Foreign Minister Stubb visited Finnish peacekeepers in Afghanistan

Press Release 186/2010
11 June 2010
 

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb visited Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan yesterday, 10 June. During his trip to Northern Afghanistan, he met with Finnish peacekeepers in the ISAF operation and commanders of ISAR Regional Command North. Foreign Minister Stubb stayed overnight in the peacekeepers' camp and continued his trip to the Armenian capital Yerevan by plane this morning.

There are roughly 140 Finnish soldiers currently operating in the ISAF operation. Most of them work with the PRT Mazar-e-Sharif led by Sweden in Northern Afghanistan. The number of Finnish soldiers in the ISAF operation will be temporarily increased by more than 50 soldiers; the total strength in the beginning of 2011 will be 195 soldiers at the most.

Finland has increased its overall support for Afghanistan this year by means of civilian and military crisis management, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

Foreign Minister Stubb will meet with President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian in Armenia today, 11 June. Discussion topics include Finnish-Armenian relations, EU-Armenian relations, Armenian-Turkish relations and the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Foreign Minister Stubb will attend the National Coalition Party conference in Jyväskylä from Friday evening.

Further information: Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Press Attaché to the Minister, tel. +358 40 732 8340.