Powell to Tuomioja : Unites States will not isolate

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja met with Colin Powell, Secretary of State of the United States
in Washington on August 2. Among other things, they dealt with the situation in the Balkans, climate policy, missile defence and the United Nations. According to Minister Tuomioja, the United States is not isolating from the rest of the world, although their recent withdrawals from some extensively negotiated international solutions do raise such a question. Secretary of State Powell had wanted to make it very clear that the United States is not choosing a unilateralist way, Tuomioja said.
He had also pointed out to the Secretary of State the importance of the commitment of the United States to the Balkans.

The foreign ministers also discussed the Kioto Climate Protocol. According to Tuomioja Powell believes that the US will return to the negotiations on the prevention of climatic change. We are now waiting for positions and initiatives from the US, Tuomioja said.
Referring to the missile defence Tuomioja found it positive that the United States and Russia are now negotiating. “However, the issue is not only about the USA and Russia, but about arms race in the whole world”.

Secretary of State Powell assured Tuomioja also the commitment of the United States to the United Nations. According to Powell the US will soon pay their debt to the UN.