SOME FINAL COMMENTS FROM FINLAND 2006

As Finland passes on the EU leadership to Germany we found Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomoja sharply criticise the whole ugly Iraq affair. It is already well know that he is disliked by Condi Sleezey Nice of the USA especially after he told her that he thought the USA should get its own house in order before crashing around the world stomping on other places in the disguise of freedom and democracy. Again this straight talking truth talking man is another example of the big difference between Finland and the UK and the USA.

Concerning again President Tarja Halonen one of her farewell 2006 comments was, to Zola, heartenening. She said that migrants and "foreigners" should never be only seen as in the numbers games of the market. All are human she said and deserved to seen and treated as being human first and foremost. Both Halonen and Tuomioja are long time friends, since university, and long time active social democrats. It is good to see that the social democrats remain leading in every poll taken this far over the last year.