Current affairs

Speech by Mr. Harri Holkeri KBE at the seminar on Lessons Learned in the Northern Ireland Peace Process on Wednesday 9th of April at the Government Banquet Hall Smolna, Helsinki.

Alexander Stubb, Doctor of Philosophy, Member of European Parliament, began his duties as the new Minister for Foreign Affairs in the second Matti Vanhanen government on 4 April. The President of the Republic appointed Mr Stubb as a Member of the Government and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband thanked his host, Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, on Wednesday for his invitation to visit Finland, and in a press conference held following the talks stated that this had been a meeting of two allies. “We have many shared interests with Finland”, Miliband said, starting the list by mentioning relations between the EU and Russia, which are also in the forefront of the present Finnish Government’s foreign and security policy.

David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, will hold talks with Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva in Helsinki on Wednesday, 19 March. Miliband will also meet with Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.

“An easy-going meeting rich in substance”, Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva said about his visit with Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Tuesday, 16 October. “We share many common views concerning core political issues, such as the EU Reform Treaty, EU external relations and many global affairs starting from climate change”, Kanerva stated to Finnish foreign correspondents in London.