Press releases, 31.12.2010

Stubb and Lavrov celebrate the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Russia

Press release 375/2010
31 December 2010

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia have paid tribute to the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Russia via correspondence. Diplomatic relations were established on 31 December 1920, when the Finnish delegation exchanged instruments of ratification for the Treaty of Tartu with representatives of Russia in Moscow.

In their letters, the Foreign Ministers highlight the importance of good neighbourly relations to citizens’ well-being in both countries as well as the great value of direct cross-border contacts between citizens, companies and diverse organizations. Foreign Minister Stubb states that our objective is modern and open European neighbour relations bringing concrete benefits to both countries. The past year has also seen shared high points, such as the launching of high-speed train connections between Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

Foreign Minister Stubb has also issued a New Year greeting in Russian. In his greeting, Stubb welcomes Russian tourists to Finland and calls attention to the current state of neighbour relations between Finland and Russia: Russian tourists and companies in Finland and Finns in Russia.

“Finland and Russia have been neighbours for hundreds of years. Our relationship has developed gradually towards the present strong and balanced normal relations between neighbours. Crossing the border is an everyday matter to people, trade is growing and companies are investing in their neighbour country,” Stubb writes.

Stubb also emphasizes the value of Finland’s Russian-speaking population to the whole of Finnish society: “I have always stressed that all linguistic minorities are a source of richness for Finland.”

Foreign Minister Stubb’s New Year greeting is available at the website(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window) of the Finnish Embassy in Moscow.

Additional information: Mikko Hautala, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 834 6758, Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 732 8340