Finland Times

Thursday, 28 March, 2024
Home NATIONALFinland wary about security talks in Russia
Print
« Previous News
Thu, 18 Aug, 2016 12:06:12 AM
FTimes – STT Report, Aug 18
 
Foreign Minister Timo Soini (L) and his Swedish counterpart, Margot Wallström's at a joint press conference in Stockholm, Sweden on Wednesday. Photo – Lehtikuva.
Foreign Minister Timo Soini on Wednesday said there is no prospect of bilateral talks between Finland and Russia during the upcoming security conference in Russia.
 
Soini made the remarks during a meeting with his Swedish counterpart Margot Wallström in Stockholm.
 
Russia announced at the beginning of this month that it would be inviting NATO countries as well as Finland and Sweden to discuss European military-political situation and improvement of flight situation in the Baltic Sea region.
 
According to Soini, such kind of discussion should take place within a wider composition with other countries.
 
“Such kind of [handling of] bilateral issues within an international system is not possibly the best, rather they should be handled together,” Soini told a joint press conference after the meeting.
 
It is natural to handle matters of common foreign and security policy together with fellow European Union member states, said Soini.
 
So far Finland has not yet received a written invitation from Russia to the security conference, said the foreign minister.
 
“Finland has not yet received a written invitation, but the idea has become clear to us,” Soini told journalists in Stockholm.
 
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström revealed that Russia had sent Sweden a written invitation to the security conference through Ministry of Defence State Secretary Jan Salestrand. 
 
The letter is now being considered, said the Swedish foreign minister.
 
According to Soini, it is “not surprising” that Sweden has received a letter and Finland has not.
 
“Same information has come to us, but it was via another channel,” said Soini.
 
Soini wants to have discussion with other countries before Finland reacts to Russia’s invitation.
 
 
« Previous News
comments powered by Disqus
More News

 
   
Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved
Developed By -