From: nahabed@ntmtv.UUCP (Roupen Nahabedian)
Subject: Armenian President's Address to the UN General Assembly
Originator: nahabed@nmtvs296
Keywords: Armenia,  Ter-Petrossian, UN, General Assembly, Sept. 23, 1992 
Reply-To: nahabed@ntmtv.UUCP 
Organization: Northern Telecom Inc, Mountain View, CA
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 00:58:35 GMT

The follwing was forwarded to me by a friend:

	The following is the English text of President L. Ter-Petrossian's
September 23, 1992 speech before the UN General Assembly:

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen.
On behalf of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people, I would like
to express my gratitude for your support which opened the way for our mem-
bership in the UN.
	I would also like to congratulate you, Mr. Ganev, upon you election 
as president of this 47the session of the General Assembly.
	It is a great honor to address this body on the occasion of the one-
year anniversary of Armenia's independence.
	The past year has been as significant for Armenia as it has been for
the international community.
	The freely-elected government of Armenia has pressed forward with
establishing a state based on democracy, economic reform, and the rule of
law.  The parliament has adopted legislation ensuring the freedom of speech,
press, religion and conscience.  It has adopted a multi-party political
system, has become a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as
well as to all international conventions on human rights.
	During this short period of time, Armenia has adopted and implemented
a land reform program, by which 80% of the arable land in the republic has
been distributed to the general populace.  The parlaiment has also approved
legislation on privitizing small and medium-sized enterprises and sectors of
the service industry.
	Legislation that would reform Armenia's banking, lending, finanance, 
budget, and communications systems have been introduced in the parliament.
We view adoption of this legislation as necessary toward setting up the
legal infrastructure of a market economy. 
	The process of democratization and economic reform are taking place
in an environment dominated by blockades, skyrocketing unemployment, a
declining standard of living, and an acute energy crisis.  The energy crisis,
which is the principal cause of a significant decline in productivity, is a
result not only of the blockades, but also of the closing down of the nuclear
power station for environmental and safety reasons.  
	At the same time, the Armenian government was compelled to devote a
significant portion of its resources to undertake reconstruction in the
disaster zone in the wake of the December 7, 1988 earthquake, which was
centered in Spitak.
	Democracy and independence have played a fundamental role in the
development of Armenia's foreign policy, which is based on two basic 
premises.  
	First, Armenia's security depends on the normalization of its 
relations with all of its neighbors, on negotiated resolution of current
conflicts, and the development of regional economic cooperation, which
may lead to a regional system of collective security.
	Armenia is ready to participate in all constructive processes that
would guaranty the development of international and political cooperation
and would reinforce regional stability.  It is for these reasons that
Armenia's foreign policy involves active participation in the Commonwealth
of Independent States, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in 
Europe, and the Black Sea Council on Economic Cooperation.  Armenia is
also interested in establishing economic cooperation with countries in
the Middle East and in participating in a collective security system in
this region.  
	Based on these principles, Armenia has signed bilateral agreements
with two of its neighbors, Georgia and Iran.  With Turkey, we have
undertaken serious discussions aimed at normalizing our bilateral 
relations.  Armenia is confident that the two countries which share
concern for the stability of the region, will reach that  goal based upon 
the principles of international law.  
	Armenian has also followed a policy consistent with these principles
with our fourth neighbor, Azerbaijan.  Armenia, which has no territorial claims
against Azerbaijan, has insisted, at the same time, that the people of
Nagorno Karabagh cannot be reduced to an ethnic minority, that they cannot
be denied the right of self-determination, and that this population cannot
be sacrificed using the principle of territorial integrity as a cover.
	In this respect it is time that the protection of the people of
Nagorno Karabagh be secured through permanent international guarantees.
	Armenia is gratified to note that the position it had taken since
the start of the conflict is now being considered, and even adopted by the
other interested states.  It has been clear to us that the first step 
toward the resolution of the conflict must be the institution of a
cease-fire, to be followed by negotionations between Azerbaijan and
Nagorno Karabagh on the status of the territory, to be secured by the
necessary international guarantees on the one hand, and Armenia and 
Azerbaijan on all matters between the two republics arising from the 
conflict.  
	Armenia has participted constructively in every effort undertaken
by the international community to secure the necessary cease-fire.  Most
recently, Armenia, as well as the parliament of Nagorno Karabagh, responded
positively and unconditionally to the appeal for a cease-fire proposed by
the chairman of the CSCE's Minsk group.  Unfortunately, Azerbaijan has
failed to do the same.  
	None the less, Armenia stands ready to bring its constructive
participation toward a  dialogue with Azerbaijan with the hope that
concern for the welfare of all peoples in the region will lead us to
peace and stability.  It is not premature to state that the United
Nations can assist in the realization of these goals.
	Just as Armenia has achieved democracy and independence through
constitutional means and without violence, it also seeks to establish
peace and justice through international law.  
	Based on the above-mentioned two principles, Armenia has attempted
to transform the burden of history into an historic opportunity  to reach
out to its ancient roots in the region, to restore the community of
cultures that links Armenia to the region, and to transform the differences
of ethnicity and religion into a source of wealth from which we can all
contribute to the solutions of the problems of our common home.
	The past year has also been significant in the life of the UN.
Armenia welcomes the Secretary General 's report entitiled "Agenda for
Peace."  The report contains a number of constructive proposals which we
are sure will be considered carefully by the UN.  
	Of particular interest to Armenia, both as a member of the UN and
as a state drawn into a regional conflict, are the proposals to create
mechanisms for the realization of Article 43 of the UN Charter, Peacekeepin
and Cease-fire Enforcement Forces, the Binding Arbitration of Disputes, and
the more active use of the World Court.
	There may also be constructive ideas in the proposals to restructure
element of the UN in a way that may better reflect the concepts of collective
security and a new world order.
	Today, Armenia is a state that has obtained some experience in the
area of building new structure while the old are disintegrating.  As such, 
Armenia is ready to participate in the creation and realization of a new
world order.  Paying particular attention to the need to avoid inertia,
lack of will or imagination, or inattention to the patterns of the old
system, which pretended to propose solutions to the people while dragging
them into new, bloodier conflicts.
	In this new world order, all states must perceive their neighbors
problems as their own, regardless of ethnic, religious, or ideological 
differences.  
	Thank you.