Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari; born 23 June 1937) is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work...
NationalityFinnish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth23 June 1937
CityVyborg, Finland
CountryFinland
eastern household moved settling
With my mother, I moved from one household to another before settling in the eastern part of Finland, in the city of Kuopio.
accept excuses interests power stop war
There are always interests that are furthered by war. Therefore, those who have power and influence can also stop them... we should not accept any excuses from those in power.
appeal concerned entering exercise parties restraint sensitive talks utmost
As the talks are entering a sensitive phase, I appeal to all parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint on the ground.
caused conflicts human wars
Wars and conflicts are not inevitable. They are caused by human beings.
along attacked became born city displaced eternally fellow found lost mediator origins peace rest soviet union
The origins of my career as a peace mediator can be found from my childhood years. I was born in the city of Viipuri, then still part of Finland. We lost Viipuri when the Soviet Union attacked my country. Along with 400,000 fellow Karelians, I became an eternally displaced person in the rest of Finland.
based became conflicts involved parties trust
Mediators do not choose the conflicts they became involved in, but the parties to the conflict choose the mediator. Their participation as intermediaries is based on the trust of all the conflicting parties.
coming generation government growing influence people policies power talk time
No country's policies are eternal; they do vary. People are growing old, and a new generation is coming to power. In a year's time, a government can look different. You can't influence them if you don't talk to them.
life
Luck has a lot to do with how your life develops.
given peace people responsibility
The only people that can make peace are the parties to the conflict, and just as they are responsible for the conflict and its consequences, so should they be given responsibility and recognition for the peace.
applies themselves
Religions themselves are... peace-loving. They can also be a constructive force in peace-building, and this also applies to the Middle East.
allowing conflicts peace
Peace is a question of will. All conflicts can be settled, and there are no excuses for allowing them to become eternal.
agree clarify details mean
I think we have been able to clarify issues, ... I do not want to say it does not mean that in all details we agree 100 percent.
aim chinese explain happened member owe permanent prime talks
My prime aim is to go to see the permanent member who has not been briefed properly. I think I owe it to the Chinese that I explain what has happened in these talks that I have attended, ... This Week.
became borders caused country fellow finland great home hundred left politics power refugees several soviet thousand town
Like several hundred thousand fellow Karelians, we became refugees in our own country as great power politics caused the borders of Finland to be redrawn and left my home town as part of the Soviet Union.