Foreign Minister Stubb to attend the UN General Assembly

Press Release 241/2009
18 September, 2009

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will travel to New York for the opening week of the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly on 22–26 September. Stubb will act as the vice-chairman of the Finnish delegation to the General Assembly, which will be led by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen.

Minister Stubb’s agenda during the week of the UN General Assembly includes a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU Member States, an EU meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister, an EU meeting with the American Secretary of State, and a trans-Atlantic meeting of Foreign Ministers hosted by the United States. Stubb will also take part in the Security Council session led by US President Barack Obama; the topic to be discussed then is preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear disarmament.

In addition, Minister Stubb will participate in a climate meeting for the Foreign Ministers of six EU Member States and in a meeting of the Nordic and Baltic Foreign Ministers, where the main topic of discussion will be current issues pertaining to the UN. In addition, the Foreign Minister will have bilateral talks with several Asian, African, European and Latin American Foreign Ministers. During his week at the UN, Stubb will also sign agreements on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Finland and Saint Lucia, and between Finland and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Additional information: Jori Arvonen, Senior Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 50 553 6117, and Kai Sauer, Head of the Unit for UN and General Global Affairs, mobile tel. + 358 40 849 5887.