"Security and Prosperity in Eurasia" Dr. Armen Sarkissian's address to the Eurasian Media Forum Almaty, Kazakhstan, 22 April 2004

Dear Mr. President,
Dear Dariga Nursultanovna, Your Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am delighted to address the Eurasian Media Forum again this year and bring you greetings from the Eurasia Centre at the Judge Institute of Management, Cambridge University's Business School; Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government; and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Since our first gathering two years ago, unprecedented events have taken place in our world. Turbulent regional and global developments had presented us - and continue to present the international community - major challenges that require visionary leadership, creative thinking, courage and cooperation on all levels.
The unraveling of recent events in this region draws our attention to Eurasia, one of the most significant regions in the world today. Indeed, the challenges of security and prosperity in this region are not only significant for the millions of people living in Eurasia, but also for the larger international community.
Security and prosperity are interlinked. As the events of recent years have shown, the issues of physical security and protection cannot be addressed in isolation. Political stability, fiscal reforms, distribution of wealth, and the rule of law are essential pillars in any new "security architecture".
It has become very clear that poverty, ethnic or religious attentions, political powerlessness, suppression of human rights and civil liberties, arrogance and illiteracy are breeding grounds for various kinds of fanaticism.
Nation-building, security and prosperity require collective engagement of all stakeholders. In the short term, success is measured by the levels of cooperation, trust, transparency, fairness, justice, competence and respect for collective human values. In the long term it takes visionary leadership to create the conditions and the environment for wider participation. As Winston Churchill put it: "Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts."
The challenge to us all is to find a balance between security and prosperity. In an environment of open political dialogue pro-market conditions should be compatible with other social and institutional reforms. Alleviation of poverty, investment in education and human talent, strengthening of rule of law and, yes, development and strengthening of independent media are crucial criteria for success.
I believe, Kazakhstan, this beautiful host country in the heart of Eurasia, is a prime example of how stability and prosperity could complement each other.
In the last short decade, Kazakhstan has adapted itself to changing times; it has established a farsighted course for state-building; and has shown healthy economic growth.
Indeed, it is possible for countries in the Eurasia region, like Kazakhstan, to engage in a bold and challenging task of nation-building, while preserving the unique moral and historical essentials of culture and national ethos.
George Bernard Shaw once said, "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility of our future". I believe, the immense opportunity for dialogue and open discussion that this conference accords us is a good starting point to address the challenges we all are facing and will face in Eurasia and the world for some time to come.