Foreign Minister Stubb to attend the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in Murmansk
Press release 262/2009
12 October 2009
Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will attend the Session of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, which will be held in Murmansk, Russia on 14–15 October.
In conjunction with the meeting, Stubb will have bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of Sweden, Norway and Russia as well as with Murmansk Governor Dmitry Dmitrienko and European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas. Foreign Minister Stubb will also deliver a speech at Murmansk State Technical University.
The main themes of the Session of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council are sustainable development, environment protection, climate change and indigenous peoples. During the meeting, the two-year chairmanship of the Council will be passed from Russia to Sweden.
At the Barents Regional Council meeting that will be held in connection with the Session of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Oulu Region will hand over the chairmanship of the Barents Regional Council to Tromsø, Norway. The Barents Regional Council consists of 13 regions, provinces or corresponding administrative areas. The regions of Finland that belong to the Barents Regional Council are Kainuu, Lapland and Oulu regions. North Karelia has observer status.
Barents cooperation is, above all, cross-border cooperation between Northern regions; it relies on local skills, traditions and enthusiasm. Close cooperation is carried out between the region and governments.
The Barents Euro-Arctic Council was established in 1993 at the initiative of Norway. Its members are all the Nordic countries, Russia and the European Commission.
The Murmansk International Economic Forum will start immediately after the Session of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Foreign Minister Stubb will participate in the Opening of the Forum.
Additional information: Juha Kirstilä, Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 552 8200, Mikko Hautala, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 834 6758, and Second Secretary (Administrative Affairs) Anna-Maria Liukko, mobile tel. +358 40 824 8426