THE WORLD WE LIVE IN CHANGES WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED SPEED.
Address by the President of the Republic of Slovenia Milan Kucan on the occasion of the reception of Foreign Diplomatic representatives

Brdo pri Kranju, 19 January 2000



Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends of Slovenia,

The world we live in changes with an unprecedented speed. In the midst of these changes, our traditional New Year meeting remains a modest but valuable constant, a special opportunity for a conversation among people to whom good development of relations between States and within the international community is close to their hearts. Let me warmly welcome you and wish you to feel well in our common friendly circle.

Each of us separately and all of us in our own ways, we celebrated the departure of the past and arrival of the new century. I am convinced that at the end of this last century we have also all looked back: towards the dissolution of empires after World War I and the rise of new nation States, towards the catastrophe of World War II, the disintegration of the colonial empires and the moving of global decisions away from Europe, towards the farewell of the bipolar world, the unification of Europe, towards globalisation of economy and information technology, more decisive steps to a universal rule of human rights and their protection when they are massively and systematically violated. These have been the firm steps towards the new world of the 21st century.

The competition in the plural world is in full swing; new ideas and knowledge are being born, efficiency and the quality of life have changed. However, the common ethical principles of the post-modern world still stumble at State and national borders. Yesterday in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in East Timor, yesterday and today in Kosovo, where in the thirst for vengeance for all the suffering only the victims are changing, today in Chechnya, yesterday and today also in Tibet. And whose turn will it be tomorrow, maybe Montenegro’s, who knows. Such is this world, still incapable of tailoring the destiny to the size of people and their communities, to the size of all, big or small, strong or weak. The bitter experience of the yesterday’s and today’s world as well calls for a thorough redefinition of legal and moral norms of the international community. A human being is worth more than any idea or State border, even if it is a Shengen border: this is what should stand in our new common rules and this is how we should act as well. This should be in the very core of new international relations, defined also in international legal acts.

In this world such as it is Slovenia is consolidating its place. When, at the end o the year, in assessing the results achieved, we benevolently neglect slips and errors, the good balance is even more obvious and is appreciated also by the Slovenian public opinion in which prevail satisfaction with economic and social conditions and the conviction that Slovenia is leading a successful foreign policy. Slovenia has already submitted all negotiating positions and may meet the required conditions even before the European Union is ready to receive new members. Time, however, is not a decisive factor here. On the other hand, it is a decisive factor when it comes to Slovenia's endeavours to adopt European standards for its own sake and for the sake of its citizens. Not a lot remains to be done, in any case a thorough reform of public administration. The demanding time is coming, however, when it will be necessary to translate these standards entirely and consistently into life and live in compliance with them. It may turn out that in countries in transition living in conformity with new rules is the most difficult maturity test for the entry into the European Union. Slovenia will step over this threshold as well, but is not willing to accept those requirements, which neglect the fact that during World War II Slovenia was occupied by and split among countries belonging to the nazi-fascist axis and that these countries were carrying out genocide upon the Slovenes until general popular insurrection and resistance stopped it. After-the-war treaties and resolutions, on the basis of which the democratic world repaired the injustices caused by the nazi and fascist terror, cannot be changed. Let me put it briefly: the external priorities, which of course emanate from internal needs and findings, remain unchanged. Good neighbourly relations, membership in EU, NATO, OECD, high level relations and a dialogue with the biggest countries, cooperation with all international and regional organisations are the constants which define Slovenia’s foreign policy and the contents of its diplomacy.

According to the evaluations of others as well, Slovenia has successfully passed the test within the Security Council of the United Nations. As its non-permanent member, despite its relatively brief international experience, it has been successfully contributing to the decisions of the UN concerning the international focuses of crisis. It wishes to be involved in the designing of the common European home with EU members and other European States. It will remain active within Central European initiatives, as this is its historically determined place. It has become more involved with problems on its Southeast, being aware that the Balkans as well are part of Europe. It participates very actively in the Stability Pact, which, with all the responsibility of the international community and of the Western Balkan States in particular, is to bring peace, coexistence and development to South-eastern Europe.

Nevertheless, Slovenia’s relatively short experience in the dynamic international life and its crisis foci has been so condensed that today it makes it possible to mention, before this august and distinguished assembly, some of our initiatives which would be useful for peace and well-being in the international community. In an increasingly interdependent world, the smaller States are still looking for answers to some of the open questions in order to find their place in the ever-changing world and to be able to participate in it actively and on an equal footing. This is not acting against the big ones, but rather looking for their role in company with them. For this reason such a common reflection by smaller European States would contribute to an even more constructive coexistence in a modern and efficient international community. No less useful would be a common reflection by the largest churches on their concrete responsibility for peace in the world that is appearing on the horizon, as their role in coexistence of civilizations, in particular where these civilizations meet is bigger that seen today. This is especially obvious in the Balkans when Christian ecumenism and coexistence with the Muslims could contribute decisively to different relations among nations, religions, civilizations. The case of the Balkans would undoubtedly require a common reflection of the international community on the history of this unfortunate area, on tragic consequences of political maps always drawn only by the winners of the endless wars in this part of the European continent. This is the most reliable way towards a more comprehensive diagnosis and thus also towards a treatment that will not look for causes of all the cruelty to the different in imagined genetic defects of the Balkan nations or that would just react to the circumstances of the moment, but will rather find common long term efficient measures of the international community and thus also of the Balkan nations and their States.

As friends and experts you will know that Slovenia has good relations with all its neighbouring States. The open questions that do exist have been inherited from the past, from the broken up Yugoslavia, or have been, often without any foundation whatsoever, conceived on this past for today’s use. There are only few of them that emanate from current relations. Mutual respect of State interests and democratic changes in our environment will certainly contribute to a successful solution of these questions.

Slovenia is open towards the world, and in this framework, towards the European orientation in particular. This is so also because of the fact that it is one of the most export oriented countries in Europe, exporting more than half of its GDP. Market laws have become fully established and one third of Slovenia’s companies compete on an equal footing on the global scale. The Slovenian strategy in global economy emphasizes investments into high technology and knowledge. For this reason, Slovenia is reforming its education system and is becoming increasingly open to direct foreign investments towards which it has been rather reserved so far. It continues to draw willpower and strength for the badly needed new development momentum from the hopes and expectations of people on the occasion of the plebiscite. This year's parliamentary elections will bring, and I firmly believe in this, new political will so that the State will accomplish everything it has to in order to become a successful, coherent and stable State, an equal partner to all other States in Europe and in the entire international community.

Honourable Doyen, honourable ambassadors, you have been and you are staying with us for the better and for the less good. Last year as well our cooperation was useful for Slovenia and I thank you for it, and may our relations with countries and international organisations you represent in our country develop equally well also in the future.

Let me first raise my glass to this wish and with it, to peace in the world, well-being of our your countries, to you and your families, to your collaborators. And I wish you all to feel at home among us.