UN General Assembly
1993

efforts to institute measures to protect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities. The establishment this year of the National Council of Minorities broadened the institutional framework, enabling each and every national minority in Romania to take part in the decision-making process regarding the protection of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity. It is true that we have not responded completely to all their demands and aspirations. The explanation for this lies, not in a lack of will, but in the difficulties confronting the entire population. Yet we would underline that the excessive use of minority-related issues is harmful to the interests of minorities themselves, those of the majority of the population, and those of the international community as a whole. Unfortunately, such tendencies, expressing aggressive nationalism as well as xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism, are still significant destabilizing factors and a threat to international peace and security in Eastern and Central Europe as elsewhere. Caution is therefore needed in dealing with these phenomena, as well as with the so-called