Prime Minister Putin to President Halonen: Russia to organise Baltic Sea conference next year

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press release 10 February 2011

Russia intends to organise a Baltic Sea conference next year, said President of the Republic Tarja Halonen on Thursday, 10 February 2011 at the event organised on the first anniversary of the Baltic Sea Summit held in Helsinki. Having learned of Russia’s intentions yesterday during a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, President Halonen immediately forwarded the news at the summit’s follow-up meeting.

Prime Minister Putin was one of the participants at the Baltic Sea Action Summit organised in Helsinki one year ago. The successful summit will therefore have a sequel in 2012 under Russian leadership.

The anniversary is being celebrated in Helsinki today at a follow-up meeting where the participants of the summit present the progress they have made on their commitments for improving the state of the Baltic Sea.

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen was one of the initiators of the summit together with the then Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Ilkka Herlin, Chairman of the Board of the Baltic Sea Action Group.