55 



toxic and hazardous waste resulting from industries and dumping activities 

 as well as major airborne and waterbome pollution from industrial 

 activities and cities. 



In the Circumpolar region environmental risks related to industrial and 

 military activities are alarming. Our experience and knowledge in this 

 region relate to huge copper and nickel smelters and their environmental 

 impacts as well as nuclear power production. 



The task concerning the improvement of nuclear safety and environment 

 in the former Soviet Union is a huge one. Accordingly, intensified 

 international cooperation and coordination is necessary. Finland welcomes 

 the initiative made by the G-7 in Miinchen regarding the improvement of 

 nuclear safety. The Finnish Government is prepared to participate in and 

 promote cooperation in this field in various international fora. Nuclear 

 safety will be one of the main issues, for example, for the recently 

 established regional forum, the Council of the Baltic Sea States. 



All the work that we have been doing together with our Russian col- 

 leagues indicates that environmental problems of the former Soviet Union 

 are alarming and the risks related to them should be of great concern to 

 the international community. My government is ready to share all the 

 information and experience that we have and to cooperate in the matter. 



Yours sincerely. 



^6.<*-K 



Sirpa Pietikainen 



Minister of Environment of Finland 



Annex: Information on Finnish bilateral environmental protection programs with 

 Central and Eastern European countries 



