Minister for Foreign Affairs Soini: Finland gives strong support for the Arctic Council's work

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini acknowledged U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for organising the Arctic climate conference in Alaska on Monday 31 August. Foreign Minister Soini chaired the session dealing with Arctic cooperation.

"This is a timely initiative. It highlights the role of the Arctic states in the run-up to the climate conference in Paris in December," Minister Soini noted to his colleagues. "The Arctic Council has accomplished much in the past two decades. It has provided a sound basis for political decision-making. It has also successfully negotiated two legally binding international agreements, the Arctic Search and Rescue Agreement and the Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution, Preparedness and Response in the Arctic."

"Finland takes an active part in regional cooperation in the field of emergency response. This cooperation is founded on rescue cooperation agreements between the Nordic and Barents countries.  Right now Finland is preparing for an international rescue exercise to be held in Kittilä in September. The exercise is based on a scenario where the resources of the Lapland Rescue Department are not sufficient to deal with the situation and assistance has to be requested from neighbouring countries," the Foreign Minister told.

Foreign Minister Soini told that Finland is also involved in a search and rescue exercise at sea in Alaska. "The Arctic Council's Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic gives a good opportunity for closer cooperation between the Arctic states. Finland will participate in the search and rescue exercise hosted by the United States here in Anchorage in October."

Items discussed during the meeting included, for example, black carbon emissions, which are a major contributor to the decline in snow and ice cover in the Arctic region. Foreign Minister Soini pointed out the importance of the recent Arctic Council Framework for Action on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions:  "This agreement will guide the activities of the Arctic states and hopefully also observer states in this area."

The Foreign Minister emphasised the importance of academic cooperation: "Arctic research is one of the success stories of Arctic cooperation.   It has helped us understand the rapid changes facing the Arctic region.  The Arctic Council is working towards a legally-binding agreement to enhance scientific cooperation even further. Arctic research is of great importance to Finland and we are willing to deepen international cooperation in this field."

In his speech, Minister for Foreign Affairs Soini reminded about the forthcoming jubilee year of the Arctic Council. "The Arctic Council's evolution as an international forum has been impressive. Its role has grown. It will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year. I am glad that the U.S. has chosen awareness of the Arctic and its role as one of the highlights of its Chairmanship theme.

Inquiries: Raili Lahnalampi, Chief of Cabinet, Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 50 550 7546, Aleksi Härkönen, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, tel. +358 50 462 4471