Five presidents met in Finland

The presidents of five EU countries met in Helsinki on 22-23 April 2005. President of the Republic Tarja Halonen had invited for an informal meeting President Horst Köhler of Germany, President Heinz Fischer of Austria, President Jorge Sampaio of Portugal and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia.

Presidents of Germany, Latvia, Finland, Austria and Portugal in a family photo.

The presidents held unofficial talks on globalization, competitive and social Europe, and the EU's neighbourhood policy. The occasion was a follow up for a meeting that was arranged by President Sampaio in Portugal in autumn 2003.

Before the informal meeting President Köhler of Germany made an official visit to Finland together with his wife. President Halonen received President Köhler in the Presidential Palace on Friday 22 April. President Köhler also met Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Speaker of the Parliament Paavo Lipponen, and laid a wreath at the war memorial in Hietaniemi Cemetery.