Minister Oskanian attended and addressed the first session of the newly-formed UN Human Rights Council. The opening ceremony on Monday was attended by UN SG Kofi Annan as well as High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour.

In his statement, Armenia's Minister congratulated the Council on its inaugural meeting and wished the Council well in its mandate to place the third pillar of the UN - human rights - on a par with the other two - peace and security, and development.

The Minister said, "Globalization and the electronic media enhance our knowledge and increase our liability. It is as easy to look into our neighbor's living room as our own. To hear the screams next door and do nothing will be as difficult as ignoring uproar at home. We are now the first generation who simply cannot afford to do so. And ironically, we are the first generation that is able to afford to systematically, fundamentally address the problems - and even the crises. We can muster the time, skills and resources to construct a new pro-active, daring, spirited international system that not only has the moral authority but also the tenacity to protect the powerless."

The Minister addressed the linkage between human rights and development. He said, "I know that it is only when the preconditions for a full and free life of dignity are in place, only then are markets powerful engines of development, only then is critical infrastructure sustainable, and only then do individuals stand up to demand and protect individual and collective human rights.

He continued, "In Armenia, we are tackling this greatest challenge through a public-private partnership that will engage the government of Armenia, Armenia's business community, the international community and individual countries, as well as our generous Diaspora, to embark on eradicating rural poverty through a comprehensive, integrated approach. Our intent is to meet the Millennium Development Goals, and to replace hopelessness and desperation with a sense of self-worth and security."

In speaking about Armenia's neighbors and regional security, Minister Oskanian noted that "Armenia has and continues to promote stronger international mechanisms to prevent and eradicate the crime of genocide, and all of its precursors - including efforts, too often successful, at not just cleansing a region of its indigenous people, but also erasing their memory. Armenians have survived and gone on to live through each of these attempts. Even today, in the 21st century, we have watched helplessly as the spiritual and cultural markers of our people are decimated."

He went on to refer to the destruction of the Jugha Cemetery in Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan. "This violation of the memory and spirit of centuries of Armenian existence on lands which are today Azerbaijan's is cynical and dangerous. These huge, exquisite, unique stone crosses which were both sculpture and tombstone are now gone - 2,000 of these medieval markers were destroyed just a few months ago. The gravemarkers are gone, and Armenian and international fears that Azerbaijan's authorities might in fact not be serious about peace have been reinforced. After all, their organized, violent, armed response to peaceful calls for self-determination two decades ago, was the first attempt at ethnic cleansing in the soviet space and ignited the conflict which remains unsettled today. This most recent manifestation of organized violence, in a place where no Armenians live today, and far from the Nagorno Karabakh conflict area, tells us that neither Azerbaijan's methods nor its intent has changed. Such unambivalent, callous demolition of culture and history also destroys trust and peace."

In speaking about the present state of negotiations with Azerbaijan on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenian Foreign Minister said, "If Azerbaijan's one step forward, one step back approach in the negotiations was simply alarming, their recent, desperate offers of autonomy are concrete examples of a retreat from the letter and spirit of these talks, and clearly not in sync with international trends. Offering autonomy to a people who have for nearly two decades been in control of their lives on their own historic lands is at the very least, self-deception."