Peace Prize laureate Ahtisaari shares his thoughts on peace brokering

Dec 12, 2008, 16:22 GMT

Stockholm - The 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Martti Ahtisaari, Friday shared some of his experiences on successful peace mediation at a seminar in Stockholm.

The former Finnish president arrived from Oslo where on Wednesday he received the coveted award in recognition of three decades of mediation efforts on several continents.

In addition to his role in negotiating Namibia's independence from then-apartheid South Africa, Ahtisaari has also been involved in Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Indonesia.

Speaking at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Ahtisaari repeated his view that the role of mediators is sometimes 'over-emphasized.'

'Parties are responsible for the mess they have made,' the 71-year- old said. 'They should get credit for the success.'

Ahtisaari underlined that it was important to 'listen to everyone,' and questioned the wisdom of branding groups as terrorists. 'You have to talk to those who have power,' he said.

He also touched on the need for post-conflict assistance, noting that there was an increasing tendency to develop 'exit strategies' after giving initial emergency aid.

In the case of Liberia that suffered 14 years of conflict, it was logical to stay on for an equally long time, he said.

Creating employment opportunities for youth and offering hope was a strategy to fight terrorism, Ahtisaari said.

Comparing his experience from southern Africa with that of the Balkans region, he said the Balkans needs to do more on reconciliation.

Ahtisaari recalled how the 2004 tsunami in South Asia was one factor that came to help open talks he facilitated between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and Indonesia resulting in the August 2005 deal.

The tsunami also impacted Sri Lanka, but despite openings there was a different approach by the government in Colombo, co-panel member Vidar Helgesen, former Norwegian deputy foreign minister, said.

Helgesen was engaged in Oslo's efforts to broker a 2002 cease-fire deal between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

After the tsunami, the LTTE made 'concession after concession,' Helgesen said but Colombo did not 'take opportunity of the moment.'

Helgensen now heads the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).