A summit of the Baltic Sea states on environmental protection, which will include Russia as a participant, is an event that the Finnish government is actively planning, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Olavi Haavisto told Sputnik
HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2020) A summit of the Baltic Sea states on environmental protection, which will include Russia as a participant, is an event that the Finnish government is actively planning, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Olavi Haavisto told Sputnik.
Haavisto is expected to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Helsinki later in the day.
"The Baltic Sea Forum is indeed on the government's agenda. We are still looking for the right time for this. Issues related to the Baltic Sea are, of course, important for Finland and our government. The annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region will be held in Turku in June," Haavisto said.
The minister said that Finland was ready to help Russia cope with soot emissions from thermal power plants and share garbage disposal technologies.
"Climate change and the environment are important priorities for our government, and this will be reflected in our cooperation with Russia. One example is the reduction of black carbon [soot] emissions, which are harmful to both climate and health. Financing projects for [reducing] black carbon emissions can be secured through the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership ... We can also work together on waste management ... I think Finland will be able to share its experience," the diplomat added.
The Northern Dimension is the cooperation policy established by the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Russia in 1999 to promote economic cooperation and integration, dialogue, and stability in the northernmost regions of the world.
Speaking about Russia-Finland foreign policy relations, the top diplomat said they had "a good base that enjoys wide consensus throughout the political spectrum" and was "less affected by changes in governments compared to many other sectors."
The foreign minister stressed that as an EU member state, Finland was actively developing and implementing the bloc's policies toward Russia, including issues related to sanctions.
