Address by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at a dinner in honour of the diplomatic corps on 18.4.2002 at the Presidential Palace

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I arrived home yesterday from a visit to the United States. The magnolias had already shed their blossoms there, but the cherry trees and dogwoods were beautifully in bloom and it was unusually hot. Here in Finland the winter lasts longer and spring is not so far advanced, but the gloom of winter has already given way to light. We can be sure that the spring will continue and gradually lead us into summer.

Just as the seasons change in different ways in various parts of the world, all countries are different. Yet, we share one world and we all need each other. Many countries need outside help to develop, and they must also get this help. All countries need fair ground rules for their interaction. Promoting development and justice, developing ground rules - thus building a better world - demands cooperation between all of us. Terrorists cannot prevent this cooperation.

I am glad that the Millennium Summit's good spirit of cooperation has continued at the WTO ministerial conference in Doha and the financing for development conference in Monterrey. At the same time we have been taking steps along the road of implementing the Millennium Declaration. Now it is important that a spirit of cooperation carries to the Johannesburg summit on sustainable development and onwards from there.

Active and speedy implementation of the Millennium Declaration is even more important. That will require cooperative inputs from all of us: individuals, peoples, states, regional and international organisations. Some will have to give something up in the short term, but in the long run we shall all be winners.

Globalisation is a growing and all-pervasive reality. For many people it has meant new and better opportunities as well as a higher standard of living. Nevertheless, a large proportion of the people in this world have not been able to share in the benefits of globalisation. Indeed, for many of them globalisation has meant a downright disimprovement in their living conditions.

We must find ways of making globalisation more humane. To promote this development the International Labour Organisation has set up a World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation, which I have the honour to co-chair along with President Benjamin William Mkapa of Tanzania.

I have found in my discussions at home and abroad that the work of our Commission has prompted a lot of interest, even expectations. I am grateful for all of the support that we have already received. We shall continue to need support and cooperation.

My calendar of international engagements has been exceptionally full this year. I have had the pleasure to meet the leaders of many countries and international organisations. It has been good to see that, despite differences of emphasis, our basic outlooks on the state of the world are very similar. For example, there is broad agreement on the importance of combating terrorism and that it is essential to eliminate the base for its growth.

Even when I am performing my international tasks I am the President of the Finns and of the Republic of Finland. I consider it important to do what I can to promote the wellbeing and security of the Finns. I am pleased that last year's dip in the economy did not have a significant adverse impact on employment. It now appears that the economic growth figures will be better than last year. For a nation that depends on international exchange, it is important that the international situation is as stable as possible.

Parliamentary elections will take place in Finland in less than a year from now. The elections and the campaigns in the run up to them will mean an especially interesting time also for you ambassadors. It will be the task of the Eduskunta to form a government after the elections. As I have already said, I hope I shall have as little to do in this process as possible. I am pleased that the biggest parties in the present Eduskunta have agreed on the arrangements for starting the process of forming a government. I believe that the relevant provisions of our new Constitution, which came into effect in 2000, will function in the way they were intended to do.

In an era of globalisation, everything influences everything else. The number of complexes of issues and the relationships between them are in constant flux. Understanding matters and influencing them is a dynamic process, which poses new challenges also to diplomats. I wish you luck and success in your work.

I and my spouse would like to propose a toast to the diplomatic corps in Finland and to international peace and security!