Year 1979
EILEN
Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen commented on a Gallup survey on foreign policy published by Helsingin Sanomat. According to the survey the share of those satisfied with the way Finnish foreign policy was conducted had decreased and the share of those thinking it was falling too much to the East had increased from a similar survey six years earlier. According to Väyrynen the conclusions drawn from the survey in the lively debate that followed, were overhasty. The results of the survey showed the importance of correct information on foreign policy. Due to lack of information the survey actually did not tell people's opinion on the success or failure of foreign policy. Other surveys, with a share of about 90 per cent being satisfied with Finnish foreign policy, and also the latest presidential elections with 80 per cent backing the coalition behind president Kekkonen have shown that Finnish foreign policy has a strong backing, Väyrynen said.

Ilkka-Christian Björklund, M.P. of the Finnish People's Democratic League (SKDL), accused the officials of mistreating foreigners in Finland. He suggested that a special agency should be founded to safeguard the rights of foreign workers and students in Finland. At the beginning of 1979 4,300 foreigners had work permits in Finland.

International sugar agreement from 1977.

Programme concerning scientific, educational and cultural exchange between Finland and Albania.

Agreement on long-term economic, industrial and technological cooperation between Finland and Romania.

The Nordic Foreign Ministers urged all sides in the Far Eastern conflict to restore peace in the area, before giving their full support to both the U.N. Security Council and its General Secretary.

The Nordic Council's 27th plenary session began in Stockholm. Finnish M.P. Erkki Tuomioja proposed that the Nordic countries should seek new roads to security, as the Nordic countries are becoming involved in the arms race between the great powers. To avoid this, the Nordic countries should discuss security and policies in greater detail and increase their cooperation, Tuomioja stressed. Tuomioja's speech was strongly criticised; the Council does not normally discuss security policies and things should stay that way, the critics emphasised.

At their meeting in Stockholm, the Nordic Foreign Ministers gave their support to the General Secretary of the United Nations in his efforts to restore peace in the Far East.

International Political Surveys Inc. analysed the susceptibility to crisis of 60 nations. Finland's susceptibility rate was 1 per cent, meaning it was one of the lowest. Iran received the highest rating: 9.1 per cent.

The OECD published its survey concerning the economic situation in Finland, which predicted that economic growth would continue in 1979. The survey also predicted economic growth of 4% and a surplus in the balance of trade. Furthermore, the survey gave credit to Finland's economic policy in general.

According to statistics published by the Foreign Ministry Commercial Department, border trade between Finland and the Soviet Union had decreased by one per cent. The value of border trade in 1978 was about 270 million FIM.

According to the statistics published by the Bank of Finland the export of investment capital had been 257 Mmk. In 1978. That was 36 Mmk less than the year before. The import of investment capital had been 141 Mmk, 47 Mmk less than the year before. In the beginning of 1979 there were 887 companies with at least 20 % of foreign ownership.

Speaking at the OECD Ministerial Council Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen proposed more research on the relationship between environment and the structure of the world economy. Industrialized countries must stop the wasting of natural resources, Väyrynen said. Väyrynen also stressed the need to further develop the free trade system.

Johannes Virolainen, chairman of the Centre Party, also studied the reasons for the conservatives being left out of the Cabinet. In the weekly Suomen Kuvalehti Virolainen said that the conservatives were left out because of "general reasons which the Conservative Party could not change”. This interview launched a lively debate about the "general reasons”. 20.6. The West German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeituing gave its interpretation of the "general reasons”. The conservatives were left out because of the Soviet Union, FAZ concluded. 20.6. President Kekkonen gave a statement in which he strongly condemned Virolainen's views, which according to Kekkonen had nothing to do with reality. Virolainen later said that his words had been misinterpreted. He had not referred to foreign policy, but to domestic policy. The "general reasons” were domestic, Virolainen stressed.

Finland expressed its satisfaction over the signing of the SALT II Treaty in Vienna.

The Cabinet greeted the signing of the SALT II Treaty.

The Cabinet decided to take about 100 boat people to Finland. The decision was preceded by a lively debate. The public opinion was strongly in favour of taking refugees to Finland. 5.7. The Cabinet gave 4 Mmk to the Red Cross and UNHCR for help to the refugees. 21.7. Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen said in the international conference, in Geneva, on the problem of Indo-Chinese refugees that he was afraid the refugees would have difficulties in adjusting to the Finnish way of life and the Finnish climate. Finland took refugees to Finland only because of the high tension created by conflicts in Indo-China.

Nordic Prime Ministers and Nordic Cooperation Ministers met in Reykjavik. Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland decided to put pressure upon the U.N. to get back the money that these countries had given to maintain their peacekeeping troops. Finland's Prime Minister Mauno Koivisto said that all the Nordic countries were dissatisfied with the Nordic cooperation. The Nordic Council should concentrate more on practical problems, Koivisto said.

In their meeting in Reykjavik the Nordic Prime Ministers and Ministers of Nordic Cooperation decided to put pressure upon the U.N. to get compensation for the costs of the contingents on various U.N. missions.

Finnish-Argentine agreement on economic, industrial and technological cooperation.

In an interview for the Soviet news agency APN President Kekkonen said that Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev's initiative to strengthen European security was a positive gesture. The European arms limitation talks should be speeded up, Kekkonen said.

The Nordic countries gave a joint memorandum about nuclear proliferation to the UNGA.

In his statement for the Soviet news agency APN President Kekkonen urged a hurrying of the preparations of the second follow-up meeting.

In his statement to the Soviet news agency APN President Kekkonen said that Finland's attitude towards Leonid Brezhnev's initiative to reduce armaments in Europe was positive. Kekkonen also stressed the importance of European arms control and of disarmament negotiations.

The Nordic Countries gave to the UNGA a joint memorandum on nuclear proliferation.

Academy of Finland and Academy of Sciences of the GDR signed an agreement on scientific cooperation.

UNHCR appealed to Finland to get more money to help the Kampuchean refugees. M.P.s. Pertti Salolainen and Ben Zyskowitz (Conservatives) suggested the aid to be raised from 2 Mmk to 5.5 Mmk. The Parliament decided to keep the aid at the present level, 2 Mmk, because in the budget for 1980 8 Mmk was granted for help in Kampuchea. The Red Cross organized large campaign in Finland to raise funds for Kampuchea. By the end of November the campaign had yielded 3.5 Mmk.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees made an urgent appeal to Finland to increase her help to refugees. The Parliament decided to give 2 Mmk to refugee programs. The Finnish Red Cross had earlier organized a wide campaign to raise money for refugees. The campaign brought 3.5 Mmk.

A condominium of Finnish construction enterprises Finn Stroi Co won the competition to build the third phase of Svetogorsk cellulose and paper complex in the Soviet Union. Finns have constructed the first two phases, too.

Finland and the Soviet Union signed an agreement on mutual of examinations and degrees.

Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen especially noted in his speech at the Paasikivi Society meeting in Oulu that increased funds for defence equipment were not in contradiction with Finland's policy of supporting disarmament. Finland's defence budget is already very modest and unilateral disarmament would not lead to disarmament in other countries, Väyrynen said.

The Nordic Council of Ministers met in Helsinki.

A new arms race spiral should be prevented and a reduction in the level of armaments achieved, Foreign Minister Väyrynen said in his speech at the Paasikivi-Society in Oulu. "From Finland's point of view, the minimum which must be achieved is that nuclear powers — either in unilateral declarations or through agreements between themselves — guarantee that non-nuclear countries will not be attacked nor threatened with nuclear weapons and that their territory will not be violated in guiding such weapons to their targets”, Väyrynen said.

194 Members of the Parliament out of 200 signed an appeal against the deployment of new nuclear weapons in Europe. The appeal was sent to parliaments in all CSCE countries.

In his speech at the Paasikivi Society in Oulu Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen said that Finland must continue her efforts to raise the degree of purchases of the developing countries from Finland tied with her development aid, but at the same time Finland must observe the principles laid down for development cooperation. More feedback wilt also help to increase appropriations, Väyrynen said.

In his speech at the Paasikivi Society in Oulu Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen said that in her trade policy Finland must follow the GATT. The basic trade norms incorporated in the GATT agreement prohibit discriminatory actions against member states such as for example the Republic of South Africa or Chile. If a small country like Finland cuts its trade links with some country, this will not have any significant effect from the point of view of the other party, Väyrynen said. Since the other countries would continue to trade, it could easily find new suppliers and markets elsewhere, Väyrynen stressed.

Finnish-Spanish agreement on cultural exchange was signed.