Foreign Ministry's press releases

Elisabeth Rehn has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims within the International Criminal Court. The Board members were elected at the session of the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court on 18 November in the Hague.

The e-mail of Finland’s diplomatic missions has been disrupted on 16 November. The cause of the technical problem is currently being determined.

On Friday, 13 November, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed Finland's participation in the ISAF forces that supported the organisation of elections in Afghanistan.

The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet in Brussels on 16 and 17 November.

Minister Väyrynen emphasised the world-class quality of Finnish expertise in offshore and marine technology when he met on Wednesday, 11 November with José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo, President and CEO of Petrobrás, the world’s third largest oil company with its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The Minister invited Petrobrás leaders to visit Finland so they could become better acquainted with marine cluster businesses and hold more detailed talks on cooperation possibilities.

On Thursday, 12 November, the Court of Justice of the European Communities will give its preliminary ruling at the request of the Finnish Supreme Administrative Court on the case TeliaSonera Finland vs. the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority.

On 10 November, Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre signed a cooperation agreement on the replacement of Russia’s radioactive RTG lighthouses in the Gulf of Finland. The project will improve safety at sea in the area and will prevent groups, such as terrorists, from getting hold of radioactive materials.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will travel on 10-11 November to Spain, where he will meet with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Paavo Väyrynen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, will visit Brazil on 9–12 November. A delegation of 20 business representatives will accompany the Minister on the trip. The purpose of the export promotion trip is especially to present Finnish marine technology and offshore expertise, meteorological know-how and environment-friendly technology in Brazil.

On 5 November 2009, the Government granted consent for Nord Stream AG’s plan to construct an offshore natural gas pipeline system that would traverse the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream will act as the operator of the natural gas pipeline system, which involves two parallel pipelines.