Finland and Sweden to stay out of core of Nato Response Force

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The possible participation of Finland and Sweden in the NATO Response Force was significantly simplified on Thursday when the ministers of defence of the NATO member states decided to largely shelve the idea of six-month alternate turns for being on call for action.
      The defence ministers decided at their unofficial meeting at the Dutch coastal city of Noordwijk on Thursday on a significant reduction of the NRF programme.
      Previously each of the countries taking part in NRF would have had to decide when it would be on call, and with how much troop strength.
      "Now Finland can look and see what kinds of crisis management forces it wants from the point of view of national defence, and to train them through NRF", said a diplomat, who follows issues related to NATO, and who wished to remain anonymous.
     
NATO's decision to reorganise the NRF forces, which have been in readiness for just a year, was not directly related to either Finland or Sweden - two non-NATO countries which are nevertheless taking part in the programme.
      The input of the two countries in NRF would be small in any case, and would be likely to primarily complement the input of the forces of actual NATO members.
      Earlier this year Finland and Sweden announced their interest in taking part in NRF activities. Sweden's final announcement is expected in March. In Finland, changes in NRF and political disagreements on the matter have delayed a possible announcement at least until the spring.
      "I admit that pressures on the forces are truly great, and convening the forces is never easy", said NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. He insisted that the goals and tasks of NRF remain the same, but that a step-by-step approach would be used in the implementation.
     
This means that in the future there will not even be an attempt to bring together a massive response force every six months. Instead, there is to be a core force set up to maintain readiness, possibly comprising about 6,000 soldiers. To back it up, extra forces trained by the participating countries can be called up.
      The NATO Secretary-General emphasised that details are only now being worked on. According to diplomats, NATO will organise a meeting on convening the new type of NRF in January.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  NATO disputes over rapid deployment strategies delaying Finland’s decision on taking part in NRF operations (29.8.2007)
  Foreign Minister Kanerva: Finland should not delay decision on NRF forces (17.8.2007)

Links:
  NATO news: Allies discuss transformation agenda

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