Finland already taking part in NATO Response Force planning

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Preparations for Finland’s joining in the NATO Response Force (NRF) are well under way in Brussels. "If the political decisions are carried out promptly, Finland may well attend the NRF planning meeting in November, where the composition of the NRF troops is decided", estimates Finland’s NATO ambassador Antti Sierla. "Finland may also commence its NRF standby duties in 2010."
      Finland’s NRF preparations took a leap forward when the defence ministers of NATO and its partners in peace started their two-day meeting in Brussels. The expansion of the NRF was supported, among others, by the defence ministers of Germany and Sweden.
     
After the Thursday meeting, Finland’s Minister of Defence Jyrki Häkämies (Nat. Coalition) emphasised that what is needed next is a discussion within the government, and the political decision to join the NRF. "This discussion is scheduled for early autumn, so there is a chance we might make it to the NRF meeting in November", Häkämies confirmed.
      The NRF troops, which reached their state of full preparedness last year, consist of heavily equipped units of 25,000 soldiers in all. The units remain on standby in six-month cycles.
      The possible tasks of the NRF troops cover nearly all NATO military operations, save long-term stabilisation engagements, a Ministry for Foreign Affairs memorandum clarifies.
     
The partner countries of NATO, such as Finland, have not previously been accepted in the NRF operations, in part because one of the objectives of the task force was to help develop the preparedness of NATO’s European member states.
      Now a NATO officer who is familiar with the readiness issues estimates that within the NRF troops there are great operational opportunities for "partner countries such as Finland, whom we know to possess extremely capable units".
      A Finnish Navy vessel or units from the land forces might come into question. A partner country, however, cannot replace a NATO member state in the troop line-up.
      According to the officer, who wished to remain anonymous, Finland already took part in a supplementary meeting this week, where reinforcements to the NRF readiness troops as well as to the NATO-led ISAF troops in Afghanistan were outlined.
      In addition, a detailed account concerning the arrangements for incorporating the Partnership for Peace countries with the NRF organisation was completed in the NATO European headquarters this week.
     
Finland and Sweden decided already in January to orally inform NATO that they would consider the possibility to take part in the supplementary activities of the NRF. According to Sierla, the next stage is a written notification of desire to join in. This has to be unanimously accepted by the NATO member states council.
      Those criticising the NRF have seen Finland’s possible participation in its activities not only as a roadmap to full NATO membership but also as a risk to be caught up in others’ wars.
      According to Sierla, taking part in the NRF operations would not increase the volume of Finland’s involvement in international crisis operations. Even in the future the rule of thumb is a thousand Finnish troops in the peace-keeping and crisis management operations at any one time, and a budget of EUR 100 million.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland to take part in NATO Response Force exercise (8.5.2007)
  Finland and Sweden ready to participate in NATO Response Force (16.4.2007)

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