Take for
example aviation. Why is it possible for
any plane to go anywhere in the world?
We have got this hijacking now. But
no one likes it; everyone condemns it. I
was neady hijacked recently, and
found the feeling of some of my people
i.n the plane was
" KILL H IM, MURDER
HIM
!" This was their reaction. Suddenly
hwnan beings realized how fragile is
this system that we have built.
If
this
system is interfered with in your case,
then you say, "This is a serious matter."
Otherwise, it is just a situation you read
about in the newspapers, and it is very
amusiog to read about it. But when it
happens personally, you realize how
serious it is. But by and Jarge, before
the hijacking thing started about three
years ago, the air was free. You could
travel
lo
any part of the world without
worrying about this. How was this pos–
sible? Because people have realized that
cooperation is better than ooncoopera–
tion. Human life would become very
difficult if we did not have this kind of
freedom. We have to get to the same
stage of mental attitude and realize that,
in the long run, cooperation is mucb
more meaningful than any temporary
advantage that might be gained by use
of force in this or that part of the
world. O
•Resolution 242 called for: (1) " ·ithdrawal of
Israelí armed forccs from territories of recent con–
flict. and (2) termination of belligerency and
tbe acknowledgment of the sovereignty of evecy
state in the area and its
rl~ht
to live in peacc
with1n secure and recogni·zed boundaries.