Mr. Chairman, dear colleagues,

Coming to Lisbon is always a pleasure. So it is to attend this EPP congress. The coalition government of Norway celebrates its first anniversary this weekend. The Christian Democrats as well as the Conservatives are happy to be here together, and to be together in government in Norway.

Building a strong Europe requires a commitment to the best values of our European heritage. If we do not build on these values, strength may be a curse. History tells a clear story about that.

Throughout time, our continent has shifted between extremes, between the best and the worst. Europe offered the cradle of modern democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Yet, Europe also gave birth to two world wars, the holocaust and totalitarian communism.

These best values of our European heritage may be summarised in two words: Christian democracy. Together they offer a solid platform to act upon. That is our heritage. That is our obligation.

First: A strong Europe must be a sharing Europe, reaching out to meet our global responsibilities:

We must fight for the poor and oppressed in the third world,

we must protect our global environment, and

we must safeguard our common security.

We took brave steps in that direction two years ago when the United Nations adopted “The Millennium Development Goals.” The nations of the world set out to halve the number of poor people in fifteen years. The goals were turned into national commitments at the Johannesburg Summit only last month.

Goals are important. So are pledges. Now, time has come to deliver. We must increase development assistance, broaden debt relief, and improve market access.

Combating poverty is a moral duty.

Yet, it is also an act of defence for our western civilisation.

Military means play a key role in the fight against terrorism. Other measures, however, like intelligence, police cooperation and development assistance, are more important in the long run.

Terrorism is not the voice of the poor. Still, eradicating poverty and injustice will minimise the breeding grounds for extreme movements.

Norway contributes on a broad scale. We participate in Operation Enduring Freedom and the International Security Force in Afghanistan. We chair the Afghanistan Support Group that coordinates international assistance.

Mr. Chairman,

A strong Europe must constantly renew popular support for the values we build our societies upon.

Socialists are praising a strong state at the expense of liberty.

Liberalists are praising individual liberty at the expense of solidarity.

We, the Christian Democrats, must strike the balance between the two. We must highlight personal responsibility and promote moral values – in the families, in the voluntary organisations, in the church and other religious bodies, in art and cultural life.

Let us constantly look for new methods of promoting the basic values that must bind us together as we did in Norway a few years ago when my Government established a National Commission on Human Values.

Last but not least: A strong Europe must overcome old divides without building new ones.

Let us build open and flexible structures for cooperation. In this way, a maximum number of European countries can find their place according to the will of their people.

We do so in NATO, when more European countries become members or take part in Partnership for Peace programmes.

We do so when more European countries are integrated into the cooperation structures offered by the European Union. The Agreement on the European Economic Area, to which my country is party, is one such means.

We do so when the EU member states as well as Norway take part in the Schengen cooperation and when we increase police collaboration to combat trans-national crime in Europe.

We do so when we cooperate on conflict management in Europe’s most unstable corner - the Balkans.

We do so when the EU as well as my country assist the nations of Central Europe in their preparations for closer integration, and Russia in their efforts to be reintegrated into the European family.

Mr. Chairman, colleagues,

Instead of a fortress of Europe, I have a vision of a strong home of Europe – a home with an open door, with flexible opportunities of cooperation. Only in that way can we remove the old divides in Europe, without creating new ones.