Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affair Timo Soini hurried up decision about defence cooperation at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on 15 May. Mr Soini says he did this because taking care of security also requires structures. According to Mr Soini, Finland has made it very clear that it wants to advance in defence cooperation.
Media: Demokraatti.fi
Date: 15.5.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affair Timo Soini
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini says he is glad that the foreign ministers of the Arctic Council member states reached an agreement on a declaration that acknowledges the existence of the effects of climate change. In his opening speech, Mr Soini emphasised the importance of work against climate change and of the Paris climate agreement. The chairmanship of the council transferred from the United States to Finland at the meeting. Finland has emphasised that, during its chairmanship, the work of the council will focus on fighting climate change, while the United States’ stance on climate change remains unclear.
Summary:
President Sauli Niinistö estimates that the relations between superpowers Russia and the United States are not as icy as believed. He does not expect any major changes in the relations in the near future because the objectives of the Minsk agreement have not been met. Mr Niinistö discussed relations with Russia on Thursday when he met President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and noted that it would be good to start a certain kind of chain of détente. The presidents also discussed the future of the EU, and Mr Niinistö estimated that the biggest threat has been avoided with the win of Emmanuel Macron in the French presidential election.
La semaine qui vient de s’écouler a été riche en évènements à la suite de l’élection présidentielle française.
Nancy a ouvert le 9 mai « le Mai de l’Europe » qui célèbrera, durant tout le mois de mai, l’Europe, à travers des manifestations diverses, conférences et expositions soulignant l’importance de cette construction sans pour autant tomber dans un idéalisme forcené.
Ce Mai de l’Europe sera une belle occasion de découvrir ou de redécouvrir pour d’autres les étapes de la construction européenne, ses enjeux pour l’avenir et aussi et surtout les différentes cultures qui la composent.
Summary:
The National Audit Office of Finland (VTV) demands Finland to improve the transparency of the use of funds in multilateral development co-operation. According to VTV, development co-operation is also too fragmented which makes it more difficult to coordinate actions and hinders information flow and reporting. VTV gives the Ministry for Foreign Affairs positive feedback for the ministry’s systematic efforts to develop the effectiveness of development co-operation and for active participation in international organisations financed by Finland.
Media: Aamulehti
Date: 9.5.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: –
Summary:
Demokraatti reports that Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen participates in the EU trade ministers’ meeting on Thursday in Brussels. Mr Mykkänen says that economic globalisation has been a hot topic after the election of Donald Trump. The French election result indicates that there is support for open free trade in Europe, he continues. The result does not solve everything, however, and we must be better able to respond to the challenges posed by globalisation, Mr Mykkänen notes.
Media: Demokraatti.fi
Date: 10.5.2017
Journalist: –
Main source: Kai Mykkänen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development
Summary:
The chairmanship of the Arctic Council will transfer from the United States to Finland during the summit beginning in Fairbanks, Alaska, on 10 May. The American hosts have had a difficult time before the summit as the United States does not currently have an official view on climate change. The situation has been difficult for the Finns as the other seven members of the council want to hold on to their climate views, and there have been attempts to solve the problem by finding wordings that even the Americans could accept. Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini believes a good result will be reached and expresses his satisfaction with the fact that all member states have accepted Finland’s agenda which focuses on environmental protection, education, meteorological co-operation and developing communications networks for Northern regions. Mr Soini is pleased that the chairmanship of the Arctic Council offers Finland a link to the new US administration.
Summary:
President Sauli Niinistö says it may be difficult to keep the fight against climate change on the agenda of the Arctic Council as both US and Russian leaders have expressed doubts about the man-made nature of the problem. Finland is about to begin its term as chair of the council. Mr Niinistö believes common ground could be found if the issue was approached from the angle of black coal which is accelerating glacier melt. Rejecting emission sources for black coal, such as outdated energy plants and flaring, would not interfere with the interests of council members seeking economic profit in the area, Mr Niinistö notes.
