Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov to visit Finland

Press release 259/2009
9 October 2009

Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov will visit Finland on Tuesday, 13 October, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb. Foreign Minister Martynov will also meet President of the Republic Tarja Halonen, Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen, and Chairman of the Finnish Parliament's Grand Committee Erkki Tuomioja. At the end of his visit, he will give a speech at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs about the changes in the relations between the European Union and Belarus and their future prospects.

The main themes of discussion between the Foreign Ministers will be issues related to the development of EU-Belarus relations, including the state of democracy and human rights status of the country, and the outlook of bilateral relations between Finland and Belarus. Potential for co-operation will also be examined from the perspective of the Northern Dimension and the co-operation arrangements in the Baltic Sea area. Furthermore, the ministers will discuss regional and international issues.

Further information: Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Juha Kirstilä, tel. +358 40 552 2800, Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Päivi Pohjanheimo, tel. +358 40 573 1490, and Head of Unit Tuula Yrjölä, Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, tel. +358 40 740 9213