Foreign Ministry's press releases

On 11 November Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will make a visit to London, where he will meet with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague. Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of Sweden will also be at the meeting.

Minister Väyrynen to become the second-longest-serving minister in Finland

The President of the Republic Tarja Halonen will be making an official visit to Russia on 8-11 November. The delegation will stop in Moscow and Kazan. Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will join the President.

Finland will hold the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2011. The Presidency’s number one theme will be comprehensive management of climate change. The aim is to improve the Nordic countries’ role as a strong and unified player in climate issues.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Väyrynen stresses the importance of strengthening civil society in developing countries to promote sustainable development and to reduce poverty. According to Minister Väyrynen, Foreign Ministry's new Civil Society Development Cooperation Guidelines emphasize effectiveness of development aid and congruence between Finnish development policy objectives and those of the international community.

The President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy welcomed Sweden’s announcement today to continue its participation in crisis management in Afghanistan. Finland and Sweden have worked in effective cooperation in planning the countries’ participation.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen visited Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, India on 27–28 October. Minister Väyrynen was the first Finnish government minister to visit this capital city, which in recent years has grown into one of India’s major technology centres. The Minister sees great growth opportunities for Finnish companies in the region.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will attend the Northern Dimension Ministerial Meeting being held in Oslo on 2 November. Minister Stubb will represent the European Union, at the request of High Representative Catherine Ashton. In addition to the European Union, Russia, Iceland and Norway will also be represented at the meeting.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has appointed journalist Marjo Näkki press officer to the Finnish Embassy in Tallinn. She will begin in her new position on 1 November.

On Wednesday, 27 October, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the placing of two Finnish military detachments in a high state of readiness as part of the EU’s battle groups’ standby period between 1 January and 30 June 2011. A government report on the matter will be submitted to Parliament