President Halonen visiting South America

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Doctor Pentti Arajärvi visited South America at the turn of October and November 2003. On Wednesday 5 November during her state visit to Chile, President Halonen met her Chilean counterpart Ricardo Lagos (picture). The presidents discussed topical international matters, such as the situation in Iraq, the role of the UN and world trade.

President Ricardo Lagos and President Halonen. Photo: Lehtikuva/Reuters.

A Finnish-Chilean economic forum, which both presidents attended, was arranged in Santiago. In addition, President Halonen met the main Chilean political leaders and acquainted herself with viticulture, nongovernmental organisations and cultural attractions.

On Friday 7 November presidents Halonen and Lagos participated together with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a high-level round table discussion on the theme "The global context and renewal of the UN", arranged by the CEPAL Research Institute in Santiago de Chile.

President Lula da Silva and President Halonen. Photo: Lehtikuva/Reuters.

President Halonen and her party arrived in Chile on 4 November from Brazil, where she made a state visit at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Official discussions between the two presidents took place in the capital Brasilia on Friday 31 October.

After that, President Halonen and her party went to Manaus, where she saw the Amazonian environment and visited development cooperation projects in the region and Finnish companies operating there.

President Halonen visited local school in Butanta, close to São Paulo. Photo: Lehtikuva/Reuters.

The final destination in Brazil was São Paulo, where President Halonen took part in a Finnish-Brazilian economic forum arranged by local business organisations and met regional political leaders.

Foreign Trade Minister Paula Lehtomäki and a delegation of Finnish business leaders accompanied the President.

The President and her party returned to Finland on 8 November.

Speeches by President of the Republic during the visit