Kanerva defends EU action in Estonian-Russian statue dispute

Halonen wants study on media reaction

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The Finnish foreign policy leadership gave itself and the European Union high marks for its action in the crisis sparked by the decision by Estonia to move a monument to fallen Soviet soldiers in the centre of the capital Tallinn.
      The ramifications of the crisis between Estonia and Russia was a key topic in the third Presidential Forum convened by President Tarja Halonen.
      According to Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party), the events showed that the EU has significance in crisis situations, and that Finland needs to keep this in mind. Kanerva says that the importance of security guarantees will be assessed in connection with the next government foreign policy report.
     
President Halonen said that statements that came from Finland on the crisis were in line with each other. She compared the statements of the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and the President with a wood anemone (a flower that blooms in Finnish forests during this time of the year); the words may differ, but those making the statements are like petals of the flower, which hold together in the centre.
      Halonen had invited more than 30 influential figures to discuss the challenges of foreign policy in the event at the Presidential Palace, which was open to the press. Discussions touched upon most of the current topics of Finnish foreign policy, ranging from adjacent areas to globalisation. There were some differences over whether or not all of the topics fall under the framework of security policy.
     
In her opening statement Halonen hoped for cooperation with Russia, and said that crisis management poses possibilities for increased cooperation between the EU and NATO. Halonen rejected the notion that Finland would be in the "entrance hall" of NATO; she said that Finland is not queueing up for membership. As she sees it, Finland is a partner of NATO, along with other former neutral countries.
      The NATO issue did not produce a fissure between the President and Foreign Minister. Kanerva also focused on NATO's new interest in civilian crisis management, and the cooperative possibilities that it offers. NATO's new slogan is "comprehensive approach". The United States has also begun to emphasise civilian action, in the wake of difficulties that it has experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan.
     
In the statue dispute, both Halonen and Kanerva mentioned that Finland had started out before the other EU member states to defend Estonia's right to make its own decisions on moving the statue - whether or not the decision itself was a good one, as Halonen emphasised. Others reacted only to the harassment of Estonian and other diplomats in Moscow.
      Kanerva defended the actions of EU Presidency-holder Germany. He said that there was much diplomatic action surrounding the dispute that was not made public. Kanerva disputed the notion that the EU acted "slowly, as if the emergency brake was on".
      "We know what happened in the Moscow-Tallinn-Berlin triangle. It is unfair to day that Germany was not on the move. I can assure you that it was", said Kanerva. In his view, the silent diplomacy chosen by Germany has proved to be the right decision.
     
The role of the media was raised first by Halonen, and then by former Prime Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP).
      Halonen called for a study on how the Finnish media handled the questions of the bronze soldier and the Iraq war, compared with the media of other countries. The President's office did not specify on Tuesday evening what Halonen expects from such a report.
      Tuomioja, for his part, said that Finland is an exceptionally media-driven country, where it is necessary to chase after whatever the media considers important at a particular time.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Russians boycott Valio products manufactured in Estonia (8.5.2007)
  Finland to take part in NATO Response Force exercise (8.5.2007)
  Kanerva in Estonia: Events in Moscow serious (3.5.2006)
  COMMENTARY: "Oh, sorry, I thought you were Estonian" (2.5.2007)
  Finnish PM denounces Russian demands for resignation of Estonian government (2.5.2007)
  Tallinn memorial: Vanhanen emphasises non-interference, Kanerva calls for EU solidarity (30.4.2007)
  Soviet memorial in Tallinn moved after night of rioting (27.4.2007)
  Foreign Minister Kanerva: This government will not apply for NATO membership (26.4.2007)

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