FINLAND: WORKING OVERTIME TO APPROVE THE U.S.-EU

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000266 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR: TOM COLEMAN EEB/TRA/AN AND PEGGY WALKER EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ECON KTIA PREL EU FI SUBJECT: FINLAND: WORKING OVERTIME TO APPROVE THE U.S.-EU AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT REF: SECSTATE 43305 ¶1. (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel demarche on the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement to Ms. Anne Torkkeli, Ministerial Counsellor in the Transport Services Unit of the GOF Ministry of Transport and Communications. Torkkeli said the GOF is pleased with the agreement which they anticipate will be signed during the U.S.-EU Summit on April 30. Torkkeli noted her office received an urgent request from Brussels to fast-track country approval of the agreement, causing her office to work over the Easter holiday to prepare the necessary position papers for GOF approval of the agreement. The agreement should be approved by the various GOF Ministries on April 12, with final approval by GOF President Tarja Halonen on April 13. The agreement will ultimately be signed by Mr. Eikka Kosonen, Finland,s Permanent Representative, during a COREPER meeting in Brussels around April 25. HYATT