Harri Holkeri

UNMIK Chief

(UN, Helsingin Sanomat, Reuters, AP)

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan named former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri as his new special representative and head of UNMIK on 25 July 2003. Holkeri succeeds Michael Steiner of Germany, who served as the 3rd UNMIK chief since the mission was launched in 1999. Steiner's predecessors were Hans Haekkerup of Denmark and Bernard Kouchner of France.

Born on 6 January 1937 in Toijala, Finland, Holkeri has a master's degree in political science from the University of Helsinki. He holds the military rank of Major in the Finnish reserve forces.

Holkeri started his political career in 1965 as secretary of the Conservative (National Coalition) Party. In 1971, he was elected party chairman and served in this post until 1979. He was also a member of parliament from 1970 to 1978.

Holkeri was a presidential candidate twice -- in 1982 and 1988 -- both times running against Mauno Koivisto, a close friend and colleague at the Bank of Finland. Holkeri was a member of the bank's Board of Governors from 1978 to 1997 and chair of the Helsinki city council from 1981 to 1987.

From 1987 to 1991, Holkeri was prime minister of Finland, heading a coalition between his own party and the Social Democrats.

He is the chairman of the board of Finnair, Finland's national airline, and sits on the boards of various Finnish industries and organisations.

Holkeri has also been active on the international scene. He served as a member of the Finnish delegation to the UN General Assembly from 1963 to 1965, as a member of the Nordic Council from 1975 to 1978, and as vice president (1974-1975) and president (1976) of the European Free Trade Association Parliamentarians.

Holkeri was one of three independent chairmen of the multi-party peace negotiations convened to end the conflict in Northern Ireland. From 1995 to 1998 he was a member of the International Body, a group set up by the governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland for the purpose of decommissioning illegal weapons in Northern Ireland.

In September 2000, Holkeri was elected president of the 55th session of the UN General Assembly.

Although he has no experience in the Balkans, Holkeri was selected as head of UNMIK from among about a dozen candidates. The veteran politician with the reputation of being a skilled mediator and consensus builder was acceptable to all sides. The UN Security Council confirmed him as the 4th UNMIK chief on 28 July 2003.

Holkeri said his new assignment was "possibly the most difficult task" in his life, adding that "the fact that it's difficult could not have been grounds for turning it down".

"The situation in Kosovo continues to be difficult although it has improved the whole time during the presence of the UN there," Holkeri said, expressing the hope that talks with Belgrade could begin as soon as possible after the summer holiday season.

Holkeri's priority is to complete the transfer of powers to local institutions. "My mission is to make myself unnecessary as quickly as possible. If I could achieve this, I would be a success."

Holkeri is married and has two children.