The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1968, Page 17

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
15
on his country and the fallacy of
maintaining the artificial present
status quo:
— — Coming from a country
which has had a turbulent history I
am deeply impressed by the fact that
the traditions of democracy and free-
dom in Iceland are as old as its very
history. This small Icelandic nation
has made an admirable contribution
to Western civilization. I am confident
that Iceland will continue to lend its
moral weight and strength to the at-
tainment of the ideals which the At-
lantic Alliance stands for. . . .
----The political landscape in
Europe and in the world is changing
faster than many of us at first noticed.
In Europe, both in East and West,
but also in America and in other parts
of the world, a restless young gener-
ation with a passion for political activ-
ity is attacking established structures.
But these young people in eastern and
western Europe, despite all differences
in their thinking, seem to have one
thing in common: they are against
petrifying the status quo in Europe,
the division of Europe into two mutual-
ly hostile blocs, and the artificial bar-
riers between the nations of Europe.
Attempts to set up new barriers
between nations and within one na-
tion, like the ones we have just recent-
ly experienced in Germany—lin con-
nection with Berlin—are doomed to
failure in the face of this develop-
ment.
I am convinced that the urge for
freedom, the consciousness of the
solidarity of a nation and of all the
nations of Europe are a more powerful
driving force than ideologies of the
past. I am sure that our Alliance is
heading the right way, realistically
assessing the possibilities open to it
and carefully working for a settlement
of controversies in Europe and pre-
paring the way for a just and lasting
peace order in Europe. . .”
Mr. Brosio the third speaker said in
part:
— — For centuries the island
lived in relative isolation. This fact,
no doubt, contributed to the remark-
able preservation of its ancient lan-
guage and culture. But in today’s world
no country can live in isolation; and
Iceland is no exception.
— — During the last few days,
the Norwegian Parliament has express-
ed its determination to remain in the
Alliance beyond 1969. These are en-
couraging signs of political wisdom.
Certainly it is not necessary from a
legal point of few to take any special
initiative to renew the Alliance. There
are many false assumptions in this
respect. In too many quarters it is
believed that the Treaty will expire
in 1969, and that some positive action
is necessary to prolong its life. This is
not the case; after August 1969, any
country may, with one year’s notice,
withdraw from the Alliance. Without
such a decision the Alliance goes on
indefinitely and automatically. All
the same, the fact that the members of
the Government of Iceland and the
Norwegian Parliament, two Nordic