Speech by the President of the Republic of Finland




SPEECH BY PRESIDENT MARTTI AHTISAARI AT A LUNCHEON SERVED
IN HONOUR OF MR MARC FORNÉ, THE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT OF
ANDORRA, PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, 10.11.1999


It is my pleasure to welcome you and your companions to Finland.

Your visit is the first high-level visit between Finland and Andorra. It is also splendid proof of the rapid development of our relations in recent years. Diplomatic relations were established in 1995. We attach great value to the fact that Andorra has this year accredited its Madrid ambassador to Helsinki as well.

In spite of geographic distance, Andorra is known in Finland as a prosperous state with a high level of civilization. My generation learned about your country at an early age, when stamp collecting was one of our main hobbies. I still remember how exciting it was to obtain Andorra's splendid stamps for our modest collections. They were the pride of our collection. Thanks to our hobby we also learned exactly where to place Andorra on the European map.

We are aware of Andorra's long historical roots, which go back to the days of Charlemagne. Between two large neighbours, Spain and France, Andorra has been able to preserve its national identity over the centuries.

The history and present democratic system of Finland and Andorra are linked by the fact that the traditions of both our parliaments stretch back to the Middle Ages, to the 14th and 15th centuries.

During your visit you have solemnly signed the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. This seals Andorra's full participation in European cooperation, whose purpose is to make Europe a continent of peace and security. Its purpose is also to ensure the right of all European states, small and large, to independence and the preservation of their national identity.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to whose work I now welcome Andorra, has a vitally important role. The OSCE is an essential political actor in resolving European conflicts and creating stability. The OSCE's valuable activities link all the states of Europe as well as the United States and Canada.

Today we have discussed the position of small states and their future in Europe. This is also an important theme for Finland. We believe that the only foundation for European cooperation is equality among all states. Finland has consistently emphasized this principle during its presidency of the European Union.

Your visit to Finland takes place at a time when the European Union has reached a new stage of development. We are also striving ambitiously to deepen integration in the field of justice and home affairs, which was the main them of the European Council in Tampere. At the December meeting of the European Council in Helsinki we will focus on the development of the common foreign and security policy and prepare for the enlargement of the Union, which will be a long and difficult process. Enlargement requires the reform of the Union's institutions, the preparation of which is part of our tasks during the Finnish presidency. We hope that we can achieve rapid progress in the Union's Mediterranean strategy, which also has a bearing on Andorra's interests. Economic and monetary union is already a reality and a couple of years from now we will have a common currency, the euro.

The EU and Andorra have expanded cooperation throughout the 1990s. Your country is a close partner for geographical reasons alone. On the basis of a mandate which the EU approved in February 1997, negotiations are presently being conducted on a cooperation agreement between the EU and Andorra. This will significantly supplement the 1990 agreement providing for a customs union. We hope that progress can be made rapidly, since it is in everyone's interests. I would also like to repeat Finland's support for Andorra's membership in the WTO.

I believe that your visit will increase mutual interest in developing cooperation between Finland and Andorra. Skiing tours, for instance, offer possibilities alongside traditional trade. I hope that your example will encourage your fellow countrymen to visit Finland. Many Finns are already familiar with scenic Andorra's excellent winter sports centres. Our cooperation in international forums has got off to a good start, as evidenced by the beneficial meeting between our foreign ministers at the UN General Assembly in New York in autumn 1997.

I would like to propose a toast to good relations and friendship between Finland and Andorra and to the success of yourself and your companions and the entire people of Andorra.