28 January 1999, Davos, Switzerland – German President Roman Herzog tonight urged the international community to adopt an eight-point programme for better global relations in the 21st century not only among governments but also all foreign policy players ranging from the International Red Cross to multinational companies and the media.
At the opening of the 29th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Herzog also made a point of supporting Burmese opposition leader’s Aung San Suu Kyi’s criticism of western materialism which ignores cultural and human values. "We must not forget the human soul in all things that we do," he said. In addition, the German President praised Iranian President Mohammed Khatami’s initiative for cultural and religious dialogue. The idea, he said, is to "build confidence through greater knowledge of and greater respect for one another and it deserves every support."
Stressing the need for preventive foreign policies instead of trying to find remedies when it is too late, President Herzog outlined eight maxims that would promote common interests among the international community:
the promotion of democracy
the protection of fundamental human rights
the renunciation of nationalism
the avoidance of cultural and religious conflicts
the better use of international and regional institutions to
enhance economic and social stability
an end to selfish ‘beggar thy neighbour’ commercial policies
and ‘social dumping’
more effective communications
global inter-cultural learning and research communities
President Herzog noted that the international community must deal with globality in a more responsible manner, not just economically but also politically and culturally with humanity at the forefront. "We have to activate all these dimensions in order to control globality rather than be controlled by it," he said. Responding later to a question by World Economic Forum founder and president Klaus Schwab, President Herzog added that whatever the international business community does in the years ahead, it should not only focus on the financial or short-term aspects but also should "look at it in terms of peace and social justice for humanity. A purely financial calculation does not pay in the longterm."