ECFR Alumni · Former President of Finland
Martti Ahtisaari served as president of Finland from 1994 to 2000. Upon leaving office, he founded the Crisis Management Initiative, committed to helping the international community practice more effective preventive diplomacy and post-conflict state-building. A diplomat and UN mediator, he is noted for his international peace work in Namibia, Indonesia, Iraq, Central Asia, Kosovo, and Northern Ireland. In 2008 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his important efforts to resolve international conflicts.
There are 10 good reasons for Europeans to support enhanced UN status for the Palestinians. There is also an eleventh reason: the 27 EU nations can show that they count on the world stage if they are able to stick together.
Kosovo is a European problem and the EU has the prime responsibility to turn it into a success story