Address by the President of the Republic of Slovenia at the reception for the diplomatic corps

Ljubljana, 28.1.2009  |  speech

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, and his wife, Barbara Mikliè Türk, together with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Borut Pahor, and Ms Tanja Peèar, hosted a reception for the diplomatic corps to mark the beginning of a new year.

---

Address by the President of the Republic of Slovenia at the reception for the diplomatic corps
Brdo pri Kranju, 28 January 2008


Your Excellency, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

It gives me great pleasure to wish you a warm welcome to this traditional New Year's reception. I welcome you on behalf of the hosts of the reception, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and Ms Tanja Peèar, on behalf of my wife Barbara and on my own behalf.

As we begin a new year, let me take this opportunity to extend, on behalf of the Republic of Slovenia, my best wishes to you and the countries you represent, and to ask you to pass them on to the Heads of State and Government of your countries.

We all know that the year ahead will be a difficult one. There are serious tasks to be dealt with in all areas. We will have to overcome great economic difficulties – difficulties that the world has not experienced for long decades now. We will have to find just solutions to the social problems that are to be expected. The current financial and economic crisis is a global one. It will require global cooperation and serious efforts to achieve international stability.

The work, of course, starts at home. In the current circumstances, each country must first consider what it can do itself and look for good solutions. However, no country, no matter how powerful and self-sufficient, can find all the solutions by itself. This is why efficient international cooperation is required in this regard. Diplomatic communication will therefore be of particular importance. In these precarious times, your Excellencies, good and creative diplomacy will be needed more than ever before.

At the time of these great global challenges, we must have a great deal of confidence and hope. Slovenia has both. In the past decades, we have successfully taken the path of transition, on which we have overcome many difficulties brought by the necessity of political transformation, respect for the rule of law and protection of human rights, along with the necessity of economic restructuring and intense international action. We have joined the European Union and NATO; in the current situation, they will play a decisive role in securing international stability and finding a way out of the crisis. We are part of the euro zone, which gives us additional financial security, and of the Schengen area. We have successfully held the EU Presidency, which has strengthened Slovenia's position as a responsible and constructive country in the international community. In 2009, Slovenia will hold the presidency of the Council of Europe.

Over these years, our democratic system has developed and strengthened. In the past year we held parliamentary elections, which expressed reflected the will of the people. The new Government has undertaken the tasks of this year with utmost seriousness. We have every reason to expect that in the coming period in Slovenia, human rights, the most precious value of civilisation, will enjoy the highest level of attention, respect and efforts for their full implementation.

We enter the difficult period of time we expect to experience this year prepared, in the awareness that there are demanding tasks ahead of us, and yet with confidence that we are aware of the difficulties facing us and that we stand ready to face them; and also that we believe in our success.

But we are also aware of the great tasks facing the whole international community, all the countries, which you, Ladies and Gentlemen, represent in your capacity as ambassadors, and all institutions of the international system.

A great deal of courage and energy will be needed this year in all countries around the world in order to face the great challenges ahead. The global financial and economic crisis will call for well-thought-out and concerted action. We will have to strengthen the banking sector and provide appropriate economic incentives to ensure an increase in production and demand. Countries and citizens will play a decisive role in this regard. This will, however, also involve sacrifices and indebtedness at the expense of future generations. And it will be possible only by providing social justice and the credibility of development visions.

And indeed, it is here where the crucial role of international cooperation will be most evident. The world is already interlinked to such an extent that no country can count on quality development if it resorts to protectionism or any other form of isolation. We all know this. Now we must take timely action at the global level. Negotiations on international trade liberalisation within the Doha Round must be pursued and successfully completed. This will secure the vital framework for international trade cooperation and open up real opportunities for developing countries to make further progress. However, we must not forget that the whole world, and especially developing countries, needs development. The majority of these countries, including many countries in Africa, have already achieved considerable growth rates, and they need an international environment that will enable them to make further progress.

Efforts must be redoubled towards the successful continuation and conclusion of the negotiations on climate change ahead of us in 2009, due to be concluded in Copenhagen in December. The economic crisis we are experiencing should not justify their postponement; on the contrary, it must represent an additional reason to implement measures and an opportunity to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, to make a transition to the era of developing new technologies and to change our way of life – to better, more ecologically sustainable and civilised forms.

Necessary reforms of institutions should be accelerated at the global level. They must better reflect the economic and political reality of the contemporary world. They must become more representative and give greater opportunities to those who contribute more. The whole world, and Slovenia as well, awaits with hope the April G20 Summit in London, which should open the way to a new, more integrated, better regulated and, above all, more representative system of international finance. The International Monetary Fund will have to evolve and ensure better representation of and a stronger role for new centres of economic development and economic power, in particular in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Unless such reform is implemented, the world could become an arena where regional economic blocs face off against each other. Such a confrontation would be to no one's benefit. Every effort should be made to ensure the timely establishment of a global framework and rules to benefit all.

The largest and most global international organisation, the United Nations, should undergo changes. Its programmes are outdated in many aspects, and their modernisation must be accelerated. The composition of the UN Security Council has not adequately reflected the contemporary world for quite some time. The number of permanent members must be increased, without increasing the number of those with veto rights. Furthermore, the number of non-permanent members must be increased and the system of rotation of non-permanent members improved. In my address at last year's UN General Assembly, I put forward a concrete reform proposal for the UN Security Council. I hope that this year an in-depth discussion will be held to enable serious consideration of all proposals of this kind, and that substantial progress will be made on UN Security Council reform.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The global economic crisis requires that global issues and global reforms be placed at the centre of our thought. But at the same time, adequate attention must be devoted to addressing so regional crises. Intense efforts must be made to resolve the issue of Palestine, which has become even more pressing following the recent armed conflict in the Gaza Strip – as well as more crucial for peace in the Middle East, and in the world at large. Efforts must be strengthened to achieve a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as reconciliation within the Palestinian people, to establish a Palestinian state and a just and durable peace in the Middle East. Time for a solution is running out.

Other crisis areas around the world will require our undiminished attention. In Europe, special efforts should be geared towards Kosovo, where the international presence, in particular the presence of the European mission EULEX, will play a decisive role in stabilising the situation, building the necessary political and administrative structures, and ensuring a lasting peace in South Eastern Europe.

In this part of Europe, support will have to be provided to other countries as well, in particular for Bosnia and Herzegovina in its efforts to carry out an appropriate constitutional transformation and to accelerate its development. All countries should also be assured of a future in Europe, with progress towards acquiring European Union membership.

The European Union is aware that further enlargement is necessary, not only because candidate countries wish to join, but also due to the needs of the European Union, which plays a key role in maintaining stability, peace and progress in Europe. In the future, the European Union will fully accomplish this mission by appropriately integrating the countries of South Eastern Europe as well as Turkey, and by ensuring an appropriate level of association with the Mediterranean countries and the Eastern Partnership. And very importantly, the European Union will need a strategic partnership with the United States and the Russian Federation, which will call for enhanced dialogue and inclusion of new content.

The year 2009 will demand our best efforts and our worthiest actions. This also refers to all areas of international cooperation, ranging from reforming international institutions to resolving bilateral issues and peacefully settling disputes between states. Any dispute can be resolved. This also applies to the dispute over the border between Slovenia and Croatia, which can be resolved with appropriate political will and diplomatic mechanisms on the basis of the principles of good faith, mutual respect and mutual benefit. These are the bases on which Slovenia will further endeavour to find a solution.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the beginning of the year, wishes of peace, friendship, happiness and health are extended. I would also like to express my appreciation for your contribution towards creating a better and safer world, where justice and peace will be values we nurture with care and implement with success. In appreciation for your work and with my heartfelt thanks, I wish you a prosperous new year.

Thank you.