Change in Prime Minister Vanhanen’s Special Advisers

Government Communications Unit

Press Release 202/2007
26.7.2007

Ambassador Esko Hamilo from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will take over as State Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs among the Prime Minister’s Special Advisers. In addition to assisting the Prime Minister, Hamilo’s duties include the government’s Report on Finnish Security and Defence Policy. Hamilo will begin his duties on 1 August 2007.

The Prime Minister’s current Special Adviser for Foreign Affairs, Counsellor Johan Schalin, will return to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and will begin as head of the Unit for Asia and Oceania as of the beginning of September.

Esko Hamilo has been working in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since the early 1970s, both in Finland and abroad, his latest foreign position being as Finnish Ambassador to France in Paris. In Finland’s EU accession negotiations, Hamilo was a member of the delegation for negotiations and responsible for foreign and security policy.

Further information: Risto Volanen, State Secretary, tel. +358 40 505 0089, Prime Minister’s Office