Opening Address at Cadenabbia Colloquium

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this meeting between the new Baltic Sea Research Network and journalists from the Baltic Sea region.
 
And I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for their interest in cooperating with Baltic Development Forum.
 
Since its establishment in 1999, Baltic Development Forum has gradually proven its strength as the Baltic Sea region’s main summit organiser and networking forum.
 
Baltic Development Forum has consolidated its position internationally by offering decision-makers a possibility to become part of the region's most influential network.
 
Baltic Development Forum launched the Baltic Sea Research Network for international scientists in 2002. We feel that it was a natural -but also necessary - challenge in order for us to strengthen the academic axis in our network.
 
The partners of this network are 14 distinguished academic institutions from the Nordic Countries, NorthWest Russia, the Baltic Countries, Poland, Germany and the US.
 
In the age of globalisation one should always look at regional potential with a universal perspective.
 
That is what we have done by establishing the Baltic Sea Research Network.
 
Regarding the scope of the network, we hope that it will both:
 
· Support Baltic Development Forum by sourcing and providing strategic knowledge and advice to Baltic Development Forum, including our members;
· We hope it will challenge the agenda of Baltic Development Forum by forwarding important issues and perspectives not yet incorporated into the strategies and work programmes of Baltic Development Forum.
· And finally, create an annual “state of the region” report to be presented to the Baltic Development Forum and issued at the annual summit.
 
Looking ahead, as I see it, the next task may be to integrate the media into our network.
 
The idea of public-private partnership demands a high-level network of politicians, business executives, academia and the media.
 
Although, Cadenabbia and Lake Como is placed far from the region, Cadenabbia has in fact a tradition for developing high-level network.
 
So, we are the right place, although we are a long way from the Baltic Sea.
 
During the 19th century, the European jets set choose Cadenabbia as a favourite tourist resort. Queen Victoria, the Prussian Kaiser William II, the Russian Archduke Nicholas and the Duke of Windsor were among the famous guests.
 
Even, Pope Pius XI visited Cadenabbia several times. Now, that's high-level network!
 
And you can call it a network, a clan, a tribe, or a family. But whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need it. I am therefore glad to be able to welcome the Baltic Sea Research Network today.
 
I also hope that this meeting will be the beginning of a fruitful cooperation between Baltic Development Forum and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
 
I think that is very natural as our organizations represent the same ideas and values.
 
I base this statement on the history of the great man that gave name to your organization: Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.
 
Let me for a short while take you back in time. Back to a mild morning in April 1952.
 
German and US officials were on that day gathered before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
 
In the place of honour stood a tall, very old man whose sombre mask of a face looked stiffly ahead.
 
Before him were the graves of Americans who had died in two wars with Germany - and behind him fluttered the black, red and golden flag of West Germany. The ceremony began with the U.S. Army band playing "the Star-Spangled Banner".
Afterwards, the band broke into "Deutschland Über Alles".
And the story goes that the old man murmured "This is a turning point in history."
But the man – Konrad Adenauer – was being way too humble. It was indeed more than a turning point, it was a victory. - A victory for the whole of Europe as well as for the transatlantic cooperation.
 
Since Chancellor Adenauer, there has been no exclusive “German way” on foreign policy. Instead, German interests have been committed to a European way. Germany has time and time again engaged other European countries to commit to a unified Europe with a strong transatlantic commitment.
 
The effect of this decisive foreign policy culminated in 1989 with the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the swift and resolute decision to reunify Germany and finally also Europe.
 
In many ways, I felt that the vision of Adenauer, Schumann and Monnet were fulfilled this December with the enlargement of EU and NATO.
 
We have indeed come along way and that is good news for the Baltic Sea countries. But the enlargement of the EU goes hand in hand with the integration of the Baltic Sea region.
 
We cannot stop here!
 
I therefore take this opportunity to envision the Baltic Sea region as a frontrunner in the global economy. I believe it is realistic.
 
What makes this region so special is not least the combination of three factors: Integration, innovation and transformation.
 
By combining integration with the forces of innovation and transformation, the Baltic Sea region appears to be one of the most dynamic growth areas in the world.
 
Here "New Europe" meets "Old Europe". And be careful not to neglect this fact.
 
Reactions were swift and harsh over the division of the European continent into "Old Europe" and "New Europe". It touched a sensitive nerve for many.
 
However, the mix of new and old democracies, of mature and emerging markets, of established structures and new alliances, has in the past decade been a reality for us in the Baltic Sea region. And it has actually proved to be a strength - and not a weakness!
 
The Baltic Sea countries must show what this encounter of "New Europe" and "Old Europe" really is about.
 
We must show how to bring these forces together and how to create the best ground for their success.
 
We must become a role model for other regions to follow.
 
That will be the top priority of Baltic Development Forum in 2003 and that is why we have called our 5th annual summit: "New Europe Meets Old Europe: The Baltic Sea region as a Global Frontrunner".
 
This title is more relevant today, than we ever imagined it would be.
 
A new world order is being created right as we speak.
 
The opportunity of transforming major power relations from competition to interaction and cooperation is real.
 
And because of our history - and the fact that Russia is a great part of our region - we have all the potential to become one of the major regional players in the new world order.
 
Integration, innovation, and transformation – that  is what it will take to consolidate this potential - along with the political will to act and coordinate.
 
Men make history - and not the other way around.
 
President Truman was right when he once said: “In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress only occurs when courageous, skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better”.
 
That also goes for the business community. The business community has already made history in our region.
 
Again - integration, innovation, and transformation has helped our business leaders. However, without real leadership and brave visions, we would never have come this far.
 
The main challenge, in order to maintain momentum, is to create various clusters of excellence.
 
The participants at the 4th annual summit identified three potential major clusters: the ITC cluster, the biotech cluster and the energy cluster.
 
To begin with, we have to develop these three clusters - but more will have to follow.
 
At last year's summit in Copenhagen, our focus was on developing the biotech cluster.
 
However, developing the biotech sector must include safeguarding the human dimension. Therefore, we will broaden discussions this year by focusing on the health sector as a whole.
 
The ITC sector is closely connected to the development of the human dimension of the region and is of utmost importance for the socio-economic growth.
 
Health needs to be supported through clever technology. Our other specialist theme this year will therefore be the ITC sector.
 
Baltic Development Forum intends to focus on how to restore confidence in the ITC sector and develop the ITC sector in order to secure investments. Only by restoring confidence and improving investments will the region be able to develop a globally competitive ITC cluster. That’s our wish and indeed a pragmatic vision.
 
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
Current EU members as well as candidate countries have daunting tasks ahead of them in order to transform the region into a coherent area of excellence both in politics, business and academia.
 
In order to meet this challenge, the region needs to establish public-private partnerships to co-ordinate across sectors and borders.
 
Baltic Development Forum has proven to be the forum where one can establish public-private partnerships to do just that.
 
I hope we can prove that once again here in Cadenabbia.
 
I wish you all a challenging and stimulating weekend.
Thank you!