Nordic leaders congratulate Medvedev
The state leaders of Norway and Finland yesterday sent congratulation greetings to newly elected Russian President Dmitrii Medvedev. In his greeting, Norwegian Prime Minister expresses hopes for continued good cross-border cooperation in the High North.
Mr. Jens Stoltenberg writes in the letter that “Norway and Russia are enjoying historically good relations and vivid cooperation across our common border in the north. As good neighbours we have great possibilities and vital challenges that may only be solved in partnership”.
In her greeting sent the same day, Finnish President Tarja Halonen writes that “the outcome of Sunday’s election will greatly influence the development of Russia and its relations with other countries”, Newsroom Finland reports.
Commenting on the elections, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen highlights the importance of having stable relations with the Russian neighbour. At the same time he admits that the Russian elections were held “in manner different from what the western electorate is used to”, Yle News reports.
The Swedish PM, Frederik Reinfeldt, in a statement ahead of the election said that the next president has a huge task in front of him. –The main task must be to lead Russia into an enhanced democracy and market economy, he writes on the government website. At the same time he expressed concern with the fact that the OECD decided not to send observers to the country
