Remarks by President of the Republic of Finland, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari,

at the opening ceremony of the Helsinki Round Table

of The International Institute of Administrative Sciences,

in Helsinki on July 5,1994:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Helsinki. It is for the first time that this annual conference takes place in Finland.

The Helsinki Round Table of The International Institute of Administrative Sciences is a timely forum. The theme of your Round Table deals with an interesting subject relating directly to the fundamental change in the international system.

The most successful states strive primarily for better economies and more jobs, no longer for more powerful arms and other countries' territories.

We are, indeed, experiencing a historic period in world politics. Old rivalries fade away and economic integration is paving the way for deepening political cooperation. In Europe the enlargement of the European Union is a manifestation of such development.

Two weeks ago in Corfu, the high representatives of my own country as well as Austria, Norway and Sweden signed the accession treaties with the Union. Not by mere coincidence, Russia was also brought decisively closer to the core of European integration by its signing a partnership and cooperation agreement with the Union.

The question is about a global phenomenon. In Asia, a number of countries are in the middle of rapid economic growth and alsobecoming more organic parts of the world economy. The establishment of the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, constitutes also a decisive step toward the emergence of a global market.

The old divisions between the East and the West as well as between the North and the South are no longer as relevant as before. The only relevant division is between those countries that are able to cooperate and those countries that are not. My country wants to promote cooperation regionally and globally.

Consequently, the emergence of global markets and a kind of "a global economic space" constitute major challenges to all countries. After the collapse of the command economies, we should further develop the concept of market economy to be better compatible with the democratic values of social responsibility and needs for environmental protection.

States in transition to democracy and market economy need new models of decision making and administration. However, a democratic society cannot be built from above. Consequently, these states in the process of reform have to build also civic societies as a basis for democracy and a sound administrative culture.

The Nordic and other welfare societies are undergoing major changes too. Unemployment is casting a dark shadow over them, in particular my own country. We have to find at least new impulses, if not entirely new models, for our market economy. We have to thoroughly discuss the role of the state in the whole in all sectors of society, from the point of view of civic societies and economy alike. We want to do it without putting to the question the basic concept of a welfare state.

Finland has undergone a period of demanding public sector reform in order to strengthen our economy and democratic institutions during recent years. Regulation and deregulation, the specific theme of your Round Table, is at the heart of today's public sector reform processes. We expect to have further innovations from your discussions.

However, we need new regulations in a number of areas reflecting the changing values of societies. Our states have yet to increase cooperation in particular in the field of environmental protection, in coping with refugee flows and in promoting health and social welfare. Consequently, supranational regulation will play a key role in this process in the 21 st century.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

My country has traditionally played a key role in promoting international cooperation. Your Round Table meeting here in Helsinki is a case in point.

We want to share our own experience with others. I am sure that the Finnish administrative tradition and practices are of interest to this gathering.

I hope your Round Table will be a success. I also hope you enjoy the Finnish hospitality and everything our northern country can offer, including the long light nights and the midnight sun.

I declare the Helsinki Round Table of Administrative Sciences open.