Foreign Ministers from the Baltic Sea States met in Pori
In the discussion about the protection of the Baltic Sea environment Finland brought up the concern for the safety of sea transports and expressed a wish for the environmental risks of the envisaged new oil harbours to be taken into careful consideration. "From Finland's point of view the diversification of oil harbours would be highly appreciated," said Minister Tuomioja.
Other themes in the Pori meeting were the strengthening of civil society in the Baltic Sea region and combating trafficking in human beings, especially children. "Active civil society participation is an absolute requirement for further democratic development in the region of the Baltic Sea States," said Minister Tuomioja. Trafficking in children is closely connected to organised crime and, according to the ministers, regional measures against organised crime can also help combat this most serious human rights violation of our time. "We can tell much about our future from the way we treat our children today," said Tuomioja and urged the CBSS Committee of Senior Officials to take immediate steps in order to intensify regional cooperation in combating child trafficking.
Minister Tuomioja said that one chapter in the history of the Baltic Sea region will close when the post of the CBSS Commissioner on Democratic Development terminates in the end of 2003 and thanked the outgoing commissioner, Ms Helle Degn from Denmark, for her personal commitment.
Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, hosted the meeting, which was attended by Mr Igor S. Ivanov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr Per Stig Møller, Ms Kristiina Ojuland, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Ms Sandra Kalniete, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Mr Antanas Valionis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Mr Halldór Ásgrimsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Mr Jan Petersen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway, Mr Hans Martin Bury, Minister for European Affairs of Germany, and the Secretaries of State from Sweden and Poland. In addition, the meeting was attended by representatives of Greece, the acting presidency of the European Union, and representatives of the European Commission, which is a member of CBSS.
The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) was established in 1992 to advance security, stability and welfare in the Baltic Sea region. It is an important and useful political forum for regional cooperation and a dialogue between Russia and other Baltic Sea states.
For further information, please contact: Chairman of the CBSS Committee of Senior Officials, Ambassador Tauno Pesola, tel. + 358 40 555 56 62, and Counsellor Marja-Liisa Kiljunen, Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. + 358 40 755 64 60.