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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| Chapter V |
| United Nations and Disarmament Nov. 02, 1960 |
| Selected Speeches |
| Haile Selassie the First - November 2, 1960 |
.... There is, however, one area in which the United Nations has thus far
been unable effectively to marshal the moral force which it represents and
to take effective action toward the dissipation of a problem which poses
the gravest threat to the world. It is a truism to say that the present world
arms race threatens not only the most destructive warfare which the
world has ever seen, but, indeed, the very existence of man and the
conditions of his life on this planet. The failure of the great Powers to
reach an effective agreement on disarmament cannot be excused or
justified on the ground that the problem is a difficult or a complex one.
No nation, no matter how large or powerful, has the moral right today to
insist that it can follow the policy of unlimited nuclear armaments when
such a policy implies consequences far beyond its power to control.
Those powers which today possess the capacity to wage nuclear warfare
cannot refuse to take all reasonable measures to lessen the threat of world
conflict.
Unfortunately, we today see the nations of the world, both great and small,
invoking their rights as sovereign states, by following a course which,
unless arrested, must lead irrevocably to disaster. The great Powers
stubbornly adhere to an armaments policy which threatens the most dire
results for all, and the smaller states, themselves aspiring to greatness but
fearful of incurring the wrath of those upon whom they today count for
assistance, acquiesce silently. This path can lead only to chaos and
destruction. If man is to survive on this planet, the arms race which today
clutches mankind in its unreasoning and inexorable grip must be halted,
and it is to the United Nations that all nations, both large and small, must
look as the medium to achieve this result. It is the task, rather, the duty,
of the smaller nations of the world to exert their utmost efforts to ensure
that all possible measures are taken to this end. We are pleased to observe
that the smaller countries are today playing a more aggressive and
prominent role in the quest for an acceptable disarmament formula, and
Ethiopia pledges her complete support to the endeavour. God, the
Supreme Arbitrator, will judge us harshly if we fail.....
been unable effectively to marshal the moral force which it represents and
to take effective action toward the dissipation of a problem which poses
the gravest threat to the world. It is a truism to say that the present world
arms race threatens not only the most destructive warfare which the
world has ever seen, but, indeed, the very existence of man and the
conditions of his life on this planet. The failure of the great Powers to
reach an effective agreement on disarmament cannot be excused or
justified on the ground that the problem is a difficult or a complex one.
No nation, no matter how large or powerful, has the moral right today to
insist that it can follow the policy of unlimited nuclear armaments when
such a policy implies consequences far beyond its power to control.
Those powers which today possess the capacity to wage nuclear warfare
cannot refuse to take all reasonable measures to lessen the threat of world
conflict.
Unfortunately, we today see the nations of the world, both great and small,
invoking their rights as sovereign states, by following a course which,
unless arrested, must lead irrevocably to disaster. The great Powers
stubbornly adhere to an armaments policy which threatens the most dire
results for all, and the smaller states, themselves aspiring to greatness but
fearful of incurring the wrath of those upon whom they today count for
assistance, acquiesce silently. This path can lead only to chaos and
destruction. If man is to survive on this planet, the arms race which today
clutches mankind in its unreasoning and inexorable grip must be halted,
and it is to the United Nations that all nations, both large and small, must
look as the medium to achieve this result. It is the task, rather, the duty,
of the smaller nations of the world to exert their utmost efforts to ensure
that all possible measures are taken to this end. We are pleased to observe
that the smaller countries are today playing a more aggressive and
prominent role in the quest for an acceptable disarmament formula, and
Ethiopia pledges her complete support to the endeavour. God, the
Supreme Arbitrator, will judge us harshly if we fail.....
| United Nations International |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |