Foreign Ministry's press releases

U.S. support to the OSCE to face challenges in Kosovo and with election observation and the region's protracted conflicts is vital to the Organization's continued effectiveness, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, said today on 13 February to the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva will visit Washington D.C. on February 10-13. He will meet with the US political leadership to discuss current international affairs, OSCE issues and bilateral relations between Finland and the United States.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will meet Jack Wilkinson, President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) in Helsinki on Friday, 8 February.

The OSCE’s work should continue for the benefit of all communities in Kosovo, irrespective of status developments, said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva in Pristina today. “I fully support the work of the OSCE Mission here in Kosovo, and I firmly believe the OSCE should remain active in Kosovo,” said Minister Kanerva.

Ukraine has become a member of the World Trade Organisation, WTO. The WTO General Council approved Ukraine’s membership on 5 February 2008. By the side of Russia, Ukraine has been among the most important WTO member candidates for Finland.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva met with Serbian President Boris Tadic on Tuesday, 5 February. He congratulated the President on Sunday’s democratic elections and underscored the OSCE’s readiness to continue to support Serbia’s reform processes.

Under the leadership of Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, a trans-Atlantic network was established on Monday, 4 February. Experts in relations between Finland and the United States, from different sectors of society, will be invited to attend meetings of the network.