Nordic leaders hail former Russian president Yeltsin (Roundup)

Apr 23, 2007, 16:43 GMT

Stockholm/Helsinki - Nordic leaders Monday hailed the late Russian president Boris Yeltsin's contributions in turning events during the end of the Soviet Union.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen said on an official visit to Qatar, Yeltsin played a key role in the democratic development of Russia.

She 'held President Yeltsin's work in high regard' as he helped forge good ties with Finland and expressed her condolences to the Russian people.

In an interview with Finnish broadcaster MTV former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari (1994-2000), who was visiting Jakarta, said Yeltsin's relations with Finland 'were good and correct'.

'The memory of Boris Yeltsin is that of a man who played a key role in ending the Soviet dictatorship,' Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said, noting that Yeltsin helped Russia to take 'its first steps towards democracy.'

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was notified on the start of a visit to several countries in Latin America, was 'sad' to hear of Yeltsin's death.

'We honour the former Russian president who at a critical phase remained a steadfast champion for a democratic Russia,' Rasmussen stated.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Yeltsin was 'without doubt, for all the human weaknesses no-one is free of, one the great men of our times.'

'When everything was uncertain in the collapsing Soviet Union, he set a new course by abolishing the Soviet Union and recognizing the independence of the three Baltic states,' Bildt added.