President Iohannis invited by Finnish counterpart to visit Finland next year

President Klaus Iohannis had, on Monday, in Tokyo, a meeting with Finnish counterpart, Sauli Niinisto, who invited him to conduct a visit to Finland, next year, on the occasion of commemorating 100 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

According to the Presidential Administration, Klaus Iohannis expressed interest for intensifying the political dialogue, in the context in which next year the anniversary of the centennial of the bilateral diplomatic relations will take place. In his turn, the Finnish president showed that the bilateral relation is very good and emphasized the importance of this anniversary, context in which he invited the Romanian head of state to conduct an official visit to Finland to mark this moment. 

The two officials desire the deepening of cooperation at the economic and sectorial level, including in the domain of education. 

In a press release, the Presidential Administration showed that President Sauli Niinisto appreciated the role played by Klaus Iohannis in modernizing the Romanian society and defending the rule of law. Furthermore, the President of Finland gave thanks for the way in which Romania exercised the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first semester of this year and for the good coordination as part of the trio of Presidencies of which both states are part. 

In this context, President Iohannis evoked the complex challenges at European level that the Romanian Presidency had to manage and that Finland has to manage at present. Thus, Klaus Iohannis mentioned the difficulties the EU is facing in regards to the negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework, the recent developments regarding Brexit, and expressed regret in what regards the impossibility of reaching a consensus to start EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. The two heads of state had an exchange of views on this topic, Klaus Iohannis reiterating the fact that the enlargement process is essential for ensuring stability and security in the Western Balkans region. Furthermore, the two Presidents agreed on the need for the consolidation, post-Brexit, of a strong cooperation relation with the United Kingdom, including in the realm of security and defence. 

The two Presidents also analyzed the general security context and the similarities that characterize security conditions in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. The President of Finland also appreciated, in this framework, the role that Romania is playing as a NATO member and evoked his country's cooperation with the Alliance. 

President Klaus Iohannis and President Sauli Niinisto also approached the situation in Syria, expressing the necessity of an increased role of the EU in this case and in the region, as well as the EU's complex relations with Turkey and China, respectively, the quoted source also shows. 

The meeting between the two Presidents took place on the sidelines of the participation in the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito of Japan. 

President Klaus Iohannis is visiting Japan Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, he had a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Tuesday he will participate in the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito of Japan.