Finns to be included in Lebanon peacekeeping force

Parliament may convene during summer break to debate deployment

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Finnish participation in a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Lebanon is to be discussed on Friday by the government’s Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy. President Tarja Halonen will also attend the meeting.
      It is seen as a foregone conclusion that Finland will take part in the operation in some capacity.
      Olli-Pekka Jalonen, the head of the international unit of the Ministry of Defence, says that Finland could send a company of about 200 soldiers to Lebanon. Another option is to deploy a smaller unit of staff officers, for instance.
     
"We do not yet have a clear picture of what kind of a force the Finns would be part of, and for what kind of tasks ", Jalonen says. The UN operation is still in the planning stages.
      The UN list of requirements calls for military engineers, of the kind that are trained in the Pori Brigade. Jalonen says that Finnish engineers could take part in the construction of bridges and roads, and the clearing away of explosives.
      Another option is to send a light infantry company for patrol duty, or to protect a staff headquarters. Jalonen notes that such a company of guards was deployed in Eritrea.
     
Participation in the operation requires more funding for peacekeeping activities. The exact figure depends on what kind of a force would be sent to Lebanon.
      A final decision on deploying the Finnish forces is to be made by Parliament. The Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs is to meet on Tuesday, to be briefed on the plans by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP).
      The chairman, and vice chairman of the committee, Jari Vilén (Nat. Coalition Party) and Antti Kaikkonen (Centre Party) have already given their backing to Finnish participation in the operation.
      Under the new crisis management law, Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has the authority to decide on the deployment of the forces without the approval of the whole Parliament. However, the operation is considered so important that the issue is likely to be debated in the main chamber.
      Vilén says that Parliament might be convened for an extraordinary session already before the autumn session officialy opens, if the situation in Lebanon requires the rapid deployment of Finnish forces.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish peace monitor still unaccounted for in Lebanon (3.8.2006)
  Tuomioja: EU countries prepare for Lebanon peacekeeping force (1.8.2006)

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