Foreign Minister Tuomioja to Sweden and Denmark
Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will leave on Thursday, 29 August, for a conference in Helsingborg, Sweden, on conflict prevention by the EU. Three panel discussions on Friday will provide a platform to share experiences in conflict prevention actions. Common values, activities and commitment will also be discussed. Minister Tuomioja will address the confence on the topic of common commitment.
The conference will be organised by Sweden and chaired by Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. Other participants include the EU’s High Representative Javier Solana, Commisioner responsible for enlargement Günther Verheugen, UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan Lakdhdar Brahimi, OSCE Secretary General Jan Kubis, Council of Europe’s Secretary General Walter Schwimmer and various foreign ministers representing the EU and candidate countries.
On Friday, 30 August, Minister Tuomioja will travel to Helsingor where an unofficial EU foreign ministers’ meeting will take place. The so called Gymnich meeting will focus on the EU’s enlargement and the Middle East.
The main theme during the Danish presidency of the EU is enlargement. A timetable for enlargement was adopted at the EU summit in Seville, and Denmark will present an action plan on the implementation of enlargement. The foreign ministers will also discuss how to continue the process with countries not included in the next round of enlargement. The so called Greater Europe initiative on the EU policy with regard to new neighbours, particularly Ukraine, Moldova and Byelorussia, will be discussed.
The Middle East talks will focus on the EU’s objectives as a member of the so called Quartet. The Quartet, comprising the EU, the UN, the United States and Russia, seeks to promote efforts to resolve the conflict. It plays a key role in the reform of the Palestinian Authority, which has already begun. The situation in Iraq will most likely feature in the talks as well.
Other topics in the Gymnich meeting are cooperation between the EU and Nato in crisis management and the situation between India and Pakistan. The ministers are also expected to discuss the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and the establishment of a fund to assist in repairs of flood damages in Central Europe. The EU stand on the US initiative on bilateral agreemenst to protect its citizens against indictment at the International Criminal Courts is also expected to feature in the talks.
On Saturday, 31 August, Minister Tuomioja will return to Sweden where he will address a seminar on minorities in Botkyrka organised by the Finnish community in Sweden.
Minister Tuomioja will return to Finland on Sunday, 1 September.
Further information: European Correspondent Kirsti Kauppi, tel. 09 160 55026 (Gymnich), Press Attaché Tuija Zapasnik, tel: 040 545 1275 (Helsingborg conference), and Senior Adviser Tarja Kantola, tel: 040 545 1260 (Botkyrka seminar)