"The ministers will touch upon prospects of creating common spaces in economics, trade, internal and external security, freedom, justice, science, culture, and interaction in settlement of crises," reported spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry Alexander Yakovenko.
He pointed out that ensuring the rights of minorities had special importance in the context of the EU expansion.
"By accepting Latvia and Estonia in its ranks, the EU shouldered on itself a considerable share of responsibility for the humanitarian situation in these states," the diplomat stressed.
"Finland with its rich democratic traditions, which allow all people permanently living in the country, irrespective of their citizenship, to participate in municipal elections, and great experience in supporting the languages and the national and cultural identity of the minorities can serve as a good example for Riga and Tallin," Yakovenko said.
In addition, the Russian and Finnish foreign ministers will discuss plans of the Russian-Finnish political contacts, synchronize approaches to the realisation of existing agreements, and consider the preparation for the next meeting of the heads of government scheduled for October in Helsinki.
"The Russian-Finnish partnership has become an important factor in ensuring the wellbeing of the population of the two countries. Finland is among 10 main trade partners of Russia which is placed second in the Finnish imports and fifth - in the Finnish exports," Yakovenko pointed out.
The ministers will exchange opinions on the way of jointly repulsing the threats modern Europe is encountering.
"The northern Europe has remained a zone of lower tension for a long time. The preservation of the military-political stability, the full use of the experience of multilateral cooperation meet the strategic interests of all the region's countries, the diplomat said.
According to him, the policy of military neutrality of Finland is an important factor influencing these processes.
