Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Alexander Stubb to Georgia today

The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb travels to Tbilisi today, 10. August 2008 together with the Chairman of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France. They will continue from Tbilisi to Moscow. Meetings with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov among others are foreseen.

Chairman-in-Office Stubb will work towards an immediate cease-fire and pave the way for humanitarian action, possibly with the help of the OSCE Mission in Tbilisi.

The Special Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie is already in Tbilisi, working in close cooperation with the European Union and other international actors.

For additional information: Jori Arvonen, Senior Political Adviser to the Minister, +358 50 553 6117; Janne Taalas, Deputy Head of the OSCE Chairmanship Task Force,  +358 40 728 4015; Juha Kirstilä, Press Attaché to the Minister, +358 40 552 8200; Aleksi Härkönen, Head of the OSCE Chairmanship Task Force, +358 400 330 406