REMARKS OF UNOG DIRECTOR-GENERAL AT RECEPTION TO MARK 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ELYSEE TREATY

22 January 2003

The following remarks were given by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, 22 January, at a reception in Hall XIV of the Palais des Nations, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty:
"Bienvenus aux Nations Unies. Willkommen bei den Vereinten Nationen. It is a privilege to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations for this commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty.
"In 1963, President de Gaulle referred to the French-German friendship after World War II as the 'biggest event of our time'. Today, this friendship is so entrenched that it is almost taken for granted. But, as Chancellor Adenauer reminded German television viewers the day after the signing of the Treaty, we need to consider the 400 years of tension and conflict that preceded it to fully appreciate the significance of the document.
"Often, nations honour heroic battles; they venerate war and victory with memorials and monuments; they salute the soldiers. Peace has fewer landmarks and parades. This reception is, therefore, a very welcome opportunity to mark the commitment to peace and to political processes to resolve differences that the Elysée Treaty represents.
"The Treaty is more than a legal framework. It is the embodiment of the belief that only when consultation takes the place of confrontation, when communication replaces coercion, when compromise substitutes for conflict, will peace prevail.
"Chancellor Adenauer once remarked – with great regret – that 'history is the sum total of things that could have been avoided'. With the Elysée Treaty, he and President de Gaulle – and with them the German and French peoples – made sure that this should not continue to be the case for these two nations. But, the Treaty has had a much wider impact that preventing renewed tension between the two countries. French-German cooperation is much more than merely the absence of hostility. It has been the foundation for an active partnership that has been a driving force in bringing stability and prosperity to the region.
"One of the United Nations' primary mandates is also to avert conflict. The Charter emphasizes our resolve 'to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war'. But, we too strive to go further than prevention. We make every effort to use the Charter and our Organization to promote social progress and better standards of life in greater freedom. The ability of the French and German peoples to replace deep-rooted mistrust with mutual understanding and respect is a source of inspiration in our work. And it is a great pleasure to be able to celebrate that source of inspiration this evening.
"Je vous souhaite une bonne soirée. Ich wünsche Ihnen allen einen schönen Abend."
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