Speech by the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Per Stig Møller at the sixth ministerial meeting of The Arctic Council, Tromsø, 29 April 2009
Ministers,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great privilege to be in Tromsø today and to formally accept the torch from Norway of the Arctic Council chairmanship. Norway has led the Council through a period of great changes in the Arctic and has done so with forward- looking thinking and energy. The Kingdom of Denmark – Denmark, Green- land and the Faroe Islands – will approach the task with the same vigor and de- votion. We remain committed to dealing with the enormous challenges facing the Arctic region today. Some of these challenges were discussed in Ilulissat in May last year. However, the task of carrying the issues forward and developing common solutions lies to a large extent with the Arctic Council. Allow me to outline our ideas for the work in the Arctic Council for the next two years.
A primary objective of our chairmanship is to secure a strong platform for the Arctic Council. In the present dynamics of a changing Arctic we must safe- guard continued sustainable development in this region. A forward-looking approach in the Arctic will have to rest upon the political framework of the Arctic Council.
Not least as a result of climate change the world’s attention is directed to the Arctic region, and the possibilities it presents. It this new setting it will be of major importance for the Arctic Council to safeguard the inherent cultural, economic and political rights of the peoples and the Nations in the Arctic. The human dimension remains at the core of Arctic Council work. Developments in the Arctic – for good or for bad – directly influence life and living condi- tions for the Arctic populations. During our chairmanship we will continue to work together to develop tools for a better future for the peoples of the Arctic.
Human health will be a priority issue in this respect.
The international polar year has produced major and important results.
During our chairmanship we will continue work to secure the legacy of the international Polar Year for the benefit of science and thereby for the Arctic residents.
Statements at yesterday’s meeting, presided over by minister Støre and Vice-President Gore, once again clearly demonstrated that climate change is a global challenge with severe regional impacts. In the Arctic we already suffer disproportionally the consequences of climate change and we must adapt to the changes. Thus, climate change presents itself as the present overarching is- sue for work within the Arctic Council for the years to come. Looking towards COP15 and beyond, Denmark will carry the climate change agenda forward not least in terms of the Arctic challenge.
Scientific results again and again demonstrate that Arctic climate change is happening faster than we thought yesterday. As Arctic nations, we have a common responsibility to make sure that the international community is made aware of the effects of climate change in the Arctic. And we are determined to act decisively on the evidence at hand. NOT to act upon this knowledge is not an option. Therefore the Arctic Council must continue to address all the aspects of global warming – its regional consequences as well as its global impacts.
Adaptation to climate change is a core issue for this forum. But we should also use the Arctic Council to discuss what we as Arctic nations can do to en- hance global climate policies and mitigate global warming. Concrete policy responses are urgently needed in the international negotiations as well as in our own countries. We are well placed within the Arctic Council to exchange experience and to help each other finding a way forward.
The Arctic states are responsible for a large share of the global emissions of greenhouse gases. We have a special responsibility to respond to the findings of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment and other reports on man-made climate change. The Arctic is already striving to cope with the effects of climate change and we know for a fact that we have only seen the early signs of global warming.
We need effective policy responses and we need them now.
Climate changes and the increase in activities in the Arctic have resulted in new challenges to the Arctic biodiversity and the sustainable use of the Arctic’s living resources. During our chairmanship we will continue to support coop- eration on these matters. By recognizing that the United Nations have declared
2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, the Arctic Council becomes an im- portant player in helping to increase awareness on all levels of the importance of Arctic biodiversity. Working groups are actively contributing to these efforts making extensive use of traditional indigenous knowledge.
Exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources is crucial to the development of the Arctic. This development must however take place on a sustainable basis. The results produced by Arctic Council Working groups will help secure the standards and guidelines necessary in this respect.
Increased access to the Arctic waters poses challenges and opportunities.
We will seek to support co-operation in relation to search and rescue just to mention one thing. Another matter to explore might be guidelines in fields such as tourism. Finally we will have to stimulate the work in the International Maritime Organization on the issue of mandatory guidelines for shipping in Arctic waters.
Also, allow me to touch upon the role of observers in the Arctic Council.
Denmark welcomes the input from observers in Council work, and sees great potential for observer participation and contribution not least in the work- ing groups. We are confident that this is a common view. As the challenges in the Arctic mount, so does the need for more in-depth analysis and reporting on Arctic developments. We will facilitate discussions between Arctic Council member states on the role of observers, and will strive to find a solution accept- able to all.
We look forward to a productive chairmanship with your kind assistance in furthering the common goals. To do the hard work I have appointed Ambas- sador Lars Møller as chair of the Senior Arctic Officials.
Let my final words be a thank to Norway and the Norwegian minister for foreign affairs, his able chairman of the Senior Arctic Officials, Ambassador Klepsvik, all the hardworking chairs of the Working groups and all those peo- ple having worked so hard to make this meeting a success.
Thank you for your attention.
AFgHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN
Presentation by the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs
Per Stig Møller at the g8 Outreach Meeting on Afghanistan and Regional Dimension, L’Aquila, 27 June 2009
Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
As a proven friend of Afghanistan and Pakistan, I wish today to send a strong signal of Denmark’s continued support and commitment. If we are to help these two countries overcome the challenges they face, we must view the chal- lenges in a broader regional context.
The region of South Asia is without doubt a significant global security chal- lenge as well as a regional one. An approach focused only on Afghanistan or Pakistan without a comprehensive strategy to, and understanding of, the entire region, would be like attempting to build a house without a foundation.
We have several times witnessed that when the Afghan house catches fire, other houses in the region risk bursting into flames too. We therefore need to address cross-boundary and regional challenges in order to improve the secu- rity and livelihood of the peoples of Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a funda- mental basis for such an approach, I warmly welcome this attempt to develop a constructive dialogue with all countries across the region.
Excellencies, friends and colleagues,
It is this precarious security situation in the region that has lead to the displace- ment of millions of people – Afghans, Pakistanis, and others. The consequence is local misery and global terror. It is our job to alleviate the terrible human suffering and to ensure that the displaced can return home to a better life in safe and secure surroundings. This way the refugees can be turned into poten- tial positive resources that can and will contribute to making Afghanistan and Pakistan secure and prosperous nations.
A comprehensive solution to the displacements in the region depends not only on progress in reconstruction and state-building, but also on overall im- provements in regional security. In the long term, repatriation requires regional
agreements and coordination as an integral part of our joint efforts to ensure that the displaced one day will be able to return to better and safer lives. Allow me to recognize the work of UNHCR both in this region, as well as univer- sally.
Excellencies,
How can we – the international community and neighboring countries – best assist Afghanistan and Pakistan in bringing their refugees and displaced back home? Fortunately, we do have some mechanisms at hand: The democratic Government of Pakistan has created a valuable tool for us in helping Pakistan help itself: The Friends of Democratic Pakistan. The Friends Group has great potential to serve as a strategic framework for coordinating the international community’s support. But our support must be based on a Pakistani strategy that has evolved from Pakistani leadership and ownership. We look forward to working with the Pakistani Government on this basis in preparation for the Friends’ meetings in September.
In Afghanistan we can use existing tools for assistance and coordination.
Many of us provide security assistance, and most of us provide development aid. UNAMA is a central mechanism for coordinating these efforts to build the Afghan society. But at the same time, we must ensure the Afghanisation of the whole process – in order to make sure that the Afghans take over the responsibility for their own destiny. Coordination and Afghanisation will be the focus on our combined efforts in the years to come.
Excellencies,
My final point would be this:
In the past our inaction and inefficiency led to deep suffering for millions of people. It allowed radicalism to grow and made the civilian population vulner- able to recruitment from extremist groups. Today, it is important that we act with determination.
We must not allow the creation of tomorrow’s Taliban today. Instead we must seize the opportunity to turn refugees into citizens. Pakistan and Afghan- istan need and deserve their resourcefulness and their resilience.
Thank you.