Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini congratulated the Nobel Peace Prize winner ICAN (Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), but said that Finland would not sign the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. One of the reasons for this is that the current nuclear weapon states will not ratify the treaty. « It is problematic that these states are not part of the agreement. Without their participation, it is difficult to proceed, » Minister Soini said. Finland has therefore decided to emphasise the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which aims to stop the spreading of nuclear weapons.

Media:  Helsingin Sanomat
Date: 6.10.2017
Journalist: Elina Kervinen
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini

Summary:
Ilta-Sanomat writes that the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini and his Swedish counterpart Margot Wallström are visiting Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo on 9–11 October. They have met the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic. Mr Soini wants to encourage Serbia towards a possible EU membership. « If the criteria are fulfilled, you are welcome to the European Union, » said Soini. Serbia’s possible EU membership would be a complicated issue for Russia. Ministers Soini and Wallström also offered Macedonia the hope of EU ascension.

Media: Ilta-Sanomat
Date: 11.10.2017
Journalist: Hanna Vesala
Main source: Timo Soini, Margot Wallström

Summary:
President Sauli Niinistö said in a comment to Ilta-Sanomat that the situation in Catalonia seems severe and it calls for negotiations between Spain and Catalonia. He finds that this could be a beginning to a very difficult situation, and adds that the harmful development should be ended here. Also Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini said in a comment to STT that such issues cannot be solved with violence.

Media:  Turun Sanomat
Date: 1.10.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: President Sauli Niinistö

Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini says that the violence in Catalonia will inevitably be discussed in the European Union. « This should not happen in a democracy, » Minister Soini adds. He finds that the most important thing now is to start negotiations between the Spanish government and Catalonia, and if necessary the EU should contribute to the process. Minister Soini says that the situation of Catalonia cannot be ignored.

Media:  Helsingin Sanomat
Date: 2.10.2017
Journalist: Annamari Sipilä
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini

Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini commented on the UN General Assembly at a press conference and stated that there is plenty of work to do in peace mediation in which Finland has a good reputation and strong demand. Mr. Soini says Finland can profile in mediation because it has traditionally emphasised e.g. peacekeeping and girls’ education. The minister also commented on US President Donald Trump’s speech an views on North Korea and hoped that reason would eventually win. He points out that the issue goes beyond the United States and North Korea because of the security threat to Japan and nuclear weapons in general.

Summary:
In his speech at the UN general assembly on Wednesday, President Sauli Niinistö adopted a different stance from US President Donald Trump on three major issues: the North Korean nuclear threat, the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal. Mr Niinistö emphasised that, with North Korea, a solution can only be sought through negotiations in which the North Korean regime will have to participate without terms and noted that, as a EU member state, Finland supports sanctions against North Korea and urges others to do the same. Mr Niinistö also supported the Iran nuclear deal as well as the recent negotiations between the US and Russia which he hopes will restart arms control negotiations both in Europe and globally. The President emphasised the need for a rapid implementation of the Paris climate agreement.

Summary:
President Sauli Niinistö supports the idea of modernising the UN with people’s needs as the starting point. He is, however, aware that it takes more than words to modernise the organisation. Mr Niinistö spoke to reporters in New York and commented also on the international climate agreement and US President Donald Trump’s stance. He mentioned that in his own discussion with Mr Trump he avoided using the word climate change and instead discussed the Arctic and fighting black coal emission which fall under the category of fighting climate change.

Media:  Aamulehti
Date: 18.9.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: President Sauli Niinistö

Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini says the UN security council needs to begin dialogue with North Korea in one way or another. He hopes China and Russia will use their influence and points out that also the North Korean leader must be able to show to his people that he is negotiating because he is taken seriously as a negotiation partner, not because he is weak. Mr Soini participated in the ministerial conference of the Community of Democracies hosted by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington. In his speech he discussed radicalisation and stated that societies need to show resiliency and not give in to terror.