ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY ROBINSON, ON THE OCCASION OF A LUNCH
ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF A LUNCH HOSTED BY THE ICELANDIC PRIME MINISTER DAVID ODDSSON
Prime Minister Oddsson, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen,
I am honoured and delighted to be your guest at lunch today.
Prime Minister Oddsson, thank you for your kind and stimulating presentation.
We are two island peoples at the western edge of Europe. We are surrounded by the Atlantic ocean which, in a very real sense, sustains us. The ocean both divides and unites us at the same time. The Atlantic Ocean has not only shaped the physical space we live in, it has also helped to model our sense of ourselves, our values, our imagination, and our world outlook. The special sense of identity and rugged individuality of our two peoples must then, in part, have emerged from the ocean, like one of the sea divinities of our legends.
Of course, our relationship with the ocean has been many faceted, active as well as passive. In words and deeds, we have sought to comprehend and shape the very boundaries of the Atlantic itself. Some inner need has pressed us to envision, to explore, to discover and to understand.
This shared urge is perhaps most evident in the famous and ancient exploits of the voyagers of our two countries in the search for a New World. I realise this has, on occasion, been a controversial topic. A debate some years ago in the UN on a proposal to celebrate the so-called 400th anniversary of the discovery of America necessitated corrective interventions by the Irish, Icelandic and Finnish delegations among others.
Prime Minister, our shared Atlantic and peripheral island status has not spared either country from hardship and loss. Both our countries have suffered from lengthy periods of foreign occupation. Both have endured severe famine. Your country has, in addition, suffered a series of terrible natural catastrophes. Ireland and Iceland have experienced mass emigration from their shores. You have a somehow poignant name - "West Icelanders" - for those who have gone, many to Canada. Perhaps, it is not so surprising that a shared theme of the ancient Celtic tales and the Sagas is the limitless capacity of the hero to endure great suffering.
Nevertheless, both countries, through their individual talents and abilities, have repeatedly faced and overcome adversity. Today, our two societies are vibrant and forward looking. They continue to experience an artistic and literary flowering. Our economies are sound, experiencing growth. For our part, we admire your economic success since independence in 1944. We also admire the ingenuity you have shown in exploiting the natural resources you possess. By dint of initiative and hard work, Iceland's GNP and overall well-being is now among the highest in the world.
Our countries have of course experienced very different historical and other circumstances. You, for example, have maintained your ancient Icelandic language, untouched by change since the Golden Age of the Sagas, as the universal and contemporary vehicle of communication. We are conscious of your achievement in this regard and your evident determination to persevere in the future. We Irish have, over time, assimilated the English language to ourselves. We have thereby shaped it to express adequately our own particular character and outlook. Nevertheless, we remain very conscious of the need to foster the use of the Irish language which is of such importance to our national consciousness.
In Ireland, we have opted enthusiastically for membership of the European Union, we see ourselves, increasingly, as Europeans. We believe that our membership of the EU has coincided with increased self-confidence and with an actual strengthening of our identity as a people. As we enter the new millennium, we look forward to a deeper and more complex relationship with the European mainland.
As of now, you have chosen instead a looser relationship with the EU through membership of the European Economic Agreement (EEA). The Agreement creates significant mutual rights and obligations which link our two countries closer. We are satisfied with the operation of the Agreement so far. We are confident that the existing institutions can resolve any problems which arise, including in the area of fisheries.
In the light of Ireland's forthcoming Presidency of the European Union, we are conscious of the need for effective working arrangements between the EU and the EEA Council. FM Asgrimsson recently discussed these issues in Dublin with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dick Spring, T.D.
The EEA will provide the legislative framework for developing our bilateral economic relations. These have been expanding somewhat in recent years from a low base. For our part, we are pleased that significant numbers of Icelanders have chosen to visit Ireland in recent years; and that this had led to Irish products becoming better known to consumers in Iceland.
Prime Minister Oddsson, we are very conscious of the commitment of Iceland to the rule of law. The concern for law is of course an ancient one in Iceland, integral to the very creation of your society. In this regard, we know that in the year 1,000, controversy reigned in Iceland regarding the adoption of Christianity. Both sides said that they could not live together in a society where one or other religion was favoured by law. The law-giver, Thorgeir, himself a heathen, was asked to judge between the two religions. Before declaring in favour of the adoption of Christianity, he argued passionately that the peace and unity of the nation demanded that all adhere to the same law. His words convinced both sides, who accepted his ruling. This is a wise and happy precedent for all those who seek to find solutions to intractable problems.
Iceland has carried this concern with law into the area of international relations. You have staunchly supported the effective operation and strengthening of the UN system; and efforts to enhance respect for human rights throughout the world. You have contributed to the implementation in Bosnia of the Dayton Peace Accords. Iceland is also in the vanguard in the fight for a cleaner and safer air and water environment. In all these areas, as in others, we share your goals and hope to work with you towards their achievement.
Prime Minister, perhaps the first diplomatic exchange between Iceland and Ireland is recorded in the great Njal saga. There, the writer of the saga describes in detail the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. In a happy phrase, he describes the great Irish chieftain, Brian Boru as "the noblest of all kings". This courteous and warm beginning has, I believe, been maintained in our mutual relations over the centuries.
Prime Minister Oddsson, I would like to thank you and your predecessors as Prime Minister for the support you have provided in the search of the Irish and British governments for a resolution of the tragic conflict in Ireland. As you know, all party talks are scheduled to begin on 10 June. These negotiations are intended to create a new beginning for relationships within Northern Ireland, within the island of Ireland and between the peoples of these islands. They provide the opportunity, for the first time ever, for negotiations involving all shades of opinion within Northern Ireland where the bitterness and divisions of eight hundred years of troubled history can finally be resolved in the form of a new accommodation acceptable to all sides.
Today we stand at a cross-roads in our history, with the stagnation and violence of the past lying in one direction, and the hope and opportunity of the future in the other. The coming months pose enormous challenges for all involved. Nothing will be achieved without a willingness on all sides to take risks and make compromises. I firmly hope that all will approach the coming period with the openness and tolerance necessary for the attainment of a just and lasting peace.