State Secretary Hans Winkler had a meeting today with the Finnish State Secretary for external affairs, Arto Mansala. Finland takes over the EU Presidency from Austria in the second half of 2006. “We found the ongoing exchange of experience and close coordination between the incumbent and the successor presidencies very valuable. We now want to pass on our knowledge and experience to our Finnish colleagues. While good coordination alone will not resolve outstanding problems and unforeseeable events, it is nevertheless a crucial element in managing them more effectively”, Mr Winkler said.
The discussions concerned the themes set out in the joint 2006 Operational Programme, such as securing growth, employment and work, the Financial Perspective, the Stabilisation and Association Process in the Western Balkans, and issues relating to EU enlargement. In addition, the two State Secretaries also discussed the future of the Constitutional Treaty and cooperation with the European Parliament.
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