Aleksi Härkönen appointed Adviser to the President of the Republic

Office of the President of the Republic Press release 20 January 2009

Photo: Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Ambassador Aleksi Härkönen, M.Pol.Sc., has been appointed Diplomatic Adviser and Member of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic as of 1 March 2009.

Mr Härkönen will move to the Office of the President of the Republic from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he has most recently served as Head of the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship Task Force. In 2002-2007, he was Finland's Permanent Representative to the OSCE in Vienna.

Mr Härkönen has worked for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 1980, among other things as Special Assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and in different positions in the Political Department. Other postings have included the Finnish embassies in Washington, Bonn and Caracas.

Mr Härkönen will replace Ms Päivi Kairamo-Hella, who will take over as Secretary General at the Office of the President of the Republic on 1 March 2009.