Foreign Ministers of Denmark and Finland stressed the importance of Nordic cooperation

The newly-appointed Foreign Minister of Denmark Villy Søvndal (right) and Foreign Minister Tuomioja met in Helsinki on 10 November. Photo: Eero Kuosmanen.

EU affairs and Nordic cooperation were discussed at the meeting between Danish Foreign Minister Villy Søvndal and Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja on 10 November. During their first bilateral meeting the ministers also discussed, among other topics, the situation in North Africa and the Middle East.

Both ministers stressed the importance of Nordic cooperation at their press conference. Minister Tuomioja hoped for increased Nordic input with regard to international affairs. Minister Søvndal also stated that it is important for the Nordic countries to bring out the Nordic point of view in international relations.

Tuomioja mentioned diplomatic missions as an example of mutual Nordic cooperation. The issue had been discussed the previous week at the meeting of Nordic foreign ministers in Copenhagen.

The new Government Denmark received about a month ago takes up the Presidency of the EU at the beginning of 2012, and in their talks the ministers went through the EU’s future agenda. Minister Søvndal said that his country starts as the Union’s Presidency in difficult economic times, but he hoped that the necessary compromises could be found irrespective of this.

•  Webcast of the press conference(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)