Nordic Countries deepening cooperation in defence policy

Exchange of information planned before government reports issued

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Cooperation on foreign policy matters appeared to be a step closer to a strategic level on Wednesday.
      At a Nordic defence ministers' meeting in Sandhamn in Sweden, the countries decided on exchanges of information and ideas, when the governments of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden prepare their own defence policy reports.
      A desire for the "synchronisation" of Nordic defence policy lines was in the background, when Finnish Defence Minister Jyri Häkämies insisted that Finland must get its own defence policy report ready next year at the latest.
      Häkämies has warned that if the new basic policy lines are not drawn up until 2009, Finland will not "catch the same train" as the other Nordic Countries.
     
"Many countries are working on foreign policy reports, with various committees giving assessments on the future. We decided to exchange information for next autumn among the countries", says Swedish Defence Minister Mikael Odenberg to journalists.
      Odenberg hosted the two-day meeting of Nordic Defence Ministers in the Stockholm archipelago. He used the occasion to announce that Finland and Sweden would invite the other Nordic Countries to serve as observers of Finnish-Swedish cooperation in surveillance of the Baltic Sea.
      Häkämies appeared to be satisfied with the new level of cooperation.
      "Each country naturally has its own processes, but it benefits all Nordic Countries if we know as early as possible what plans there are in materiel policy and crisis management", he said.
     
Finland has debated when a new defence policy report should be prepared. Previously, Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva and others felt that 2009 was an appropriate time, as there might be more information available then about the situation of the European Union constitution.
      Häkämies has been calling for a faster timetable, and on Wednesday, a key reason for this proved to be the desire to work more closely with the other countries in the region.
      "This is an important point even from the economic point of view. The next decade will bring large acquisitions, and other matters in which there is reason to see what can be done together."
     
Sweden and Norway have blazed a trail to closer cooperation, with the defence forces of the two countries drawing up detailed lists of possible targets of cooperation. The Finnish government appears to want to join in.
      "Cooperation between Norway and Sweden is open to all. We are happy to expand it in the Nordic region", said Espen Barth Eide, a top Norwegian Defence Ministry official representing the country's Minister of Defence at the meeting.
      "The Defence Forces can see that it will not be possible to maintain a defence force that is both developed and extensive and completely national, which used to be the case. We are thinking about the integration of central functions", Barth Eide said.
     
Norway is preparing its own security policy document for next year. Sweden plans to discontinue drawing up large reports, and is drafting a new situational analysis late this year or in early 2008.
      "In this connection it is naturally interesting to tell others what our defence committee has been thinking, and to hear what is going on in the corresponding work of other countries", said Defence Minister Odenberg.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Defence chiefs´ hunting trip causes political furore in Denmark (30.3.2007)
  Growing concern about Russia leads to new defence thinking in Sweden (15.2.2007)
  Finland and Sweden have no plans to work closer in defence (18.1.2007)
  Finland wants permanent cross-border flight exercise areas with Sweden (17.1.2007)
  PM denies Finland is planning joint air surveillance with Sweden (15.1.2007)

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