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Europe Day 2010
RECEPTION ON THE OCCASION OF
EUROPE DAY
WEDNESDAY 19 MAY 2010
SPEECH BY HON JUDITH COLLINS ,
MINISTER OF CORRECTIONS, POLICE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, REPRESENTING THE GOVERNMENT
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Mr Cunningham;
Honourable Phil Goff; Honourable Dr Lockwood Smith
Ministers, Excellencies and Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
E ng a mana, [ You who have the prestige
e ng a reo, You who are the orators
Rau-rangatira ma Chiefs, all of you
T e n a koutou katoa. Greetings to you all .]
On behalf of the Government, it is my honour to respond to the Chargé's toast, on this important occasion celebrating Europe Day.
As Mr Cunningham has noted, 2010 is the 50th year of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the European Union, or the EEC as it was in 1960. making this an especially significant celebration.
Our links with Europe are of crucial importance to all New Zealanders.
All nations are defined by their history and their geography. We look to both the Pacific and Asia on our doorstep. But, equally importantly, we also look to Europe as the source of many of our most important values.
The European side of our national identity began as predominantly British. From the nineteenth century, settlers poured in from the British Isles .
But they also came from other parts of Europe: Croatia, Italy, Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, The Netherlands, Greece, France, and elsewhere.
Most of the settlers retained a strong bond with Britain. New Zealand troops were at Britain's side through the South African War, two World Wars, and in Malaya.
But New Zealanders also fought beside other Europeans in the World Wars that devastated Europe.
Young New Zealanders visit Europe not just because of the countless attractions of its culture and history, but because they recognise the sacrifices that earlier New Zealanders made in places like the Somme, Passchendaele, Crete and Monte Cassino.
We now see the whole of Europe as one of our most vital partners in trade, education, scientific research, culture and personal linkages.
The likeminded partnership we have with the EU, as Mr Cunningham said, is indeed a basis for working together on a range of challenges.
New Zealand and the EU are natural allies and partners in advancing shared interests and practising and promoting internationally our shared values of democracy, openness, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. These are universal values.
Our commitment to these values is currently being tested in Afghanistan , where we work closely with troops and aid providers from European nations.
Fifteen years ago, when those universal values were being challenged on the continent of Europe itself – in the break-up of Yugoslavia – we were similarly helping Europeans to work for peace.
Today, we also work closely with European partners in coordinating our development aid in the Pacific, and in other places such as Timor-Leste.
The EU, as its new institutions evolve, will become an increasingly cohesive player in the global community.
We have a range of sectoral agreements with the EU, covering animal products, science and technology, mutual recognition, and other areas.
We have institutionalised our political engagement through a series of consultations at ministerial and official level.
And we have important parliamentary exchanges: last month we welcomed a delegation of the European Parliament to Wellington and Christchurch .
We greatly value our high-level contacts with individual member states, as I can personally attest – Mr Cunningham noted my visit last year to Poland and France .
In mentioning Poland, I would like once again to extend to the Polish people the sympathy of the New Zealand government, and of all New Zealanders, at the terrible loss suffered when President Kaczynski's aircraft crashed on 11 April.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Despite the economic pains we have all experienced in the last two years, the EU is still the world's largest economy and an important force for good in many arenas.
On behalf of a country that cherishes its European traditions, may I take this occasion to emphasise how much we value our partnership.
T e n a koutou katoa.
I join the Chargé in looking forward to another 50 years and more of EU-New Zealand friendship.
I ask you to join with me in a toast to the Leaders of the European Union and to a prosperous and peaceful future for the people of Europe.
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