Translation
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT OF THE
REPUBLIC OF FINLAND MR MARTTI AHTISAARI
AT A BANQUET HOSTED BY THEIR MAJESTIES KING JUAN CARLOS AND QUEEN
SOFIA
AT THE ROYAL PALACE IN MADRID ON 1.2.1999
Please permit me to express my thanks for the
cordial reception that we have received and your kind words. We
feel that here we are among good friends.
The history of diplomatic relations between Finland and Spain is
almost as old as Finnish independence. Spain was among the first
countries to recognise us as an independent state. That was in
January 1918, barely a month after our declaration of
independence. Relations between Finland and Spain have been
developing well ever since.
Our peoples have been closely following each others fates
throughout that period. The Spanish Civil War was a shocking
event also for us Finns. We appreciated the sympathy that the
Spaniards showed us during our own wars between 1939 and 1945.
Your Majestys first official visit to Finland in summer
1975, made in your capacity as Crown Prince, was an important
milestone in the recent history of our relations. It took place
at a time when the rigid tableaux of the Cold War were beginning
to change thanks to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe. The states in our continent, Finland and Spain among
them, were then embarking on a search for new forms of
cooperation.
I know that my distinguished predecessors Urho Kekkonen and Mauno
Koivisto appreciated their visits to Spain and tried to make
their respective contributions to promoting cooperation between
our countries. Your Majesties made a state visit to Finland in
1989. I now take the opportunity to invite you to visit us again.
Democracy has been consolidated in Spain during your reign. In
this, Your Majestys personal contribution has been central.
At the same time, Spain has assumed an active and visible role in
international peace efforts.
It was at the CSCE review conference in Madrid in early 1980 that
security in Europe was coupled with the implementation of human
rights. The process that had begun in Helsinki in 1975 was
thereby decisively complemented. Since then, Madrid has on
numerous occasions been the scene of important international
negotiations.
Relations between Finland and Spain have developed consistently
and dynamically, a trend that our shared membership of the
European Union has only accentuated. Spain held the EU Presidency
during Finlands first year of membership. The Madrid summit
and the whole of the successful Spanish Presidency serve us as an
excellent example as we prepare for our own term in the
Presidency this year. The Helsinki summit next December will
point the way to the solutions that will need to be made in the
beginning of the new millennium.
Europe is now reshaping itself. The change of millennium requires
all states in our continent to make a special effort to develop
genuine cooperation. The Unions internal and external
actions must be made more effective. We need political will: it
is up to us to decide what kind of Union we want to pass on to
posterity.
Our membership of the European Union has further strengthened our
international position. Finland shares values, interests and
obligations with the other member states. Solidarity between
member states increases security in the Union as a whole. Finland
wants the EU to act with greater determination in pursuing our
common foreign and security policy. That presupposes a
strengthening of Europes capacity for crisis management.
A restructuring NATO has an important stability-enhancing role in
Europe. Finland is an active participant in the Partnership for
Peace programme. Next April, we shall be attending the
Euro-Atlantic summit organised in Washington in conjunction with
the celebrations marking the Alliances 50th
anniversary.
Increasing social, economic and political stability in the
Mediterranean region strengthens the entire Union. All members
support cooperation with the Mediterranean countries. Equally
successful cooperation is needed also in northern Europe. The
Unions Dimensions, both Southern and Northern, are matters
in which all members have a stake.
Since modern economic cooperation is much more than trade in
goods and services, it is important that corporate investment
flows in both directions increase. Spains role as the
EUs bridge to Latin America and the Mediterranean region as
well as Finlands corresponding status in the Baltic and as
a neighbour of Russia are major incentives to invest in both of
our countries.
Membership of the EU has brought Finland and Spain very much
closer to each other. Cooperation in the political, economic and
cultural spheres has significantly increased. The volume of trade
between us has been constantly growing and its structure has been
diversifying at a gratifying pace. Since no actual trade barriers
remain between our countries, it is important that companies now
increase their direct contacts and seek new sectors in which to
cooperate.
Spain has won the hearts of Finnish travellers. Year after year,
your countrys beautiful nature, the sun and especially
friendly people have drawn my compatriots to visit you. More than
400,000 Finns visited Spain last year, nearly a tenth of our
total population. It is nice to note that Spaniards are likewise
showing a growing interest in Finland and that the number going
there has doubled in just a few years.
Cultural cooperation is another sector in which we can record new
achievements. Interest in Spanish has been constantly growing in
Finland, especially among young people. In 1987, Finland became
the first Nordic country to open a cultural institute of its own
in Madrid.
Two significant centenaries were marked last year: the death of
the writer, intellectual and first Spanish consul in Helsinki
Angel Ganivet, and the birth of the great Finnish architect Alvar
Aalto. Numerous seminars, lectures and exhibitions in their
honour have been arranged both in Spain and in Finland. An
exhibition on the theme of Alvar Aaltos cityscapes opens here in Madrid tomorrow.
Ganivets book "Cartas Finlandesas" was the first
more extensive Spanish written account of Finland and her people.
Although its text is based on the authors experiences in
Helsinki in 1896-1897, many of his insights and observations
remain very apposite. He noted, for example, that: "Here the
telephone is nearly as common as cooking utensils. It is an extra
person in any conversation." A century later, Finland has
the worlds highest density of mobile phones and is a leader
in telecommunications generally.
Spain has again become a central actor in European cooperation
and her economic and social development provides an excellent
example of the benefits that this can provide.
The geographical distance between our countries and their
different languages and cultural traditions are not an obstacle
to Finland and Spain constantly growing closer to each other.
That is because we share a world of values: we base our political
and social systems on Western democracy, justice and respect for
human rights.
This visit shows that the friendship between our countries is
valued in Spain. I attach great importance to that.
I now propose a toast to Your Majesties King Juan Carlos and
Queen Sofia, to the happiness and prosperity of Spain and to
friendship between our countries.