THE Prime Minister of Finland, Mr Paavo Lipponen, had talks with the Taoiseach in Dublin yesterday on issues relating to Ireland's forthcoming EU presidency Mr Bruton on also expressed his appreciation of the role of Harri Holkeri, a former Finnish prime minister, in the multi party talks in the North, according to a Government spokesman.
According to the Government spokesman, the two men noted the great coincidence of interests between the two countries. Mr Lipponen's visit was one of a series of bilaterals between Mr Bruton and other EU heads of government in advance of the Irish presidency, due to start on July 1st.
They reviewed preparations for the Florence EU Summit which takes place next weekend, and both expressed the hope that the BSE crisis would be resolved by then. The two men also discussed drugs and employment, both key issues for the EU during Ireland's presidency.
They talked about the progress of the Union's Inter Governmental Conference, the Baltic states and the imminent Russian presidential election. Mr Lipponen expressed the hope that EU enlargement would progress quickly to allow applicant members in the Baltic region to become EU members.