Foreign Ministry's press releases

According to the recent data of the official sources of Myanmar, the number of people killed by or missing as a result of the Cyclone Nargis that ravaged Myanmar on the weekend of 3-4 May is already counted in tens of thousands. There are 24 million people living in the disaster area in Myanmar, many of whom are in need of assistance, says Lars Backström, Finland’s Ambassador to Thailand.

The 30 donor countries of the Asian Development Fund (ASDF), a part of the Asian Development Bank Group, agreed in Madrid on Friday, 2 May on replenishment of the ASDF.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, said today he was seriously concerned over the recent developments in Georgia, and reiterated the Organization’s full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will go to Oslo for his first visit on Monday, 5 May. During the trip he will meet with Norwegian Foreign Minister Johan Gahr Støre to discuss, among other issues, bilateral relations between Finland and Norway, Nordic security policy cooperation, affairs concerning Russia and the situation in the Middle East.

On Friday, 25 April, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy was given information on the development of international sea and air situation data cooperation which relates to Finland’s territorial surveillance.

The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet on 28 and 29 April in Luxembourg. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors will attend the Council meeting.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will make his first visit to Estonia on 23 April. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet will host the visit.

The emphasis of aftercare following the coach crash in Spain 19 April has now shifted to the provision of crisis assistance for the injured tourists. On the basis of information received by the Foreign Ministry, the intention is that many of the injured tourists and their family members will return to Finland in the late evening of 21 April. The Foreign Ministry’s crisis response centre telephone line, on +358 9 1605 5555, continues to provide service.

On behalf of the Finnish Government, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen extended his most sincere condolences to the families of victims of the bus crash in Spain and to all those touched by this sad accident.

A coach full of Finnish passengers collided with another vehicle in Spain on Saturday 19 April. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has opened its crisis response centre, which can be reached by phone on 09 1605 5555. Family members can also call Aurinkomatkat, tel. 010 446 7101 or Tuomo Meretniemi tel. 050 390 3050.