Ahtisaari, Maarti (1939– )

Finnish diplomat and politician, president 1994–2000. Prior to being chosen as the Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, he was undersecretary general of the United Nations, representing it in Namibia 1989–90 and in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1993. He strongly supported Finland's membership of the European Union and pledged himself to work for better relations with Russia.