Speech by H.E. Mr Martti Ahtisaari, President of the Republic of Finland, at a dinner hosted by H.E. Mr Chuan Leekpai, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand

Bangkok, January 23, 1995

Mr Prime Minister,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to have this opportunity, together with the members of my delegation, to visit your country. The Kingdom of Thailand is greatly admired by the people of Finland and we are deeply touched by the warmth of your welcome.

Mine is the first official visit to Thailand by a President of Finland. Well before taking office, I had hoped that I would eventually have an opportunity to visit this country to gain a better understanding of the background to our vigorously-developing relations. Now, thanks to your kind invitation, my wish has been granted.

Please permit me to thank you, Mr Prime Minister, for your kind words during our fruitful discussions earlier today. I am confident that our meeting will further strengthen the close ties of friendship and cooperation which exist between our nations.

Our diplomatic relations go back all of 75 years. They were established in 1919, when Thailand became the second country outside Europe to recognize the independence of the young Republic of Finland. The fact that your Deputy Foreign Minister, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, began his recent visit to Finland precisely on the anniversary of that landmark event three-quarters of a century ago was very gratifying to note.

Throughout their histories, our two nations have demonstrated a true spirit of freedom and a strong sense of cultural identity. These strengths have carried us through turbulent times and will certainly continue to serve us well as we go on with building the future.

Relations between us have been developing rapidly, in step with Thailand's impressive economic growth. Trade has developed so favourably in both directions that it certainly gives both of us cause for rejoicing. Your country's economic progress has placed you in a good position to benefit from the latest technological advances. This has also created opportunities for Finnish industry, especially in the telecommunications sector. Thailand, too, has diversified her exports well beyond the traditional commodities range.

Finland and Thailand offer each other gateways to important neighbouring regions. Finland is a gateway to Russia, the Balticrepublics and Scandinavia, and now also to the European Union, of which we became a member at the beginning of this year.

Thailand, in turn, is recognized for her excellent connections with Indo-China, the ASEAN countries and also more widely in Asia.

I have brought with me a large delegation comprising senior representatives of every key sector of Finnish industry. Our purpose is to deepen our knowledge of Southeast Asia and to meet some of the people who have made this region such a success.

We know that building bridges is always beneficial, and we intend to continue building them - between ourselves and Thailand, and between the EU and ASEAN. We are firmly committed to international cooperation and free trade, and we have found the same spirit in Thailand, which is a charter member of the GATT and now also of the World Trade Organization.

Regional security and cooperation are equally important for our two countries. Finland has long been a champion of security in Europe and we acknowledge Thailand's role as a leading force in the development of cooperation and security in your own region.

I have also found Thailand to be as staunch a supporter of the United Nations system as Finland is. We both see the importance of the world body in bringing peace and development to many parts of our globe, though in some instances it has succeeded less than completely, or even had to admit failure.

On the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, we can pay tribute to the organization for its achievements. But we should also work harder to make it more capable of responding to complex challenges in today's world.

Although our visit is brief, we have found a large number of ways in which we can further develop our cooperation within both multilateral and bilateral contexts. We have, I believe, made a good start. I am convinced that the open and friendly atmosphere in which we are meeting will attract an even greater economic presence from Finland to Thailand. And of course, we look forward to a greater Thai presence in Finland.

At the level of private contacts, Thailand is one of the most attractive holiday destinations for Finns and we are pleased to note that the number of Thais visiting Finland is also on the increase.

Something that gives us particular pleasure is the long-standing link between our countries in the field of higher education. Over the years, some twenty Thais have studied at the University of Helsinki. That may not be a very large number, but no fewer than half of them have gone all the way to a doctorate. That demonstrates the determination and stamina of the Thais, qualities that we in Finland have always esteemed.

Seeing those achievements, and all that Thailand is doing in this region as well, we are proud to have the opportunity to work with you.

Mr Prime Minister,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thanking you once again for your kind invitation and eagerness to expand relations between our two countries, I propose a toast to the health and happiness of Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, to you, Mr Prime Minister, to the continued success of the Kingdom of Thailand and to the fruitful development of relations between our two countries and peoples.