Finland and Sweden cooperate in military surveillance of Baltic Sea
Cooperatin could be expanded beyond Baltic Sea
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The Finnish Navy is taking part in a study on whether or not a common surveillance system could be established in the maritime areas of all Baltic Sea countries. Veli-Jukka Pennala, Chief of Staff of the Finnish Navy says that the area that would be covered by the arrangement might extend beyond the Baltic.
Finland and Sweden are already now working together in monitoring security in the Northern Baltic Sea. Defence Minister Seppo Kääriäinen sees the increased cooperation as a positive development.
"The broader the cooperation, the more it brings stability and security."
On Saturday, a Finnish-Swedish battle group practiced crisis management skills in the archipelago area.
An international coastal light infantry unit is being set up for crisis management duties, which it will participate in as part of a Finnish-Swedish coastal battle group.
Soldiers staged a performance on Saturday as part of a week-long FIN-SWE-ATU-06 exercise involving a total of about 1,000 troops and 70 vessels.
The common battle group (ATU) will bring the naval forces of Finland and Sweden into closer cooperation. Strategic cooperation so far has led to the technical linkage of the naval forces of Finland and Sweden.
The Netherlands and Belgium have integrated their navies, and they now have common naval groups.
Chief of Staff Veli-Jukka Pennala notes that discussions on a possible integration of the Finnish and Swedish navies "is probably not topical".
Military cooperation between the Finnish and Swedish navies grew closer in September 2000, when the ministers of defence of the two countries agreed to extend the cooperation to coastal light infantry units.
Previously, cooperation on the military unit level had mainly involved officer exchange, and exchange of information on the activities of the forces. Common exercises began in 2001, and were initially relatively small.
The most recent Finnish government report on security and defence policy notes that participation of the Finnish Navy in crisis management operations is to be increased.
Approval for joint manoeuvres is given each year by the government’s committee on foreign and security policy.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 23.10.2006 - TODAY |
 Finland and Sweden cooperate in military surveillance of Baltic Sea
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