Prime Minister, Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour and pleasure for me to be here in Slovakia.

Two years ago I had the privilege of receiving you, Prime Minister, and your wife at Akershus Castle in Oslo. I still have happy memories of your visit to Norway.

Today we have the privilege of being your guests here in Bratislava, at the first official visit of a Norwegian prime minister to independent Slovakia.

Two years is a short time. Yet during this period, Slovakia has come a remarkably long way in achieving its foreign policy goals. You have carried out a successful integration process, and will soon be a fully fledged member of the European Union and NATO. You have attracted substantial investments and revived regional co-operation. This has been quite a marathon. And who better capable of running it than you, Prime Minister?

Norway and Slovakia share the same fundamental values of democracy, tolerance and human rights. We are also confronted by the same security challenges, such as the serious threats of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. These challenges cannot be dealt with by one country alone. We must work together. The Conference “Fighting Terrorism for Humanity” in New York in September aimed at just that. My government is now following up the conference by identifying concrete measures that address the root causes of terrorism.

When Slovakia joins the EU, and the European Economic Area, I hope that trade and investment between our two countries will prosper and grow. Norway’s financial support to Slovakia will be substantially increased, and we are looking forward to a close political dialogue with you in order to identify priorities and concrete projects that will make a real difference to people. This partnership will no doubt strengthen the relations between our countries in both the short and the long term. This I welcome.

On Monday 3 November a seminar will be arranged here in Bratislava. The objective is to establish Norwegian-Slovak partnerships and links in the field of education. This is another area where we welcome enhanced co-operation.

Prime Minister Dzurinda,

If I am to mention only one Norwegian of great significance for both Slovakia and my own country, it will have to be Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, who came from my hometown, Molde. His political and social commitment was of great value during our struggle for independence at the end of the 19 ^th> century. And after winning the Nobel Prize in 1903, Bjørnson used his influence to write about the oppression of the Slovakian people and their fight for freedom. For this, his name can still be seen on street signs and monuments all over Slovakia. His tireless efforts show how powerful the written word can be and how much influence a person with enough conviction can wield.

The histories of our two countries have other things in common besides Bjørnson. Both our peoples have endured hundreds of years of foreign rule. Furthermore, Norway and Slovakia are both old nations with a longstanding Christian heritage, where the relations between the people and the church have played an important and liberating role. Both our countries experienced a cultural and historical awakening in the 19 ^th> century led by prominent cultural and literary figures.

Bjørnson’s efforts also laid the foundation for today’s friendship between Norway and Slovakia. Cultural exchanges between the two countries are frequent and varied, and I am confident that our bilateral relations will continue to expand in the coming years. Norway wishes to strengthen its presence in Slovakia, and I am happy to announce that it is our intention to establish an embassy in Bratislava next year. I know that this will be of invaluable assistance in further developing the excellent relations between our two countries.

I would now like to ask you to join me in a toast to Prime Minister Dzurinda and to the continued well-being and prosperity of the people of Slovakia.