Nordic foreign ministers meet in Porvoo

Press release 78/2016
25 April 2016

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will host a Nordic foreign ministers' meeting in Porvoo on 2–3 May 2016. The foreign ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland will discuss, among other things, migration, the security policy situation in Europe, and the relations between the United States and the Nordic countries.

In their discussions relating to the Nordic cooperation in migration issues, the ministers will address the root causes of migration and seek to identify opportunities for cooperation in returns. Other main themes of the meeting will be the security policy situation in Europe and in the Baltic Sea region as well as closer foreign and security policy cooperation between the Nordic countries. The ministers will also discuss Arctic cooperation and other topical matters, such as the EU referendum in the United Kingdom.

Additionally, the Nordic foreign ministers will discuss the relations between the United States and the Nordic countries. The purpose is to examine possibilities for deeper cooperation in foreign and security policy. These discussions will pave the way for a U.S.–Nordic Leaders Summit to be held in Washington DC on 13 May. President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will represent Finland at the Summit.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Soini will also hold bilateral discussions with the Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström. They will discuss foreign and security policy cooperation between Finland and Sweden.

Inquiries: Raili Lahnalampi, Chief of Cabinet, Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 50 550 7546 and Katja Luopajärvi, Counsellor, tel. +358 50 43 66 506.