A European value system for Russia
At a seminar on foreign and security policy held by the Finnish Centre Party last week, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen highlighted the need for an inclusion of Russia in the common European value system.
-Russia is first and foremost Finland’s neighbour, Mr. Vanhanen said at the semiar, adding that the country does not pose any military threat against Finland. “Finland has a great interest in a Russia that is stable and cooperative. We want Russia to share the common European value system. And we have to be patient about that,” the Finnish PM emphasised. Mr. Vanhanen’s Minister of Defence, Jyri Häkämies, last fall made it to the headlines when he stressed that the security priorities of Finland boils down to Russia, Russia and Russia.
