The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Sauli Niinistö, the President of Finland, on the sidelines of the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit.

The Secretary-General congratulated the President on his recent election and inauguration. He thanked the President for Finland's support for the work of the United Nations, including its support for preventive diplomacy and mediation.
 
During their meeting, they discussed preparations for the Rio+20 conference, matters pertaining to nuclear safety and security, the Middle East peace process and work on the planned conference on establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East region. 
 
The two leaders also exchanged views on Syria, and the Secretary-General briefed the President on the latest developments in this regard.