Current issue 01 / 2010

Sweden

HE Mr. Johan Molander presented his credentials as Ambassador of Sweden on January 9th. He is a Master of Law who joined the Ministry in 1974; he has been posted in Moscow, Mexico City and Geneva. Among his positions, HE was Ambassador to UN and other international organisations in Geneva, and was Sweden’s Chief Negotiator for UNCTAD XI and Ambassador to the Russian Federation, with concurrent accreditation to Belarus, and later to Georgia and Armenia.

Portugal

HE Mr. Paulo Couto Barbosa is the new Ambassador of Portugal to Finland since January 22. A career diplomat, he graduated from Law University in Lisbon, and soon became the Secretary for the Minister for Foreign Affairs, then Head of the Department for Africa, Asia and Oceania. HE worked abroad at missions in Bremen, Athens, Recife and Islamabad. Since 1982, he was Ambassador to Nairobi, Tel Aviv, Luxemburg, Cape Town, as well as for Seychelles-Uganda-Tanzania. HE is the recipient of the Order of Infante D.Enrique and the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit.

Morocco

HE Ms. Mina Tounsi has been the first Ambassador of Morocco in Finland since January 9th. She holds a PhD in International Economic Relations from Paris Nanterre, and also has a Bachelor in Law from Casablanca. Among her former tasks, Her Excellency was in charge of European Parliament relations in Brussels, of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, Director of Communications in the Ministry, and Chargee d’Affaires in Ireland.

Greece

HE Mr. Christos Kontovounisios, Ambassador of Greece to Finland, graduated in Political Sciences form Athens, with post graduates studies in Stockholm and a Master in International Law from Paris. He was appointed in Canberra, Toronto, Kiev, Pristina, and then Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Austria

HE Mrs. Margit Waestfelt presented her credentials as Ambassador of Austria to Finland on November 27th 2008. Born in Graz, HE graduated from Graz University in Law and French, with a judicial training at the court of Justice in Graz. After following the Diplomatic Academy and entering the foreign service, she was posted at missions in Paris, Moscow and OSCE. During the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship HE was Ambassador for external relations at OSCE.The posting in Finland is her first as Ambassador to a foreign country.

Mexico

HE Ambassador of Mexico Mr. Agustín Gutiérrez-Canet is a career diplomat and a journalist in foreign affairs. He was spokesman to the President of Mexico Vicente Fox in 2003-2005, and served abroad in Hong Kong, Italy, Spain and as Ambassador to Ireland. Born in 1951, he holds a BA in Mass Communication; active in the academic field, he edited and co-authored several books on Mexican foreign policy. He was awarded by the king of Spain with the decorations of the Commander of the Order of the Civil Merit and by the King of Sweden as Commander of the Order of the Polar Star. HE is married to Mrs. Martha Barcena, present Ambassador of Mexico to Denmark; they have two daughters.

Netherlands

HE Ambassador of Netherlands Mr. Nicolaas Beets is a graduate in Business and Management from the University of Delft. Born in 1953, he joined the Foreign Service the year of his graduation, 1979. HE is assigned to working at home and abroad as junior diplomat in Paramaribo, Jakarta and Khartoum. From 1995 to 2000 he was posted in the European Integration Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as head of two divisions: of the External Relations and of the Association Agreements & Other Special Relations. Previously to Finland, His Excellency was on a four year postings first as Ambassador to Latvia and then to Saudi Arabia. His Excellency is married to Heide.

South Korea

HE Ambassador of South Korea Mr. Ho-Jin Lee is a Master of Law in International Law from the University of Seoul. Born in 1951, he integrated the Foreign Service in 1974, being posted abroad in the United States, Uganda, Philippines and Austria. He was Ambassador & Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to Hungary. At home he was mainly in charge with Policy Planning in areas ranging from regional policy to security and foreign policies. Since 1994 he is a member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament, holding its chairmanship in 2007. His Excellency is married and has two sons.

Cuba

HE Sergio Gonzales Gonzales has been appointed Ambassador of Cuba to Finland since September 2007. Born in 1960, HE graduated in International Political Relations from the Superior Institute for International Relations “Raúl Roa García”. His postings include appointments as Ambassador in Namibia, and previously as III Secretary in the USSR. He has worked in the Europe Division of the Ministry as Human Resources Deputy Director and Director of Economy and Finances Division.

France

HE Ms. Francoise Bourolleau is the French Ambassador to Finland since March 27. She graduated from the Institute of Political Studies in Paris, after a BA in Russian Studies. She has been working in the embassies in Athens, Belgrade, Moscow, Ljubljana, London, and as Ambassador in Albania. In the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs she filled positions in the divisions of Europe and Asia & Oceania among others. Her Excellency has been distinguished Knight of National Order of the Legion of Honour and Officer of the National Order of Merit.

Indonesia

HE Mr. Harry Purwanto is the new Ambassador of Indonesia to Finland and Estonia since May 23rd.

Ukraine

HE Andrii Deshchytsia presented his Credentials as Ambassador of Ukraine on March 27th. Born in 1965, he has a Ph.D in Political Science from Lviv University and a MA in History from Alberta University, Canada. Previously to his appointment he was Spokesperson of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Minister-Counsellor in the Embassy in Poland, Counsellor at the Embassy in Finland and Senior Officer of the Poland-America-Ukraine Cooperation Initiative. HE is married and has a daughter. He is fluent in English, Polish and Russian.

USA

Ambassador Bruce J. ORECK presented his credentials in September 2009. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University and his Masters of Law (Taxation) from New York University. Mr. Oreck practiced law for over 25 years, representing many of the largest companies in the United States. He is the author of several books on taxation and has had a successful career as a speaker and lecturer. In 2003 HE and his spouse founded the Zero Carbon Initiative committed to implementing innovative technologies in the built environment- as a real estate developer, Ambassador Oreck has restored and re-developed historic properties.

Iraq

Mr. Ghasan T.FATAH has been Minister Plenipotentiary, Chargés d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy since December 2007. With a BA in Economic and Political Sciences, he joined the Foreign Service in 1968. He served in the Iraqi embassies of the UK (London), North Korea (Pyong Yang), Sweden (Stockholm), Iran (Tehran), Oman (Muscat), Serbia (Belgrade), Ethiopia (Addis Ababa), Sudan (Khartoum) and South Africa (Pretoria). He is married.

Serbia

HE Ms Vera Mavric has been Ambassador of Serbia to Finland since February. She graduated from the University of Belgrade in Economics. HE is married and has two children. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

South Africa

HE Mr. L M SOBIZANA MNGQIKANA, Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to the Republic of Finland and Estonia, holds a BA degree in History and Public Administration from Rhodes University, and an M.Sc. Economics (Major in International Relations) from the University of London, UK. Early in His career he was Chief Representative of the ANC, the African National Congress in the Nordic Countries and Chairperson, of the ANC’s Regional Political Committee in Sweden. Before his posting to Finland, HE was Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, then to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. HE is married. He speaks Swedish, English and his native Xhosa.

Spain

HE Ricardo ZALACAIN, M.Sc. in Economy, has been the Ambassador of Spain to Finland since February. He has been ambassador to several states in the Caribbean (Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Vincent & the Grenadines, Commonwealth of Dominica, Federation of St Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Bahamas and Saint Lucia. He was equally Ambassador to Algeria, Luxembourg and served in embassies in Germany and Sweden.

Tunisia

MR. Ali BEN MALEK has been Minister Plenipotentiary, Chargee d’Affaires of Tunisia to Finland, since October. He has an MA in Law from Tunis, with additional courses in International Law and Human Rights in Geneva, Yaounde and Banjul. He has served in UN missions in Geneva and as Consul of the mission in Strasbourg. In the Ministry he has been Director of the Unit for Human Rights and attaché to the Presidency. He has been largely involved in delegations on human rights issues, such as the fight against racial discrimination. He is married and has four children.

Germany

HE Wilfried Grolig presented his letters of credentials as Ambassador of German Federation in September. Born in 1949, with a background in Law, HE held different positions in embassies in Kinshasa, Rabat, in the UN mission in New York and in Jakarta. Between 1991-1994, he was the private secretary of Minister of State Seiler-Albring (European Affairs), then for one year in charge with policy planning, management and development in Siemens AG.  Among his postings in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Head of the Task Force for Global Issues, Deputy Director General for Central Services and Director General for Culture and Education. Helsinki is HE’s first ambassadorial posting.

Israel

HE Ambassador Avi Granot was born in Tel Aviv in 1950, to parents from Krakow, Poland, who survived the Holocaust by being on Schindler’s list. After completing studies in history and biology at the State University of New York, USA, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Ambassador Granot served in various diplomatic positions in Ottawa, Rome and Pretoria, Washington D.C. and as Ambassador in Addis Ababa. For the past seven years, he served as Political Advisor to the President. As of October 2007, HE is serving as Ambassador of Israel to Finland and Estonia (resident in Finland).

Lithuania

HE Dr Doc Mrs Halina Kobeckaite, the new Ambassador of Lithuania to Finland, is born in 1939. She graduated as a journalist, studied Uzbek language in Tashkent and post graduated studies in Moscow. With a Doctorate in Philosophy of Arts, HE worked as an academician for over 20 years. Previously to Finland, she was Ambassador to Estonia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan and also Adviser to the President of Lithuania. She advocates for human rights of minorities and women.  HE is a member of the Writers’ and of the Journalists’ Guilds and the translator of over 20 books, being highly awarded for diplomatic services and translations, both by Lithuanian and foreign institutions.

Norway

HE Leidulv Namtvedt presented in Helsinki his credentials in his first ambassadorial posting in September. Born in 1950, with a BA in Political Studies and additional studies at the Norwegian National Defence College, he held different positions in the embassies in Beijing, London and Moscow. In the Ministry for Foreign Affairs he was Head of the Department of Press and Culture, Deputy Director General of the Press, Culture and Information Department, and later of the Department for Security Policy, as well as Director General of the Administrative Department. His Excellency is married and has 3 adult children.

Ireland

Born in 1952, Ambassador Dermot BRANGAN entered the Department of Foreign Affairs as Third Secretary in 1977 after a two year posting in the Department of Agriculture. He has an MA in Economics from Dublin's Trinity College and has been posted to missions in Madrid, Canberra, New York and Washington. At home he served in the Anglo-Irish Division, the Consular Section and the Press Division. In 2005 he was Ambassador to Mexico, also accredited to Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Peru and Venezuela. In October 2009 he presented his credentials as Ambassador to Finland.

Croatia

HE Dr Damir Kusen presented his credentials as the new Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Finland in February 2007. He holds a BA in Psychology from Zagreb University, a MA in international relations from Westminster University, London, and a PhD in international relations from King’s College, University of London. Dr Kusen joined the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1992. Since 2004, he has chaired the Board of the Croatian Institute for International Relations in Zagreb. He is married and has one daughter.

Cyprus

Ambassador Thalia Petrides is a career diplomat in the foreign service of the Republic of Cyprus. She has served as Ambassador to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, to the OSCE in Vienna, to Portugal and Cape Verde and as of 11 January 2007 she is Ambassador of Cyprus to Finland. She has authored several books on diplomacy and her other interests include music, astronomy, animal welfare and environment protection. HE is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Greek (mother tongue).

Belgium

Born in 1946, HE Guido Armand Courtois went to school in London, Paris and Antwerp, obtaining a BA in International Relations from Gent University in 1969. He joined the diplomatic service in 1973, holding different positions, in Abidjan, Washington (commercial counsellor), La Haye (cultural counsellor), Ambassador in Luanda, Tunis, Amman, Director of Logistics in the Ministry and then Consul General in Jerusalem. Between 1991 and 1992 HE was diplomatic counsellor of then Deputy Prime Minister Willy Claes. In January 2007 HE took his post as Ambassador to Finland. HE is married and has an adult son.

Bulgaria

HE Dr. Plamen Lubomirov Bonchev, born in 1957 in Vidin, Bulgaria, took both his MA in International Relations and his PhD in Political Sciences in Moscow. His thesis, “Western European Security and Defense Co-operation”, leaded him to hold in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, that he joined in 1983, mostly positions as NATO & WEU Officer: 1998 - 2003 Deputy Head of Mission, Bulgarian Mission to NATO & WEU in Brussels; 2004 - 2006 Director, NATO & International Security Directorate in Sofia, and Director of the Bulgarian Ministerial Task Force at NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Sofia (April 2006). Since September 2006 HE is Ambassador to Finland and Estonia.

Japan

Hiroshi MARUYAMA has been Ambassador to Finland since the end of August 2009. A BA in Economics from the University of Tokyo, HE had a long career in the Ministry of Transport, where he entered in 1972. Before Finland, he was President of the Japan International Transport Institute and Vice-Chairman of the Institute for Transport Policy Studies (ITPS); Secretary General of the ITPS; and Vice Minister for International Affairs. He has been Director General in several departments, such as the Public Relations Office, Aviation Industries Division and Financial Affairs. Early in his career, he was First Secretary, then Counsellor, in Paris. He is married with Michiko.

Chile

HE CARLOS PARRA MERINO, MA, studied Law at University of Conception, at Stanford and Yale Law Schools. In addition to his academic experience in Chile HE held two postings in London, as legal counselor in the embassy of Chile and as international civil servant in the International Maritime Organization. He also founded and co–directed the Institute for the New Chile in Rotterdam (1977-1982). Previously to his appointment as Ambassador to Finland HE was Ambassador in Sweden (1990-1994) , Lawyer and consultant to foreign companies (1994-2002), Director in the Ministry of Agriculture (2002-2004) and Undersecretary of Aviation in the Ministry of National Defens e (2004-2006). Mr. Carlos Parra Merino speaks fluently English and Spanish. HE is married.

China

Huang XING was appointed Ambassador to Finland in September 2009, following a post as Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. A university graduate, he occupied the post of Director General of China Science and Technology Exchange Center, of Director in the State Science and Technology. He was posted abroad as Minister Counsellor in the Chinese Embassy and at the Mission to EU in Belgium, Counsellor in Canada, and attaché in the Embassy in the United States. He is married and has one son.

Estonia

Estonia’s new Ambassador to Finland, HE Merle Pajula , served as Ambassador to UN in New York in 2000. Mrs. Pajula has graduated from the University of Tartu, in Languages , and joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1992. Previously she worked in the embassy in Helsinki in 1995 –1998, after which she has been director of the Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department. From 2000 to 2004 she served as Estonia’s Ambassador to United Nations, in New York.

Iran

The New Iranian Ambassador to Finland, Dr Reza Nazarahari, is a career diplomat, previously posted as Senior Officer in International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Nazarahari is 44, and got his BA in Diplomatic Relations from the College of International Relations in Tehran in 1989. He also completed his M.A. in Political Science. Dr. Nazarahari took his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Kent in Canterbury (UK) in 1996. Dr Nazarahari speaks English and Arabic. He is married and they have two children.

Slovenia

Mr. Tone KAJZER became Ambassador to Finland in April. He was Second Secretary in the embassy in Egypt, while in the Ministry he worked in the Protocol Department, as well as in the Department for Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific, then to the Working Group for Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and SECI Initiative. He occupied the position of Head of Department for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance, Head of the Project Group for Border Delimitation with Croatia and later Head of Division for Croatia; he is author of the Slovenian Law of International Development Cooperation. He is married to Milena Stefanovici and they have two daughters.

Czech Republic

HE Vladimir Kotzy, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Finland is born in april 1941. He has obtained a double diploma from the university of Prague, first as Foreign Trade Engineer then in Marketing. He has worked for Cedok Travel Agency until 1970, being promoted Department manager for Scandinavia, Benelux and the UK. Asked to step away for political reasons, he is called back in 1989 and appointed manger Director in Amsterdam then in London. In 1997 he joins the Foreign Affairs Ministry as Deputy Director of the 2nd Territorial Department and later as Director of the Department of Bilateral Economic Relations. HE was Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Canada from 1998 to 2004. Mr. Vladimir Kotzy speaks fluently English and German and has a working knowledge of Russian, French and Dutch. HE is married and has one adult daughter.

Romania

HE Lucian Fatu was appointed Ambassador to Finland in May 2006. He holds a B.A. in civil engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest and a M.A. in European Integration from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Mr. Fatu started working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest fifteen years ago as a United States desk officer. He was the Deputy Director General for EU Affairs and the Minister-Counselor in the EU General Affairs Unit, the Deputy Director of North America and, subsequently, Director of the Western Europe Units. While abroad, he has been posted in London as the Deputy Head of Mission, in Washington, D.C. as a political officer and in Lithuania as Ambassador, also in charge of Latvia. HE Mr. Fatu is married and has two children.

Russia

HE Mr. Alexander Rumyantsev presented his credentials on June 2 as the new Ambassador of Russia to Finland. From 2001-2004, Mr. Rumyantsev was the Minister of the Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation. In 2004 and 2005 he was the head of the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency. He built his internationally recognized expertise in nuclear physics in the Russian Nuclear Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", where he worked from 1969 to 2001; in 1994 he took over as Director. His Excellency is Doctor of Science, Professor and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1986 he was awarded the USSR State Prize for his scientific and research activities. Since 2005, he has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Global Energy International Prize. His Excellency is married and he has an adult daughter.

Vietnam

HE Mr. Tran Ngoc An was appointed as the first residential ambassador to Finland of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in June 2006. Born in 1963 in Hanoi, HE graduated from International Relations Institute in Hanoi, completing a MA in Political Economy and International Relations in Kent University, UK. He also studied in the University of Polytechnics in Kiev, and Japanese language in Japan. HE joined the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 1988, as officer in the International Organization Department. From 1998 to 2005 he was Deputy Director General in the ASEAN Department. Previously to his posting as Ambassador he was one year posted in Helsinki as Chargee d'Affaires a.i. HE is married and has two daughters.

Great Britain

The new British Ambassador to Finland, H.E. Mrs. Valerie Caton, officially became Ambassador to Finland in early March 2006. Dr. Caton joined the Foreign Service in 1980. She worked in the embassies in Brussels (Second Secretary and First Secretary), Paris (First Secretary and a second time as Financial and Economic Counselor) and Stockholm (Deputy Head of Mission and Consul-General). While at home, she lead the Environment Policy Department. In 2004 she was the head of the Climate Change and Energy Group in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Dr. Caton is married and has a daughter and a son. She is fluent in French and she speaks some Swedish and German.

Brazil

Armando Vitor Boisson CARDOSO presented his credentials as Ambassador to Finland in October. Born in 1944, he earned an MA in Diplomacy from the Brazilian Diplomatic Academy and worked in MFA as Assistant Director in the Archives Division and in the Trade Promotion Division, as Acting Director in Central and North America Division, Advisor in Americas Department and Director in the Eastern Europe Division. he was posted abroad as Deputy Consul in Barcelona, Second Secretary in Budapest, Counsellor in Brussels and later in Prague, Minister Counsellor at UNESCO in Paris, Ambassador in Port-Au Prince and Consul General in Geneva. He is married to Dora Beatriz.

Iceland

Ambassador Elin FLYGENRING holds an MA in European Legislation and a Lawyer's Degree, (Cand. Jur.). In her early career she was an active member in the Equality Council, and Head of Cultural Division and Secretary General of the Parliamentary Cultural Committee in the Nordic Council in Stockholm. She was Director of Information, Cultural Affairs and Consular Liaison, Chief of Protocol, and Permanent Representative of Iceland to the Council of Europe in 2008. Ambassador in Finland since November 2009, she is also accredited to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. She is married and has two daughters. Ireland.

Hungary

H.E. Dr. Andras Hajdu, appointed in February to be the Ambassador to Finland, is a career diplomat with a degree in Law from the University Eötvös Lorand in Budapest. He joined the International Law department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1974, where he held a variety of different positions. He also worked in research and as a lecturer in the University where he used to be a student, where he was head of the Policy Planning Staff and the Section of European Political Affairs. His Excellency was previously the Ambassador to Sweden and was also accredited to Iceland and Denmark. He is member of Hungarian Atlantic Council, the Hungarian Society of Foreign Affairs, and of Hungarian Society of Political Sciences.

Mr. Andras Hajdu is divorced and has two daughters.

Switzerland

Born in 1947, H.E. Mr. Josef Bucher completed a Master Degree in Sociology in Fribourg and Geneva. Mr. Boucher joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1974 and served in Berne, Cairo and Amman. He was the Deputy Head of Mission to Jeddah, Oslo, Geneva - as Deputy head for the Delegation to EFTA and GATT - then Chargee d’Affaires in Libya. In 1997 H.E. was nominated as the Ambassador to Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and the Seychelles. His Excellency is a special representative of Switzerland on conflict issues. He has co-chaired in 2002 the ceasefire negotiations in the 18 years old conflict in Sudan regarding the Nuba Mountains.

Mr. Josef Bucher is married and has three teenage daughters.

Denmark

Ambassador Jens-Otto HORSLUND entered the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1988, where he was Head of Section in several departments, Head of NATO Section, Deputy Head of Security Policy Department. In 1991 he was appointed at the embassy in Riyadh as First Secretary, in 1997 political counsellor in Washington, D.C., and Deputy to the Permanent Representative to NATO in Brussels in 2003. Before his nomination as Ambassador to Finland, where he presented his credentials on October 2009, he was Head of Foreign Policy Department in Copenhagen. Born in 1960, he has three sons and lives with his partner, Ms. Lisbet Andreassen, a business analyst.

Argentina

HE Mrs. Lila Subirán de viana was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Finland in September 2005. She graduated from the Political and Diplomatic Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Litoral. She joined the Foreign Service in 1963 and was posted in Chile, Netherlands, United States, Romania and Moldova. While in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Argentina, she held positions in the Department of the Antarctica and the Malvinas Islands, the Latin American Affairs, and of European, American and North African Affairs. She headed Argentinean delegations to the un, visited the Antarctic and the Malvinas, and wrote her thesis on “The Antarctic Problem: Origin, Development and Possible Evolution of the Criteria that rule in the Antarctic Continent.” Over the last three years she was Responsible for the Women´s Group in the Argentine Council for the International Relations (c.a.r.i.)

In addition to Spanish and English she speaks French and Romanian. She is married and is mother of four.

Canada

Holding an MA in International Affairs, Christopher SHAPARDANOV has been Ambassador to Finland since October 2009. Mr. Shapardanov joined the Department of External Affairs in 1986 and has served abroad in Washington, D.C. twice, Moscow and Brussels with the International Staff at NATO Headquarters. In Ottawa, he held a number of positions, including serving on the Russia Desk; Deputy Director of the Economic Summit Division; Director in the Global Partnership Program; and Director in the International Security Branch. In 2004, he was a Senior Analyst in the Canada-U.S. Secretariat in the Privy Council Office. He is married to Lianne and they have a daughter.

India

HE Ambassador of India to Finland Mr. Om Prakash, a Master of Science in Physics from Delhi University, joined the Foreign Service in 1977. He held various postings in Tokyo, Addis Ababa, Hanoi, Milan, Bishek and Paramaribo. Before his position as Ambassador in Helsinki, HE was Consul General in Osaka.

Latvia

Born in 1969, Juris BONE obtained an MA in International Relations from the University of Latvia after studying History and Philosophy, as well as Road Engineering. He has served in missions in London and Tallinn, and occupied various positions in MFA - Senior Desk Officer in the Secretariat of the Baltic Council of Ministers, Acting Head of the Western European States Division, Head of Americas and Australia Division, and Head of the State Protocol, before his appointment as Ambassador to Finland that began in September 2009. He is fluent in English and Russian, and has knowledge of Estonian and German.

Malaysia

Cheah Choong KIT, born in 1958, has been Ambassador to Finland since July 2009. The posting followed his function as Ambassador to Zimbabwe. An MA in Diplomacy and Strategy were earned from the National University of Malaysia, he entered the foreign service in 1984, being posted as Economic Director in Taipei at the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Center, in Bucharest as Chargee d'Affaires, as Principal Assistant Secretary for West Europe then for Europe and Central Asia, as well as Under- Secretary for Multilateral Economic & Environment Division. He is married with Chooi Poh Choo and they have a child.

Taipei Representative Office

Born in 1946, Mr. Thomas T.S. CHENG began his career in 1971 after a BA in Diplomacy, followed by an MA in Political Science from Taipei University and an MS from Washington, D.C.'s Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service. Before his appointment to Finland in summer 2009, Mr. Cheng occupied the positions of Director General of Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chicago, Boston and Toronto. Mr. Cheng was Division Director in Washington, D.C. and Bangkok. He was both Counsellor and Chargé d’ affaires in the Embassy in the Commonwealth of Dominica, and has been both Third and Second Secretary in the Embassy in Swaziland. He is married and has two sons.

Thailand

Ms. Benjamas NGERNWATTHANA has been the Chargé d'Affaires a.i. to Finland since autumn 2009. Born in 1950, she is educated in Political Science from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, and joined MFA in 1975. She was posted in Seoul as Third Secretary, in Lisbon as First Secretary, then as Minister Counsellor to Singapore and, previous to Helsinki, to Bern. In the ministry Ms. Benjamas filled the positions of Second Secretary in the Department of International Organizations; Counsellor, then Minister Counsellor, in the Department of ASEAN Affairs and the Department of International Economic Affairs.

Turkey

Mr. Selah KORUTÜRK presented his credentials as Ambassador to Finland in December 2009. Born in 1949, Mr. Korutürk has been posted abroad as Second, then First, Secretary in Moscow, Counsellor in Paris, First Counsellor in Madrid and as Ambassador in Tunis, with concurrent accreditation to Palestine. He was First Secretary at the Intelligence and Research Department, Chief of Section and later Head of Department of Europe; Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Director General for European Affairs; and Ambassador, Director General for Europe. His wife, Zergün Korutürk, is Ambassador of Turkey in Stockholm, and they have two children.