Russian president to visit Finland

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 17 November 2006

President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will visit Finland on 23-24 November 2006. The programme will begin on Thursday, 23 November with a working visit that will include discussions with President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and a working dinner at the Presidential Palace.

President Putin will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Economics and Trade German Gref and Minister of Transport Igor Levitin as well as the directors of the Russian Border Guard Service, Customs and Railway Company and the governors of St. Petersburg and of the Leningrad and Pskov regions.

A key subject in the bilateral discussions between Finland and Russia will be border and transport issues. Attention will also be focused on other bilateral questions as well as timely regional and international matters.

On Friday, 24 November President Putin will attend the EU-Russia Summit in Helsinki, where topics will include cooperation in energy and environmental matters, the education and cultural sectors, and justice and home affairs.