FINNISH PRESIDENT VISITS MILLI MAJLIS

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Sept 29 2005

President of Finland Mrs. Tarja Halonen has visited today the Milli
Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan, where she met with Speaker of the
Milli Majlis Murtuz Alasgarov.

The speaker informed the distinguished guest on the activities of
the Azerbaijan-Finland interparliamentary friendship group noting
the two countries relations were based on the traditions of fruitful
cooperation within international organizations including the Council
of Europe and OSCE. Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh he expressed hope it would be solved on the
basis of the international law, and that the visit to Azerbaijan
by the Finnish president would enhance cooperation between the two
countries in political, economic and cultural fields.

President Halonen responded she stood for solution to the conflict
through negotiations in the framework of the Minsk process adding
assuming EU presidency next year Finland would support Azerbaijan’s
integration into Europe. She expressed hope for democratic
parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan noting if invited Finland too
could sent its observation mission to Azerbaijan.