Foreign Ministry's press releases

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen participated in the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on 3 July, late in the evening Finnish time. In his address, the minister presented the National Voluntary Report on Finland’s development policy which had been compiled for the meeting. Minister Väyrynen’s statement focused particularly on the importance of sustainable development in poverty reduction.

HELSINKI, 4 July 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, expressed profound concern today over a recent series of incidents resulting in loss of life and serious injuries in the Georgian conflict areas.

“Finland is intensifying contacts and cooperation on development policy issues with the United States. An additional goal is to increase cooperation on practical projects among the two countries as well,” Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen stated in Washington after having met with leaders of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Central Asia plays a key role in the OSCE, both as a region facing several challenges and as an active participant and supporter of the Organization’s plans to intensify engagement with Afghanistan, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said today. “Building stability, prosperity and democracy in this region is vitally important for the whole OSCE area,” Stubb told the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Annual Session, held in Astana.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen and Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Russia Elvira Nabiullina will meet in Moscow on 9 July.

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian will visit Finland on 1-3 July.

Kyrgyzstan is a key participant in the OSCE and an important factor for regional stability, said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, today in Bishkek. “I appreciate the increased co-operation and dialogue Kyrgyzstan is showing in all aspects of security, and I hope we can further intensify this work for the benefit of regional and OSCE-wide security,” Stubb said.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Väyrynen attended the Opening Session of the UN Economic and Social Council in New York on Monday, 30 June. Minister Väyrynen also moderated a panel on South–South and triangular development cooperation. He stressed how important it is for Southern and Northern countries to discuss development issues. The minister also encouraged the panel participants to consider whether Southern and Northern countries should work to converge their assistance profiles.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has requested that the other ministries give their comments on the possible use of State funds for repayment to industry of Russian wood tariffs and the transit fee on transports to Russia possibly associated with this. The other ministries should give their comments at the latest by Tuesday, 1 July.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will visit Washington and New York from 30 June to 3 July. In Washington Väyrynen will meet with American political leaders and high-level civil servants, the President of the World Bank and Finns working at the World Bank. The minister will also meet with think tank representatives and will have talks about the US presidential election situation.