Dinner speech to OSCE Ministerial Council

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the bad old days of the Cold War, I was told a story of an unfortunate East bloc interpreter:

A prominent guest from a former major communist power had been tasked with giving a dinner speech during a visit to a small country west of the Iron Curtain. Referring to a difficult request from the host, the prominent guest, being a good diplomat, quoted Christ, saying: ”The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.

His interpreter, however, being an atheist and unfamiliar with the Bible, took this to be a comment on the meal that they had just enjoyed. Somewhat hesitantly, he translated into the local language: ”The wine was good, but the meat was bad”!

Luckily, the misunderstanding was cleared up without a serious diplomatic incident…

Fortunately, the days are gone when tensions in Europe were such that minor misunderstandings could lead to major confrontations.

But it is worthwhile reminding ourselves that the so-called “stability” of the Cold War - which is sometimes referred to with a hint of nostalgia – was a result of antagonism, mutual suspicion and fear.

Moreover, it kept the people of half of Europe from enjoying the most fundamental democratic, economic, and human rights.

Therefore, the fact that the static stability of the Cold War is gone, probably forever, has given rise to great hopes and new opportunities.

In its place, we have a dynamic Europe in which the challenges are rapidly changing.

The end of the Cold War did not of course mean an end to conflict in Europe. In the past decade, it has again been sadly demonstrated that war and violence seem to be an inherent part of human nature.

But for the first time this century, we are able to meet our common challenges on common ground. Human rights, the rule of law, political and economic freedom – these are now accepted as basic values throughout the vast area covered by our organization.

This gives grounds for optimism as we enter the next century. We can all take pride in the way in which the OSCE has transformed itself to take on new tasks.

The all-European, inclusive nature of the OSCE makes it particularly suited to remove old barriers and prevent new, artificial divisions from arising.

Having long been a firm believer in the value of the OSCE, I am very pleased that the organization is taking on an increasing role in all-European security and integration. Kosovo is the latest proof of this development. Norway intends to pursue this process during its Chairmanship.

However, to meet the new expectations and demands, we must continue to adapt the instruments at our disposal. We must enhance our ability to act quickly, and in a concerted manner. This may strain the process of consultation as well as the solidarity between the members. But there is no alternative.

The OSCE mirrors the composition and determination of its membership. This is both all-European and trans-Atlantic. It crosses many of the dividing lines that exist, and new ones that threaten to emerge.

This makes the OSCE an exceptional tool for dealing with the new, complex security environment. We must ensure that the rich cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of the OSCE area becomes a source of strength, not of strife. It is up to us, the member states, to ensure that this potential is used to the benefit of all individuals and peoples in our region.

It is natural that the focus of this year’s Ministerial Council Meeting is on the Balkans, and on Kosovo in particular. The conflicts in the former Yugoslavia continue to affect stability in Europe, after almost a decade of turbulence.

But this focus must not make us forget the civilians in other regions who cry out for our attention and commitment. I therefore take particular pleasure in welcoming delegates from the Caucasus and Central Asia to Oslo. Never before has Norway had the privilege of receiving such an inclusive and eminent group from this part of the world.

I hope and expect that this Oslo Ministerial Meeting will give new impetus to the efforts of the Euro-Atlantic community to meet the many joint challenges facing us in that part of our continent.

I would like to propose a toast to you all - especially to the Polish chairman-in-office, who has done such an excellent job in the past year – and to the future of our organization.

Skål.