MAANPUOLUSTUSKURSSIYHDISTYS

Opening Words

 

Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, Members of the National Defence Course Association. Ladies and Gentlemen.

 

You are all warmly welcome to the International Max Jakobson seminar.

 

The first National Defence Course was organised in spring, 1961. From the very

beginning the driving force behind the courses has been to give highest possible

education related to national defence to participants who have represented various

key positions in our society. During the decades many tasks related to the national

security have been outsourced from the military especially to business sectors. Therefore the functionality of the network of underlying companies and commitment on

the local level have become crucially important.

 

The courses have always been linked to national and international political phenomena thus connecting local activities to a wider framework.

 

The spring 1961 was time of many historic events amid high international tension.

In January 1961, John F. Kennedy succeeded Dwight Eisenhower as the President of

the United States. Nikita Khrushchev continued to lead the Soviet Union. The new

American President had to represent his country as a force to be reckoned with, while

striving for international peace and security. The conflict in Vietnam was intensifying, Fidel Castro was tightening his grip on power in Cuba and no agreement had

been reached on the Berlin question.

 

In April, the international situation became even more precarious. Counter-revolutionary paramilitaries, assisted by the CIA, made a failed invasion attempt at the

Bay of Pigs in Cuba. The regime then strengthened its military co-operation with

the Soviet Union.

 

Max Jakobson participated in National Defence Course No. 1 in April – May, 1961.

The course from his point of view was not a plain vanilla exercise. He was interrupted

time and again. First Jakobson being a Deputy Head of Department at the Ministry

for Foreign Affairs was asked to prepare President Kekkonen’s trip to England. Furthermore his course was interrupted by the fact that he had to follow the President

to meet PM Harold Macmillan in London (this time as a Department Head). This

gives us a feeling how hectic the times were when the courses were established.

 

Max Jakobson passed away in March 2013. To honour his role in the Finnish foreign and security policy the National Defence Course Association together with

the Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided to organize an International Seminar.

 

Although this event is of commemorative nature the themes today are very much

forward-looking and closely linked to today’s security issues. Military and security

policy cooperation in Northern Europe, Europe’s role in carrying security and military responsibility in the coming years as well as the future of the transatlantic relations will be debated today. Maybe the times today are not as intensive as in 1961 but

the themes are of great importance for the future.

 

Today’s speeches will be given by Minister Bildt, Ambassador Ischinger and Ambassador Goodby. You are all, once again, very welcome.

 

Last but not least I want to express our gratitude to Minister Jaakko Iloniemi who

has kindly promised to act as the moderator for the day. And finally I take the opportunity to thank Ministry for Foreign Affairs for the good cooperation in organizing

this event as well as Louise and Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation and Wihuri Foundation for making this possible.

 

This closes my opening words and it is time to give floor to Minister Tuomioja.