Prime Minister Sipilä met with Lebanese leadership

On 18 August, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä together with Prime Minister of Estonia, Taavi Rõivas, met in Beirut with Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salim. The Prime Ministers also had a meeting with Speaker of Parliament Nahib Berri.

The discussions focused on bilateral relations between the countries, the humanitarian and refugee situation in the area, the Syrian conflict and the wider regional situation in the Middle East. 

"Finland's longstanding participation in the UNIFIL peacekeeping operation has provided a solid foundation for the good relations between our countries," said Prime Minister Juha Sipilä. 

He said the prolonged Syrian conflict has had many heavy repercussions for the wider situation in the region. One of them is the major humanitarian crisis it has caused. "The impact of the crisis is very concrete also in Lebanon where the number of refugees who have fled Syria has reached over a million. Finland has supported Lebanon in this difficult situation by means of both humanitarian aid and development cooperation."

"The situation in the Middle East continues to raise concerns in many ways. Fortunately, there is also good news – the agreement reached in the Iran nuclear programme talks in July serves to reinforce our confidence in the possibility of finding a solution even in difficult matters. Increasing stability in the Middle East would be important also in terms of many other international questions, such as tackling the root causes of displacement and working against radicalisation," Prime Minister Sipilä said. 

The Prime Ministers of Finland and Estonia are on a two-day visit to Lebanon. On Monday they paid a visit to UNIFIL peacekeeping operation in South Lebanon. Prime Minister Sipilä will return to Finland on Tuesday evening.

Photos of the visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnishgovernment/sets/72157657379405951

Prime Minister Sipilä paid a visit to UNIFIL peacekeeping operation in South Lebanon (17.8.) http://valtioneuvosto.fi/artikkeli/-/asset_publisher/paaministeri-sipila-tutustui-unifil-rauhanturvaoperaatioon-etela-libanonissa?_101_INSTANCE_3wyslLo1Z0ni_groupId=10616&_101_INSTANCE_3wyslLo1Z0ni_languageId=fi_FI

Inquiries: Anna-Kaisa Heikkinen, Special Adviser (International Affairs), Prime Minister's Office, tel. +358 40 748 3867, Arto Räty, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8101 and Päivi Paasikoski, Head of Communications, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 40 547 6279