Moscow reports negative impact of sanctions on Russian-Finnish business ties
SOCHI. Aug 15 (Interfax) - Finland's support of the sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia is negatively influencing relations between Moscow and Helsinki in all areas, according to a report issued ahead of a meeting of the Russian and Finnish presidents, Vladimir Putin and Sauli Niinisto, in Sochi on Friday.
"Negative tendencies have recently been observed in bilateral relations. In following the "Euro-solidarity" principle, Finland has joined the sanctions pressure on Russia, a circumstance that is having a negative effect on the whole complex of Russian-Finnish ties," the report says.
Russian-Finnish trade declined 8% to $8.3 billion in January-June 2014 year-on-year, it says.
Russia's Finnish partners have postponed or cancelled a whole number of joint events, including a session of the bilateral intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation and the Finnish Parliament speaker's visit to Moscow, the report says.
Finnish analysts believe Finland is among the European Union's countries hardest hit by Russia's ban on EU food imports, it says.
"At the same time, both Moscow and Helsinki have an extremely negative attitude toward any sanctions wars," the report says.
The Finnish government did not support the latest sanctions against Russia and officially informed the European Commission and its European partners of this decision, it says.
"For decades, Russian-Finnish relations have served as an example of good neighborhood policy, as well as equal and mutually beneficial cooperation in different spheres. Political dialogue at the highest level has been a key component [of Russian-Finnish cooperation]," the report says.
The Russian and Finnish president have spoken over the phone four times this year - on February 28, May 19, May 17 and July 23. The Finnish leader also attended the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi in February.
