Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen to the Diplomatic Corps, 1 March 2006

(check against delivery)

Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Firstly, I would like to extend my warm thanks to you for the congratulations I have received for my re-election.

Bilateral relations remain important alongside multilateral cooperation, forming an integral part of international interaction. It is important that those relations are grounded in broad-based cooperation involving heads of state, governments, parliaments and officials alike. In the modern world, civil society, individual citizens and the business world are also major players in international cooperation.

Through globalization, the number of actors on the international scene has multiplied. This does not mean any less work for diplomats. On the contrary, the importance of professionals in international matters such as yourselves is increasing.

Globalization is much more than just a technical and economic phenomenon. Its benefits and adverse effects have been unequally distributed, both within countries and between countries. We need cooperation to reform globalization to a fairer direction, so that people’s hopes and needs can be better taken into account. Efforts to promote democracy, human rights, the rule of law, social equitability and the environment require commitment from nation-states but international cooperation, as well.

I firmly believe that a more just world is a more secure world for all of us. I would like to wish you all the best of success in your demanding and important jobs. In the near future, Finland’s coming EU Presidency will no doubt govern your work. It will be a busy time for you, as it will be for us.

Finally, I would like to assure you that I will continue to do my best to further enhance the cooperation between us.