MP Sasi accuses President of deviating from official policy in UN speech

Kimmo Sasi

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Opposition National Coalition Party MP Kimmo Sasi has submitted a written question to the government concerning a speech given by President Tarja Halonen at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
      In his question Sasi suggests that the views expressed by the President on the war in Iraq deviate from Finland’s previous stand, which was set by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.
      In his question Sasi asks how the President’s UN speech was drafted. He wants to know if the Ministry for Foreign Affairs took part in the preparation, if the speech was discussed in the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy, and if it had the approval of the Prime Minister.
      Sasi, who serves as the chairman of the Parliament’s Constitutional Committee, points out that the Finnish Constitution states that foreign policy in Finland is led by the President in cooperation with the Council of State (government).
     
In her speech at the UN on September 21, President Halonen said: "Before the war in Iraq, the international community failed, however. Conflicting national interests prevailed over common will. There was not enough commitment to act within the boundaries of Security Council resolutions. Some nations resorted to the use of force, which was not compatible with international law."
      In Sasi’s opinion, Halonen deviated from Finland’s official line; he notes that the view taken by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy was that Finland "regretted" the start of the war in Iraq without the authorisation of the UN Security Council.
     
Sasi fails to mention that in its statement on March 20th, 2003 on Finland’s position on the war in Iraq, the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy wrote:
      "Finland regrets that the US and its allies have begun military action against Iraq. Use of military force without the UN Security Council’s specific authorisation is not acceptable."
      Already on March 7th, 2003 the President and the government had stated: "Any use of military force will require the authorisation of the UN Security Council and all unauthorised use of military force is unacceptable".


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland laments launching of military action by U.S. (20.3.2003)
  President Halonen at United Nations: Iraq War was illegal (22.9.2004)

Links:
  Statement by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 21 September 2004
  Government Information Unit press release 20.3.2003: Finlands position on the war on Iraq
  Government Information Unit press release 7.3.2003: Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the Iraq situation

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