Foreign Minister Tuomioja travels to the General Assembly of the UN

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will travel to New York on Thursday 8 November to attend the General Assembly of the United Nations where the heads of state and foreign ministers will take part on the 10th - 16th of November. Tuomioja will address the meeting on behalf of Finland on Sunday 11 November at about 6 pm Finnish time. The general discussion will be opened by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and the next countries to speak according to the tradition are Brazil and the United States, whose speech will be given by President George W. Bush.

During the general discussion the foreign ministers of the European Union will meet the foreign ministers of the United States and Russia, among others. Minister Tuomioja also has bilateral meetings with other foreign ministers and a breakfast with colleagues from the Nordic countries.

Alongside with the general discussion, a conference about nuclear test ban treaty will be held on the 11th - 13th November. The aim of it is the assertion of a total nuclear test ban treaty. Minister Tuomioja will address this meeting on behalf of Finland on the evening of Sunday 11 November Finnish time.

More information from Heads of Units Riitta Resch 040-519 3027 (UN), Pilvi-Sisko Vierros-Villeneuve 040-721 1705 (nuclear test ban) and Special Adviser Piritta Asunmaa 040 551 7448.