Current affairs

Finnish companies have good opportunities to promote exports to Kazakhstan. The country is particularly interested in know-how for innovation and education and in expertise of clean technology, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen said. He led a delegation with more than 50 representatives of business and civil servants, who visited Astana, the capital, and Almaty, the business centre of Kazakhstan on 3–5 March.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will visit Kazakhstan on 3–5 March. The trip includes visits to the capital, Astana, and the country's economic centre, Almaty. The Minister will travel with an influential business delegation of more than 50 representatives.

In accordance with a decree given by the President of the Republic today, 3 April, a foreign mission will be established in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on 1 September.

Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Marat Tažin will arrive in Finland on Monday 23 March in connection with President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s state visit. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will meet Minister Tažin at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, 24 March.

Central Asia plays a key role in the OSCE, both as a region facing several challenges and as an active participant and supporter of the Organization’s plans to intensify engagement with Afghanistan, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said today. “Building stability, prosperity and democracy in this region is vitally important for the whole OSCE area,” Stubb told the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Annual Session, held in Astana.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, will visit Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan from 30 June to 2 July.

High-level representatives from the five countries holding the 2007-2011 OSCE Chairmanships met today at the invitation of this year’s OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, to discuss enhanced co-ordination and common priority areas.