The Finnish Government prepared to provide emergency relief to Lebanon
Government Communications Unit
Press release 252/2006
21.7.2006
On Friday, 21 July, the Finnish Government discussed the Middle East crisis and the situation for Finnish citizens in Lebanon. During the meeting, the Government received reports on the international political situation in the Middle East and on related humanitarian issues. The situation and Finland’s response to it was also discussed at a meeting between the Government and the Finnish President.
The Government agreed that it will take the necessary measures to grant EUR 1.5 million in emergency relief for Lebanon. The allocation of funds will be made on the basis of a UN appeal for relief aid to be made next week. Finland has already allocated EUR 4.1 million to the Palestinian Territories. As the country currently holding the EU Presidency, Finland maintains close contacts with the countries in the crisis region, the European Commission and EU Member States. As EU President, Finland has also actively drawn attention to the worsening humanitarian situation in Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories.Finland has considered it important that humanitarian organisations be able to work effectively in the region.
The Finnish Government discussed the international political situation in the region and expressed its support for the UN’s efforts to establish a permanent ceasefire which would support Lebanese sovereignty, the Middle East Peace Process and security in the whole region in line with UN Resolution 1559 and other Security Council decisions.
The Government noted that cooperation in the evacuation of EU citizens has worked well. Finland has conducted a daily telephone conference providing information on bus convoys, ships and planes that have transported citizens to safety. As the Presidency country, Finland has coordinated EU action in Nicosia and Damascus and maintained contacts with the Israeli Government. Since last Sunday, bus convoys have transported almost 10,000 EU citizens to Damascus. The priority is now to arrange transport to Europe by sea.
More than 100 Finnish citizens have been brought back to Finland, along with a number of people of other nationalities permanently resident in Finland. Remaining Finnish citizens wishing to leave the area are to be evacuated next weekend. The EU is still facing the challenge of evacuating several hundreds of its citizens from the war-torn region of Southern Lebanon. There are six Finns among these people.
In response to Cyprus’s appeal, the Finnish Government has announced that it will provide assistance in transporting people arriving in Cyprus from Lebanon by air to international airports.
Further information: Johan Schalin, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, tel. +358 40 776 5028, Prime Minister’s Office; Hannu Himanen, State Under-Secretary, tel. +358 40 849 3726, Pilvi-Sisko Vierros-Villeneuve, tel +358 40 721 1705 and Satu Mäki, Special Adviser, tel. +358 40 829 3298, Ministry for Foreign Affairs; and Esko Koskinen, Senior Advise, Legal Affairs, tel. +358 50 456 0007, Ministry of the Interior