Translation
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND, MR. MARTTI AHTISAARI
AT A DINNER IN HONOUR OF THE PRESIDENT OF ICELAND,
MR. ÓLAFUR RAGNAR GRÍMSSON AND MRS. GUDRÚN KATRÍN
AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN HELSINKI ON 26.8.1997
On my own and my wife's behalf, it gives me great pleasure to bid you, Mr. President Grímsson and Mrs. Gudrún Katrín, heartily welcome to Finland. The Foreign Minister of Iceland and the President's party are likewise our honoured guests this evening.
That the President of Iceland wished to come here on a state visit so soon after assuming his high office is a great honour for us. It highlights the excellent relations that have long prevailed between Iceland and Finland, and indeed between all of the Nordic countries.
The opening of an Icelandic Embassy in Helsinki gives us further cause for unrestrained joy. It was almost exactly half a century ago, on 15 August 1947, that we established diplomatic relations with each other.
Cooperation between our countries is, however, of much longer standing and has embraced a wide range of matters connected with culture, politics and economics.
I believe we have known each other for close on 1,000 years. Naturally, I cannot refer to any literary source older than the tale that your own Snorri Sturluson tells in his great historical work Heimskringla about Olav the Holy, who at Stiklestad in 1030 met a man wearing a magic Finnish reindeer skin. It may be that the king merely laid his sword on the man's shoulders to knight him, but his action was obviously misunderstood. The sword apparently failed to penetrate the Finnish reindeer skin, and soon thereafter the king met his fate in the turmoil of the fray.
Whatever lessons we might be able to learn from history, there is one conclusion that we can certainly draw from that story. The perspicacious Snorri - one of the greatest poets in the history of world literature - was aware of Finland's existence well before we were even known as a nation. That is certainly worth remembering.
Finland's and Iceland's dealings with each other have always been exclusively peaceful. Your visit, President Ólafur Ragnar and Mrs. Gudrún Katrín, brings back a wealth of memories from our two visits to Iceland, above all the atmosphere in Thingvellir when we were at that ancient Thing site for the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of your declaration of independence. We were also captivated by the fabulous landscape with its broad plains and blue-tinged mountains where, to quote the poet Lars Huldén rather freely, "the wind brushes the matted grass."
Iceland's present-day achievements inspired respect in us. We saw a people who have spared no effort to develop their society. My wife and I saw the unbridled enthusiasm with which both the most modern technology and ancient sagas were embraced. The natural friendliness of the Icelanders has been passed on from generation to generation. The Havamal reminds us that "You should be a friend to your friends and repay all their generosity in like manner." Happy is the people that listens to the old wisdoms, as the Icelanders do.
In the course of history, the peoples of Finland and Iceland have had to endure many trials. Both have shown themselves to be survivors. Perhaps it is precisely to that fact that we can attribute our basic outlooks on life, in which so many similar features can be discerned and which have created a closeness between Finns and Icelanders. We may use somewhat different words, but we speak the same language.
Among the many features that we share, there is one that I wish to point out: only with the development of world trade did it become possible for the forests in Finland and the abundant fish stocks in the waters around Iceland to be harnessed as sources of national prosperity. That clear point of similarity is a starting point for dynamic technological development in both countries. Without it we would not be able to maintain our prosperity.
Geography does not limit culture. Finland and Iceland are both European nations. We are heading into a new era. When we look beyond our borders nowadays, we can see a development that appears clearly more hopeful than what we could see in the past. A Europe once fragmented and rent by political and military power struggles has experienced a re-birth, and its characteristic features are increased understanding, open-mindedness and cooperation. Europe has never been as democratically inclined as it is today. The difficulty of instigating dissatisfaction against this development has become clearly evident.
Democracy does not come into existence from nothing; it must always be created. You, esteemed President, are genuinely interested in democracy and developing it. The dismantling of the Cold War fences has made civil society possible, not only in the formerly communist countries, but elsewhere as well. The questions to be addressed are how individualism and common responsibility can be reconciled and how we can give politics a new capacity to renew itself, a will to change.
Irrespective of what forms of cooperation Finland and Iceland choose on the basis of their respective national goals, we are both working for the liberty- and democracy-related ideals that are now gaining ground in Europe. No one can change the world alone, but we can contribute our share of inspiration and ideas and help to shoulder the common burden.
I hope that your visit to Finland will give you a good impression of our country and its people and customs. You will be received everywhere as welcome and highly-esteemed visitors. I am convinced that you will meet many friends of Iceland, who have often contributed in one way or another to developing our good relations.
I would like to propose a toast to Iceland and its people as well as to the President of Iceland and Mrs. Gudrún Katrín.