- Title: FINLAND: Uruguay's president on working visit to Finland
- Date: 17th September 2014
- Summary: HELSINKI, FINLAND (SEPTEMBER 17, 2014) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GOVERNMENT BANQUET HALL FINNISH PRESIDENT SAULI NIINISTO WELCOMING HIS URUGUAYAN COUNTERPART JOSE MUJICA PRESIDENTS SITTING AROUND ROUND TABLE MUJICA NIINISTO MUJICA AND NIINISTO ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE DELEGATION LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Finnish) FINNISH PRESIDENT SAULI NIINISTO SAYING: "M
- Embargoed: 2nd October 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Finland
- Country: Finland
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA55CIUWLHTSD5BYWTUDOIJ8FS7
- Story Text: Finnish President Sauli Niinisto welcomed his Uruguayan counterpart Jose Mujica to Helsinki on Wednesday (September 17).
The talks between the two presidents were set to focus on the bilateral relations between the two countries, the economic situation in Europe and Latin America and the progress of the association agreement negotiations between the EU and the Mercosur trade block. Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East were also set to be discussed.
"It's very easy for the two of us to talk about things, also about more serious matters. Two small countries are getting along very well with each other, but on the other hand, they can see things which are hidden from the bigger ones (countries)," Niinisto said after the meeting.
Mujica, who is on a three day visit to the Nordic country, will also meet business leaders and Finnish politicians.
"One thing that has really been helping us, was the heavy investing politics our country has had during recent years. We would like to continue to co-operate freely with all the governments that are ready to invest into our country," he said.
On the agenda was the building of another pulp mill in Uruguay by the world's top graphic paper maker, Finland's UPM-Kymmene.
Pulp mills are controversial as the company's first plant caused a long-running diplomatic dispute with Argentina.
Originally built by another Finnish company, Metsa-Botnia, it opened in 2007 at Fray Bentos on a river dividing Argentina and Uruguay. After Argentina accused the plant of polluting the river, a dispute flared between the two countries.
Mujica said that no agreements had yet been made.
"It's possible but there are no agreements made so far. What is clear to us is that we have to multiply our knowledge about the forest industry and strive for the fact that industry won't be limited for cellulose only," he said.
Following the meeting with Niinisto, Mujica was due to meet Prime Minister Alexander Stubb - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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