Bridges neighborliness and cooperation

23 December 2011

From 19 to 20 December, 2011 at the invitation of the «Finnish Reserve Officers Federation», the Delegation of the International Advisory Council of the Organizations of the Reserve Officers (IAC) and the National Association 0f Unions of Reserve Officers of the Armed Forces (MEGAPIR), composed of Anatoly Kumakhov, the Executive Secretary of the Council and Alexander Kovalev, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Association «Megapir», made a working visit to Finland. The Delegation was given a warm welcome.

It is noteworthy that among the delegation met and seen off at the railway station of Helsinki was Colonel J. Anttila, Deputy Defence Attache at the Embassy of Finland in Russia, which for this specially traveled to Helsinki from Moscow. He was also involved in all conversations and activities.

A frank and relevant talks with Mr, Mika Hannula, President of the Federation and Mr, Janne Kosonen, the Secretary General, on December 19 in the office of the Federation and 20 December in the Central officers' club. Parties informed each other about their activities.

Janne Kosonen via e-slide presentation gave detailed information about the structure and activities of the «Finnish Reserve Officers' Federation» and explained a number of issues.

Anatoly Kumakhov described the objectives of creating the concept of IAC and its activities as an international mechanism of interaction between organizations of reserve officers in different countries in the interests of their members. At the request of the Finnish side is given detailed information about the first meeting of the International Advisory Council in June 2011 and the ongoing work of the Secretariat of the IAC. They handed over the materials of the meeting of the Organizing Committee and the first meetings of the IAC, the information on the IAC. The guests from Moscow, it was suggested to establish interaction between scientists, philosophers and historians in the IAC, which aroused the interest and approval from the Finnish reserve officers.

With a special interest in Finnish colleagues have heard about the upcoming second meeting of the International Advisory Council in Bratislava, 22 — 24 May, 2012, during his training, participants, program and agenda. They also passed the first issue of the IAC «Officers Fraternity».with video about the first meeting, attributes the IAC, a collection of newspapers and the Magazins.

President and Secretary General of the Finnish Federation gratefully accepted the invitation to attend the second meeting of the International Advisory Council in Bratislava and asked him to send a detailed program and agenda for the event.

Leadership of the Finnish Federation of the reserve officers with great interest the information about the activities of multilateral organizations of the National Association of Unions of Reserve Officers of the Armed Forces (MEGAPIR). Finnish side handed over a draft agreement on cooperation between the Association «Megapir» and the Finnish Federation of reserve officers. Date and place of signing of the Agreement will be agreed in due course after the study.

Alexander Kovalev informed the Finnish colleagues on the Military Philosophical Society of «Megapir», prepared by its members and has published scientific papers, and of representatives of the Association of Russian regions and abroad.

During the final meeting December 20 the Russian and Finnish sides noted the importance of the talks and their outcome. Finnish reserve officers have expressed interest and readiness for the establishment and development of multilateral contacts with the IAC, as well as bilateral cooperation between the Finnish Federation of reserve officers and the National Association of Reserve Officers of the Armed Forces (MEGAPIR). According to leaders of the Federation, «it fits into the strategy of the Federation in cooperation with organizations of reserve officers from neighboring Finland states.»

M. Hannula and J. Kosonen expressed a desire to visit Moscow at the invitation of the Association «Megapir» in February-March 2012.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Association «Megapir» medal «For Valour officer» third degree awarded to Mr. M. Hannula, the President of the Federation, and J. Kosonen, the Secretary General of the Federation, and Colonel J. Anttila, Deputy Defence Attache at the Embassy of Finland in Russia, and a medal «For Contribution a veteran movement «-to Professor A. Ahlstrom, the ex-Ppresident of the Federation, and Veli M. Kesalahti, Board member Federation.