VZCZCXRO2007
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0266 1700802
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180802Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4372
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4893

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000266 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS FOR EEB/CIP/BA WHITNEY WITTEMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS EIND EINT ETRD BEXP FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: HIGH TECH VISIT BY AMBASSADOR GROSS 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On a May 22-25 visit to Helsinki, 
Ambassador David Gross, U.S. Coordinator for 
International Communications and Information Policy met 
with key government leaders including Finnish Minister 
of Communications Suvi Linden, and Ambassador Lanispuro, 
ICT and Information Society Policy Coordinator at the 
Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.  Ambassador Gross 
received a briefing on Finland's conversion to digital 
television last fall and met with all the key 
individuals involved.  Ambassador Gross also met with 
business leaders from F-Secure, the leading Finnish 
computer security company, and MTV3, Finland's largest 
commercial broadcast company.  On Saturday Ambassador 
Gross had extensive discussions on the future of mobile 
communications and the Internet with officials from 
Nokia, the world's leading mobile phone manufacturer. 
Richard Beaird, Senior Deputy United States Coordinator 
for International Communications and Information Policy 
and Whit Witteman from EEB/CIP accompanied Ambassador 
Gross.  End summary. 
 
Ambassador Gross in Helsinki: Day One 
===================================== 
 
¶2. (U) On May 23, Ambassador Gross, Richard Beaird, and 
Whit Witteman had a full set of meetings in Helsinki. 
After meeting with the new U.S. Ambassador to Finland, 
Barbara Barrett, they then met with Finnish Minister of 
Communications Suvi Linden and her senior team to 
discuss Finnish ICT policy and the GOF's role in 
supporting ICT innovation.  The meeting also touched on 
Finland's transition to digital television, Internet 
governance and Finland's positive view of ICANN 
(Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) 
and the upcoming OECD meeting in Seoul which both 
Ambassador Gross and Minister Linden will attend.  The 
delegation then received an in-depth briefing on 
Finland's conversion to digital television last fall 
from Tauno Aijala, a senior official from the Ministry 
of Transport and Communications.  Finland is the first 
country to completely switch to digital television and 
Aijala was eager to share "best practices" and "lessons 
learned" from Finland's conversion to digital 
television.  (Note: The U.S. will make the digital 
transition in February 2009.  End note.) 
 
¶3. (U) Ambassador Gross then met with Ambassador 
Lanispuro, ICT and Information Society Policy 
Coordinator at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 
to discuss Internet Governance issues, including ICANN 
issues.  A member of the ICANN President's Strategy 
Committee, Lansipuro provided an insider's view on 
issues ICANN is facing as it expands its role. 
Ambassador Gross then was interviewed by the leading 
Finnish business publication, Taloussanomat.  The 
interview resulted in a very positive article that 
focused on how the U.S. is learning from Finland's 
example in converting to digital television, as well as 
the future of mobile communications and the Internet. 
Ambassador Gross also met with Kimmo Alkio, CEO of F- 
Secure, Finland's leading computer security company to 
discuss cyber security and the containment of digital 
threats.  Lastly, they met with the senior team from 
MTV3, Finland largest commercial broadcast company, to 
hear how they have profited and expanded their business 
because of the digital conversion. 
 
Ambassador Gross in Helsinki: Day Two at Nokia 
============================================= = 
¶4. (SBU) On May 24 the entire delegation had an all-day 
visit with senior executives from Nokia, the world's 
largest mobile phone manufacturer and the largest 
company in Finland.  During the meetings there was 
substantial in-depth discussions about the USG's ICT 
policies, Nokia's plans for the future, including mobile 
Internet access, especially in the developing world, and 
recent policy developments in Europe, U.S., Africa, 
Asia, and India.  These Nokia executives, including some 
from Nokia's Government Affairs operations in Washington 
and Brussels, who expressed interest in working with the 
USG to provide mobile phones to Cubans as contemplated 
by President Bush's recent announcement. 
BARRETT