President Halonen in Washington for Nuclear Security Summit

President Barack Obama and President Tarja Halonen shake hands after the successful Summit. Photo: Kari Mokko

 The Nuclear Security Summit that was arranged in Washington ended with a communiqué in which nations pledged to improve the monitoring and protection of nuclear material. According to President of the Republic Tarja Halonen, the summit was a success and an encouraging step forward in fighting nuclear terrorism. President Halonen represented Finland at the summit, which was convened by President Barack Obama on 12-13 April 2010.

President Halonen was among the first speakers at the summit's opening dinner on Monday. In her statement she emphasized the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the significance of international cooperation in preventing nuclear terrorism. She pointed out that Finland has participated in international projects that have improved border controls against nuclear trafficking and replaced radioactive power sources in lighthouses in the Gulf of Finland and the Arctic Ocean.

Finland places special emphasis on improving cooperation between national authorities, such as border guards, defence forces, the police and organizations responsible for nuclear facilities.

President Halonen also mentioned Finland's positive experience with regard to an international peer review of its nuclear security system, which IAEA experts carried out last year. President Halonen recommended that other nations take advantage of this kind of voluntary evaluation. President Obama expressly thanked Finland for this statement and for drawing attention to peer reviews.

Threat of nuclear terrorism is global

The goal of the summit was to strengthen international cooperation aimed at improving nuclear security. Working sessions looked at national and international measures to secure nuclear material and the prevention of nuclear terrorism. Representatives of over 40 countries as well as international organizations attended the two-day summit.

President Halonen emphasized that arranging the summit on this timetable and in this scope is already a significant achievement. "It shows that the threat of nuclear terrorism has been understood around the world as a global threat," she said.

According to President Halonen, significant progress has been made in issues regarding nuclear weapons and nuclear security in the past year. "A year ago President Obama presented his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons when he visited Prague. President Medvedev responded to this initiative positively in a speech that he gave in Helsinki. Now both Presidents have signed an agreement that will substantially reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons," President Halonen said, referring to the new START treaty.

According to President Halonen, monitoring and reducing military weapons strengthens trust and cooperation, which is needed to resolve other problems.

Women's role a special topic

During her trip to Washington President Halonen also met with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and the president of the Brookings Institution, former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. Discussions with Mr Talbott focused particularly on relations between the United States and Russia and between the EU and Russia.

President Halonen also met American women leaders at a luncheon that was arranged by the Finnish Embassy in cooperation with the Center for American Progress. Special topics on this occasion included women's role in mitigating climate change and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Timely matters being addressed by the Council of Women World Leaders also received attention during the trip. President Halonen is the Chair of the Council.

• 4/13/2010 Statement by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC
• Nuclear Security Summit

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