US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI383

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000383 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, ECON, FI, Humanitarian Assistance 
SUBJECT: FINLAND'S ATTENDANCE AT THE OSLO DONOR'S 
CONFERENCE ON SUDAN 
 
REF: SECSTATE 56724 
 
1. On March 31, Ambassador Mack delivered the reftel talking 
points to Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Paula 
Lehtomaki, requesting high-level Finnish attendance and 
commensurate pledges at the Oslo Donor's Conference on Sudan 
on April 11-12. Minister Lehtomaki was noticeably impressed 
to hear that Deputy Secretary Zoellick would attend, but 
noted that neither she nor Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja 
would be available to participate in the conference due to 
prior travel commitments. (Minister Lehtomaki will be in Los 
Angeles.) Lehtomaki added that she would ensure high-level 
Finnish  representation, perhaps Under Secretary of State for 
Development Policy Pertti Majanen. 
 
2. Post also delivered the talking points to the Humanitarian 
Assistance and the Eastern and Western Africa units of the 
MFA and learned that Mr. Aapo Polho, Director General for the 
Department of Africa and the Middle East plans to attend the 
conference. While the Finns intend to donate funds, they have 
not yet determined how much they will pledge. They expressed 
strong support for the conference and pointed to the 
increasingly urgent need for humanitarian assistance in 
southern Sudan in addition to Darfur. 
MACK