SPEECH BY MR. MARTTI AHTISAARI, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND AT THE HUNGARIAN FOREIGN POLICY INSTITUTE;

Budapest, March 8, 1995

EUROPEAN SECURITY IN THE 1990'S

When the historic change in Europe began more than five years ago, Hungary and the other Central European states as well as the Baltic states were in the centre of events. Through their newly-won freedom, they showed the way towards the goal of a new Europe. Hungary had a pioneering role among these states.

Through their determination to embark upon the road of democracy and market economy, they began making that new Europe a reality in everyday life. Through their active participation in the CSCEs and their search for ties with the other European institutions, these countries paved the way to cooperative security in Europe.

In the years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Central European and Baltic states have been at the heart of the ongoing change. When we look into the future, we can see that these countries will be crucial in determining the next steps to be taken towards a unified Europe, towards wider integration and sustainable stability.

The end of the Cold War brought an immense sense of relief as the totalitarian regimes collapsed. But it also created deep distress as ideological confrontation was replaced by ethnic strife, border disputes and ecological concerns.

A new phase in European history has commenced; but it is a complex one. Its characteristics are deepening cooperation and a search for integration. Yet European nations are facing formidable challenges. Profound transformation, both inside states and between states, will necessarily continuefor a long time. We have to learn to manage this change.

Does the international community possess the tools to accomplish this? I will not say that the tools we have are perfect, but I do believe that there is enough to provide solid underpinning for a joint effort. Finland has a long tradition of cooperation and interaction with other countries. Our faith in a cooperative approach to maintaining stability and peace is, therefore, natural.

Twenty years ago in Helsinki, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe was conceived. It later played a significant role in unravelling the structures of the Cold War. I strongly believe that it provides many of the instruments that we now need to manage the changes and cope with the challenges that Europe faces.

Three months ago, Budapest hosted a Summit that took new important steps to ensure the position of the OSCE as a community of common values and to strengthen its role in preventing and resolving conflicts.

Recent conflicts in Europe have taught all of us a lesson concerning the vital importance of international cooperation in preventing strife. What could be a more worthy goal than concentrating our efforts on saving our societies from further Bosnias or Chechnyas?

The work must continue where the OSCE has shown its strength: early warning, preventive diplomacy and political crisis management.

The media have mainly drawn attention to crises, where the OSCE - or any other organization - has been unable to prevent a conflict. The most tragic example is the fighting in former Yugoslavia. Dismay at the inability of the Budapest Summit to agree a common position on the war was shared by us all.

But there are cases where the OSCE instruments have been of assistance. As examples I could mention the OSCE missions to Estonia and Latvia, where they have helped these states to develop the legislative and social basis needed for coexistence between ethnic and linguistic groups. This work has taken place behind the scenes, out of the media limelight. That is a precondition for its success.

Another OSCE institution that works via discreet diplomacy is the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. The present High Commissioner has developed methods of political persuasion through direct contacts with governments and minorities. We are convinced that his actions are instrumental in preventing disputes from flaring up. Finland fully supports the High Commissioner and his work.

The Budapest Summit opened the door to the first OSCE placekicking operation, to take place in Nagorno-Karabakh. Finland believes strongly that this opportunity should not be missed. Although the conflict is taking place far from our borders, we consider its resolution to be important for our common security. That is why we have placed our resources and experiences at the disposal of the OSCE. A Finnish general is heading the planning work in Vienna, and just recently the Hungarian Chairman-in-Office of the Organization appointed a Finnish diplomat to co-chair the Minsk conference.

The OSCE has shown its usefulness in the Chechen crisis. Here we highly value the determined and competent action of Hungary as the Chairman-in-Office. The OSCE has been able to show that even when a conflict is an internal affair of a state, the ways of solving it are not. The OSCE human rights assistance group has just returned from the area. We all recognize that the efforts made so far are only a beginning. The OSCE must stay engaged, monitoring human rights, facilitating humanitarian assistance and promoting political resolution.

The OSCE can be used efficiently. But in order to strengthen its abilities, it must be given the chance to act. In any given situation where there is a need for collective action we should use the OSCE first, try a regional solution, as envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations. If our regional efforts fail, we should refer the matter to the UN Security Council. This would strengthen the overall system of collective security. Work on this concept should continue where it was left in Budapest.

The OSCE is unique because of its inclusiveness. It is depositary of common principles. Yet it is but one of several interlocking institutions and organizations that make up the infrastructure of peace and security in Europe.

The broad military cooperation that NATO started in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and further developed in the Partnership for Peace is of particular importance. The same purpose is served by the WEU through its activities with the associate partners.

Further steps to strengthen European security must be built on agreed OSCE norms and principles. They must be designed in a way that will enhance the security of all the participating states and strengthen the stability of the whole OSCE area. The indivisibility of security must be the guiding principle.

It is important to employ a broad and dynamic concept of security, which includes not only military security, but also its political, economic, social and environmental aspects. The ultimate guarantee of sustainable security is a stable democratic system together with economic well-being, cooperation and integration.

The European Union, a community of democratic states, plays a major role in building a stable and peaceful Europe. It has designed a strategy for preparing the accession of the countries that have concluded or are negotiating Europe agreements. Hungary is one of them, and clearly belongs to the first echelon of new members.

For Finland, as a Nordic country, it is important that the Baltic states, too, are included in this strategy as equal partners and candidates. We are certain that it will benefit not only security in the North, but also European security and stability as a whole.

Believing as we do that integration will create and sustain security for its participants and its environment, we are convinced that the engine of this peace strategy, the Union itself, must remain strong and capable.

That is why the 1996 EU inter-governmental conference will be important for Finland as well as for Hungary and all our partners in the endeavour. Finland is approaching the 1996 conference with two goals in mind. We want to make the Union a more efficient actor by developing its common foreign and security policy. And we want to create a consistent enlargement policy for the Union.

The first steps in the integration of Hungary into the common foreign and security policy have already been taken. An established system of consultation between the Union and the countries with Europe Agreements has been created, and the Central European and Baltic states have the status of Associate Partners at the Western European Union. In this way we can together develop European security.

The Pact on Stability in Europe will be concluded in Paris later this month. This initiative by the EU has served an important purpose. It has stressed the vital importance for better security and wider integration in Europe of good relations among neighbours and cooperation in subregions.

History has left its marks on Europe. Disputes over borders and minorities are its legacy. But they can be overcome and settled through a policy that looks into the future. The Pact on Stability is an important framework for such common efforts.

The European Union is determined to strengthen its ties with Russia. Enlargement of the Union will not create new divisions, on the contrary, it will be an element in the unification of Europe on the basis of the values and goals set forth in the Charter of Paris. Russia must not be isolated, and it must not be allowed to isolate itself.

There are fundamental common interests between Russia and the rest of Europe. Much is at stake with the democratic reform in Russia. It is only with Russia that we can build a common security space in Europe.

It is imperative that we create a dynamic, cooperative and democratic system of security in Europe. The system must not be exclusive in any direction. It must include the members of the European Union and the Central European and Baltic states that are linked to the Union by Europe agreements and cooperative links, as well as Russia and the CIS countries. While the process of creation lasts, we have to take care of the acute conflicts in our continent.

The result of the process should be a European security area, where military force is not used in solving political disagreements.