Finnish government in rare public disagreement over foreign policy

A REPORT by Demokraatti has exposed cracks in the foreign policy stance of the Finnish government only a couple of hours after public assurances of complete unity from both Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) and President Alexander Stubb.

Demokraatti on Friday revealed that Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah (CD) had attached a dissenting opinion on a decision taken at the joint meeting of the president and ministerial committee on foreign and security policy (TP-UTVA) to vote in favour of declaring illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territory of Palestine.