President Halonen visited Luxembourg

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Dr Pentti Arajärvi made a state visit to Luxembourg on 24-26 November 2008. The official welcoming ceremonies were held on Monday 24, November 2008 in front of the Palais Grand-Ducal. After the ceremonies, President Halonen laid a wreath at the Monument National de la Solidarité. Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa guided President Halonen and Doctor Arajärvi on a walking tour at the Old Town. During the tour, the guests visited also the Finnish Christmas market at the Place Guillaume. Later that evening, President Halonen spoke at the Gala Dinner hosted by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. On Monday, President Halonen met with Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn and President of the Chamber of Deputies Lucien Weiler. Discussions with PM Juncker and President Halonen focused the current financial crisis. President Halonen underlined that the situation is not yet over, and for the EU, the relations with Asian partners and the USA are of key importance.

Grand Duke Henri and President Halonen during the official welcoming seremonies. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Halonen also thanked PM Juncker for his important role as the President of the Eurogroup. Talks with Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn covered the situation in Russia and Georgia as well as the EU’s Lisbon Treaty.

On Tuesday, 25 November, President Halonen spoke at the Business Seminar “Energy, Environment and Innovations - New Opportunities for Business” at the Chamber of Commerce. The seminar was attended by a Finnish business delegation. “Good education and training, knowledge and know-how are the foundation on which our country’s competitiveness rests”, she said. “I firmly believe in the so-called Nordic welfare state model. It combines the dynamism of the market economy with strong sense of responsibility and social justice.”

President Halonen emphasized that the Finnish innovation system is based on a close cooperation between various actors – both public and private. “We have to be far-sighted and to invest in a sustained manner in education, science and technological development”, the President said. Competitiveness and environmentally sound performance are closely interlinked. Finland has been near the top of the lists of the most competitive economies in the world and has also done well in international comparisons on environmental performance.

Europe without borders

On Tuesday afternoon, President Halonen and Doctor Arajärvi visited the Schengen Castle, where a round table discussion on Europe without borders was held. Finnish and Luxembourgian experts attended the discussion, including Minister of Justice Tuija Brax and Judge at the EC Court of Justice Allan Rosas.

After the luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, the President and PM held a joint press conference. Both agreed that the relations between Luxembourg and Finland are excellent. Prime Minister Juncker told that he first met with President Halonen at the ASEM meeting in 1996. “Since then I have observed President Halonen at work and admire greatly her way of working and arguing various issues”, PM Juncker said.

On the evening of the second day of the state visit, the President of the Republic and the delegation visited the Museé National des Mines together with the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess. President Halonen also opened the Finnish Glass Exhibition “Finns at Venini” at MUDAM. The exhibition displays works by designers Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva.

Doctor Arajärvi (left), Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, President Halonen and Grand Duke Henri on a walking tour at the Old Town of Luxemburg.

Speech at the Business Seminar

Speech at the Gala Dinner