Government defence policy report released - armed forces to cut over 1,000 jobs

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The government’s report on defence policy calls for continued structural changes in the Finnish Defence Forces. Reductions are planned in the number of regional staff headquarters, cutbacks are planned in military activities, and a number of garrisons and weapons depots are to be shut down or merged.
      The Defence Forces are also set to reduce the number of staff that they employ by more than 1,000 by 2012.
      The actual facilities to be shut down are not specifically named in the report, which was submitted to Parliament on Friday. Instead, the Ministry of Defence is to decide separately on which garrisons and depots are to be closed.
      The Chief of Defence, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, said on Friday that the decisions on the cutbacks will have to be made next spring, soon after the report is debated by Parliament.
      A last-minute dispute cropped up in the government on Friday over where the staff headquarters of the Finnish Army should be located. After some discussion, the government agreed on Mikkeli as the location of the headquarters.
     
Although Finland will continue to rely on its own forces to defend itself, the defence policy report gives more prominence to international military cooperation and Finnish participation in crisis management operations than was the case in previous such documents.
      The main focus is on participation in military activities within the European Union. Finland is to take part in the rapid deployment forces of the EU. Second priority is given to cooperation with NATO and the United States.
      The report also states briefly that applying for NATO membership will remain a possibility for Finnish security and defence policy. However, there are to be no changes in the main foundations of Finnish defence policy: military non-alignment, national defence, universal male conscription, and the regional defence system.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland to eliminate infantry land mines by 2016; defence personnel cuts announced (13.9.2004)

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