Finland repeats old Afghanistan promises at foreign ministers’ meeting

Stubb invites new EU Foreign Minister to Lapland

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Unlike several other countries, Finland is not making any additional commitment of sending forces to Afghanistan.
      Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party) said in Brussels on Friday that Finland will raise its total strength in Afghanistan from the present 120 crisis management soldiers to no more than 145. Stubb attended a meeting of 44 countries taking part in the NATO-led ISAF crisis management effort in Afghanistan.
     
There is already a mandate for the deployment of the additional forces, who are to serve as trainers.
      “It would be realistic to say that if we recruit a maximum 10-15 people, we will have gone far”, Stubb told the journalists.
      Finland has not committed itself to long-term additional deployments.
      “Much depends on what our future in the PRT [Provincial Reconstruction Team] along with Sweden looks like”, Stubb said. Sweden is considering making changes to the PRT in about two years.
      Finland has 25 people in the EU’s police mission, which is the third-largest commitment among EU member states. Finland aims to raise the number to 30.
     
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday that at least 25 countries will be sending additional forces to Afghanistan, and more announcements could be coming soon.
      According to Rasmussen, there are 7,000 more forces in store at the moment. In addition, the United States said on Tuesday that it will deploy an additional 30,000 within six months. Next year the total number of foreign forces in Afghanistan will be about 140,000.
      “This will have a significant impact on the situation on the spot”, Rasmussen insisted.
     
Stubb said that he was not put under pressure to promise more forces.
      French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Friday that France will not be sending more soldiers to Afghanistan, noting that the country did so a year ago.
     
In addition to attending the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, Stubb had private discussions with the EU’s new Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton.
      Stubb invited Ashton for a skiing trip in Finnish Lapland, and got a positive answer. She will be joined by the foreign ministers of 8-10 EU countries.
      “Cathy Aston is clearly a team player”, Stubb said.
      Stubb also commented on the controversy surrounding a letter from NATO asking Finland for more forces to Afghanistan. Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies (Nat. Coalition Party) had complained about the slow flow of information on the matter.
      “The letter came in the normal way. Information is moving well”, Stubb said.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Defence Minister Häkämies lashes out at President over hiding NATO letter (4.12.2009)
  Finland to NATO meeting without promise of greater Afghan force commitment (4.12.2009)

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