I would like to express my thanks for the magnificent reception that we have been given today. My wife and I have always considered India close to us and we have many ties of friendship to this country. I am convinced that this State visit will strengthen the traditionally good political and economic cooperation between Finland and India. We are looking forward with great interest to acquainting ourselves with India's rich culture.

Although our countries are very different in terms of size and natural conditions, there are many interesting similarities between them. During the Cold War, our attitudes to international cooperation and especially military alliances were broadly similar. The historic upheavals of the past decade have made us, in common with many other countries, reassess our political and economic aims from new premises. Already during the Cold War, Finland was working to increase security and cooperation, especially in Europe. Now that military confrontation has receded, our aim has been to promote development of a kind that will not lead to the emergence of new lines of division in our continent, but will instead deepen cooperation on the basis of our democratic fundamental principles.

One and a half years ago Finland joined the European Union, with which she was already well integrated. At the same time, India has been reforming her economy and is integrating into the global economy rapidly and in a new way. Although those integration processes are very different in content and scale, they also reveal surprising similarities. That is mostly because both countries have a long democratic tradition, on the foundation of which changes must be built in order to be lasting. A fundamental prerequisite for success has been a fresh-minded and innovative attitude to the changes that lie ahead. It demands a lot of both ordinary citizens and political and economic decision-makers.

Security structures are changing slowly both globally and regionally. The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 meant profound change in the political maps of both Europe and Asia. The new European "security architecture" is still only taking shape, through many stages of processing. In Asia, the security situation is many times more complicated and the scale of economic problems is enormous. One can hardly speak of an "Asian security architecture" as yet, but one may be slowly emerging. As a major state in the region, India is naturally among its builders and is participating in shaping solutions concerning it. In the final analysis, lasting security can rest only on the democratic principles that Finland and India share.

When Finland and India were emerging as independent states, interdependence between our countries was more a theme for festive political speeches than everyday reality. In recent decades, however, technological development has led to a situation where the effects of economic change radiate to every part of the world. No people can isolate itself any longer.

There are many factors in the background to this mutual dependence. The most central of them are growth in the world economy and its increased openness. In the new global situation, trade and foreign investment are ever more important to both of us. It is obvious that Asia will remain a dynamic region in the world economy for decades to come. That applies not only to quantitative growth in national economies or international trade. It applies also and specifically to enterprise, that spirit of risk-taking and daring that in the century now drawing to a close created prosperity and wellbeing in Finland and the entire Western world. On my trips to East and South-East Asia as well as now to India, I have been able to see for myself that talk of the next century as the century of Asia and the Pacific is not just a pretty phrase, but describes a development that is very likely indeed.

Both myself and the delegation that I am leading, and which consists of top executives from Finland's most important internationalised companies, are convinced that India is on the road to rapid economic growth. We respect India's efforts to develop on her own terms and we are eager to cooperate with her.

As a member of the European Union, Finland can strive for a dialogue with India, that is of growing content and significance, and that in turn increases the range of alternatives at the disposal of all parties involved. Our know-how and international experience match India's needs well. Finnish industry is especially strong in the sectors of forest products, telecommunications, energy generation, environmental protection and transport infrastructure. We have already gotten off to a good start in those sectors. We are prepared to go further and to broaden cooperation into new areas.

Looked at from India, Finland may seem remote, but distances no longer have the same significance that they used to. Finland has advanced technology to offer. We have a reputation as dependable cooperation partners, who have neither biases nor ulterior motives with regard to technology transfers.

However, Indo-Finnish relations are not and must not be limited only to economic interaction. In a spirit of mutual dependence, Finland and India can together contribute to solving the great problems of our times: how to guarantee all, irrespective of age, race or gender, a life of human dignity and how to ensure that the common heritage of humankind is passed on to future generations, within a framework of sustainable development and just peace.

Mr. President,

Mrs. Sharma

I would like to propose a toast to your health, to the prosperity of the Indian people and to deepening cooperation between India and Finland.