Denzil Douglas with Miko Pyhälä
Photo By Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
November 09, 2009 (CUOPM)
Initiatives to be undertaken by the Government of Finland with Caribbean countries in the area of energy, meteorology and ocean management, were discussed in Basseterre, the St. Kitts capital on Monday afternoon.
Finland’s Caracas-based Ambassador, His Excellency Mikko Pyhälä, who is also Finland’s Ambassador-designate to CARICOM met and held discussions with St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
The visit to St. Kitts comes less than two months after establishing diplomatic relations during the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Astona Browne, said that interaction with high level officials of Finland has been steadily increasing.
“In April of this year, I held a meeting with Ambassador Kimmo Pulkkinen to discuss matters of mutual interest. That visit was followed by High Level meetings between Prime Minister Douglas and the Foreign Minister of Finland, His Excellency Alexander Stubb in September this year,” said Mrs. Browne.
Finland and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis established diplomatic relations in October of this year at the St. Kitts and Nevis Mission to the United Nations in New York during the margins of the 64th UNGA.
Finland has expressed an interest in having an Honorary Consulate of Finland in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Ministry said St. Kitts and Nevis looks forward to the strengthening of relations between the Federation and Finland that will redound to the benefit of both peoples.