President of the Republic and Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed situation in Ukraine and report on Security in Society 2013

Government Communications Department
Press release 91/2014
11.3.2014

On Tuesday 11 March, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the Security Committee’s report on Security in Society 2013. The Committee’s assessment focuses on the realisation of the strategic tasks assigned to administrative branches under the Security Strategy for Society (2010). According to the report, positive results have been achieved in preparedness. The government preparedness exercise VALHA13 served to develop preparedness and readiness comprehensively, and especially with regard to cyber security. The guidelines of the Cyber Security Strategy were turned into an action plan which will enable building up the reliability of our cyber domain. The Finnish model for preparedness functions well. In 2013, preparedness was developed in all administrative branches to enhance security in society.

The Cabinet Committee discussed the situation in Ukraine and the international efforts to prevent it escalating further and measures to promote a peaceful resolution of the crisis. Finland follows the EU’s common positions on the matter, the latest of which was issued on 6 March following a meeting of the EU Heads of State or Government. Finland’s position, as formulated at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on 2 March 2014, is also still relevant.

Inquiries: Vesa Virtanen, General Secretary, Security Committee, tel. +358 295 16001: Kirsti Kauppi, Director-General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 561