FROM THE TOAST BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, H.E. MILAN KUCAN IN HONOUR OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY, H.E. SULEYMAN DEMIREL

Brdo by Kranj, 3 April 1997


Slovenia views the possibility of NATO expansion as an important element of multilateral cooperation and peace in the region, and the new security system of Europe may indeed be established through this alliance. The Republic of Turkey is a member of NATO. Slovenia is making efforts to become a member. The successfully concluded individual dialogue between Slovenia and NATO has convinced us that Slovenia fulfils the criteria for membership - both in terms of security and defence as well as politically, and of course in terms of our spiritual development and civilisation.

Although young, democracy in Slovenia is solid and deeply rooted, and bears a special sensitivity for the respect of human dignity and rights, both of the individual and of ethnic minorities. Our history has taught us that this is precisely the fundamental precondition for the existence of nations and for the protection of their dignity, self-confidence and self-respect. For this reason we would like to believe that the members of NATO, including the Republic of Turkey, will look favourably on Slovenia's candidacy. And this is not simply a question of seeking security guarantees for our country, but also of the consolidation of stability and the enhancing of prospects for democratic development in our neighbourhood, something that is never far from our thoughts, given the terrible war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the fragile peace which, luckily, is still holding and which we are all bound to consolidate through our actions.