Helping those who lose their jobs because of globalisation is primarily a matter for the public sector, said former President Martti Ahtisaari in a speech on pressures for change facing Finland on Thursday evening. At an event organised by the National Defence Course Association, Ahtisaari said that the closure of some units to make way for more competitive ones is difficult to accept, but he added that "the international position of European economies is not secured by entrenching, but by boldly going on the offensive".
Speaking to a nearly full house at the main auditorium at the University of Helsinki, Ahtisaari made no reference to Kosovo, where the beginning of the province's independence process mapped out by Ahtisaari is expected soon after Serbia's Presidential elections on Sunday.
Also mentioned was NATO. Ahtisaari emphasised the attractiveness of NATO membership for possible new applicants. "Will Ukraine join NATO before Finland does?" he pondered.
Ahtisaari noted that the seesawing on the world's stock exchanges in recent weeks has shown dramatically what globalisation can sometimes mean.
"When economic power is redistributed, it will be reflected before long in the distribution of political power as well."
Ahtisaari took a positive view of the economic rise of China, which he said is typified by "peaceful progress". Ahtisaari says that Finland has opportunities in the revival of Nordic cooperation, and in Russia. He said that Russia's development toward the rule of law is in a key position.
