Nordic Council in Oslo
Mr President,
Iceland plans to lead Nordic co-operation in the coming year under the theme Nordic Resources. The wealth inherent in our natural environment, human resources and open, democratic society, is the basis of Nordic prosperity. These are also the premises for progress at home and influence on the international scene. The objective of Iceland's programme for the chairmanship is to utilise to better advantage this strength which the Nordic countries possess.
The leitmotifs of the programme are Democracy, Nature and Culture. They are interconnected, as social structure and culture are human creations, and rational utilisation of natural resources is impossible without human knowledge and ingenuity.
The ocean's living resources provide the main foundation of the Icelandic economy. The same applies to other West Nordic countries and is highly significant for the coastal areas of neighbouring states in the North Atlantic region. We must safeguard the marine ecosystem, and this can only be done through close co-operation between nations. We thus place great emphasis on strengthening Nordic co-operation with adjacent areas of the North Atlantic on ocean conservation, sustainable utilisation and resource management. The necessity of such co-operation was clearly expressed at the UN Summit in Johannesburg 2002.
The ocean biosphere will also be the focus of a conference which the Ministers for the Environment and Fisheries intend to hold in the spring of 2004, to discuss climate changes in the Arctic region and their impact on the ocean and its biosphere.
Iceland will endeavour to have proposals for increasing connections with adjacent North Atlantic regions and strengthening West Nordic regional co-operation, which will be discussed at the General Assembly, followed up. Besides ocean conservation they include a road map for co-operation in science and research, transport, travel and health care issues. This in not only to the benefit of the West Nordic countries, but of all Nordic countries.
It is important to strengthen the work of the Council of Ministers on Arctic issues and co-operation with the Arctic Council, as well as other international organisations in northern regions.
Europe is currently undergoing wide-reaching changes, with the realisation of the enlargement of NATO and the European Union (EU). EU enlargement eastward represents the most significant step in the Union's history, following the major role it played in transforming international relations in Western Europe and healing the wounds of World War II.
Enlargement of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) opens up new opportunities for the Nordic countries to strengthen trade and other relations with other regions of the continent, including our good friends and neighbours in the Baltic States.
Nordic co-operation with Baltic states and Northwest Russia has given good results and it is important to pursue this further. Since the Baltic states are on the way to becoming EU members, an overall evaluation has begun of relations with these states to ensure that they will continue to function well in an altered political environment. It is a pleasure to note that the membership og the Baltic states to The Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) has been decided in principle. Next year their membership will be formally finalized. This shows the flexibility of Nordic co-operation, which has generally proved itself strong enough to adapt to change in such a way as to benefit all the countries.
It is important that an exchange of opinions and consultation on European and other international affairs take place in the forum of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The discussion which has commenced on the position of the Nordic countries in the international context is a good foundation for further development of this co-operation.
Each of the Nordic countries holds a prominent position in the area of research, innovation and information technology (IT). Additional opportunities can be created here. Noteworthy proposals concerning the Nordic countries as a region of excellence for research and innovation, as worded in the proposals, have been submitted to the Nordic Ministers of Education. They involve, for instance, a comprehensive restructuring of scientific co-operation and co-ordination between it and industrial research and innovation. One of Iceland's most important tasks during its chairmanship is to develop and follow up on these proposals.
A concerted effort should also be made to improve the operating conditions and competitiveness of Nordic enterprises and remove barriers to their expansion in the Nordic market. A new Nordic institute, the Nordic Innovation Centre, replacing the Nordic Industrial Fund and Nordtest, will commence operation at the beginning of next year. We wish to give it a good send off and promote it well, so that it will play a key role in strengthening research, technological development and innovation, to the benefit of business and industry.
In the energy field, the objective is to provide sustainable, secure and competitive energy to the Nordic countries and adjacent areas. Nordic co-operation in establishing a single market for electricity has been unique. Few nations possess energy resources as extensive as those of the Nordic countries, who also lead the way in utilising renewable energy sources. Research on hydrogen as an energy carrier have increased enormously in the past 2-3 years and are the subject of great interest throughout the world. It is Iceland's aim to have the Nordic countries substantially increase their research co-operation in this area.
In their medieval literature, the Nordic family of nations possesses a treasure which we intend to focus on during our chairmanship year. We wish to make this cultural heritage better known, in a variety of ways, and to make it a source of artistic inspiration.
The Nordic governments have decided to co-operate in presenting the unique aspects of the Nordic countries as a region without boundaries at the World Exhibition in Japan in 2005. We feel it is important to take advantage of the opportunities this will offer to promote the co-operation between and culture of the countries, together with their fertile artistic creation.
We emphasis continuing work to strengthen the position of Nordic languages both within and outside of the Nordic countries. An important aspect of this, and in conserving and spreading Nordic cultural material, is to make it available in digital form. We wish to encourage the establishment of a Nordic multimedia fund to support the production of such material.
During its chairmanship year, Iceland celebrates 100 years of Home Rule. The establishment of Home Rule in 1904 was not only a stage on the path to independence; it also placed up on us an obligation to ensure democratic government. Democracy needs constant care and its basic tenets must be safeguarded. With this in mind, we intend to act on the suggestion of the Nordic Council, which has encouraged an energetic discussion of democracy. We propose that the governments appoint a committee to examine the future of democracy when faced with increasing globalisation and the opportunities offered by IT. This committee should also investigate how we can improve public access to information on the work of the legislative and executive powers. Furthermore, Iceland plans to arrange for a conference on democratic development in an information society.
I have only mentioned some of the main points and a few of the projects upon which Iceland puts priority during its chairmanship. In other respects I refer to the programme which is available here. We will, furthermore, follow up energetically on the positive policy objectives on which work is already underway, such as removing barriers to the free movement of people between the Nordic countries. Former Danish Prime Minister Poul Schlüter has been entrusted with continuing this work and pressing for co-ordinated actions by the Councils of Ministers and governments. Under the Swedish leadership, important steps have been taken towards opening up the boundaries in the Nordic and European integration process.
In closing, may I express my thanks to Sweden for excellent work and the success which has been achieved under their leadership in many areas of Nordic co-operation.