Al-Arab Blog - مدونة العرب

World Briefing: Europe: " World Briefing: Europe

Published: December 20, 2003



Small Scale

FINLAND: EX-PREMIER CHARGED

The state prosecutor said he was bringing charges against Anneli Jaatteenmaki, the first woman to serve as Finland's prime minister, for her role in a leaked-document scandal that toppled her government in June. A judiciary source said she would be tried in Helsinki in February or March on charges of inciting or assisting the breach of official secrets. A former presidential aide, Martti Manninen, who has admitted leaking information to Ms. Jaatteenmaki, faces charges of breaching official secrets. They face fines or up to two years' imprisonment. The documents gave details of talks on Iraq between Ms. Jaatteenmaki's predecessor as prime minister, Paavo Lipponen, and President Bush. Her party won a narrow victory in March after she accused Mr. Lipponen of compromising Finland's neutrality by supporting the war against Iraq. (Reuters)


Large Scale

RUSSIA: PUTIN MEETS WITH JEWISH LEADERS

In a first for the Kremlin, President Vladimir V. Putin officially observed Hanukkah with invitations to Russia's chief rabbi, Berl Lazar, and Aleksandr Boroda, a local Jewish leader. 'I'm congratulating the whole Jewish community, everybody who professes Judaism and treats this tradition with care,' Mr. Putin said, according to the Itar-Tass news agency. He also announced his support for a Russian-Jewish history museum to be built in Moscow. Erin E. Arvedlund (NYT)"