President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö hosted a debate on foreign and security policy at Kultaranta on 16–17 June 2013. The Kultaranta talks featured a wide-ranging discussion on the current and future state of Finland’s foreign and security policy.
President Niinistö opened the event on the evening of Sunday, 16 June. The opening debate of the second day focused on Finland’s place on the changing world stage. Introductory speakers included Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja, Member of Parliament Juha Sipilä, Director of the Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA Matti Apunen, Professor Hiski Haukkala from the University of Tampere, and President of The Left Youth of Finland Li Andersson.
After the opening debate the participants were divided into small working groups that spent the morning discussing the state of Finland’s foreign policy from various perspectives, including values and interests, resources and emphasis, and the future of the EU. The working groups continued the debate in the afternoon, focusing on cooperation possibilities with Nordic states, the EU and NATO. The leaders of the working groups summarised the discussions during the closing debate.
The participants invited to the event included around one hundred foreign and security policy experts from various areas of society, including political decision-makers, researchers and representatives of administrations, business life, organisations and the media. The event was organised by the Office of the President of the Republic of Finland in cooperation with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.
The opening address of the President on Sunday, 16 June as well as the opening and closing debates on Monday, 17 June, are available on YLE Areena.
The opening address available here: http://areena.yle.fi/tv/1950585
The opening debate available here: http://areena.yle.fi/tv/1950975
The closing debate available here: http://areena.yle.fi/tv/1951303
Further information:
http://www.president.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=47193&contentlan=2&culture=en-US