Finnish parliament speaker in favor of solution to Cyprus issue ASAP

Niinisto, who is paying a formal visit to Turkish capital of Ankara, replied to questions of the Anatolia news agency.

In regard to minaret referendum held in Switzerland, Niinisto said they would not allow such a referendum to take place in Finland.

Turkey has been serving as a bridge for peoples of different worlds, Niinisto said.

EU needs Turkey because the country has deep ties with the West and it has Muslim community, he said.

In regard to his talks with Turkish authorities, Niinisto said that he held fruitful talks in Ankara.

Niinisto added that the trade volume between the two countries should be increased more than 1 billion US dollar.