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The prime ministers of Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia also talked about the financial crisis and energy cooperation. According to the head of the Swedish government, Fredrik Reinfeld, the gas pipeline project of Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea was not discussed by the prime ministers. Prime Minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen said that he met with the representatives of Russia in St. Petersburg on 25 October and the issue of the Nord Stream gas pipeline was discussed at the meeting. Vanhanen said that the impact of the gas pipeline on the economic zone of Finland is currently being studied. The results will arrive on 5 November at the earliest. Vanhanen added that the planned gas pipeline is not a political issue, but depends on the studies. The conference 'The Way Forward – Concrete Steps in Fighting Climate Change' organised by Sweden as the presidency of the European Union, the Nordic Investment Bank and the Nordic Council was also held in Stockholm yesterday. Minister of Environment of Sweden Andreas Carlgren spoke at the conference and emphasised that the world does not have a plan B – he believes that an agreement about a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol for the year 2012 must be reached in Copenhagen and emissions of carbon dioxide into the air must be reduced in the world. The 61st session of the Nordic Council or the Nordic summit is held from 27 to 29 October. Increasing the efficiency of the common foreign and security policy and increasing unemployment among young people were also discussed in addition to climate and the European Union. The Nordic Council will present its annual awards at a ceremony to be held tonight: - Film: Lars von Trier and Meta Louise Foldager (Denmark) "Antichrist" - Literature: Per Petterson (Norway) "I Curse the River of Time" - Music: Kari Kriikku (Finland) - Nature and environment: open air movement “Rain or Shine” (Sweden) Human trafficking, research and healthcare will be discussed on the last day of the summit and the Nordic Council will also elect its new president. |
The European Union and climate are the main topics at the Nordic summit
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Cooperation with the European Union and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen are the main topics at the Nordic Council session or the Nordic summit held in Stockholm today, on 27 October. The prime ministers of five Nordic and three Baltic states met on the day before the summit and they all confirmed that a global climate agreement is essential. Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt says that achievement of an agreement requires cooperation in the Baltic Sea region and that the financial issues associated with the agreement are currently under scrutiny. |