STATE VISIT BY PRESIDENT McALEESE TO THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA OPENING REMARKS
STATE VISIT BY PRESIDENT McALEESE TO THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA OPENING REMARKS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE
I am delighted to have the honour of being the first President of Ireland to pay a State Visit to Slovenia and to have the privilege of being here in this the 10th anniversary year of your independence.
Slovenia has made impressive strides since independence in reforming politically, economically and socially - strides which have brought you very quickly to the threshold of full membership of the European Union.
There is still considerable work ahead, both for the Member States and the candidate countries, including Slovenia to help the Union facilitate this next phase of enlargement as soon as possible but hopefully no later than 2004 when Ireland will have its next Presidency of the European Union.
In this context, I know that the recent referendum result in Ireland on the Nice Treaty has been a cause of concern to applicant countries of the Union including Slovenia. However, it should not be interpreted as a rejection of enlargement. The results do point to genuine concerns on a range of issues, but the vast majority of Irish people are committed to Ireland’s active membership of the European Union and most importantly to the Union’s enlargement. We look forward to welcoming Slovenia into the E.U.
The Irish Government intends that the matter should be resolved in a way that will respect the timetable envisaged for completion of the EU ratification process and will not in any way act as a brake on the enlargement process. I hope that my visit here sends a clear message of our intention to develop closer relations with the applicant countries prior to their accession to the Union. As a further positive step, I am pleased that the Irish Government intends to open a resident Embassy here in Slovenia later this year.
The European Union will be greatly enriched by the accession of Slovenia, with its particular historical perspectives.
On a bilateral level, Ireland views with enthusiasm the opportunities which arise for a closer and deeper relationship between our countries, both in the lead up to membership and after accession itself. It is clear from assessments, notably recent reports of the Commission, that Slovenia is well advanced towards meeting the requirements of accession. I would like to congratulate you on this and on the progress made in the actual negotiations to date, where Slovenia is very much among the leading candidates. Slovenia’s constructive approach to the negotiations is very much appreciated by Ireland and the other Member States.
Ireland looks forward to embracing Slovenia as a partner in the EU family, to strengthening the links between our two countries and to working together towards greater prosperity within Europe for all of our peoples.