Etusivu 2012
8.10.2012

Child issues have hit the headlines in a negative sense again in both the Finnish and Russian media, 7.10.2012

Interaction between Finland and Russia has transformed completely after end of the Cold War. The number of people crossing the border continues to grow at an intensifying rate, exceeding ten million a year at present. Finland has already a minority of 50 000 Russian-speakers, a great number of them being also Russian citizens. This immigration has a positive impact on the Finnish economy and culture.

While the increase of diversified contacts between individual citizens in the two neighbours is a welcome phenomenon, problems concerning for example family relations are also met more often than before, and we should improve our ways of dealing with them on both sides. In the 1960s and 1970s, as a result of the Finns’ migration to Sweden, Finnish and Swedish social welfare workers had to undergo a certain learning process, and it is no wonder that this is the case with Russia, too.

Having experience from chairing the child welfare board of the city of Helsinki over 40 years ago, I am aware that issues concerning children are always difficult and sensitive. According to Finnish legislation, individual cases cannot be discussed in public even if one party so does. It is important to bear in mind that conclusions should never be drawn based on the word of one party only. In countries that observe the principle of the rule of law, disputes are resolved in accordance with a prescribed procedure and decisions are based on the interest of the child, as the international agreements we have signed demand. It is possible that sometimes decisions made by child welfare authorities need to be corrected, because they too can make mistakes.

These disputes should not be politicized and certainly not as a theme of controversy; instead, we have to develop means to deal with such disputes in a good understanding. This is what we agreed with Foreign Minister Lavrov in August, when we responded to their idea of a separate joint commission by proposing that we provide them a list of the people and public authorities, who are competent to cooperate and discuss these issues with their Russian counterparts, whenever any problems or need for information arise. This has also taken place. Correct information and direct contacts clear up misunderstandings and eliminate those who spread intentional disinformation who unfortunately sometimes appear in these contexts.

There is plenty of room for development in the interaction between Russia and the rest of Europe even otherwise. Visa-free travel has been adopted as a common goal as soon as all the steps of the agreed road map towards it have been taken. This project must not be delayed even though it is realistic to note that it will still take a few years. Finland’s example shows that a visa system can be applied flexibly so that it does not form a barrier to a constant increase of interaction.

The multiplication of the number of exchange students between Russia and the EU should actively be promoted. It is slightly illogical that there are more Chinese than Russian university students in most EU countries – also in Finland. The former are naturally welcome, but it would be natural to have at least as many exchange students from the closest neighbouring country.

6.10.2012

Perhepolitiikka Suomen ja Venäjän suhteissa

Lapsiasiat ovat olleet viime päivinä jälleen kielteisissä otsikoissa sekä Suomen että Venäjän mediassa. Suomen ja Venäjän kanssakäyminen on muuttunut täysin sitten kylmän sodan päättymiseen. Rajanylitykset kasvavat joka vuosi nopeaa vauhtia ja ylittävät nyt jo kymmenen miljoonan vuositason. Suomessa asuu nyt myös jo 50 000:n venäjää äidinkielenään puhuva vähemmistö, josta iso osa on myös Venäjän kansalaisia. Tällainen maahanmuutto on positiivinen asia sekä Suomen taloudelle että kulttuurille.

Samalla kun monitahoinen kansalaistason vuorovaikutus naapureiden välillä ilahduttavasti lisääntyy, ilmenee aikaisempaa useammin myös esim. perhesuhteissa ongelmatapauksia, joiden käsittelyssä on puolin ja toisin edelleen parantamisen varaa. Miksi näin ei olisi Venäjän kanssa, kun aikanaan 60- ja 70-luvulla Suomen ja Ruotsin sosiaaliviranomaisetkin joutuivat läpikäymään tietyn oppimisprosessin silloisen Ruotsiin suuntautuneen suomalaismuuton seurauksena.

Omasta 40 vuoden takaisesta kokemuksestani Helsingin lastensuojelulautakunnan puheenjohtajana tiedän lapsia koskevien asioiden olevan aina vaikeita ja herkkiä. Suomessa jo lainsäädäntö sanoo, ettei yksittäisiä tapauksia voi julkisuudessa käsitellä silloinkaan, jos yksi osapuoli näin tekee. Silloin pitää vain muistaa, ettei koskaan pidä tehdä johtopäätöksiä vain yhden osapuolen kertomuksen perusteella. Oikeusvaltiossa kiistakysymykset ratkotaan säädetyllä tavalla ja ratkaisujen lähtökohtana on jo kansainvälisten sopimusten velvoittamana lapsen etu. Tällöin voidaan joskus joutua oikaisemaan myös lastensuojeluviranomaisten päätöksiä, sillä erehdyksiä voi heillekin sattua.

Politiikanteon saatikka vastakkainasettelun aiheiksi näitä kiistoja ei pidä nostaa, vaan kehittää tapoja, joilla niitä voidaan hyvässä yhteisymmärryksessä selvittää. Näin sovimmekin ulkoministeri Lavrovin kanssa hänen elokuun vierailunsa yhteydessä, jolloin vastasimme heidän ajatukseensa erillisen yhteiskomission perustamisesta ehdottamalla, että toimitamme toisillemme listan niistä eri henkilöistä ja viranomaisista, jotka maissamme ovat kompetentteja tekemään yhteistyötä ja käymään keskustelua naapurimaan vastaavien viranomaisten kanssa, jos tiedon tarvetta tai ongelmia ilmenee. Näin on myös tehty. Oikea tieto ja suorat yhteydet poistavat väärinkäsityksiä ja saattavat viralta näissäkin yhteyksissä toisinaan valitettavasti esiintyvät tahallisen disinformaation levittäjät.

Venäjän ja muun Euroopan kanssakäymisessä on muutoinkin paljon kehittämisen varaa. Viisumivapauden toteuttaminen on otettu yhteiseksi tavoitteeksi, kunhan kaikki sen mahdollistavat yhdessä sovitut askelmerkit on täytetty. Tätä ei pidä viivytellä, vaikka realismia on todeta tämän vielä vievän joitain vuosia. Mutta Suomen esimerkki osoittaa, että viisumijärjestelmää voidaan joustavasti soveltaa niin, ettei se muodostu esteeksi kanssakäymisen jatkuvalle lisääntymiselle.

Venäjän ja EU:n opiskelijavaihdon moninkertaistaminen on asia johon kannattaa yhdessä aktiivisesti satsata. On vähän nurinkurista, että useimpien EU-maiden korkeakouluissa – näin myös Suomessa – on enemmän kiinalaisia kuin venäläisiä opiskelijoita. Edelliset ovat toki tervetulleita, mutta luontevaa olisi että lähinaapurin kanssa olisi vähintään yhtä laajaa opiskelijavaihtoa.

6.10. 2012 

1.10.2012

Rahoitusmarkkinaveroa tarvitaan

Hallitusohjelman mukaan ”Suomi toimii kansainvälisten rahoitusmarkkinoiden vakauden, läpinäkyvyyden ja vastuullisuuden lisäämiseksi. EU:n toimien ohella keinoina voivat tulla kyseeseen rahoitussektoriin kohdistuvat kansainväliset verot, rahoitusmarkkinavalvonnan tiukentaminen, vakavaraisuusmääräysten kiristäminen ja läpinäkymättömien riskikasautumien ennaltaehkäisy”. Tämän mukaisesti ”Suomi kiirehtii kansainvälisen rahoitusmarkkinaveron käyttöönottoa maantieteellisesti mahdollisimman kattavasti”.

Tähän on nyt tarjolla konkreettinen mahdollisuus, kun Saksa ja Ranska ovat esittämässä, että EU:n vahvistetun yhteistyön sääntöjen mukaisesti käynnistettäisiin vähintään yhdeksän jäsenmaan yhteistyö ns. rahoitusmarkkinaveron käyttöönottamiseksi. Tässä myös Suomen on syytä olla alusta alkaen mukana.

Suomen osalta mahdolliset 570 miljoonan tulot rahoitusmarkkinaverosta ovat tervetulleita ja tukevat julkisen talouden vakautta. Samalla on tietysti totta, ettei vero esitettyine 0,1 prosentin verokantoineen (ja 0,01 % kohdistuessaan johdannaiskauppoihin) korjaa vasta kuin hyvin vaatimattomassa mitassa rahoitusmarkkinoiden epävakauteen ja keinotteluun liittyviä epäkohtia. Kyse on ennen kaikkea tiennäyttäjyydestä, jonka tarkoituksena on laajentaa vero koskemaan ei vain koko EU-aluetta vaan laajemminkin globaaleja finanssimarkkinoita.

Politiikan luonteeseen kuuluu, että jokaista veroa ovat sen potentiaaliset maksajat aina ennakolta vastustaneet maalaillen suuria peikkoja sen synnyttämistä haitoista. Finassimarkkinat ovat nyt aliverotettuja. Niihin kohdistuvat verot eivät haittaa reaalitalouden toimintaa – jos jotain ne voivat vapauttaa voimavaroja reaalitalouden kehittämiseen kansantaloudelle kalliiksi tulleiden finanssimarkkinainnovaatioiden kehittelyn asemesta. Finanssalan nostaman ja uhkailun piirteitäkin saaneen äänekkään kampanjan väitteet veron erilaisista haittavaikutuksista ovat perusteettomia, ja jos jotain haittoja ilmenee, jäävät ne hyötyjä vähäisemmiksi. Pankinomistajana en luottaisi johtajaan, joka lähtee tosissaan esittämään toimintojen siirtelyä 0,1  prosentin veroeron vuoksi.

1.10.2012

28.9.2012

Speech at the Ministerial Breakfast on Mediation in the Mediterranean Region, New York, 28.9.2012

Dear Colleagues, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to address this high-level meeting organized by Spain and Morocco. Mediation, particularly strengthening international mediation structures, is a central part of Finnish foreign policy. We have initiated together with Turkey the Group of Friends of Mediation. Now more and more UN Member States have become actively engaged in mediation efforts. Our group has also grown, and we have altogether 32 Member States, the UN and 7 regional organizations as members.

The Group of Friends of Mediation has brought together both traditional and new emerging mediators. The General Assembly recently adopted the second resolution on mediation, which gives us a platform to assess and increase our efforts in Mediation bi-annually. We also have a report of the Secretary-General, which addresses a number of important topics. Most notably, we have the UN Guidance for Effective Mediation, which will assist mediators to work in a more professional manner. Even though there is no one-size-fits-all formula to successful mediation, the Guidance is a much needed reference document.  Regional initiatives related to the dissemination and promotion of the use of the Guidance as well as capacity-building would be very welcome and maybe this will be part of your initiative as well.

The initiative of Morocco and Spain on ”Mediation in the Mediterranean Region” is an excellent example on how to further enhance regional cooperation and coordination between the different actors involved in mediation efforts.  As one of the co-chairs of the Group of Friends of Mediation, I am very proud to witness today a concrete example of the broadening of the activities of Friends to the regional level with this important initiative. I want to express my congratulations and warm thanks to my Spanish and Moroccan colleagues for their efforts. I would also like to encourage all of us to pay more attention to local, national and regional level activities in mediation. 

Regional groupings are often better suited to address specific regional problems. This is due to the limited size of the group, strong regional focus as well as sometimes a common language, religion, cultural heritage and methods of operation.

I wish to emphasize one issue we find highly important in order to improve the level of professionalism in mediation: the participation of women in peace processes. We need to gear up our efforts to increase women’s involvement in all stages and levels of peace-processes in line with Security Council Resolution 1325.

I would like to thank Spain and Morocco for inviting us as a co-chair of the Group of Friends of Mediation to participate in this excellent meeting and wish you success in your endeavors for peace and stability.

Thank You.

28.9.2012

Speech at the Friends of Mediation Ministerial Breakfast in New York, 28.9.2012

Mr. Deputy Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to conclude the third ministerial breakfast of the Group of Friends of Mediation. I would like to thank all of you for your attendance and for your insightful contributions to our fruitful discussions today.  

In these closing remarks, I would like to highlight three topics: the Secretary General’s report and the Guidance attached thereto, resources for mediation, and the role of women in mediation.

SG’s report including the UN Guidance for Effective Mediation

The Secretary General’s report is an excellent account of the UN’s current activities in the field of mediation. It also provides an important analysis of the changing nature of conflicts and the challenges of mediation. It gives us food for thought when considering next steps in promoting mediation. I would like to warmly thank the Secretary General for the report and its Annex I ”United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation”.   

We all know that the increase of mediation efforts and the diversification of the field require greater coherence from various mediation initiatives.  A pre-requisite for successful mediation is a strong and recognized leadership and coordinated action. In order to enhance coordination and efficiency, there ideally should be one lead mediator or lead mediation team for each spesific case. The lead does not have to be the UN – it can be a regional organization or a state. In situations where the international community is not able to agree on a common approach and strategy, the role of the Secretary General in offering his good offices is of paramount importance. I would therefore encourage the Secretary General to make the full use of his own mandate, based on the Charter of the United Nations.

The guidance attached to the Secretary General’s report is a landmark document, which should be used and disseminated widely. It is a result of extensive, inclusive and transparent consultative process, and thus reflects lessons learned from past and ongoing mediation processes around the world. Regional initiatives related to the dissemination and promotion of the use of the Guidance as well as related capacity-building would be very welcome.

One aspect I would like to mention here is the issue of international law and normative frameworks. While it may sometimes be necessary to carefully explore the timing and sequencing of judicial and non-judicial approaches, as the Guidance states, we also know that there can be no lasting peace without justice and reconciliation.

Financing of mediation

Mediation can be very cost effective, especially if taken up early in a conflict situation. By further developing the use of mediation, the international community could certainly cut down its peacekeeping expenses. Mediation does not only save money: successful mediation saves lives, reduces human suffering, creates conditions conducive to lasting peace and paves way for sustainable development. In short, mediation is a wise long-term investment and its cost is marginal compared to other forms of conflict management.

Mediation, however, also requires resources. At the moment, the majority of UN’s mediation and good offices work is funded through voluntary contributions. Finland is one of the countries supporting financially the activities of the Department of Political Affairs. As more countries have become active in  the field of mediation, it would be natural that the donor base of UN’s mediation efforts would also be broadened. I would very much like to see members of our group becoming also donors of DPA.

At the same time, we must consider other possible ways of providing predictable and stable funding in the future.  Financing mediation activities from the regular UN budget could be one option worth considering.  I would like to suggest that we task our Permanent Representatives to prepare concrete proposals for future financing of mediation before our next ministerial meeting.

The role of women in mediation

Women’s voice and participation bring a priceless ingredient to the peace table, leading to more successful and more lasting resolution of conflicts. Women play a vital role in gathering support in their communities for a peace process and its results, and they have a central role in achieving sustainable peace. However, the high level of women’s engagement in informal efforts unfortunately does not translate into significant presence or influence in formal conflict resolution or political dialogue. Only a few women have made it to the negotiation tables of peace processes. I therefore warmly welcome the concrete targets the Secretary General has set for women and mediation, especially that of appointing a female UN Chief Mediator.

Women’s participation is vital both in resolving the crisis and in making sure that women’s interests are addressed in the agreements moving forward. Women’s participation and gender expertise in conflict resolution provide a firm foundation for women’s post conflict participation. We need to address the obstacles that women face in being informed about, and participating in, formal conflict resolution.

The mandate renewals for UN missions, such as the recent one for Afghanistan, have been explicit about the imperative of women’s participation. This imperative should be extended to their engagement in any type of national, regional and international engagement process designed to support the reconciliation processes.

The role of women in peace processes has a special focus in Finnish foreign policy. We support implementation of UNSC resolution 1325 on women peace and security for example in Kenya, Afghanistan and Nepal. However, increasing the number of women mediators remains a challenge also for us at the national level.

Finally, the Group of Friends has achieved a lot in terms of strengthening the normative basis of mediation efforts. The two adopted resolutions prove this. However, many challenges still remain. I suggest that in next autumn’s meeting, we address the issue of financing in a more concrete way, based on the preparatory work to be carried out by our Permanent Representatives. We might also explore ways to more concretely discuss country situations. This would enable us to enhance the preventive use of mediation, to promote early warning and early action. I hope we all will meet next year even stronger and better prepared to promote peace.