The president praised Secretary General Kofi Annan for his work.

"He is the first secretary general in history who is a manager," Ahtisaari said in an interview after the speech.

"I have a very high regard for him... therefore I think he should be supported," Ahtisaari added.

The president advocated the further development and action of other international organizations, such as the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Ahtisaari praised the EU--which Finland joined in 1995--for promoting "peace, stability and prosperity."

Northern European countries need to provide resources, trade and defense for NATO and the EU, according to Ahtisaari. Although Finland is not a member of NATO, Ahtisaari emphasized the organization's importance.

The president said in the interview that he thinks it is important for NATO troops to remain in Bosnia beyond 1998, the established date for withdrawal.

Ahtisaari said the job of the international community is to promote cooperation between the political parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Ahtisaari was elected president of Finland in February 1994, the first president to be elected by popular vote rather than through the electoral college system. His term ends in 1999.

He said in the interview that he has been approached to run again in 1999 but has not yet made a decision.

A number of Finns who live in the area attended the speech.

"I have never seen the president live," said Saku P. Aura, a Finnish graduate student at MIT. "[I came] out of curiosity.