Cluster weapon ban treaty could end development and trade in weapons sought by Finland

print this

Finland’s hopes to acquire cluster weapons to replace the infantry land mines that the Defence Forces are giving up are not likely to be realised for a long time, if ever.
      Defence policy leaders say that a “pause for thought” is underway in Finland’s cluster weapons acquisition project.
      According to unofficial assessments released on Wednesday, an international treaty signed in Oslo on a ban on cluster weapons could lead to a situation in which the types of cluster weapons that Finland hopes to get are no longer developed, or not sold internationally.
      Finland did not sign the treaty, saying that cluster weapons are an important part of its defence strategy. The Finnish Defence Forces say that cluster weapons are the best way to compensate for the infantry land mines, which Finland was also reluctant to give up.
     
“We know that the treaty will alter the international market in cluster weapons”, said Defence minister Jyri Häkämies (Nat. Coalition Party) on Wednesday.
      He did not want to say what technical and political changes might result from the treaty. One practical change, in his view, is that the planned purchase of cluster shells for mortars from Spain is to be cancelled.
      The United States is one possible source of the weaponry, but experts do not know if it will continue to develop and sell the types of weapons systems that Finland wants.
     
According to Jarmo Viinanen, the head of the Office of the President, the broader impact of the ban on cluster weapons was taken into consideration in late October, when the government’s committee on foreign and security policy decided on Finland’s stand on the treaty.
      “When the decision was made, we knew that the treaty would affect the price level, availability, and development of the weapons by virtue of its existence”, Viinanen says.
      According to the decision by the President and the government, Finland will not sign the treaty now, but that a study on cluster weapons will be conducted, and the matter will be revisited annually.
     
Supporters of a ban on cluster weapons hope that countries such as Finland, which opted out of the treaty, will feel a need to abide by it anyway.
      The signing of the treaty began in Oslo on Wednesday morning, and by Thursday, about 100 countries had signed it, said sources at the Norwegian foreign ministry.
      Finland and Poland are the only EU countries to opt out of the treaty. Other non-signatories are Russia, the United States, Israel, and China.
     
The representatives of some countries went to Oslo to sign the treaty before moving on to Helsinki for the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting.
      According to one expert assessment, those opting out of the treaty might now start focussing on developing a type of weapon that is not banned under the treaty.
      One such weapon might be a “kinetic” cluster bomb, which would splinter into objects that are do not explode, but which cause damage by their impact.
     
Finland currently has EUR 30 million worth of artillery cluster shells in its arsenal, says Colonel Petri Hulkko at the Ministry of Defence. This is only a small proportion of the acquisitions that have been planned.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland not to join cluster weapon ban (3.11.2008)
  Halonen: Finland probably not signing cluster weapons ban yet (27.10.2008)
  Finnish cluster weapon purchases raise criticism among NGOs meeting in Peru (24.5.2007)
  Government: Finland does not endorse total ban of cluster weapons (14.5.2007)
  Cluster shell acquired by Finland banned in Norway (9.3.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat