27 May 2010
Madam Speaker,
On behalf of the Speakers of Nordic and Baltic Parliaments, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for this meeting. In our opinion, apart from being a political necessity, this meeting also reflects our similar historic experience and our unity. Indeed, North America has been and continues to be a leader in the regional struggle for democracy and justice, while the Nordic and Baltic states on numerous occasions also stood up for freedom and democracy in their region, the values that are now recognized and promoted on both sides of the Atlantic.
The signs of our unity are close to here, in the Lafayette Park with the monument to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a distinguished nobleman of Poland and Lithuania and an outstanding fighter for both American and Lithuanian-Polish independence.
The last two decades paved the way for closer integration of Nordic and Baltic countries that now form a democratic, safe and stable community, characterized by innovative social, economic, and international policy initiatives and their implementation.
Moreover, the Nordic and Baltic countries are a single family. Regardless of our different membership status of the EU and NATO, we increasingly closely coordinate our foreign and security policy and have a shared view on common security and foreign policy challenges.
In NATO and the EU, the Nordic and Baltic countries have long been known for attaching high value to transatlantic relations. Despite the economic problems, all the NB8 countries are with you in the critical mission in Afghanistan. We are taking an active part in shaping of the New NATO Strategic Concept. We believe its implementation will lead to addressing the challenge where not all NATO member countries feel equally secure.
In addition, we are looking forward to cooperation with the US in the area of development of innovative technology. Our region boasts roughly 35 million educated, industrious, and innovative citizens. Being one of the most dynamic and competitive regions in Europe and possibly even worldwide, the Baltic Sea region offers a vast potential. The EU has underlined the region’s importance by approving the first in the EU specifically designed regional Baltic Sea Strategy. This, as well as the region’s close economic and financial integration, should send a strong signal to all investors, including the US.
We are looking forward to cooperation with the US in addressing energy security issues and the problems related to the Arctic region.
Madam Speaker, I would like to highlight that we admire your leadership in the US internal policy domain, including the health sector reform and the area of financial regulation. I am convinced that your success in these internal policy accomplishments will provide a new impetus for a greater role of the US in international relations.
