Speech by the President of the Republic of Finland




SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND, MR. MARTTI AHTISAARI
AT A BANQUET IN HONOUR OF PRESIDENT RUTH DREIFUSS
OF THE SWISS CONFEDERATION IN HELSINKI ON 30.9.1999



I am very pleased that you, Madam President, are our guest here today. I regard your visit as a new demonstration of the warm friendship that has developed between our countries over the years, especially since the Second World War. As we are both European states, our peoples know each other well and our bilateral relations are gratifyingly close and free of problems.

Alongside our official contacts, our friendship society and other Finnish-Swiss organisations have had important roles in caring for relations between our countries. A constantly growing number of our companies have likewise been finding each other as partners. Our trade and economic relations have been developing well and prospects for them are promising.

We can perhaps try to develop our bilateral relations further also in other areas in which both Finland and Switzerland are strong. I am convinced that an interest in and openings for cooperation are to be found in both science and technology and the sphere of culture.

Finland is half way through her first term in the Presidency of the European Union. We have taken the task seriously. For a small nation like ours, wholehearted participation in European cooperation is especially important. We want to play a part in building a Europe that is as united, democratic and open to the surrounding world as possible.

We have been following with great interest the recent development of relations between Switzerland and the European Union. The signing of seven bilateral agreements last June marked a significant step in your country’s cooperation with the Union. It has given us great satisfaction to note how very positively the agreements were dealt with at a special session of your parliament in late August. We have every reason to believe that also the ratification process will proceed without delay on both sides and lead to the earliest-possible entry into force of the agreements.

Finland will continue to support Switzerland’s efforts to achieve closer ties with the European Union and participate as fully as possible in the integration of our continent.

Finland’s and Switzerland’s views on many international issues have been very close to each other. We have had active and constructive cooperation in many international frameworks. I need mention only the examples of the Council of Europe, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and its successor body the OSCE, the European Free Trade Association and many of the UN special agencies. I am convinced that this cooperation will continue.

Events in the Western Balkans have been very difficult for the population of the region. They have also posed completely new challenges with respect to the international community’s ability and will to manage crises. It was thanks to resolute action on the part of the international community that a political solution to the most recent crisis in Kosovo was achieved last June. Now we face the difficult challenges of restoring trust and rebuilding society and the economy there.

The situation in the Western Balkans and especially Kosovo has closely affected also Switzerland, because a considerable number of people from the region live in your country. You have shouldered a major burden in helping to take care of the problems caused by floods of refugees. The strong tradition of humanitarianism that the people of Switzerland share with their political leaders has undoubtedly been of great help in this respect.

We have noted Switzerland’s active interest in the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe and the new international bodies that are being established under its terms. This interest matches our image of your country; from the very beginning, Switzerland has been an important helper and advisor in efforts to achieve lasting, democratic and peaceful solutions. We hope your country will be able to make a full contribution to the peace process and the work of the bodies being established to further it. The first meeting of the so-called democracy working table in Geneva in the near future will provide an especially visible opportunity for this.

I have a good deal of personal experience of Switzerland from the time that I lived in your beautiful and friendly country. My visit together with my wife nearly two years ago likewise left many warm memories.

I hope this visit of yours to Helsinki will leave you with a positive picture of our country.

Now let me propose a toast to your good health, to the prosperity of the Confederation and the Swiss people as well as to the further development of the exemplary relations that Finland and Switzerland enjoy.