Antti Sierla to draft NATO report

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Finland's Ambassador to NATO, Antti Sierla, is to draft the NATO review which is to be included in the government's next report on security and defence policy.
      The NATO review is to assess the impact of possible NATO membership as well as that of continued military non-alignment.
      The review is also to examine the significance of the EU security guarantees in Finland's foreign and security policy.
     
Sierla is expected to be officially appointed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the near future. Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party) said last week that he would like the review to be completed in the coming autumn.
      Sierla is to direct the drafting of the review, but others could be involved in the team. Foreign Ministry state secretary, EU expert Teija Tiilikainen is a strong potential candidate for the group, thanks to her EU expertise.
      Sierla has also been given the task of the planning of the possible scaling back of Finnish diplomatic missions and embassies.
     
The 64-year-old Sierla has been in Brussels, serving as Finnish Ambassador to NATO for five years. Before that he was the Finnish representative in the EU's Committee for Political and Security Affairs in Brussels.
      Sierla's term as NATO Ambassador ends at the end of August.
      Sierla has held different posts at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 1991. His foreign postings include Vienna, Geneva, and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
      The NATO report is to be made a part of the defence report that will be ready next year. It will be compiled by a group of five members led by Esko Hamilo, who was recently appointed as the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs for Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre). The report will be officially issued by the government's Ministerial Committee for Foreign and Security Policy, which is led by the Prime Minister.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Foreign Minister Kanerva: Finland should not delay decision on NRF forces (17.8.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat