President Halonen visits Qatar

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 20 April 2007

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Dr Pentti Arajärvi are making an official visit to Qatar on 20-24 April 2007. President Halonen’s party will also include Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen and a business delegation.

On Sunday, 22 April, President Halonen will meet the Emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Subjects up for discussion will include bilateral affairs and the developments in the region. Later that day, President Halonen will give a speech at the seminar on Finnish-Qatar economic relations. On Monday, President Halonen will attend the 7th Doha Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade, where she will be the key note speaker. The Forum is also attended by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon.

During the visit, President Halonen will also meet Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Than and visit the Education City.

President Halonen will return to Finland on Tuesday, 24 April.