Halonen pleased with yield of Medvedev visit

Finnish President prompted guest to take up security initiative

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When the plane carrying President Dmitri Medvedev had taken off for Moscow on Tuesday, Finnish journalists met a very happy President Tarja Halonen.
      “Satisfaction is hard to hide. The visit went very well through the end”, Halonen said at a press conference that at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport followed the Russian President’s departure.
     
President Halonen felt that it was significant that Medvedev had taken up two international initiatives during his visit.
      Medvedev spoke about his vision for a new European security pact at Halonen’s request.
     
When the initiative was first put forward by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a meeting of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe in Helsinki in December last year, it got a fairly cool reception.
      At the time, President Halonen felt that it would be a good idea to learn more about Medvedev’s own thoughts.
      “Taking it up here was good from our point of view. Now we are getting a slightly more concrete foundation for discussions”, Halonen said.
     
Medvedev said on Monday in his speech at the University of Helsinki that the new agreement would be a foundation for Euro-Atlantic relations.
      He proposed a summit where all interested states and organisations could ponder the security pact.
      Medvedev gave the process the name “Helsinki Plus”, seen by some as an indication that the Finnish capital might serve as the venue of such a meeting.
      “That is not the most central question. We will certainly help both with respect to the venue, and other matters”, Halonen said.
      Halonen did not directly say if Finland supports Medvedev’s initiative. She said that the matter needs to be examined.
      “We will discuss it within the EU family and see what new things there are.”
      Another international proposal made by Medvedev received considerable attention in Russia: that of an alternative to a European energy document. Medvedev said that Russia had sent the proposal to several countries on Monday.
     
President Halonen characterised Medvedev as a president with a dynamic hold.
      “He is creating his own profile, and I think that the profile is good from our point of view.”
      Halonen got along well with Medvedev’s predecessor, the current Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin. Halonen said that personal chemistry worked well with Medvedev as well.
      The tandem leadership of President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin has been eyed closely ever since Putin declared that Medvedev was his favourite as a successor. Halonen said that she had extensively discussed the division of power with Medvedev.
     
“They are seriously striving for a system in which there is both a president and a prime minister. He [Medvedev] is satisfied that the government is finally functioning.”
      On the other hand, it was repeatedly underscored to Halonen, that “under the constitution, the president is number one in Russia”.

More on this subject:
 Medvedev and Halonen visit Porvoo Cathedral

Previously in HS International Edition:
  President Medvedev promotes new security pact in Helsinki (21.4.2009)
  Foreign Minister Stubb pleased with yield of first day of visit (21.4.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat