President Halonen says all possible steps taken over timber tariff issue
Halonen praises active early phases of new government
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President Tarja Halonen insists that she has done all that she can to resolve the dispute between Finland and Russia over Russia's decision to impose export tariffs on raw timber.
"I have taken up the wood tariff issue many times with President Vladimir Putin. It is my view that the tariffs are a matter for the European Commission, and therefore for the government",Halonen says.
In her view, Putin has also indicated that the wood tariffs are a detail on which the prime ministers need to decide.
Russia has announced that it will begin to impose tariffs on the export of raw timber, which will increase by degrees. Halonen admits that such a move would hurt the forest industry in the east of Finland.
The tariffs were taken up when Russia's Prime Minister Sergei Fradkov visited Finland last week. He stood firm, insisting that Russia will adhere to the wood tariffs, although he said that there might be some room for negotiation under certain conditions.
Halonen feels that it is a positive development that the Russians have proposed the establishment of a group of experts to work on the wood tariff issue.
"The government would probably do well to think about it."
The President says that she understands Russia's point of view on the matter. Russia wants to move away from being a producer of raw materials to producing more refined goods.
"The same development once took place here in Finland."
Halonen believes that Finland's new government has started its work very actively. She is pleased with the government's foreign and security policy lines, which she says do not differ from the previous points of view taken by Finland.
She also pointed out that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is not the only place where foreign and security policy are implemented.
The President says that Finland must continue to be involved in negotiations which aim at an international treaty banning cluster weapons, even though the situation is difficult from Finland's point of view.
"Finland must seek to make the treaty such that it takes into consideration the good and bad sides of cluster weapons. Naturally, Finland wants to use only those kinds of weapons which cause as few humanitarian problems as possible. However, the ability of the country to defend itself must not be compromised."
Finland plans to acquire more cluster weapons to partly replace the infantry land mines that are to be given up in the next decade.
The President feels that it was a mistake for Finland not to take part in the negotiations leading up to the Ottawa treaty banning infantry land mines. In her view, Finland would not be in the "awkward position" that it is in now if it had taken part in the negotiations.
"The full ban that the Ottawa Treaty ended up containing resulted in a situation in which we need to think about what to replace the mines with."
Halonen feels that the speed with which the mine ban proceeded came as a surprise to Finland in the 1990s. People in Finland believed that the process would not end up in a full ban, and that mines that were still in storage would be approved.
In her view, Finland is in a better position with the cluster weapons talks.
"In the Ottawa process we learned that it is necessary to sit down in time and look at what the options are."
Halonen also says that she has spoken to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) and Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party) on whether or not Parliament should be allowed to consider if Finland should be involved in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan.
"It is up to the government, how it wants to inform Parliament on the matter. Things will not improve as a result of extensive public debate", she says.
Halonen denies that she is unhappy with the Finnish media. She recently proposed a study on how the media reported on the dispute in Estonia over the Soviet war memorial in Tallinn, and on the war in Iraq.
"The media can and must be critical. But it should also be kept in mind that politicians do not always have evil thoughts in mind, and that they sincerely try to take care of things."
Halonen was speaking in an exclusive interview with Helsingin Sanomat journalists.
"I have taken up the wood tariff issue many times with President Vladimir Putin. It is my view that the tariffs are a matter for the European Commission, and therefore for the government",Halonen says.
In her view, Putin has also indicated that the wood tariffs are a detail on which the prime ministers need to decide.
Russia has announced that it will begin to impose tariffs on the export of raw timber, which will increase by degrees. Halonen admits that such a move would hurt the forest industry in the east of Finland.
The tariffs were taken up when Russia's Prime Minister Sergei Fradkov visited Finland last week. He stood firm, insisting that Russia will adhere to the wood tariffs, although he said that there might be some room for negotiation under certain conditions.
Halonen feels that it is a positive development that the Russians have proposed the establishment of a group of experts to work on the wood tariff issue.
"The government would probably do well to think about it."
The President says that she understands Russia's point of view on the matter. Russia wants to move away from being a producer of raw materials to producing more refined goods.
"The same development once took place here in Finland."
Halonen believes that Finland's new government has started its work very actively. She is pleased with the government's foreign and security policy lines, which she says do not differ from the previous points of view taken by Finland.
She also pointed out that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is not the only place where foreign and security policy are implemented.
The President says that Finland must continue to be involved in negotiations which aim at an international treaty banning cluster weapons, even though the situation is difficult from Finland's point of view.
"Finland must seek to make the treaty such that it takes into consideration the good and bad sides of cluster weapons. Naturally, Finland wants to use only those kinds of weapons which cause as few humanitarian problems as possible. However, the ability of the country to defend itself must not be compromised."
Finland plans to acquire more cluster weapons to partly replace the infantry land mines that are to be given up in the next decade.
The President feels that it was a mistake for Finland not to take part in the negotiations leading up to the Ottawa treaty banning infantry land mines. In her view, Finland would not be in the "awkward position" that it is in now if it had taken part in the negotiations.
"The full ban that the Ottawa Treaty ended up containing resulted in a situation in which we need to think about what to replace the mines with."
Halonen feels that the speed with which the mine ban proceeded came as a surprise to Finland in the 1990s. People in Finland believed that the process would not end up in a full ban, and that mines that were still in storage would be approved.
In her view, Finland is in a better position with the cluster weapons talks.
"In the Ottawa process we learned that it is necessary to sit down in time and look at what the options are."
Halonen also says that she has spoken to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) and Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party) on whether or not Parliament should be allowed to consider if Finland should be involved in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan.
"It is up to the government, how it wants to inform Parliament on the matter. Things will not improve as a result of extensive public debate", she says.
Halonen denies that she is unhappy with the Finnish media. She recently proposed a study on how the media reported on the dispute in Estonia over the Soviet war memorial in Tallinn, and on the war in Iraq.
"The media can and must be critical. But it should also be kept in mind that politicians do not always have evil thoughts in mind, and that they sincerely try to take care of things."
Halonen was speaking in an exclusive interview with Helsingin Sanomat journalists.
Helsingin Sanomat