SECRETARY-GENERAL COMPLETES THREE-DAY VISIT TO FINLAND

Press Release
SG/T/2107

SECRETARY-GENERAL COMPLETES THREE-DAY VISIT TO FINLAND

HELSINKI, 14 August -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mrs. Annan arrived in Helsinki, from Stockholm, Sweden, late on Thursday, 12 August, and attended a private dinner hosted by the President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari.

Next morning, the Secretary-General had a series of formal meetings. With President Ahtisaari he discussed reform issues, development and humanitarian issues, and the role of the proposed post of Deputy Secretary- General of the United Nations. This was followed by a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tarja Halonen, where the topics discussed included United Nations reform, gender balance at the United Nations and United Nations peace-keeping activities.

The Secretary-General and Mrs. Annan attended a luncheon hosted by Ms. Halonen, and later in the day the Secretary-General met with the Defence Minister, Anneli Taina, for a discussion of security issues, the United Nations rapidly deployable mission headquarters and the question of land- mines. He then met with Finland's Chief of Defence Forces, General Gustav Hagglund, with whom he had further talks on United Nations peace-keeping issues.

In the early evening he met with Elisabeth Rehn, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the former Yugoslavia, to review the United Nations missions in the former Yugoslavia and the efforts being made there. Ms. Rehn expressed her concern for the overall situation in that region. The Secretary-General ended the day with a speech to the Paasikivi Society on human rights (see Press Release SG/SM/6301 of 13 August).

The Secretary-General began his day today by meeting with the Prime Minister of Finland, Paavo Lipponen. They discussed several topics including payments to the United Nations, Security Council reform and the scale of assessments to the regular and peace-keeping budgets. He then met with the Minister of Cooperation and Development/Minister of Environment, Pekka Haavisto. Among the topics they discussed were the role of the Economic and Social Council in the environment, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the reorganization of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs and the role of the United Nations in coordinating humanitarian assistance, private sector financing and cooperation with the World Bank.

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Mr. Annan visited the World Institute for Development and Economics Reform and then went to the House of Parliament where he met the Speaker, Riitta Uosoukainen, and the Chairman and Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee. With the Members of Parliament he discussed rapid deployment, United Nations reform, preventive action and future United Nations relations with parliamentarians.

After attending a luncheon hosted by Ms. Uosoukainen, the Secretary- General gave a press conference, after which he and Mrs. Annan departed Helsinki on their way to a two-week vacation. His next public activity will be in connection with the Venice Film Festival where he will attend several of the events.

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