Antti Turunen appointed Representative of the UN Secretary General for Georgia

Together with the EU and the OSCE, the Representative of the Secretary General chairs the Geneva international discussions on the conflicts in Georgia. The Representative maintains regular contacts with the parties to the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict and key stakeholders, such as the United States, Russia, Germany, France and the UK.

“This is a prestigious appointment for Finland, as this is one of the highest UN posts currently held by a Finn. Ambassador Turunen is an accomplished diplomat whose skills were necessary in dealing with the Georgian crisis during our OSCE Chairmanship. I am highly satisfied that he is now needed as the UN Representative,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb said on learning of Turunen’s appointment.

The office of the Representative will be located in Geneva, but his duties involve regular visits to the region. Turunen succeeds Johan Verbeke of Belgium.

The UN continues to have a strong position in the South Caucasus even though UNOMIG, the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia, was disbanded in summer 2009. The UN had to discontinue the mission subsequent to the war that took place in Georgia in August 2008. The UN has a central role in resolving the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.

Prior to this appointment, Turunen worked as Head of the Permanent Mission of Finland to the OSCE in Vienna since 2007. During the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2008, Turunen chaired the Permanent Council of the OSCE and was involved, among others, in the settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. In 2004–2007 Turunen worked as Head of the Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He has also served in important Finnish foreign missions, including Washington and Moscow, and as Advisor to EU High Representative Javier Solana. Turunen has worked in the Finnish foreign service since 1985.

Counsellor Päivi Peltokoski, Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, tel. +358 9 1605 6019, Counsellor Anne Saloranta, Unit for UN and General Global Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5593