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Medvedev, Halonen to discuss cooperation

The exchange of ratification credentials on the agreement on a 50-year lease by Finland of the Russian part of the Saima Canal was timed to Halonen’s visit

MOSCOW, January 17 (Itar-Tass) —— Presidents of Russia and Finland, Dmitry Medvedev and Tarja Halonen, will sum up cooperation results and discuss international affairs on Tuesday. Halonen will also meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

“The talks will sum up results of bilateral relations during the 12-year presidency of Tarja Halonen,” a Kremlin official said. Finland will hold a presidential election on Sunday in which Halonen will not run.

The Kremlin said trade turnover between the two countries upped 28 percent to 16.7 billion dollars in 2010. In ten months of 2011 it grew 20 percent to 15.7 billion dollars against the same period of 2010.

The exchange of ratification credentials on the agreement on a 50-year lease by Finland of the Russian part of the Saima Canal which links inland waters with the Baltic Sea was timed to Halonen’s visit. The Kremlin said the agreement “is a vivid confirmation of succession and durability of good-neighborly relations between Russia and Finland.”

In Helsinki Halonen’s spokeswoman Eila Nevalainen said the Russian visit was a part of the farewell trip of the president that also includes Estonia and Sweden.

“The main attention will be paid to bilateral relations, as well as regional cooperation and vital international issues,” she said.