Finnish European Union veteran Reijo Kemppinen has been named the European Council’s director-general for press and communication. The appointment was announced by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb in Luxembourg on Monday.
Kemppinen currently works as director of communications at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). His earlier posts include that of European Commission spokesman.
Kemppinen has a journalistic background. When Finland first held the EU Presidency in 1999, Kemppinen was the main contact person for the international press.
In addition to him, Catherine Ashton praised the credentials of another Finn, Jukka Savolainen, who is slated to lead the EU police operation in Afghanistan.
Also at Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, Foreign Minister Stubb took up the possibility of deploying civilian rapid action forces in Kyrgysztan to bring calm to the unsettled situation there.
Such a move has been urged by the other Nordic Countries and the Baltic Countries.
“The proposal won support, but nothing concrete can yet be decided”, Stubb said in Luxembourg.
A decision on sending civilian forces to the area can be made in July at the earliest, when the EU foreign ministers hold their next meeting.
