Foreign Ministry's press releases

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu of Turkey today, 24 September 2010, hosted an informal Ministerial meeting on peace mediation in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. The peace initiative aims to strengthen the UN-led peace mediation efforts in the world’s conflicts.

Minister Elisabeth Rehn will represent Finland at the “Commitments to Action” event aiming to promote implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution (SCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security during the opening week of the 65th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. Minister Rehn will deliver a speech at the event.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb today invited hip-hop artist Signmark (Marko Vuoriheimo) to serve as his special representative for promoting the rights of people with disability.

Alexander Stubb, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, have convened a seminar focusing on peace mediation. The seminar will take place in New York on 24 September.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen said that he was deeply disappointed at the fact that, with the exception of the environment, the principles of sustainable development have been forgotten in the preparations for the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit. “Environmental development has been understood too narrowly, and economic and social sustainability are missing altogether. We have therefore been inefficient in reducing poverty.”

Finland is organizing a seminar on the rights of people with disability for invited participants, to be held during the opening week of the UN General Assembly in New York. This series of events, the joint brainchild of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and hip-hop artist Signmark (Marko Vuoriheimo), strives to promote tolerance as well as respect for equality and difference.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb will travel to New York for the opening week of the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly on 21–24 September. Minister Stubb will act as the Vice Chair of the Finnish delegation to the General Assembly, which is led by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will attend the UN Millennium Development Goals summit in New York on 21 September. On Wednesday, 22 September, Minister Väyrynen will visit London, where he will meet with Thomas Mirow, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

At the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 16 September, the EU Member States reached consensus on a free trade agreement to be concluded between the EU and South Korea. The agreement could be signed by the Member States. According to Minister Väyrynen, the free trade agreement is an important milestone for European trade policy, since it is the most comprehensive free trade agreement negotiated by the EU to date.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will visit Finland on Friday, 17 September at the invitation of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb. The visitor’s agenda includes meetings with Foreign Minister Stubb and Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi. Foreign Minister Cannon will also go to the Pohjolan Voima bioenergy plant in Kerava, to learn about the plant’s operations.