Minister Zbigniew Rau meets with Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto
06.10.2021
“Challenges in the Eastern Neighbourhood, security and defence, as well as regional cooperation – these are the focal points of the dialogue between Poland and Finland,” stressed Minister Zbigniew Rau during a meeting with Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto. The agenda included bilateral matters as well as regional and global issues.
The ministers agreed that the two countries continue to enjoy a good relationship, and they declared willingness to enhance cooperation both bilaterally and within international and regional organisations.
The interlocutors paid special attention to the complex situation in the Eastern Neighbourhood. “The security situation in Eastern Europe remains fragile and unstable as a consequence of the policy pursued by Russia,” concluded Minister Zbigniew Rau. The heads of Polish and Finnish diplomacies talked about the state of affairs in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
They also discussed security cooperation, including in the framework of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Minister Rau presented the priorities of Poland’s forthcoming OSCE chairpersonship in 2022, based on a comprehensive approach to security matters encompassing both military and non-military dimensions of security.
The meeting also covered the situation in Afghanistan and cooperation within international organisations, especially the UN Human Rights Council. Minister Rau discussed the priorities of Poland’s membership of the Council. In this context, he pointed out the importance of the human rights situation in the countries of Eastern Europe, especially Russia and Belarus, and those of the Eastern Partnership.
MFA Press Office
Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA