Armenia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vartan Oskanian, was the keynote speaker at the end of the first day of the OSCE's Conference on Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, held in Vienna, September 4 and 5.

The Conference was opened by Austria's Minister of Foreign Affairs Benita Ferrero Waldner, and was followed by a video message from US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The conference covered legislative, institutional mechanisms and governmental action, including law enforcement. It also discussed the role of the media in conveying and countering prejudice.

Minister Oskanian said, "Given our history, given the presence of Armenian minorities even in countries where we have no diplomatic relations, this is a topic that is very important for us." The Minister stressed Armenia's allegiance to the principles of the OSCE and in the importance of indivisible security. "The Security implications of pent-up anger, of daily
humiliations and hopelessness cannot be exaggerated. They must concern us all, for reasons of principle as well as enlightened self-interest," he said.

The entire text of the speech follows.