 Enckell was one of the few Finnish politicians who had experience about foreign relations; during the first years of independence he was Minister of Foreign affairs in Lauri Ingman's cabinet 1918–1919 after which he was appointed Finnish Representative in Paris.In the peace negotiations that followed the First World War, Finland took distance from Germany to get recognition for its independence from the Allies.Finland also sought for support in Åland crisis that had emerged with Sweden, which demanded the group of islands to itself.