Armenia, 1996

At the outset, I would like

to congratulate the President on his election to the

presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session.

Given his talent and experience, I am confident that he will

guide this session to a successful completion of the noble

mission entrusted to it by the Charter of the United Nations.

I would also like to express my appreciation and

thanks to his predecessor, Mr. Diogo Freitas Do Amaral,

for his outstanding leadership in accomplishing the tasks of

the last session.

The end of the cold war has given a decisive

impetus to globalization by offering former socialist

economies the opportunity to assume their rightful place

in the world economy. The challenges posed by extremely

rapid transformation are nowhere more graphically

depicted than in the current transition of the countries of

Eastern and Central Europe and in the former Union of

Soviet Socialist Republics.

In addition to severe economic and social problems

resulting from the extraordinary changes buffeting the

country, the transition process in Armenia has been

exacerbated by the transport and energy blockade by

neighbouring Azerbaijan, the devastation caused by the

massive earthquake of 1988, the conflict between

Nagorny-Karabakh and Azerbaijan and the presence of

more than 300,000 refugees.

Despite such serious circumstances, economic

reforms begun after the declaration of independence in

1991 have been continued and expanded over the past

year. Having achieved a fair degree of economic stability,

the Government of Armenia has designed a medium-term

economic programme for 1996-1998. Armenia’s medium-

term policy objectives are to maintain financial stability

and establish the institutions and mechanisms of a market

economy by the end of the programme period in order to

lay the foundation for sustainable growth and a viable

balance of payments. Consistent with this strategy, the

main macroeconomic objectives of the programme are to

raise the economic growth rate from 5 per cent in 1995

to 7 per cent in 1998; to lower inflation to 8 per cent by

the end of 1998; and to narrow the current account deficit

from 26 per cent of the gross domestic product in 1995

to 12 per cent in 1998. To cope with the social pressures

involved in the transition process, the reorientation of

social expenditures towards the most vulnerable remains

a high-priority task. The programme lays emphasis on

improving the targeting of the social safety net and

intensifying efforts to rationalize social expenditures.

While each country is responsible for its own

economic policies for development, in accordance with its

specific situation and conditions, the reactivation of

economic growth and development in all countries

requires a concerted effort of the international community.

Here, particular attention should be given to the needs of

the countries with economies in transition, without this

affecting development assistance to the developing

countries.

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The completion of the transition process, the

integration of these countries into the world economy and

their effective involvement in the multilateral institutions

will have a positive impact not only on these countries

themselves, but also on the global economy.

As we approach the twenty-first century, it is the

collective responsibility of the international community to

ensure that, within the multidimensional and integrated

character of its mandate, the United Nations system is

equipped to show leadership in the fulfilment of the

commitments made to international cooperation for

development.

In this context, the United Nations System-wide

Special Initiative for Africa exemplifies the system’s

commitment to collaborative action and its renewed

commitment to supporting Africa’s development. Launched

last March by the Secretary-General, this Initiative is the

largest coordinated action in the history of the United

Nations. While it is clear that the implementation of the

Initiative will be led at the country level by Governments,

the United Nations agencies will hold themselves mutually

accountable for achieving this Initiative’s goals.

The United Nations, in cooperation with the Bretton

Woods institutions, other bodies of the United Nations

system, including its specialized agencies, and the World

Trade Organization, has a key role in fostering greater

coherence, complementarity and coordination in global

economic policy-making. The General Assembly should

exert greater policy leadership on development issues

inasmuch as the Charter of the United Nations provides the

Assembly with broad mandates concerning these issues. In

accordance with relevant provisions of the Charter, the

Economic and Social Council must continue to strengthen

its role as the central mechanism for coordinating the

policies and activities of the United Nations, its specialized

agencies and funds in the economic, social and related

fields. It should provide overall guidance and coordination

to the United Nations development system. The Council

must also promote a coordinated follow-up to the outcomes

of major international conferences.

Recommendations adopted by the Economic and

Social Council at its 1996 substantive session on

strengthening collaboration between the United Nations and

Bretton Woods institutions and on new arrangements for

consultations with non-governmental organizations

represented a great step forward.

Modern democracy is the political counterpart of the

market economic system, and the two go hand in hand.

The success of a democracy requires informed and civil

discourse and respect for the rule of law and the

democratic process, including the expression of the public

will through free and fair elections.

The recent, vigorously contested presidential election

signalled the vitality of the democratic process in

Armenia. President Levon Ter-Petrossian’s re-election

demonstrates the will of the people in support of the

policies pursued thus far by the Government, based on a

clear programme and an achievable plan of development.

Development cannot be attained in the absence of

respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Armenia strongly supports the High Commissioner for

Human Rights in his efforts to restructure the Centre for

Human Rights. The Member States must continue

working towards better coordination within the Centre and

consolidation of human-rights functions within the United

Nations system.

Armenia considers self-determination in its multitude

of manifestations to be an inalienable human right. In this

light, the Nagorny Karabakh conflict continues to concern

the Government of Armenia and its peaceful resolution

remains Armenia’s top foreign-policy priority. A few

months ago, on 12 May, we marked the second

anniversary of the cease-fire in the Nagorny Karabakh

conflict. At the same time, the parties to the conflict

released all prisoners of war and hostages identified by

the International Committee of the Red Cross. We

consider these developments encouraging and conducive

to the overall peace process and to the establishment of a

favourable atmosphere for negotiations.

Negotiations among the parties within the

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE) Minsk Group on a political agreement continued

during the past year. We believe that the signing of the

agreement provides the best hope for consolidating the

cease-fire and making the peace process irreversible. The

elements of the political agreement, and most importantly

the security provisions for Nagorny Karabakh, will

eventually comprise an inseparable part of any settlement,

regardless of the ultimate status of Nagorny Karabakh.

Also this year, the parties took an extra step to

establish a second negotiating track through immediate

and direct contacts, as mandated by the December 1995

meeting of the OSCE Council of Ministers in Budapest.

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Thus far, several rounds of talks have taken place between

Armenia and Azerbaijan in which general aspects of key

issues have been discussed. We are hopeful that the

representative of Nagorny Karabakh will join in upcoming

rounds, for we strongly believe that no final solution can be

achieved without Karabakh’s direct participation in the

deliberations.

The peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict

remains Armenia’s first priority. Armenia is committed to

the talks on both tracks and will remain constructively

engaged in both processes. We believe that these two tracks

compliment each other and that any progress we make on

either can only positively impact the other, ultimately

leading to a breakthrough.

During the past five years, Armenia has experienced

first hand how war, armed conflict and regional instability

in general can hamper economic progress and development.

Thus, I would like to reiterate Armenia’s commitment to

maintaining the existing cease-fire, while eagerly searching

for a solution based on good will, mutual compromise and

understanding.

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

poses a serious threat to both global and regional security

and stability. The adoption last month by the General

Assembly of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

represented the international community’s determination to

bring to a completion one of the most sought after non-

proliferation and disarmament measures in the history of

this Organization. It gave me much satisfaction to sign the

Treaty earlier today on behalf of the Government and

people of Armenia.

Virtually all States Members of the United Nations

favour an increase in the membership of the Security

Council, reflecting the radical changes in the world and the

increase in the Organization’s overall membership.

However, during the discussions in the Open-ended

Working Group, wide support has been expressed for the

view that, if there is no agreement on other categories of

membership, expansion should take place, for the time

being, in the non-permanent category alone. Armenia

favours an increase in the non-permanent membership of

the Council that would incorporate the interests of all the

regional Groups and correspond to the principle of equitable

geographic distribution.

In order to carry out its activities, the United Nations

needs financial means. The financing of the Organization is

the collective responsibility of all Member States and

Armenia is not indifferent to the financial situation of the

United Nations.

I would like to assure the Assembly that Armenia

will do its best to fulfil its financial obligations. However,

there is an urgent need to adopt a global package of

measures to solve the grave financial situation of the

United Nations. These measures should contemplate,

inter alia, review of the scale of assessments so that it

would reflect as accurately as possible the principle of

capacity to pay.

Allow me to conclude by wishing the General

Assembly every success in the demanding work it faces

during this session, and by pledging Armenia’s most

active and effective cooperation with the delegations of

other States.