Welcoming remarks by Mr. Tauno Pesola, Chair of CBSS/CSO: "Protection of the Rights of Children Deprived of Their Liberty in the CBSS Region", Helsinki, 11 September 2002

Mr. Tauno Pesola,
Ambassador,
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

at Round Table Meeting “Children in Prison” on the Protection of the Rights of Children Deprived of Their Liberty in the CBSS Region, 11.9.2002, Säätytalo, Helsinki


Your Excellency Commissioner Helle Degn,
Dear Seminar Participants,


It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you all wholeheartedly to this Round Table “Children in Prison” on the the Protection of the Rights of Children Deprived of Their Liberty in the CBSS Region which takes place at the early phase of our Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

I am very pleased to see so many experts on this topic from CBSS member states as well as from several sister organisations having arrived to Helsinki to discuss this important and timely topic. I would also like to pass on to you a special greeting from my minister, Mr Erkki Tuomioja, who due to other commitments unofortunately could not join us here today.

I also wish as Chair of the Committee of Senior Officials of the CBSS to thank Her Excellency Helle Degn, Commissioner of the CBSS on Democratic Development for taking the initiative to organise this seminar in connection of her first official working visit as Commissioner to our country. Her devotion and hardwork, immense energy and resourcefulness is widely known not only in the CBSS circles but also in her past activities in several high positions. I had a chance personally to observe all this last Friday in Vienna at an OSCE meeting.

In the Baltic Sea countries, we co-operate actively in many fields and sectors to improve the social and economic, environmental and educational, cultural and human rights situation, as well as to strengthen democracy and civil society in all the countries in this region. We cooperate also in matters directly affecting and concerning children. A special working group has been established within the CBSS for child co-operation (WGCC) with senior officials from ministries responsible for child matters. I understand the working group will have a meeting in Helsinki after this Round Table.

It is in this general atmosphere of constructive co-operation and learning from each other that this seminar has also been organised to share experiences in how children and youngsters who have committed crimes are being treated and taken care of. Different countries around this region may have resorted to different means to deal with juvenile delinquents, offenders, but it is important and useful to share and compare experiences, hopefully to learn from each other, in order to find solutions to deal with this question, ultimately in the interests of the young people and society as a whole.

There are many opinions as to the age limit of liability to crime punishment, this is being discussed today in Finland where the age limit currently is at 15. The number of children in prison has remained very low in Finland although we also have witnessed some sad cases of very severe crimes committed by young people. It has been a widely agreed view in our society that the right place for a young person having committed a crime is not a prison, certainly not an adult prison. There are other means to deal with these young delinquents and I am sure that our Finnish experts in this seminar will be able to share their views and information on this with you. You will also have the opportunity to visit tomorrow one of our institutions accomodating young criminals and for this opportunity I would also like to thank Ms Kirsti Nieminen, the Governor of the Kerava Prison.

I wish all our foreign guests once more most welcome to Finland and to Helsinki and I do hope that apart from having a real fruitful and resultful working seminar you will have some opportunity also to enjoy your stay.

Thank you.