Foreign Minister Soini visits Iceland

Press release 181/2016
5 October 2016

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will travel to Iceland to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly on 6–7 October 2016. The Foreign Minister will also have a meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, in Reykjavik on Thursday, 6 October.

In their discussions, the Foreign Ministers will focus on topical security policy questions, Arctic cooperation and bilateral matters. The Ministers will also discuss, among other things, Russia, the relations with the USA and topical EU matters. During his visit to Reykjavik, Foreign Minister Soini will also meet the Prime Minister of Iceland, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and Admiral Robert Papp, the US State Department’s Special Representative for the Arctic. Additionally, the Foreign Minister will follow a football match between Finland and Iceland, which will be played in Reykjavik.

The Arctic Circle Assembly will be attended by representatives of different countries, indigenous peoples, universities, companies, environmental organisations and other actors with an interest in Arctic issues from around the world. Over 2,000 participants from 50 countries are expected to participate in the 2016 Assembly. Minister Soini will hold a speech at the opening session.

Inquiries: Matti Nissinen, Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel.  +358 40 590 7973 and Katja Luopajärvi, Counsellor, Unit for Northern Europe, tel. +358 50 436 6506.

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are in the format [email protected].