Ahtisaari, recently appointed to head tsunami board of inquiry, takes two-week holiday

Martti Ahtisaari

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Former President Martti Ahtisaari, who was recently appointed chairman of the board of inquiry set up to look into the Finnish response to the tsunami disaster in Asia, has begun a two-week holiday.
      Finnish government ministers were aware of Ahtisaari’s trip when they appointed him to head the body.
      The board was officially appointed on Thursday. The seven-member board had begun its work already before that, and had held its first press conference on Tuesday.
      Ahtisaari plans to return from his holiday trip at the end of January.
     
Kirsti Rissanen, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Justice, says that Ahtisaari’s trip does not in any way hamper the launch of the group’s work.
      The members of the board represent expertise in various fields, and are currently compiling information as a basis for their work.
      The investigators are to examine the origins of the disaster, and the damage caused to different areas, especially in places where there were any Finns. The board hopes to determine where Finns were located when the waves hit. The aim is to ascertain more precise figures on the number people who were killed, injured, and missing.
      The board will also evaluate the actions of Finnish officials in the aftermath.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Ahtisaari group not looking to place blame on anybody (12.1.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat