New legislation would ease restrictions governing peacekeeping operations

Working group wants to change rules on using force and lift requirement for UN mandate

Erkki Tuomioja

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A working group of civil servants set up by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has proposed that the present law on Finnish participation in peacekeeping operations be replaced by a new crisis management law that would lift the present restrictions on Finnish peacekeeping operations.
      Under the proposal, which was submitted to Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) on Tuesday, a mandate from the United Nations Security Council would no longer be required for Finnish participation in a peacekeeping operation.
      Finland would be allowed to take part in any international military crisis management operation as long as the operation follows the general principles of the UN Charter and international law, and if the President, government, and Parliament give their approval to the operation.
      The proposal would also drop the reference to Article 42 of the UN Charter. The reference to Article 42 in the current law on peacekeeping prevents Finland from taking part in coercive peace enforcement action. Finnish peacekeepers would also be authorised to use force more than the present law allows; currently, force can only be used for purposes of self defence.
     
The bill would change the role of Parliament in decision-making on peacekeeping issues. The full Parliament would be presented with a report on especially demanding operations, and those which do not have a UN mandate.
      Under the present peacekeeping law, a report to Parliament is required if the potential use of force in a planned peacekeeping operation differs from the scope of traditional peacekeeping - no matter how small the Finnish contingent is.
      Participation in rapid deployment forces of the European Union would also not be debated by the whole Parliament.
     
Foreign Minister Tuomioja did not find any serious problems with the proposal.
      The views of President Tarja Halonen were not available on Tuesday, but the President is expected to approve the measure, because her Chief of Staff, Jarmo Viinanen, was one of the members of the group that drafted the unanimous proposal.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish peacekeepers permitted to use tear-gas in Kosovo (11.4.2004)
  Chief of Defence urges quick decision on status of rapid deployment forces (24.2.2005)
  PM Vanhanen: EU authorisation sufficient for crisis operation (17.11.2004)
  Finnish peacekeepers take on more military role in Kosovo (6.4.2004)

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