The president and the emir discussed the deepening of economic and political cooperation between the two countries, as well as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
20:20•Updated 21:21
President by Alexander Stubb and the Emir of Qatar by Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani the meeting at the Presidential Palace has started on Wednesday evening.
Two-way discussions have taken place, and at the end of the evening, President Stubb will host his spouse By Suzanne Innes-Stubb with dinner at the Presidential Palace. Discussions continue there.
Emir Al Thani received a solemn welcome when he arrived at the presidential palace at around 8:30 in the evening.
In front of the castle, in addition to the presidential couple, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, among others, was waiting for him Sari Essayah (qd.), Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio (ps.) and the mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen (collect.).
There was a company of honor and the Guard’s band, which performed the relevant fanfares and the national anthems of both countries. A hundred curious spectators followed the ceremony in front of the Presidential Palace.
Stubb justified the visit of the authoritarian head of state, the emir, during Radio Suomen’s question hour on Sunday.
– Value-based realism includes the fact that we act on the basis of our own values, but we also understand that the world’s major problems, such as wars in the Middle East, are not solved only with countries that agree with us, Stubb said.
Stubb: Our countries have similarities
Stubb and Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani made brief statements at the end of their one-on-one meeting. Stubb stated that Finland and Qatar have similarities, even though the countries are geographically and climatically far from each other.
– We are small countries. We are strong and developed over the last century. We are brokers. We are financially quite prosperous and in many ways we want peace. I am impressed with the way Qatar has acted in the Middle East peace process and Gaza, for example, Stubb said.
According to Stubb, the cooperation between Finland and Qatar is based on peace work, investments, education and the green transition. He said he was particularly interested in the views of the Emir of Qatar on the war in Gaza and Ukraine.
– We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, and we have had embassies in both countries for a little over ten years, Stubb said.
Al Thani: Bilateral relations are getting stronger
Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani first thanked for the invitation to Finland and expressed his pleasure at visiting Finland. He said that he is proud that the bilateral relations between Finland and Qatar are getting stronger.
– We talked about regional and global issues, wars and everything that we do and what Finland does and how we can cooperate so that these wars end, whether it is the war in Gaza or wars elsewhere, al Thani said.
Al Thani said that there had also been discussions about improving relations in trade, investments and the economy. Energy, infrastructure and education had also been discussed.
– We have a Finnish school in Doha. How long has it been there now? Al Thani asked.
He was told that the school has been operating for ten years and now has 750 students. Al Thani also stated that Finland and Qatar have had diplomatic relations for 50 years.
Tomorrow, Thursday, Emir Al Thani and his delegation will meet the Speaker of the Parliament Jussi Halla-ahon and the prime minister Petteri Orpon.