Tiny Kox, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), paid a working visit to Finland on 12 and 13 January 2023, where he discussed the relevance of multilateralism in the current challenging context of the war of aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the need to ensure that there should be no impunity for the perpetrators of this aggression.
During meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto, the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Matti Vanhanen, the Minister for Education Li Andersson, the Chairperson and members of the Finnish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly, the former President of Finland Tarja Halonen, the Chairperson of the Finnish delegation to the Nordic Council Erkki Tuomioja, and other high-level representatives, issues discussed included the need to strengthen the political role of the Council of Europe in preparation of the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held on 16-17 May 2023 in Reykjavik, and the prospects for increased co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Nordic Council on themes of common interest.
President Kox thanked the Finnish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly – and its Chairperson Kimmo Kiljunen – for their longstanding and positive contribution in driving forward the political agenda of the Assembly.