Nato Secretary General to visit Finland

Press release 69/2010
3 March, 2010

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will visit Finland for the first time on the invitation of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb on Thursday, 4 March. The schedule includes discussions with the President of the Republic Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies and Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö.

Topics of discussion include development of Nato's new Strategic Concept, cooperation between Finland and Nato, Finnish participation in Nato crisis management operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo, and EU-Nato cooperation.

Secretary General Fogh Rasmussen will take part in a seminar on the drafting of Nato's new Strategic Concept, organised by Finland and Sweden at Kalastajatorppa. The seminar will be hosted by Foreign Ministers Alexander Stubb and Carl Bildt.

The President of the Republic Tarja Halonen will perform the opening of the seminar. In addition to Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen the seminar speakers include President Martti Ahtisaari, Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies and the representatives of Nato, EU and UN.

Further information: Counsellor Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. 09 1605 5322