FINLAND & PALESTINE Proceedings of a Joint Workshop

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Reflections on Finnish-Palestinian Relations • • Dr. Olli Ruohomiki Senior Advisor at the Department for Development Policy, Ministryfor Foreign Affairs 0/Finlani Introduction The aim of this brief essay is to provide reflections on the official relations between the Government of Finland and the Palestinian Authority since 1999. The first part of the essay will provide a brief sketch of the tenures of the various Finnish representatives in Ramallah, and some of the highlights that characterised their time. This second part of the essay will dwell, at some length, on the development cooperation between Finland and the Palestinian Authority, including civil society perspectives. Finally, some reflections on the polities of aid will be provided. It is worth noting that the essay is not intended to be a definitive account of the official Finnish Palestinian relations, nor does it reflect the official views of the Finnish government, but it is, rather, a subjective reflection on the state of play of Finnish-Palestinian relations by an insider who served in the Finnish Representative Office in 2005-2007. 1 Prior to the current assignment Or. Ruohomaki served as the Deputy Representative of Finland to the Palestinian Territories in Ramallah. 79
Reflections on Finnlsh-Paleslinian A Roller-Coaster Ride: The Representative Office of Finland in Ramallah 1999-2008 2 Relations with the Palestinian Authority were handled by the Embassy of Finland in Tel Aviv prior to 1999. Development cooperation between Finland and the PA started soon after the establishment of the PA. A desk officer was sent to handle growing development cooperation with the PA in the summer of 1997 (Second Secretary Ms. Tarja Fernandez). Finland established the Representative Office of Finland in Ramallah on the 1 st of January 1999. The establishment of the Representative Office was done to upgrade the official relations between the Finnish government and the Palestinian Authority. Finland became a member of the European Union in 1995, and held her first Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 1999. The Middle East Peace Process figured very prominently on the EU agenda, and it was deemed appropriate to establish closer ties to the Palestinian Authority in order to gain better insights into the developments in the Palestinian Territories. The Representative Office was also accredited to handle relations towards Palestinian refugees through UNRWA. The first Representative was Mr. Jarno Syrjala, who moved to the Representative Office from the Finnish Embassy in Tel Aviv. His tenure {1.1.1999-31.3.2000} was characterised by a time of optimism. It must be recalled that 1999 is considered a highpOint in Palestinian life with the economy doing well. There were a lot of expectations in the air due to Camp David. This was a hectic time for Mr. Syrjala, as Finland was closely involved in the Tripartite Action Plan negotiations. On the bilateral front, highlights included Vasser Arafat's visit to Finland. 2 This section is based on interviews of the various Finnish representatives who worked in Ramallah since 1999. Highlights of their tenure are briefly considered. Development cooperation matters are discussed in more detail in the second section of the essay. 80
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:!: Foundation • of the Finnish I
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CONTENTS Forward ..................
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Forward • • This publication is
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Seminar Finland-Palestine 22-23 Nov
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Finland's support through bilateral
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Finnish Orientalists • • Dr. Mi
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uried when the Romans destroyed it.
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excellent and the locals called her
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The Identification of the So-Called
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over a thousand years, while, elsew
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The basic framework for the interpr
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The three main structures in the gr
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_---..~-------.---.---------",ikkoi
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Conclusion The Umayyad Empire was r
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• ____ Mikko LouhIvuori Bloch, F.
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Palestine Research of Hilma Granqvi
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------------------ Riilla I!iOtaIo
Page 36 and 37: • Along with her initial topic Gr
Page 38 and 39: Hilma Granqvist got her doctoral de
Page 40 and 41: death. Nevertheless, Granqvist neve
Page 42 and 43: Notes Aalto, Pertti, Oriental Studi
Page 44 and 45: Palestine in Finnish Media A Bro
Page 46 and 47: .----------------------------------
Page 48 and 49: The third positive aspect was that
Page 50 and 51: they know if their husbands are tak
Page 52 and 53: Development of Relations Between th
Page 54 and 55: ._---------------------------------
Page 56 and 57: •..-.--....-~-~-... ~......--- ..
Page 58 and 59: also tries to keep these organizati
Page 60 and 61: had some contacts to Arab Christian
Page 62 and 63: e__-----.-.-.--.--- _~____ Hartt! T
Page 64 and 65: shop Qufity, and Catholic apostolic
Page 66 and 67: .------_._._----- MI1rtti Tuhkanen
Page 68 and 69: ______________ Martti Tutlkanen - S
Page 70 and 71: • They want to have contact with
Page 72 and 73: Advocacy What we in Finland could d
Page 74 and 75: The Development of the EU's Politic
Page 76 and 77: ing factors may include the need fo
Page 78 and 79: ------ ______ . ___~_ Flora Kurtkll
Page 80 and 81: capacity to act is derived, both, f
Page 82 and 83: • ___~___ Flora Kurikkal8 ing of
Page 84 and 85: Bibliography Adler, Emmanuel (1997)
Page 88 and 89: Ms. Eija Rotinen was the second Fin
Page 90 and 91: .- .__.__ .._ .. 0111 RuohotrJIIkI
Page 92 and 93: .._ OIli Ruohomliki technical ass
Page 94 and 95: .------ OIli Ruohornaki asking wh
Page 96 and 97: Visions of a Real Multiculturalism:
Page 98 and 99: Hannu JuusoIa Circassian minorities
Page 100 and 101: - _____________ HannlJJutJSOla tobe
Page 102 and 103: • Hilnnu JIJlJSOIa As pointed out
Page 104 and 105: .-..-~_________.____..___.. ______~
Page 106 and 107: know both languages. Swedish may al
Page 108 and 109: Despite these significant differenc
Page 110 and 111: --- ___ Hannu JUlISOIa Bibliography
Page 112 and 113: Women's Role in Building a Society
Page 114 and 115: .e--------~"---- women's movement i
Page 116 and 117: 1. The right to initiate divorce; 2
Page 118 and 119: ---------------_.... _-- reliable
Page 120 and 121: • _~_._____ Sylvia Ak4r struggle
Page 122 and 123: -.----------------- candidates an
Page 124 and 125: SylviaAkar 1. Equal salary for equa
Page 126 and 127: • colonial societies. They challe
Page 128 and 129: The One-State, One-Society Option:
Page 130 and 131: • _____._.___._.__._.____.~.__.__
Page 132 and 133: -- ""__ Khalil Nakhfeh 2. I am usin
Page 134 and 135: e eligible to claim a "right of sel
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• Palestinian acceptance that "Is
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a "nationalityll and that they have
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Fateh at the Crossroads: Opportuni
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lead to the liberation of Palestine
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~....-~..• -.------ LIIi1Y Shaban
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FINLAND & PALESTINE Proceedings of a Joint Workshop

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