Foreign Affairs Committee sees no obstacle to participation in NATO Response Force

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The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament sees no impediment in principle to Finnish participation in the activities of the NATO Response Force (NRF).
      However, at its meeting on Friday, the committee did not take a direct stand on whether or not Finland actually should take part in the activities of the force, preferring to leave the decision to the discretion of the President and the government.
     If the Parliament and President do feel that Finland should take part in NRF activities, the Foreign Affairs Committee feels that the matter should be brought before Parliament. A decision would be expected in the autumn.
     The statement of the Foreign Affairs Committee notes that Finland "would be capable of participating" in the NRF activities, and that participation would "open broader access" by partner countries to NATO information and standards, than taking part in NRF exercises alone.
      In the view of committee chairman Pertti Salolainen (Nat. Coalition Party), Finland should take part in NRF forces together with Sweden. Salolainen said that this is also the view of his party. However, this was not the view that was expressed by the Foreign Affairs Committee, where the Centre Party and the Social Democrats sought to rein in the enthusiasm of the National Coalition Party.
     
The ranking member of the Centre Party on the committee, Markku Laukkanen, said that the committee takes "neither a positive nor a negative" view of the matter. Laukkanen himself said that he feels that participation in the force is "possible". Eero Heinäluoma (SDP) agreed with him.
      Pekka Haavisto (Green) said that his party has reservations about taking part in NRF activities.
      The Left League is staunchly opposed to taking part in NRF activities; Annika Lapintie felt that the committee's statement went too far, and issued a dissenting opinion.
      Other Parliamentary parties opposed to taking part in NRF operations are the True Finns and the Christian Democrats, who nevertheless have no representation on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
     
Developments in Afghanistan were seen to require a statement from the government to the committee, or if the government prefers, a report to the full Parliament.
      There have been voices in Parliament asking for such a report since the autumn, and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) has been promising such a report.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland to take part in NATO Response Force exercise (8.5.2007)
  Finland already taking part in NATO Response Force planning (15.6.2006)
  Finland and Sweden ready to participate in NATO Response Force (16.4.2007)
  Sweden more positive than Finland toward NATO Response Force (11.12.2006)

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