Welcoming Address at the Hamburg Town Hall

 
 
Sehr geehrte Herr Ministerpräsident von Beust, meine Damen und Herren,
Als Vorsitzender einer Organisation, dessen Hauptziel es ist, wirtschaftliche Kooperation im Ostseeraum zu fördern, ist es mir eine grosse Freude, hier in einer der wichtigsten Handelsstädte der Welt zu sprechen. Dem internationalen Fokus des Baltic Development Forums entsprechend werde ich jetzt in englischer Sprache weiterreden...
 
We truly appreciate Hamburg's active commitment to Baltic Development Forum's endeavors  to stimulate growth and stability in the Baltic Sea Region.
Hamburg's association with Baltic Development Forum has been long underway. You, Mr. Mayor, Ole von Beust, you were in Copenhagen in May.
 
And during the summer Baltic Development Forum has visited Hamburg several times. Let me emphasize, that we appreciate the close dialogue with the City of Hamburg, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and many of you here today.
 
The Baltic Sea Region has gone through a tremendous and encouraging development during the last 13 years. As you, Ministerpräsident, said in Copenhagen back in May: The Baltic Sea has gone from being the forgotten sea to the sea of opportunities.
 
Our region is moving ahead towards its aim - to become one of the most dynamic and prosperous regions in the world - with integration, partnership and mutual benefit at the top of its regional agenda.
 
But we can not rest on our laurels. We need to set new priorities and new goals reflecting the emerging new Europe - and the new world order.
This is the important challenge for the leaders from business, politics and academia at our 4th Summit. We want them to look beyond the EU-Enlargement and offer their views on how the Baltic Sea Region, including Russia should look by 2005. We ask exactly how and where to use our efforts in the years to come to get there.
 
We invite everyone to an open and free discussion on how to maintain and strengthen the positive development of the last 13 years.
 
Germany, is of course, of utmost importance for the development in the Baltic Sea Region.
 
Since Chancellor Adenauer, there has been no "exclusive German way" on foreign policy. Instead, German interests have been committed to a European way. The Baltic Sea Region counts on Germany to continue this road. We need especially the business community of Northern Germany to help discuss where and how to use our efforts in the years to come.
 
Germany being the largest country of the Baltic Sea region with the strongest economy, has an obvious self-interest in engaging herself in the Baltic Sea Region.
 
It is a simple fact that the Baltic Sea Region cannot become Europe’s future growth centre without an active German involvement, economically as well as politically.
Being the cultural and commercial centre of Northern Germany, Hamburg is of course extremely important in this regard.
As I said earlier this morning at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Hamburg is home to highly specialized industry.

    * Hamburg is the media centre of Northern Europe.
    * Hamburg is a leader in medicine and biotechnology.
    * Hamburg is one of the global centres of airplane manufacture.
    * Hamburg is the focal point for the trade concluded with Eastern and Northern Europe.

The development during the last 13 years has allowed Hamburg to take a leading role in the region. I urge all of you today to support this development. This is important for Hamburg as it is important for the Baltic Sea region.
 
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
In a message to the Baltic Development Forum Summit in St. Petersburg last year, President Putin stressed that the preservation of political stability in the region, its dynamic economic growth and the promotion of the European integration is in Russia's strategic interest:
 
“We are convinced that the Baltic Sea Region can and must become the symbol of constructive international partnership”, President Putin pointed out in his message.
 
There is no doubt in my mind, that Russia is on the right track and is committed to strengthen her co-operation with the rest of Europe and in particular, the Baltic Sea countries.
 
Let's not waste this historic moment. Let's use it to the full. A committed Russian integration into the Baltic Sea Region is very likely to attract foreign investors to Russia. A deepened economic integration of Russia into the Baltic Sea regional economy, is therefore not only in Russia's self-interest but important for all of us.
 
We simply must continue to co-ordinate our interests and also remember to bring them to bear with another great partner of ours, the United States.
 
In times of trouble, they are also counting on us.
 
The US and the countries of the Baltic Sea Region have common interests. We have common values. We face the same challenges. We face the same threats. We should of course strengthen our ties and work together.
 
Many of you remember President Bush's visit to Berlin this spring. In his remarks during the Special Session in the German Bundestag, he pointed out that when Europe grows in unity, Europe and America grow in security. When we integrate our markets and share a currency in the European Union, we are creating the conditions for security and common purpose.
 
In all these steps, Americans do not see the rise of a rival, they see the end of old hostilities. They see the success of their allies, and they applaud our progress.
 
The United States urges Europe and the Baltic Sea countries to continue to co-operate.  
 
Mayor, ladies and gentlemen,
 
The Baltic Sea Region is made up largely of outward-looking countries committed to international engagement and to regional co-operation.
 
Our region's historical tradition of regional and sub-regional co-operation provides a strong foundation for new and even more effective co-operative structures, which in turn can serve as a model for other parts of Europe and even the world.
 
We are on the right track but time has come to set new goals and priorities for our region. This is necessary if we wish to maintain the positive development of the last 13 years. During the 4th Annual Baltic Development Forum Summit in Copenhagen next month, we aim at setting a new operative agenda for the Baltic Sea Region.
 
We wish to challenge the region's politicians, business leaders and academia by asking exactly where and how we should "build new bridges" - how we can build new partnerships and strengthen old ones across the Baltic Sea Region, so that we can become the new centre for growth and stability in Europe.
 
And I invite everyone of you here today to participate at what might be our most important summit so far - and to actively support Baltic Development Forum in its future work.
 
Thank you.