President of the Republic at a reception hosted by Mr. Diepgen, Governing Mayor of Berlin, on 2 October 2000

It is a great pleasure and honour for me to visit Berlin today and write my name in the golden guestbook of the capital of Germany. I have known Berlin since the 1960s, when I first came to the city as a young student, and I have visited the city many times in the course of past years. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I paid frequent visits to Berlin. This is the first time that I´m visiting the city as the President of the Republic of Finland.

The unification of Germany and the transfer of the capital from Bonn to Berlin have expanded the range of contacts between Finland and Germany. Increasingly close relations with the so-called new states of Germany and especially northern Germany show in more frequent contacts not only at the political and economic levels but also in the form of expanding tourism and student exchange.

The northern states of Germany have expressed more and more active interest in the Baltic Sea Cooperation and the EU´s Northern Dimension. Cooperation in such fields as the economy, environmental protection, and culture, has become closer than before.

In the early 20th century, Berlin used to be one of the main centres of culture, and many famous Finnish artists worked there for even long periods of time. Sibelius was one of those who acquired stimuli and inspiration for his music in Berlin, in particular. The Berlin of today has regained the status of a mecca of culture, where also Finnish music, visual arts, design, literature and films are well represented.

Cooperation between Helsinki and Berlin has become closer over the last few years. Mr Mayor, I want to thank you in this occasion for your active personal contribution to the development of this cooperation. Your visits to Finland and Helsinki and the numerous events, hosted by yourself, organised for Finnish visitors to Berlin serve as examples of your invaluable work.

Finland has returned to her roots in Berlin now that the new embassy building is located on the site of the old embassy building which was destroyed during the second world war. The Finnish embassy in Tiergarten is a part of a joint Nordic group of embassy buildings, the inauguration of which was honoured by your presence, Mr Mayor, as one of the main guests and speakers here about a year ago. This building represents a permanent exhibition of modern Finnish architecture and art in Berlin, right at the heart of the city.

I wish the city of Berlin, its inhabitants, and you, Mr Mayor in person, all the best for the future and every success in your work for the benefit of Berlin.