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Finland’s EU membership doesn’t cancel relations with Russia — Finnish foreign minister

Finland is a member of the EU and takes part in the implementation of its decisions, including in respect of Russia, but it doesn’t cancel bilateral ties, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja says

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja

© AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev

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Finland concerned with poor relations between Russia and EU — President Niinisto

HELSINKI, April 9. /TASS/. Finland’s membership in the European Union doesn’t cancel its relations with Russia, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said on Thursday.

"We have been and remain Russia’s neighbor. It is in our interests to maintain good relations with it and with all other our neighboring countries. We are a member of the European Union, we take part in the implementation of its decisions, including in respect of Russia. But it doesn’t cancel bilateral ties," he said at an election debate organized by the Finland-Russia society.

He said his country and Russia had a lot of areas of cooperation at various levels. Moreover, the two countries now "have no obvious bilateral problems," he noted.

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