Arab youth centre could be established in Eastern Finland
Local council rejected land purchase offer as too low
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A representative of the State of Qatar is making efforts to establish an Arab youth centre in the eastern municipality of Rantasalmi, 44 kilometres from Savonlinna. The centre would provide activities for young people from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi-Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait.
The plans of the Qatari Khalid Y. Al Mulla met with resistance on Monday, when the Municipal Council of Rantasalmi rejected his purchase offer of EUR 60,000 for a 5-hectare piece of land as too low.
Initially, the Municipal Board had proposed that the site should be sold to Al Mulla, who is responsible for the activities of the Qatar Youth Organisation. The construction work was supposed to begin during the current year, and the funding was to come from Qatar.
Nevertheless, the Municipal Council rejected the offer unanimously, and the chairman of the council, Esa Lappalainen (Centre), reported that the value of the area simply exceeds the offered price many times over. There are apparently no objections whatsoever to the plans for the site.
According to Municipal Manager Esko Hinkkanen, Rantasalmi has been willing to increase cooperation with Arab countries.
"Previously we have had groups of young students from Egypt, and a camp for Qatari and Omani youth was arranged in Varkaus and Rantasalmi last summer", Hinkkanen reported.
The area concerned is Rykiniemi, and it has been for sale for a considerable time. According to the land use plan, the area has been zoned for tourism related use.
Preparations for youth cooperation between the municipality of Rantasalmi and the State of Qatar Youth Organisation began in 2005.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 22.5.2007 - TODAY |
 Arab youth centre could be established in Eastern Finland |
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