11/08/1998

Distinguished Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen!

First of all, let me express my gratitude to the Government of the Portuguese Republic for the organization of our Conference.

I would like to share the opinion of the speakers here, who stated that the First World Conference for Youth and the World Youth Forum. would mark the new age in the development of the international cooperation in the youth policy.

The Russian delegation in general terms approves the Draft Declaration and believes that it will be the vital instrument to guide the Governments and international non-governmental organizations to develop and elaborate the effective youth policy.

Mr. Chairman, we believe that the main task of any declaration, including this one, is its implementation in practice. We consider that the problems of young people should and must be a priority of the international community facing the XXI Century.

Mr. Chairman,

The President and the Government of the Russian Federation pay great attention to the problems of young people. As far as today we, in Russia, have about 100 federal and more than 500 regional NGOs, dealing with the youth problems. The Department of Youth of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development of Russia is responsible for its youth projects and programs. One of such programs was adopted in 1994 and qualified.as a presidential one. It got a name "A Youth of Russia". The social investments, innovation development, state support of the youth initiatives and self realization of young people are the basic principles of the mentioned Program.

The main practical goal of the Program is the creation of the legal, economical and organizational conditions and guaranties for the self realization of the young personality and for the development of his initiatives. We plan to realize the following:

• to provide the young people with the information about their rights and possibilities in the most important spheres of life and social activities,
• to create the conditions for the affective activities of the young people concerning the education, recreation, health-improvement, employment and international cooperation programs,
• to improve the living conditions, to support the young families and the most vulnerable social groups,
• to implement the system for the children and youth organizations and programs.

The principal aims of the "Youth of Russia" were integrated into the Program of Social Reforms. Thus, our governmental activity completely corresponds to the priorities of the worldwide youth program for the period til-I 2000 and beyond. We expect the development. of multilateral and bilateral cooperation concerning the exchange of the unique experience of the national youth politics.

Mr. Chairman, Dear Colleagues,

All of us face the wide range of social and economical youth problems. I would like to emphasize those assuming the international significance, such as:

1. Access to education
2. Employment and fighting youth unemployment
3. Adaptation of the young generation for the realities of adult life tinder any ethnical conditions
4. Young peoples integration into the world wide community (The open doors conception)
5. The struggle against the drugs which are the one more plague of the XX century.

In the Russian Federation this problem assumed the national importance. The President and the Government are preoccupied with this reality. This last but not the least problem can't be resolved separately by one of the countries. It demands the joint efforts of all the international community. We consider the drugs to be the danger for the national health and it means the danger to the national security of Russia. Our delegation is ready to collaborate with all the interested parties, international governmental and non-governmental organizations for the solution of this problems. We hope on the active contribution of the United Nations and its specialized commissions.

Mr. Chairman and Dear Colleagues,

I would like to stress that Russia is ready for development of the large-scale international cooperation in the field settlement of social and economical problems of youth. Russia supports the decisions of UN, OSCE,, Council of Europe and other international organizations and forums, including the Copenhagen Summit for social development.

Let me express my hope that this Conference resolutions will not only become a paper document but will also be the basis of our practical every day activities.

In order not to give the possibility to my Colleagues to express their valid opinion in this significant Conference, we would like to distribute the Information about our activities in Russia as a supplement to my statement.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.