Defence Minister Kääriäinen sees no change in NATO option

Government defence report criticised as too national and too vague

Seppo Kääriäinen

Jyrki Katainen

Suvi-Anne Siimes

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Finland’s Minister of Defence Seppo Kääriäinen (Centre) denies that the interpretation of Finland’s so-called NATO option in the government’s fresh report on national defence policy differs from that which was contained in a report by a follow-up group on security policy led by MP Aulis Ranta-Muotio (Centre) earlier this year.
      Ranta-Muotio’s working group, with representatives from all parties in Parliament, noted in its final report in March that it is important for Finland that "NATO membership should be a real option for security policy in the future as well".
      The defence policy report, which was released on Friday, states that "applying for membership in the alliance will remain a possibility for Finnish security and defence policy in the future as well".
      The difference in the wording was noted by opposition National Coalition Party chairman Jyrki Katainen.
      "I see no difference", Kääriäinen insisted at a discussion of the European Security Forum in Helsinki on Monday.
      "In politics it is always possible to split hairs over words, but my interpretation is that a possibility and a real option are the same thing", Kääriäinen said.
     
The Minister of Defence feels that the drafting of the defence report has meant a democratisation of security policy, and an increase in openness, because the political opposition had a chance to influence the final result in the Ranta-Muotio working group.
      Not all of the participants at the forum agreed.
      Left Alliance chairwoman Suvi-Anne Siimes said that the report does not directly address military issues related to the European Union. For instance, it does not say how the EU’s security strategy should be implemented in Finland. It also does not indicate what Finnish participation in EU rapid action forces really means.
      All in all Siimes said that the starting point of the report is too "national".
      Tuomas Forsberg, Professor of International Politics, criticised the report as broad and vague.
      He said that it does not reveal how relations with the United States are to be nurtured, what kinds of initiatives should be taken in the EU, and whether or not developments in Russia are a problem for Finland.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Government defence policy report released - armed forces to cut over 1,000 jobs (27.9.2004)
  Finland to eliminate infantry land mines by 2016; defence personnel cuts announced (13.9.2004)
  NATO Secretary-General praises Finland's role in Partnership for Peace (7.9.2004)
  Finnish Defence Minister disagrees with General Hägglund on combining EU and NATO (20.1.2004)

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