Presidents of six countries to meet in Finland

Office of the president of the republic of Finland Press release 4 April 2005

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen has invited the presidents of five other EU countries to Finland for an unofficial meeting on 22-24 April 2005.

The meeting will be attended by President Horst Köhler of Germany, President Heinz Fischer of Austria, President Jorge Sampaio of Portugal, President Alexander Kwasniewski of Poland and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia. The occasion will follow up a meeting that was arranged by President Sampaio in Portugal in autumn 2003.

The six presidents will hold unofficial talks on globalization, competitive and social Europe, and the EU's neighbourhood policy. President Halonen will host a dinner at the Presidential Palace. An interesting programme of leisure activities will also be arranged for the visiting presidents and their spouses.