Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen: Fourth Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, Rovaniemi August 28, 2000
Madame Speaker, Madame Governor, Dear Parliamentarians, Ladies and Gentlemen,
THE EUROPEAN UNION POLICY FOR THE NORTHERN DIMENSION FROM AN ARCTIC ANGLE
One of the main messages of the Barents Region conference here in Rovaniemi three years ago was the urgent need to develop a Northern Dimension policy for the EU. Today, I am happy to be able to say that the Northern Dimension has indeed become an integral part of the European Union's external and cross-border policies. Furthermore, the EU Northern Dimension with its Action Plan has been prepared in close cooperation with the EUs partners in the European North; namely the three Baltic States, Poland, Norway, Iceland and Russia.
Three years ago I also called for transatlantic cooperation on northern issues. Northern cooperation was officially added to the transatlantic agenda at the Summits between the EU and the USA as well as between the EU and Canada in December last year. I discussed Northern cooperation with both President Clinton and Prime Minister Chrétien at these summits. Foreign Minister Axworthy even said, when I met him earlier in Helsinki that the Northern Dimension is the best Canada has heard from Europe for years.
Today, we note with appreciation that the three transatlantic partners have done their homework. The European Council in Santa Maria da Feira endorsed the Northern Dimension Action Plan in June. On behalf of the Government of Canada, Foreign Minister Axworthy officially announced "The Northern Dimension of Canada's Foreign Policy on June 8 this summer. And in August 2, President Clinton signed the "Cross-Border Cooperation and Environmental Safety in Northern Europe Act of 2000".
These developments mean that we now have the building blocks we need for close transatlantic cooperation on northern issues. This conference is an excellent occasion for stocktaking and - more importantly - for consideration on future actions, especially concerning the Arctic region.
Continuing dialogue between parliamentarians and governments on northern and arctic issues is indispensable. The Nordic Council and the European Parliament have expressed their opinions on the Northern Dimension at every milestone along the road. The European Parliament has even contributed actively to tailor-made financing of urgent projects in the Baltic Sea region. The American Act on Cross-Border Cooperation and Environmental safety was introduced by Representative Sam Gejdenson. The Northern European initiative enjoys support from not only the present administration but also the US Congress. The Canadian Northern Dimension is well anchored after assiduous consultations led by Ambassador Mary Simon.
I am convinced that arctic cooperation would not flourish without regular conferences of Arctic region parliamentarians. It is a privilege for Finland to be able to benefit from the outcome of this Conference in our preparations for the up-coming Chairmanship of the Arctic Council.
By endorsing the Action Plan the European Council has given a strong and concrete boost to the Northern Dimension policy. Never before has the EU taken such a comprehensive and detailed stand on questions related to the Northern Dimension region. The Action Plan is the outcome of determined work but is by no means its end point. It is a good start for long-term co-operation.
The European Commission and especially Commissioner Patten is strongly committed to developing the Northern Dimension. EU member states must make sure that the Commission has the necessary resources in this work.
The Northern Dimension does not compete with southern cooperation. Both are in the vital interest of the Fifteen. Prime Minister Aznar of Spain considered it historic that the Northern Dimension and the EU's new strategy for the Mediterranean region were endorsed at the same time, in Feira in June.
The Russian Federation has supported the Northern Dimension since the beginning. This was confirmed by President Putin in June when President Halonen visited Moscow. I will meet Prime Minister Kasjanov in the near future and the Northern Dimension is on our agenda. I welcome the participation of the high-level delegation of the Duma in this conference.
The Northern Dimension Action Plan sets out objectives and actions for the years 2000-2003 in sectors in which expected added value is greatest, such as energy, transport, information society, environment, nuclear safety, human resources and research, public health and social dimension. Let me highlight some of these sectors from an arctic perspective.
A key objective of the Action Plan is to enhance sustainable development of the energy sector, including mitigation of repercussions on local populations, especially indigenous peoples, caused by exploitation of natural resources. This is also relevant for the Arctic Council.
The Northern Dimension region is an area rich in resources such as oil and gas. These are of strategic importance to the enlarging European Union. It is estimated that the EU's need to import natural gas from third countries will increase from 40 per cent to 70 per cent by the year 2020. In the long run, the EU will be increasingly dependent especially on Russian gas reserves.
The Shtokmanovskoje gas field in the Barents Sea, has strategic significance. The development of this huge field will certainly influence the distribution infrastructure, making a northern pipeline via the Russian Barents area and Finland and along the Baltic Sea to Germany more likely to be built in a foreseeable future.
The Northern Dimension aims at strengthening sustainable forest development by integrating socio-economic, agricultural and ecological principles into forest management at regional, national, sub-national and local levels. During the Finnish chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council last year, the forest sector was chosen as a new priority. This initiative is also recognized in the Northern Dimension Action Plan, which addresses the potential of the forests as in many cases as the only available resource for improving livelihood of people in the North in a sustainable way.
The Barents Forest sector programme brings together members of Barents Council, Arctic Council and the European Commission in a concerted effort. We do hope that the re-structuring of the Russian forestry administration will have positive effects on the evolving multilateral and bilateral cooperation in this sector.
Sustainable development in arctic areas is closely connected to infrastructure and transport issues. The Northern Dimension Action plan envisages actions to link the Russian transport system to transeuropean networks. What is lacking is a circumpolar strategy on transport, covering sea, air and land based transports. Moreover, the Arctic Council should consider how infrastructure and transport investments could contribute in a ecologically sustainable way to strengthening of the economic base for social wellbeing arctic areas.
The seas in the northern region are particularly sensitive to environmental hazards. There are "hot spots" where wastewater is discharged directly into rivers and seas. Investments to eliminate such pollution is a priority of the Northern Dimension policy. Reports presented by the Arctic Council working groups also form a basis for many actions within the Northern Dimension framework. Similarly, the Arctic Council now faces the urgent need to draw political conclusions from the scientific assessment reports. Finland will promote these efforts during her Arctic Council Chairmanship.
Construction of St.Petersburg wastewater treatment plant is crucial for the ecology of the Baltic Sea. EU financed, from Tacis funds, the first report for a general programme. The preparation of an Investment Programme have been started under the coordination of the Nordic Investment Bank. Financial support comes from Finland and Sweden. In projects like this, large financing consortia are needed. Another crucial factor is national commitment.
The safety of nuclear reactors in North-Western Russia, including spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, present a great environmental challenge. Further measures need to be taken to improve the situation.
Negotiations on the Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme in the Russian Federation (MNEPR) started within the Barents Council framework in 1998. Reaching agreement on this programme is a prerequisite for foreign assistance.
The US Northern Europe Act is the latest confirmation of the readiness of the international community to assist Russia in funding appropriate investment. Nuclear waste disposal, and enhancing the safe operation of nuclear power plant are a Northern Dimension priorities. The new Tacis programme reserves considerable financing within this sector with specific reference to North-Western Russia.
One of Finland's priorities in the arctic cooperation has been the promotion of arctic research. I am happy to note the significant progress being made in this field. Following the proposal of the Circumpolar Universities Association, the Ministerial Declaration of the Arctic Council in 1998 announced the establishment of the University of the Arctic. This project is well under way. Finland has supported it, for instance, by financing the interrim secretariat here in Rovaniemi.
The University of the Arctic, a "university without walls" is an excellent example of the possibilities that information technology can offer. Telemedicine is another important field. Strengthening cooperation in the IT sector is a priority area within the EU and in the Northern Dimension Action Plan. Ways of strengthening cooperation in this sector are being examined. But narrowing the gap between the EU and North-Western Russia is the biggest regional challenge.
In this context I would also like to refer with appreciation to the recent establishment of the Northern Research Forum, based on a proposal made by the President of Iceland, Olafur Grimsson. The first congress of the Forum will take place in Akureyri in November.
At present, the European Commission does not participate in the work of the Arctic Council even though the Commission is already financing research in the Arctic. Closer relations between the Commission and the Arctic Council are envisaged in the Northern Dimension Action Plan. The EU has obvious interests in the Arctic Area. Scientific environmental assessment reports produced within the Arctic Council can serve as a basis for action on national, regional, European and global levels.
Changes in the Arctic environment have an important impact on global climate. The EU's participation in the Arctic Council would provide the Union with an Arctic and circumpolar interface and an additional transatlantic link. From the Arctic countries' point of view the EU is a global actors which strongly influences on developments in the North. For Finland the establishment of permanent relations between the European Commission and the Arctic Council is a logical priority and a natural follow-up to our Northern Dimension initiative.
Next month in Barrow, Alaska, the United States will hand over to Finland the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Professor Oran Young has prepared an excellent paper on the structure of arctic cooperation as part of the preparations for this conference and bearing in mind the forthcoming Finnish chairmanship of the Arctic Council. I am sure his recommendations will be studied carefully and constructively.
The Arctic Council environmental programs are the corner stones of the Council itself. Finland intends to continue supporting the important work of these programmes, as well as the sustainable development programme. Many ideas have been put forward concerning the organisational character of the Council, including the Council's role among the various international actors. We look forward to the challenging task of meeting these expectations.
The composition of the Arctic Council is unique. It is the only forum where the indigenous peoples, through their own institutions, are represented at the same table as the national governments of the Member States. We will carefully listen to the voices of the indigenous permanent participants.
As Professor Young has emphasized, arctic cooperation can not be successful only as a forum for capitals located outside the target region. The regions must be more strongly involved. The Barents Euro-Arctic Council arrangement could serve as a model, keeping in mind that the Northern Forum already serves as a network for arctic regions.
Efficient implementation and systematic follow-up of the Northern Dimension Action Plan, together with identification of projects, are of utmost importance. In this task, the EU Presidency holders and the Commission play a key role. France is already cooperating with Sweden in order to start the implementation of the Action Plan. Sweden will organise a high-level follow-up conference on the Northern Dimension during its Presidency, in April 2001. Moreover, Sweden and Commission intend to prepare a full report on the Northern Dimension policies for the Gothenburg European Council in June 2001.
In our role as the chairman of the Arctic Council during the period 2000 to 2002, we are responsible for keeping arctic issues in focus within the Northern Dimension, in close co-operation with our arctic neighbours, Sweden and Denmark, who will hold the EU Presidency during our Arctic Council chairmanship. We are also following with great interest the development in Greenland's Arctic Window Initiative.
Equally, we want to promote northern cooperation between the EU and our transatlantic arctic partners, the United States and Canada.
Madame Speaker, ladies and gentlemen,
This high-level parliamentary conference proves that the Northern Dimension is progressing well. But we still need further efforts. One of the challenges is to guarantee that all ideas and proposals from different actors are closely studied and taken into account. Here in Finland we need a national Northern Dimension Forum to gather experts, scholars, officials and interested people from all parts of Finland together to discuss and generate ideas on how to further develop the Northern Dimension.
It is important that we can benefit from knowledge and expertise of our regions, cities, Universities and private enterprises. I have today invited Mr. Esko Riepula, Rector of University of Lapland, to gather a preparatory group to prepare such a forum and act as a chairman. The intention is to organize the first conference of Northern Dimension Forum by the end of this year.