President Halonen in phone talks with President-elect Medvedev

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 3 March 2008

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen talked on the phone with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday, 3 March, after he won the presidential election in Russia.

President Halonen congratulated Mr Medvedev on his victory and noted that his election has great significance for the development of Russia and international relations. Both were confident that good cooperation between Finland and Russia and between their Presidents will continue in future.

President Halonen invited Mr Medvedev to visit Finland. The two Presidents will also meet next summer at the World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples in Khantia-Mansia, in which both will participate.

President Halonen and Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev have met three times in the past few years, most recently last September in Moscow. According to President Halonen, Mr Medvedev knows Finland and is well informed of the good relations between our countries and practical problems regarding cooperation.