New Finnish Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman to address OCSE Permanent Council

Press release 118/2008
8 April, 2008

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, will travel on April 10th to Vienna to address the Organization's Permanent Council. The Permanent Council is the Organization's main regular decision-making body. After his presentation Minister Stubb will hold a press conference in room 201 upon leaving the meeting room.

During his visit Minister Stubb is going have discussions also with the General Secretary of the OSCE, Mr. Marc Perrin de Brichambaut and he will meet with Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Ursula Plassnik.

Mr. Stubb was appointed as Foreign Minister of Finland on 4 April, succeeding Ilkka Kanerva. The Foreign Minister of the country holding the Chairmanship serves as the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office.

Priorities of the 2008 Finnish OSCE Chairmanship include progress towards resolving the region's protracted conflicts, enhancing engagement with Afghanistan as well as co-operation on maritime and inland waterways, combating trafficking in human beings, promoting tolerance and non-discrimination and gender equality.

More information: Director of OSCE Secretariat, Ambassador, Mr. Aleksi Härkönen, tel. +358 400 330 406, Advisor to the Minister, Mr. Mikko Hautala, + 358 40 568 6745, and Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Juha Kirstilä, tel. +358 40 552 8200