No, Minister!

By Unto Hämäläinen
     
      Dr. Juhani Suomi tied his personal destiny with that of Urho Kekkonen in 1981. At that time he offered to write the President's biography, and got the go-ahead from the Kekkonen family for the undertaking. Suomi was also the first to be given access to Kekkonen's famous archive.
      In the early years of the 1980s Juhani Suomi had a busy work schedule. In the evenings, at night, and during weekends, he wrote history. In the daytime he worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as a civil servant.
      Juhani Suomi was originally a researcher by training. He had defended a doctoral dissertation in political science, and had received considerable recognition for his thesis, which concerned the background of the Winter War. Shortly afterward he was recruited by the Foreign Ministry, and in 1978 he got a job as a civil servant, responsible for matters related to the socialist countries, security in the Nordic region, as well as maintaining contact with the Security Police and the Defence Forces.
      "Could a person have had a more interesting job at that time?" Juhani Suomi asks. He then answers his own question: "No, he could not."
     
Suomi polished up his Russian language skills, learned about the remarkable world of Finnish-Soviet relations, and took part in the preparation of important state visits.
      Not even this was enough. At the time, Juhani Suomi was a man in his prime, and occasionally he wanted to shake off the pressures of two demanding jobs.
      In 1985 he began to write political columns under the pseudonym Kunto Kalpa in the newspaper Keskisuomalainen. The columns were critical reviews of the time of President Mauno Koivisto, which had begun in 1982.
      Kalpa's criticism of those in power was sharp, and the true identity of Kunto Kalpa became a topic of national speculation. The news magazine Suomen Kuvalehti even commissioned a scientific text analysis of Kalpa's articles. The conclusion was that Kunto Kalpa certainly could not have been Juhani Suomi.
     
Writing secretly under the protection of a nom de plume was a dangerous hobby for a civil servant at that time.
      On the other hand, many diplomats, such asMax Jakobson, had done the same before Suomi.
      During the Cold War, Foreign Ministry civil servants had virtually no other way to take part in public debate than by hiding behind a pseudonym, and it was important not to get caught.
     
Juhani Suomi's difficulties began in the spring of 1987, when there was a change of government in the country. The decades-long cooperation between the Social Democratic Party and the Centre Party came to an end, and President Koivisto appointed a government led by Harri Holkeri (Nat. Coalition Party), in which the main partners were the National Coalition and the Social Democrats.
      More information on the emergence of this government will be forthcoming on Tuesday when Juhani Suomi's latest book on the years 1986 and 1987 appears. At that time, SDP Chairman, Prime Minister Kalevi Sorsa and Centre Party Chairman, Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen were locked in a political power struggle.
     
In addition to normal domestic policy power struggle, the SDP and the Centre Party were also competitors in foreign policy, and especially on relations with the Soviet Union, which was the most important area of foreign policy at that time.
      During the Kekkonen era, the Centre Party had a strong position in relations with the East, but with the new President, the SDP sought to take control of ties with Moscow.
      The power struggle could also be felt in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
      It was there that Juhani Suomi was seen as a Centre Party figure, even though he was not involved in actual party politics. He had naturally been labelled a Kekkonen man when he began writing the President's biography.
     
Already at the beginning of the tenure of the new government, Suomi learned that Sorsa, who had taken over as Foreign Minister, was dissatisfied with him.
      Suomi needed to take these messages seriously, because he knew that Sorsa was severe in his use of power. Before taking over as Foreign Minister, Sorsa had served as Prime Minister for a total of ten years, and during that time, the SDP had filled the civil service with its own people.
      Then it happened. One day Foreign Minister Kalevi Sorsa asked civil servant Juhani Suomi into his office.
     
Suomi tells about that most dramatic conversation in his life in a quiet and steady voice, as is his practice. It will soon be 20 years since it happened, but he seems to remember the dialogue almost verbatim.
      Occasionally he gives a dry laugh when relating the events. However, there was no laughter in Sorsa's office on that day.
      "Sorsa had no inhibitions. He was capable of winding himself up into a frightening rage. I don't know how much acting there was, in the manner of [former President J.K.] Paasikivi, and how much truth. I think that more of it was true."
      Sorsa demanded that Suomi leave the ministry, or give up his important official duties at the very least. The Foreign Minister felt that writing the Kekkonen biography would impede him from exercising his official duties. In addition, Sorsa spoke in a tone of great certainty that he knew that Suomi was behind the columns of Kunto Kalpa.
      Suomi did not admit to having been Kunto Kalpa.
     
Twenty years later Juhani Suomi characterised the discussion as "ostentatious and loud". This was undoubtedly the case, as emotions were at the surface, and both men were skilful wordsmiths.
      At the end of the conversation Suomi said that he would not agree to Sorsa's demands. He would not resign, nor would he voluntarily relinquish his duties.
      After the conversation Juhani Suomi went into his own office, took out his small tape recorder, rewound the tape to the beginning and made sure that every word had been recorded.
      "And naturally I saved the tape. It is in a bank vault this very day. The tape was my life insurance during his time, and, let's say, ten years after, because Sorsa spoke so plainly and never imagined that it was being recorded."
     
Suomi prepared to fight for his job. In the worst case he would have been ready to make the tape public. One could well imagine that in the late 1980s it would have been big news. However, he never needed to use the tape.
      Several weeks passed, and finally Suomi was told that he had been granted a leave of absence - something that he had never requested. This would deprive him of his official tasks, but it would keep his official position at the Foreign Ministry, allowing him to concentrate on writing the Kekkonen biography.
     
The ministry's offer was to take it or leave it. The other option would have been to keep on fighting with Sorsa.
      "He would certainly have got his way", Suomi pondered. Sorsa had discussed the matter with President Koivisto as well.
      "It was a terribly difficult situation for me", Juhani Suomi recalls. He pondered what giving up official duties and stepping aside would mean.
      "It would be the end of one career. Finally I agreed to it."
     
Also at stake was the economic well-being of Suomi's family. His daughter was still young, and he could not afford to take any more risks.
      The new arrangement was dealt with in a subtle manner, and no attention was paid to it in public.
      Throughout the 1990s, Juhani Suomi concentrated on writing the Kekkonen biography, which finally expanded to become an eight-part series. During the writing, he was granted two or three years of leave of absence at a time. Each time he had to apply for a separate extension. The leave was often granted at the last moment, and decisions came in the form of announcements. It seemed as if nobody really wanted to talk about the matter.
      Juhani Suomi continued writing as Kunto Kalpa until 1993. The identity of the writer remained a secret until last autumn, when it was disclosed in a history of Keskisuomalainen.
      Urho Kekkonen's biography was finally finished in 2000. Suomi went back to being a civil servant at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
     
Juhani Suomi turns 65 next week, and he plans to retire next year.
      He has suffered from many ailments. He nearly lost his eyesight, but the flame burns bright within him: not a day without a line.
      "This is like an incurable disease. I cannot help but write", he laments - with a look of obvious satisfaction.
      He feels that it is very important for him to continue his series of books evaluating the age of Koivisto. A couple of years ago Suomi threatened to stop at two volumes. At that time it appeared that he would not be given access to the source material of his book. The reason was a familiar one: Suomi was again considered to be biased. Now, however, sources have been found.
      But what about the career which was interrupted 20 years ago?
      Juhani Suomi continues to closely follow developments in Finland's eastern neighbour. The great power has changed its name, but it is still where it used to be.
     
Suomi feels that others - in the government and the Foreign Ministry as well - should also look eastward from time to time.
      "It used to be that everyone tried to be an expert in relations with the east. Now nobody wants to do that", he smirks cynically.
      "I understand that Finland's policy toward the east is dealt with as a part of the EU's foreign policy, but Finland would desperately need a Russia policy of its own. We have our own interests to look after; nobody else will take care of them."
      Juhani Suomi is worried at how meagre knowledge about Russia is, and how narrow its foundation is.
      "When the old guard of diplomats fades away, silent knowledge might disappear."
     
Very few diplomats can be bothered to acquaint themselves with the life of the neighbouring country. Mere politics or economics is not enough for dealing with the Russians. One needs to know the country's language, culture, and history.
      It would also increase understanding and respect on the other side.
      "Finnish politicians and civil servants know day-to-day matters, but they do not understand the lengthy historical backgrounds. When the depth is missing, there is always a danger of misunderstanding."
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 10.2.2008


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Professor Juhani Suomi to switch from President Kekkonen to Koivisto (24.9.2003)
  Lipponen launches attack on new book about former President Koivisto (30.9.2005)
  When Finland began to turn to the West, away from the East (22.9.2006)
  Juhani Suomi puts series of Koivisto books on hold after two volumes (22.9.2006)