Finnish prime minister on Turkey

Turkey needs to fulfil all of the criteria before it can join the EU, Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said in Cyprus on Thursday.

Finland takes over the EU’s rotating presidency in the second half of 2006.

“Turkey is an applicant country. We have started serious negotiations with Turkey. It can become a new member of the EU if and when it can fulfil all criteria, which are needed before the membership. These criteria are the same to all other applicant countries” said Vanhanen.

Vanhanen is the first Finnish Prime Minister to pay an official visit to Cyprus.

Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos thanked Finland its “constructive attitude” regarding the Cyprus problem.

“I feel the need to thank publicly Mr. Vanhanen for the extremely helpful attitude of the Finnish government in our efforts in the EU for breaking the impasse regarding the EU regulations for Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriots, which resulted in the agreement of the 25 member states, on 27th of February, 2006”, President Papadopoulos said.

President Papadopoulos also thanked Finland for its contribution in manpower to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, “at very difficult times for the people of Cyprus.”

He also reminded that the first UN mediator for Cyprus, Sakari Tuomioja, was Finnish, whilst UNFICYP Commander was late General Martola, who was also Finnish.