SPEECH BY PRESIDENT OF
THE REPUBLIC MARTTI AHTISAARI
AT A DINNER HOSTED BY GOVERNOR JOSÉ MURAT OF THE STATE OF
OAXACA, MEXICO
IN OAXACA ON 25.2.1999
To begin, let me thank you on behalf of
myself, my wife and all of the Finnish guests here for the warm
reception and superb hospitality that you have given us in this
city with its wealth of history. Oaxaca is renowned for its
delicious food, which I am sure we shall soon be enjoying.
My itinerary could not have had a finer conclusion than a visit
to this beautiful state with such a rich past. Mexicos 17th
President and national hero Benito Júarez was born in this state
and also served it as governor. Engraved on his statue in this
city are some immortal words of wisdom and guidance, which are
just as relevant and important today as they were nearly a
century and a half ago: "Respecting the rights of others is
peace." If only all of us, both individuals and nations,
could live according to that principle!
My wife arrived here already yesterday, so she has had more time
to enjoy the numerous sights and delightful folk art of this
colourful city. The rich cultural heritage of the pre-Hispanic
period and later times is reflected in the traditions and
festivals that are still cherished here.
The visitor encounters the history of Mexico at every turn in
this city. It certainly deserves the title of World Heritage Site
that UNESCO has conferred on it. The restoration of the old Santo
Domingo monastery and its conversion into a regional museum was a
unique cultural deed. As a result, you can now boast of having
one of Mexicos and indeed the worlds finest museums
dedicated to archaeology and cultural anthropology.
In your earlier political work you were actively involved in
taking care of international tasks. I was especially pleased to
hear of your years of cooperation and friendship with Jacob
Söderman, for which reason you have visited Finland four times.
Your work as the chairperson of the foreign affairs committee of
the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies has given you a broad
perspective from which to develop Oaxacas international
contacts. In your inaugural speech on 1 December 1998 you
positively emphasised the need for international contacts and
their importance for the development of your state. On that
occasion you said: "Oaxaca must open its doors for
productive investments from both Mexico and abroad, taking the
relevant legal aspects into consideration and always guarding our
sovereignty. That will make new relations in the fields of
economy, politics, social development, technology and the
environment possible."
Finland has been cooperating with Oaxaca for a long time. A large
number of Finnish forestry experts worked on a project in the
village of San Pedro el Alto in 1989-92, and tomorrow I shall
have the opportunity to see some of the results of their efforts.
Your state has rich forest resources, the protection and
exploitation of which are not mutually-exclusive alternatives.
Finland is a good example of a country where systematic,
consistent and long-term forest management ensures that this
important natural resource is preserved for future generations
whilst at the same time increasing both local and national
prosperity.
Cultural cooperation between Oaxaca and Finland is likewise
well-established. A year and a half ago, the magnificent
exhibition "The Feathered Serpent and the Jaguar God"
presented treasures of sophisticated Mexican and Guatemalan
Indian cultures to audiences in Finland. It was the biggest
exhibition of artefacts from Mesoamerican civilisations that
Europe had seen for decades. It attracted record numbers of
visitors and certainly increased interest on the part of the
Finns in your country, its history and sights.
A considerable number of the objects in this unique exhibition
were on loan from the Cultural Centre of Oaxaca. My wife has told
me how fascinated she was with the magnificent collection at this
museum, where she spent several hours earlier today. I have just
paid a brief visit to the Church of Santo Domingo and the
outstanding Fray Francisco de Burgoa Library.
However, our cultural exchange is not limited merely to the past.
San Augustine near Oaxaca is the location of a small workshop
where art paper is made in a joint project between Finnish and
Mexican associations. Finnish art organisations also maintain a
studio here, where artists representing different genres can
spend several months at a time and draw new inspiration from the
cultural atmosphere and stunning scenery here. There are also
frequent exchanges of exhibitions with Oaxacan artists.
I am convinced that this brief but important visit will give the
delegation of senior officials, industrialists and businesspeople
accompanying me valuable new ideas that they can use to make our
cooperation and contacts even broader. I now propose a toast to
the good health of Governor and Señora Murat and the prosperity
of the people of Oaxaca.