UN General Assembly
1992

to participation in a new and voluntary integration. On the other hand and it is gratifying to be able to say this more and more people now recognize the compelling need to deal positively with the problem of national minorities, including those people who, only recently, persisted in denying the reality of such questions. However, it is a mistake for anyone to seek to achieve self-determination and self-government by resurrecting the nineteenth century concept of the nation State, and it is a crime to advance that concept by redrawing frontiers by force or "ethnic cleansing". We are all well aware that attempts to create so-called ethnically pure States have more than once in history degenerated into massive tragedy, naked aggression and crimes against humanity and against minorities. The enormous changes that are taking place in our region pose yet another pressing problem: how are we to ensure success for this unprecedented and historic transformation, which is occurring in difficult conditions? We have to cope with a hard legacy, bequeathed by the past, a legacy that is a source