General Clemmesen,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Security is precious and there is never too much of it. And small countries, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, are often uncertain in their attitudes towards their own security. Overloud self-confidence is only too often accompanied by an arrogant shrug. This attitude is based on an illusion that there would be no point for a small country in spending its scanty resources on self-defence. Or on the blind conviction that, if necessary, security will be provided by friendly partner states. Few are aware that Estonia's, Latvia's and Lithuania's attitude towards their security will determine whether our countries are to endure or not, determine the future of our children, our mother tongue, our culture and our home country. These things depend directly on our ability to reckon with the security structures of Europe and the world, and on our ability and will to contribute to these structures.

Security is indivisible wealth and must be cultivated in the spirit of close regional concord. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have the task to ensure, to the best of their ability, the security of the Baltic region, which is a necessary precondition to stability in Europe. Such future can be shaped in co-operation with our neighbours, provided that we have the will to do it. Everything begins with the will. We are able and willing to choose ourselves, which international security systems to rely on. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have expressly stated their wish to become members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. We are willing to take on voluntary obligations for achieving this goal. And this is what we are doing. It is true that the task is difficult, even more so because unlike Poland or Hungary, all three Baltic States had to start from below the zero point: the occupation powers had destroyed our defence forces, and for many years, army and military service meant the distorted military political machinery serving the purposes of the Soviet empire and their ideology.

Today, our toilsome development has yielded the first results in the international co-operation in peace securing operations. The Baltic Defence College, starting to work before our eyes, and the joint military magazine "Baltic Defence Review", starting publication now, are examples of our will of defence.

With these steps, we help to secure our national sovereignty and regional stability, and make our contribution to the strengthening of global security.

I wish to underline the help of our Partner States in setting this new school in motion, and to express our sincere gratitude to the first Rector, Danish General Michael Clemmesen. Also, I wish that the whole school, both the students and the professors, would remember that the future students of this school will follow in your footsteps. Be aware of their keen eyes regarding you, of your responsibility to the future!

Thank you!

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