Current affairs

The national report on the Israeli air strike in Lebanon that claimed the life of a Finnish UN observer has been completed. The report was submitted to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen on Friday 10 November at the Government Palace. Among those present were the Khiam expert group headed by Irma Ertman, Director General of the Legal Department at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

“Finding a comprehensive political solution to the conflict in the Middle East and the reconstruction soon to begin are a test of the European Union’s external policy. The EU has the possibility to play a key role, because the EU is the only international actor that has credibility in the eyes of all parties to the conflict,” said Paula Lehtomäki, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, who just returned from a visit to the region.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja met with Tzipi Livni, Foreign Minister and Vice Prime Minister of Israel on 4 July. The two ministers discussed, in particular, the role of the European Union in finding a solution to the situation in the Middle East and about the current unrest in the region. During the ministers’ joint press conference Tuomioja assured that the EU demands the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli solider Gilad Shalit and an end to Kassam rocket attacks against Israel