Current affairs

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will attend the Informal Meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers, the so-called Gymnich Meeting, in Milan on 29 and 30 August. The Middle East peace process and the situation in Gaza will be discussed at the two-day meeting. The Ministers will also discuss the Eastern Neighbourhood, focusing on the situation in Ukraine. Also on the agenda are the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood and in particular the situation in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

The EU signed Free Trade Agreements with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on 27 June. Free trade is part of the Association Agreements concluded with these countries.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will visit Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia on 2-4 April.

Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vashadze will visit Finland on 3-4 November and have discussions with Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb and Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala.

The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union will meet in Luxembourg on 25 October. One of the main topical issues for debate is the Middle East peace process. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will represent Finland at the meeting.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will visit Georgia on 7–8 September. His agenda includes meetings with President Saakashvili, Prime Minister Gilauri, Foreign Minister Vashadze and Reintegration Minister Iakobashvili.

The Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs helps the countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – and the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia – to develop the basic institutions of a modern market society: an employment service system, occupational health and safety practices and national social security systems.

The security cluster based on the Wider Europe Initiative and the Development Policy Framework Programme for the Western Balkans has launched its research activities on Security and Development.

Gregory Vashadze, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, will visit Finland on Thursday, 8 April. Foreign Minister Vashadze will have talks with Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors and Pertti Salolainen, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Ambassador Antti Turunen to be the new UN Representative for Georgia.